Database Users

Received my invite. I have 72 Hours to decide between this and LG G3.

Hey guys,
I had just about given up on this phone and was patiently waiting on the release of the LG G3 to replace my Nexus 5. However, this morning I received an email from OnePlus indicating that I had won an invite to buy the phone. The invite expires in 72 hours so I need to decide quickly.
So I'm back to being in a tough decision and looking for some input from those who were also deciding between the OnePlus One and the LG G3 or other similar device. Obviously, the biggest differentiator between the OnePlus One and the G3, HTC One M8, and Galaxy S5 is the fact that the OnePlus One costs about half of what the other devices cost with similar/same specs. Aside from that, what were the biggest selling points for you to buy this phone over the others?
My current thoughts...
- I've grown used to wireless charging with the Nexus 5. I have a wireless charger at home and work which have been very convenient. I'll have to give this up with the OnePlus One. Alternatively, the LG G3 will have the capability to continue using the wireless chargers. This isn't a deal breaker but definitely on my mind.
- Size. I want a bigger screen than what I have with the Nexus 5 but I am not a "phablet" fan. So I'm trying to keep size at a minimum. The OnePlus One is slightly taller and wider than the LG G3. Has anyone held both devices and if you have, can you confirm if the OnePlus One feels noticeably bigger in the hand than the LG G3?
Aside from that, I like the overall design of the OnePlus One as it is sleeker with no branding on the front and durability between the two seems like it will be a wash. So overall, what ultimately sold you on the OnePlus One?
Decisions, decisions...

For me, it's the high specs for the low price. But the lg g3 may be a slight smaller but with both phones being phablet size, I don't think you'll notice the difference. If you are partial towards the wireless charging from lg, you will have to think if that would be a deal breaker for you to give up the one plus one.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

If I were in your shoes I'd definitely buy the OnePlus. Worse comes to, you decide you miss wireless charging too much or just don't like the phone for whatever reason. You can just sell the phone and purchase a LG G3.
I'm in a similar situation, sans invite. I also have mixed feelings about the size. But it's about the specs for me. That's part of what makes the Huawei Honor 6 a very attractive alternative for me.
Bottom line though, a phone you have in your hand now is much more useful than a phone that's being released down the line. If you like this phone, can afford it, and have the opportunity, just buy it.

Please go to one of the other two invite related threads started in this section.
Or, for device discussion, go here to start....http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1620179

Considering Z3, but......

Recently my N5's screen cracked after a fall. I love the N5, but couldn't justify spending $200 to fix a $400 phone. (In Australia. Not sure how much it is to fix in other countries). Besides, the GPS is near useless, even after the fix.
I considered getting the M8 due to the aluminium construction, but the massive bezels and weight really put me off. It has a 5inch display, yet is the same size as the Z3. Shame.
I really like the Moto X (2014), for its shape and size, but for its price here in Aus, $700, it isn't an upgrade from the N5, and the battery sucks. Maybe if it was <$600, I would seriously consider it.
The Droid Turbo is everything I want in a phone, but at over 11mm thick.......No thanks.
Then I noticed the Z3. It is perfect, especially in copper. It is the only phone that gets everything right. The battery life is fantastic, the screen looks brilliant, it has an SD card slot, the camera is great, it feels fantastic in the hand, front facing speakers, etc.......It just seems like the perfect handset.......until you hear about all the QC issues.
Screens cracking, waterproofing not working, very poor reception (in AU at least), chassis creaking noises when pressed, dodgy camera buttons, inconsistent screen calibration, inconsistent picture quality.
The reception issues alone are a massive put off. I was in the Telstra store today, the big one in the city, (Melb CBD), and the Z3 that was on display was bouncing between 4g, 3g and, surprisingly, 2g. It spent most of the time on 3g/2g and least time on 4g.
All this while my N5 was solidly on 4g with 3 bars the whole time.
Pretty piss poor. Especially considering that that store has its own in building cell, so it should have full 4G at all times.
I've noticed one person on this forum is onto his fourth handset!
What's going on?
Can any long term users put my mind at ease? Should I get this phone, or should I stay away?
Any input is greatly appreciated. I really want this phone, but these QC issues really leave a bad taste.

I am that guy with the 4th handset lol. Don't be put off, even many iPhone 6s are being returned to TMO, it happens as the device is new and sometimes there is a bad batch. TMO got dumped a bad batch, just go to store and check there if it has issues they will open another one and you can get a good one. Remember even the the HTC M7 had issues with purple cam etc and the G3 with cracks near the mic, for some batches, no company is immune. Mostly people with defects are vocal on forums and those without issues generally don't come on forums to praise so obviously on forums talk will be skewed towards the problems/defects.
Its a good phone, but if you think you may be careless the M8 is better as its more impact resistant as corners of LCD are protected by a much thicker metal frame.
Overall though the Z3 has better battery life, camera, and speakers are "almost" as good as the M8, and as you mentioned before its not as bulky. Waterproofing is also a plus.

abhinav.tella said:
I am that guy with the 4th handset lol. Don't be put off, even many iPhone 6s are being returned to TMO, it happens as the device is new and sometimes there is a bad batch. TMO got dumped a bad batch, just go to store and check there if it has issues they will open another one and you can get a good one. Remember even the the HTC M7 had issues with purple cam etc and the G3 with cracks near the mic, for some batches, no company is immune. Mostly people with defects are vocal on forums and those without issues generally don't come on forums to praise so obviously on forums talk will be skewed towards the problems/defects.
Its a good phone, but if you think you may be careless the M8 is better as its more impact resistant as corners of LCD are protected by a much thicker metal frame.
Overall though the Z3 has better battery life, camera, and speakers are "almost" as good as the M8, and as you mentioned before its not as bulky. Waterproofing is also a plus.
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Click to collapse
Very encouraging indeed. Im on my 7th day, 2nd phone replacement due to screen gap and some bugs. So far, im "ok" but not 100% yet, I hope ? everything's gonna be alright AFTER the 14th day(exchange/return period)

abhinav.tella said:
I am that guy with the 4th handset lol. Don't be put off,.
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Click to collapse
Your upbeat attitude towards this phone is very encouraging. Funnily enough just as you were posting this, another user on whirlpool (Australian based forum), reported another crack.
I might wait it out and see if they make changes to resolve these issues.
Has anyone else here come from the N5 or moto x 2014? Do you like the change?

cubic25 said:
Your upbeat attitude towards this phone is very encouraging. Funnily enough just as you were posting this, another user on whirlpool (Australian based forum), reported another crack.
I might wait it out and see if they make changes to resolve these issues.
Has anyone else here come from the N5 or moto x 2014? Do you like the change?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from a G2 which is basically a Nexus 5+, its a good upgrade, though I still love the G2 as well. G2 (6-7Hrs SOT) gets pretty close battery life to the Z3 (7-8.5 Hrs SOT), but N5 (3-4Hrs SOT) and Moto X users will see a night and day difference in battery life as the Z3 is that much bettery in terms of battery life.

cubic25 said:
Recently my N5's screen cracked after a fall. I love the N5, but couldn't justify spending $200 to fix a $400 phone. (In Australia. Not sure how much it is to fix in other countries). Besides, the GPS is near useless, even after the fix.
I considered getting the M8 due to the aluminium construction, but the massive bezels and weight really put me off. It has a 5inch display, yet is the same size as the Z3. Shame.
I really like the Moto X (2014), for its shape and size, but for its price here in Aus, $700, it isn't an upgrade from the N5, and the battery sucks. Maybe if it was <$600, I would seriously consider it.
The Droid Turbo is everything I want in a phone, but at over 11mm thick.......No thanks.
Then I noticed the Z3. It is perfect, especially in copper. It is the only phone that gets everything right. The battery life is fantastic, the screen looks brilliant, it has an SD card slot, the camera is great, it feels fantastic in the hand, front facing speakers, etc.......It just seems like the perfect handset.......until you hear about all the QC issues.
Screens cracking, waterproofing not working, very poor reception (in AU at least), chassis creaking noises when pressed, dodgy camera buttons, inconsistent screen calibration, inconsistent picture quality.
The reception issues alone are a massive put off. I was in the Telstra store today, the big one in the city, (Melb CBD), and the Z3 that was on display was bouncing between 4g, 3g and, surprisingly, 2g. It spent most of the time on 3g/2g and least time on 4g.
All this while my N5 was solidly on 4g with 3 bars the whole time.
Pretty piss poor. Especially considering that that store has its own in building cell, so it should have full 4G at all times.
I've noticed one person on this forum is onto his fourth handset!
What's going on?
Can any long term users put my mind at ease? Should I get this phone, or should I stay away?
Any input is greatly appreciated. I really want this phone, but these QC issues really leave a bad taste.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I ordered my Sony Xperia Z3 this week after browsing the forums for some time. I was previously using the S5 which worked great, but I wanted a phone that was more stock and aesthetically pleasing. After careful consideration, I realized that I could do with the QC and ordered a white d6603 Xperia Z3 from eBay. It just arrived today and I have to say that it is perfect. I don't have any screen gap, pink lens, nor misshaped cover flaps. While you do read a lot about the problems, do consider that this is a small portion of the total consumers of the Z3 and it does not affect everyone. Currently, I've been using this phone for a day and have had only one problem. I activated google now for all screens and I get this camera message saying "Recording in progress in another app. Cannot record error." A simple google search fixed my problem as it seems there is a bug where google now will cause that message to pop up.
Overall, its a great phone. Although the camera is not as great as my previous S5, I can live with it. I just wish I had gotten the black because the white gets dirty pretty quick. I'd definitely recommend this.

Funny enough, when I sent in my first for a replacement I cancelled the online reorder as they had no stock. Ironically yesterday I get a notification that "your phone is one the way". I had to call T-Mobile and tell them to pull it out of UPS, otherwise I would now have a 5th phone as well lol.
I have now 3 EIPS that I have to pay because they still havent verified my returns, because apparently they are too busy handling a large number of defective iPhone 6s lol, according to a rep.

I have Z3 for 3 weeks now and it works perfect. No flaws in design too. Only thing I regret is that I did not get some other color. I got black, but it was the only option get here.
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

abhinav.tella said:
Funny enough, when I sent in my first for a replacement I cancelled the online reorder as they had no stock. Ironically yesterday I get a notification that "your phone is one the way". I had to call T-Mobile and tell them to pull it out of UPS, otherwise I would now have a 5th phone as well lol.
I have now 3 EIPS that I have to pay because they still havent verified my returns, because apparently they are too busy handling a large number of defective iPhone 6s lol, according to a rep.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So that's why my EIP didn't come off yet

You will find problems with every single phone. There are no perfect devices.
Buy the Z3 if you like it - if there is anything wrong with it, just replace it - that's why we have warranties, that's why we have consumer laws.
Really happy with my Z3:
"Screens cracking, waterproofing not working, very poor reception (in AU at least), chassis creaking noises when pressed, dodgy camera buttons, inconsistent screen calibration, inconsistent picture quality."
No cracks on mine, waterproofing works just fine, reception is at least 2 bars better than my iPhone 6 in most places, no noises, camera button works just fine.

Coming from a Nexus 5, I've spent a lot of time analyzing what would be my next Android phone. I considered the Moto X (2014) as well but what was turning me off was the battery life and camera performance though I love the feel of Motorola phones and their Android skin is the best this side of the Nexus phones. As my main gripes with my Nexus 5 were battery life and screen brightness outdoors (not the camera which I actually liked), I just can't go back to a poor performing battery so the Moto X is out.
I picked up a Z3 and had it for few days and I have to say the battery life was great and the screen was really bright so my two Nexus 5 issues were addressed.
I can't say I liked the performance of the speakers (no where near as good as my Z30) but definitely better than the Nexus 5. Camera performance didn't do much for the few indoor tests I did but I didn't try it enough to put it through its paces. I also can't say I liked the feel of the phone in my hand. I'm used to larger phones but it just didn't seem to fit right (again, not as nice as a Motorola phone or my Z30).
In the end, while 'technically' proficient, I just didn't 'love' it so I returned it. But in many aspects, I think it is one of the best Android phones you can buy right now as it does many things well, just not in a package that suits me. I can't see going for a HTC One M8 right now as there will be a new one in... what... 4 months? Not to mention that the battery life with the M8 wouldn't be as good as the Z3. Since an Android phone is a secondary phone for me, I can live with waiting a while longer before committing to something but if I had to buy today, I'd probably go with the Z3 despite my issues with it. Afterall, no phone is perfect.

Fr3lncr said:
Coming from a Nexus 5, I've spent a lot of time analyzing what would be my next Android phone. I considered the Moto X (2014) as well but what was turning me off was the battery life and camera performance though I love the feel of Motorola phones and their Android skin is the best this side of the Nexus phones. As my main gripes with my Nexus 5 were battery life and screen brightness outdoors (not the camera which I actually liked), I just can't go back to a poor performing battery so the Moto X is out...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was exactly how I felt about the Z3, also coming from the Nexus 5. A lot of improvements coming from the Nexus 5, mainly the battery life and screen, but I think I expected a lot more from the camera. This is where it is weak.

So do you guys think the droid turbo, despite being 11mm thick, might feel better in the hand? I remember holding the z2 and instantly hating the way it felt. It was like holding a slab of glass. I thought the z3 would be better due to its thinness and curved edges.
EDIT: Watched a few more clips about the Droid. No one has mentioned how thick it is. In-fact, most commented on how nice it was to hold.
I think I am going to jump ship from the Z3 and get the Droid. I also like that it will be more drop resistant.
Thanks for the input from everyone. Greatly appreciated.

deleted

For those that came from nexus 5, how is the performance of the z3 compared? Is it just as fast?

jamespat93 said:
For those that came from nexus 5, how is the performance of the z3 compared? Is it just as fast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's faster than nexus 5.
Root and ubl could only increase the gap of performance

jamespat93 said:
For those that came from nexus 5, how is the performance of the z3 compared? Is it just as fast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a N5 and then M8. To me they are all around the same speed. You probably couldn't tell unless you did a side by side comparison

How is reception vs LG devices(N5/G2/G3)?

As good if not better than my LG G2, on par with my moms' IPhone 6.

cubic25 said:
Recently my N5's screen cracked after a fall. I love the N5, but couldn't justify spending $200 to fix a $400 phone. (In Australia. Not sure how much it is to fix in other countries). Besides, the GPS is near useless, even after the fix.
I considered getting the M8 due to the aluminium construction, but the massive bezels and weight really put me off. It has a 5inch display, yet is the same size as the Z3. Shame.
I really like the Moto X (2014), for its shape and size, but for its price here in Aus, $700, it isn't an upgrade from the N5, and the battery sucks. Maybe if it was <$600, I would seriously consider it.
The Droid Turbo is everything I want in a phone, but at over 11mm thick.......No thanks.
Then I noticed the Z3. It is perfect, especially in copper. It is the only phone that gets everything right. The battery life is fantastic, the screen looks brilliant, it has an SD card slot, the camera is great, it feels fantastic in the hand, front facing speakers, etc.......It just seems like the perfect handset.......until you hear about all the QC issues.
Screens cracking, waterproofing not working, very poor reception (in AU at least), chassis creaking noises when pressed, dodgy camera buttons, inconsistent screen calibration, inconsistent picture quality.
The reception issues alone are a massive put off. I was in the Telstra store today, the big one in the city, (Melb CBD), and the Z3 that was on display was bouncing between 4g, 3g and, surprisingly, 2g. It spent most of the time on 3g/2g and least time on 4g.
All this while my N5 was solidly on 4g with 3 bars the whole time.
Pretty piss poor. Especially considering that that store has its own in building cell, so it should have full 4G at all times.
I've noticed one person on this forum is onto his fourth handset!
What's going on?
Can any long term users put my mind at ease? Should I get this phone, or should I stay away?
Any input is greatly appreciated. I really want this phone, but these QC issues really leave a bad taste.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The M8 betters my Z3 in almost every single aspect. And in a fall, i'd take the M8 any day. I made a mistake getting the Z3. It's a good phone, but the M8 it replaced walks all over it.
Don't expect good build with the Z3 because mine started perfect, but is slowly starting to creak shall we say...
As for speed, the M8 is faster, at most things, unlocking, scrolling, opening apps, camera etc etc.

So G5 owners with a handset older than 4 weeks.

What is your opinion now? Still think its a good choice?
Personally i think its a great phone sold short, looking at the hardware and potential i think the handset would easy have a 2 year life span.
But i would like to see bigger modular support, things like physical keyboard, physical zoom lenses etc. And i would like to see some of the software updated a bit closer to the V20.
My biggest concern? Physically will it last 2 years? The build quality aint bad but it aint great.

jamiee6610 said:
What is your opinion now? Still think its a good choice?
Personally i think its a great phone sold short, looking at the hardware and potential i think the handset would easy have a 2 year life span.
But i would like to see bigger modular support, things like physical keyboard, physical zoom lenses etc. And i would like to see some of the software updated a bit closer to the V20.
My biggest concern? Physically will it last 2 years? The build quality aint bad but it aint great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had it for 4 months, never Had a problem, just a bit of light bleeding, but it's visible only in Dark area with full brightness.

Best smartphone I ever had.
Last three were before it were Moto X Pure, Droid Turbo, and HTC M8.

I have since May, great phone. It has some issues but which phone doesn't. Ghosting happens on thia screen sometimes but nothing permanent, it goes away. I got scratches on the camera glass which is annoying (although easily replacable if you don't care about the warranty). Battery lasts around 4 hours SOT with around 30 hours of usage. I got the battery + external charger kit from Amazon for 30$ which is just great to have. Screen could be brighter. Super bright mode isn't stable enough. The camera is amazing! I love it (and I have a group of already 350 G5 photographers on Facebook). The speaker is one of the best in the market. It's fast, fingerprint sensor works great, colors are good.. I'm very happy with the phone! Oh.. important! The screen is curved on top which can be super annoying if you like to apply a tempered glass acreen protector. I don't have any issues with the build quality. I would prefer the V20 just because I like the big screen..other than that they are pretty similar. I think the G5 is the most underrated phone in the last in the last few years.

I got two of them - one for me and one for a friend. I am not really concerned about the quality, why shouldn't it last more than two years? It gives a great bang for the buck. If money isn't a concern, I would aim for the V20 (bought the G5 before it was announced and it may not be released where I live). I was with Samsung phones and Tablet for several years now but I think LG also does a good job here.

Love it. Great phone but I wouldn't have it for two years. I have Jump by T-Mobile for a reason. The only thing I hate is no matter how much they say the phone screen is scratch resistant, if I have my keys and phone in the same pocket it gets scratched. Planning on getting the V20 when it comes out. LG is taking forever to release it.
Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

XAlexander_AlexanderX said:
Love it. Great phone but I wouldn't have it for two years. I have Jump by T-Mobile for a reason. The only thing I hate is no matter how much they say the phone screen is scratch resistant, if I have my keys and phone in the same pocket it gets scratched. Planning on getting the V20 when it comes out. LG is taking forever to release it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, i can confirm this, and not only on my G5 but also on a S7 Edge of a friend, it seems that corning Got worse in these years on the scratch part...

I love the phone but I'm extremely disappointed in the GPS issue as I use my phone for navigation quite a lot. And my battery has never been to great. But that's probably because I'm used to the battery life I was getting on my iPhone 6 plus and Nexus 6P (wish I never sold my 6P). The camera is fantastic and as I have 2 little ones it's great for taking pictures of them.

Love my phone G5 coming from my G2 which I gave to my mother and she loves it. Camera, performance and the like are all great on my G5
GPS is fast and no issue.

bluerain28 said:
Love my phone G5 coming from my G2 which I gave to my mother and she loves it. Camera, performance and the like are all great on my G5
GPS is fast and no issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your lucky then. I try to use mine to navigate and it's hit and miss, most of the times miss and just says searching

Have had it since it rolled out. Not a single problem or issue. So impressed with it, in fact, that I recommended it to the wife and my parents when it was time for them to renew/upgrade. So now we all have g5's. Didn't recommend it to my in laws because..... They are my in laws. And because they are under the impression that "Apple is the only quality phone manufacturer". Their loss hahahaha.

I am honestly ready to throw mine through a wall. Gps is always searching and i use it alot for work. Wifi will just stop working for no reason. I am currently trying to get out of this phone. Worst phone ever.
Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

Had mine for a month now only problem i've found is the GPS i'm gonna try some calibration software to see if there is a difference. This phone should be good for two years i think.

I like it a lot, especially camera and loudspeaker. Even better with Poetic Rugged case.

I got mine like 2 month ago and is pretty nice fast and non rooted yet just waiting how will move

I'm using it for a month now and I still can't find a flow. I like the design, love the camera, the software and hardware are doing well. Overall it's a great device. Oh, and I don't care about the moduls, don't plan to use them anyway.

Look at my warranty thread. It's been a nightmare. LG refused to switch out the housing when I sent it in, and they scratched it. Had to change the housing myself, luckily it wasn't that expensive. So far, most of the issues I had are gone. GPS is fine now, and the LCD isn't yellowing anymore.

Trade for a Pixel XL?

Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?

Jess813 said:
Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love it...it's compact and super sturdy. Built well. I have no issues with the camera...they've updated it several times and I'm not a professional photographer. It comes with an unlockable bootloader and they said during their AMA source will be released in the next week or two. Development will be there. For such a unique device I have no qualms with it at all.

I came from the Pixel XL and dont regret it at all. I'm really excited about the future of this device. Although Essential had some issues on launch they have really stepped things up regarding customer support, communication and updates. Having them involved in the community (Reddit AMA) says a lot about how they feel about us, the customer. The build quality is superior to anything I've ever held and I change devices about every 6 months. It will take a lot from a future device to get me to switch from this. Since the updates I've had really good luck with the camera, even at night. If I were you I'd go for it!

I have a Pixel XL and an Essential - while the build quality of the Essential is top notch (feels really well weighted IMHO) and the edge to edge display really impresses, there are a few things that really annoy me.
- Placement of the hardware buttons (I keep reaching for the power button only to hit the volume buttons)
- Touch sensitivity is all over the place. Many times it does not register when I press on the screen, forcing me to do this multiple times. Given the amount of time we spend interacting with our phones, this can get pretty frustrating.
- General stutters & slowdowns. For a near-stock Android phone, this phone is really laggy when performing certain actions. It just grinds to a halt for a second or two. My Pixel XL or OnePlus 5 do not ever do that.
- Buggy software. I've noticed that the camera app will randomly freeze, forcing me to close it and reopen. I've noticed the same thing when interacting with the system settings.
- Camera: The Pixel XL camera (and app) blows this away. The Essential one is slow to focus, slow to switch modes etc. And the image quality is not comparable to the Pixel XL.
I know most of these issues could probably be fixed with tons of s/w updates, but I am not sure people want to wait and be the beta testers for this phone. For now, IMHO, Pixel XL > OP 5 > Essential PH-1. Having said that, the phone shows a lot of promise but we will need to wait and see if they can deliver on their promises.

rajeshr said:
I have a Pixel XL and an Essential - while the build quality of the Essential is top notch (feels really well weighted IMHO) and the edge to edge display really impresses, there are a few things that really annoy me.
- Placement of the hardware buttons (I keep reaching for the power button only to hit the volume buttons)
- Touch sensitivity is all over the place. Many times it does not register when I press on the screen, forcing me to do this multiple times. Given the amount of time we spend interacting with our phones, this can get pretty frustrating.
- General stutters & slowdowns. For a near-stock Android phone, this phone is really laggy when performing certain actions. It just grinds to a halt for a second or two. My Pixel XL or OnePlus 5 do not ever do that.
- Buggy software. I've noticed that the camera app will randomly freeze, forcing me to close it and reopen. I've noticed the same thing when interacting with the system settings.
- Camera: The Pixel XL camera (and app) blows this away. The Essential one is slow to focus, slow to switch modes etc. And the image quality is not comparable to the Pixel XL.
I know most of these issues could probably be fixed with tons of s/w updates, but I am not sure people want to wait and be the beta testers for this phone. For now, IMHO, Pixel XL > OP 5 > Essential PH-1. Having said that, the phone shows a lot of promise but we will need to wait and see if they can deliver on their promises.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also don't think everyone is experiencing all these bullet points.
I agree it took a little bit to adjust with the volume and power buttons, they are flipped unlike my Nexus.
Touch sensitivity, I mainly only notice that on the border of the screen. I'm assuming this is setup this way so your hand doesn't accidentally touch things when holding the phone since the borders are so minimal.
Personally I haven't noticed any stutters or slowdowns. It runs butter smooth.
Software has pretty much been fixed on my end since their last few updates.
Again, this is maybe just my experience, but I wouldn't assume everyone is seeing the same issues. There are quite a few happy campers from reading through the other threads.
I think you will enjoy the phone a lot. Coming from a Nexus, your phone will feel way less clunky with these screen borders.

Jess813 said:
Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be a bit skeptical of the source of the phone.
I'd trade but you want to know source.
He would still be inside the return window.
He could sent the Essential back and get a PXL and have change back.

Personally I would do it. The Pixel XL will be replaced in a couple weeks and therefore will be harder to sell if you want to upgrade. Also, I have asked for an RMA and then changed my mind twice on this darn Essential phone because every time I feel this strange connection with it. I want to root for Essential. This sounds silly, of course. I have the S8, have had the G6 and all the other flagships before, but this phone is to me the Nexus device of 2017. I had the Pixel and Pixel XL and while I loved the software and camera, once you hold the Essential phone then the Pixels will have laughably huge bezels and will feel five years old in your hand.
So, the camera. I have taken some awesome outdoor shots and I have also taken some that look like they were from a 2014 Moto X. There is no consistency with this camera. I want to believe in it and I have seen what it is capable of, but when I reach for my S8 the experience blows the Essential away. The camera app freezes on the Essential and is extremely slow. If anyone disagrees, then I completely respect that but I will ask if you have compared it to the best of 2017 devices? That said, the best compromise I have found is this: install the Google Pixel camera and set the power button quick launch to launch that camera. Then leave the default camera app icon in the normal place. So now, I can quickly launch the fool-proof Google camera when I need to snap a quick image, but I can take my time with the Essential camera when I have that time to give. I have a 7 month old son and trust me, he ain't waitin' for that damn Essential camera to load!
TL;DR - I would make the trade.
-Collin-

Man, I'm thinking about returning my Pixel 2 XL for an Essential. Wanted the Essential but then all the bad reviews of the camera and what not turned me away. It is literally half the cost of the P2XL with the price drop. It's nice to have one of, if not the best camera, but I feel silly paying $1000 for this phone when I can get a brand new phone with similar specs for half the cost. Not to mention the disappointing screen issues.
I like to run custom stable ROMs which is why I'm looking at these two phones and the P2XL will certainly have more development. I'm not even sure if the Essential has sold enough to have any decent development. I would hate to be stuck with a phone that ends up getting no development. I guess that's what makes the Pixel worth a grand. I never buy brand new phones and always look for deals on Craigslist but this time I thought I'd pull the trigger on something brand new.....the experience was meh.

I am in a similar boat as you (except I have a pixel). If this phone get done development I might pull the trigger. Partly because at least for me, the whole rom game on the pixel is just a nightmare thanks to the two boot slots. I REALLY miss the simplicity of the nexus. But I get it that having the two slots makes things great for stock users but I have soft bricked this phone so many times. If this phone can be simple like the nexus days (once the images come out) I am really tempted. Also depending on when oreo gets dropped

My previous phone was a LeEco Le Pro 3, bought it last year during a black friday sale, it was released almost 2 months before that sale. No roms or any development at that time, but a couple months later a bunch of great roms were available. I think is just a matter of time, be patience, also, we have stock android, why the hurry to flash a new rom?

b316kane said:
I am in a similar boat as you (except I have a pixel). If this phone get done development I might pull the trigger. Partly because at least for me, the whole rom game on the pixel is just a nightmare thanks to the two boot slots. I REALLY miss the simplicity of the nexus. But I get it that having the two slots makes things great for stock users but I have soft bricked this phone so many times. If this phone can be simple like the nexus days (once the images come out) I am really tempted. Also depending on when oreo gets dropped
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The PH-1 has two boot slots just like the Pixel.

I don't remember hearing that. Are they doing the automatic updates too? I figured it was unique to pixels

I am sending back a Pixel 2 XL and getting the Essential

30 day return policy from Amazon right? I'm just gonna get an Essential use them both for a week and make a decision

I have an Essential. It is a solid phone and performs well. However (and this is going to sound strange), it is an unbelievably slippery phone. I took their word that it was made of space-age materials and was drop-resistant, and I didn't get a case. It slipped out of my pocket the second day I owned it while I was sitting down. Screen cracked and it is $200 to replace.
There are really no quality cases available, so I would wait to see if there is going to be any aftermarket support before buying an Essential.

Jess813 said:
Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?
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Just be sure the one you are trading for is not locked to Sprint, unless you're on Sprint of course.
appleguy2 said:
I have an Essential. It is a solid phone and performs well. However (and this is going to sound strange), it is an unbelievably slippery phone. I took their word that it was made of space-age materials and was drop-resistant, and I didn't get a case. It slipped out of my pocket the second day I owned it while I was sitting down. Screen cracked and it is $200 to replace.
There are really no quality cases available, so I would wait to see if there is going to be any aftermarket support before buying an Essential.
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There are a number of decent cases available. I'm using the Incipio NGP Pure:
https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Incipio-Shockproof-Polymer-Shock-Absorbing/dp/B076H16TWP
A lot of people like the Tudia cases, especially the new one that just came out with the glass back.
The complaints about the Incipio is that it doesn't work with glass screen protectors... Well 99% of the glass screen protectors available for this phone don't fit right anyways... What I ended up getting was the Incipio Plex Plus Flex... which they claim is flexible glass (I think it's just plastic) but either way, it fits with their case and is invisible on the phone. I managed to snag it on a Black Friday sale because it's kinda expensive for a screen protector, but either way, my phone is now fully protected and looks excellent. I can post pictures if you're interested.

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Moto G6, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Moto G6 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

Got it activated first on Project Fi 3 days ago, for some reasons - I was "expecting" it to be a little bigger but it's just 2 clicks larger than the Nexus 5X getting traded in with the "generous" upgrade. For an entry/mid-range smartphone in 2018, I voted a 4 out of 5 (not that the absence of NFC or inability to use G.Pay is a make or break deal, I hardly use it & most places still do not accept it as mobile payment here in the US)
Dolby sound is very good, screen is bright & audio played via the speaker is fine - giving it a good workout as we hit the road today for a trip, more on the G6 later ... bootloader still locked at the moment.
Net cost to get this brand new G6 to me is about $120 after the trade-in, not really spend much more than paying someone to replace the old, tired & not as good 2.5 years old battery on the Nexus 5X, so I'm a little biased on this Lenovo/Motorola piece.

Letitride said:
Got it activated first on Project Fi 3 days ago, for some reasons - I was "expecting" it to be a little bigger but it's just 2 clicks larger than the Nexus 5X getting traded in with the "generous" upgrade. For an entry/mid-range smartphone in 2018, I voted a 4 out of 5 (not that the absence of NFC or inability to use G.Pay is a make or break deal, I hardly use it & most places still do not accept it as mobile payment here in the US)
Dolby sound is very good, screen is bright & audio played via the speaker is fine - giving it a good workout as we hit the road today for a trip, more on the G6 later ... bootloader still locked at the moment.
Net cost to get this brand new G6 to me is about $120 after the trade-in, not really spend much more than paying someone to replace the old, tired & not as good 2.5 years old battery on the Nexus 5X, so I'm a little biased on this Lenovo/Motorola piece.
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Similar thoughts as you (also running the Project Fi version of the phone).
- Phone is smaller than I expected.
- Loving the thin bezels, looks much more premium than the actual cost to me ($200)
- I don't use NFC. Don't trust it, so the lack of NFC is not a big deal
- Battery life is good, front facing speaker loud, screen is bright and sharp
- Responsiveness is in line with what you would expect from a $300-400 phone IMO
- Nearly stock Android experience = CLUTCH

Agree with others. Coming from a 5X most everything is acceptable given the price. I was blown away by the speaker. BUT my biggest gripe is the cameras low light performance...its not good by any means, very grainy, colors are bad. Regular outdoor pics are good though. Also wouldve preferred for it to NOT have a glass back since im a klutz and guaranteed to break it.

Have had this phone a couple of weeks now. Got to say I like it a lot. Definitely a step up from my Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 that I had for 3 years. This is also the most expensive phone (about $250) I've had as I'm a cheap skate and no way I'm ever paying $400 plus for a phone. Just can't bring myself to do it. The price I paid for this phone is "high dollar" for me, lol. Still getting used to the new 18x9 screen. A part of me likes it and a part of me likes 16x9 better. Since pretty much all phones are going to this size, I guess I better get used to it. The new screen size almost feels like a "cheater" to me. Moved the menu icons inside screen and made the width smaller making keyboard in portrait view (which is the way I text) actually a little smaller than what I had. Taller view but most stuff you view in landscape has bars so I don't see the benefit to it yet. Most comments I read about it, people love it. Me not so much. Phone itself is very good. Performance is very good, screen resolution is very good, camera is very good, battery life is very good (especially compared to my Redmi Note 2 which was a battery sucker). I like Android 8 and Moto apps. Pretty much bloatware free, and is nice and snappy. Had to put a case on it (put a Spigen on it) cause the phone actually felt a little small in my hands. The case gave it a little more bulk and made it feel a lot better in my hand. Love the fingerprint scanner which to me is the coolest thing since sliced bread (yup I'm a dinosaur). To tell the truth I would probably still be using the Note 2 but it started acting up on me. Now since I got this one though, it pretty much blows away my old phone in every way possible which of course is a good thing since I spent the bucks for a new phone. All in all I'm pretty damned happy with this phone. About the only thing I could say I wished it was, was a bigger phone. I went from a 5.5" 16x9 screen to a 5.7" 18x9 screen and this feels smaller than the other one to me in my hands. In the 18x9 size, I wish a had like a 6" or 6.5" screen. That would give more width that I would like to have. The width on the 16x9 was actually about 1/4" wider than the18x9 one, which is actually a substantial difference when using a keyboard.

Deleted: Double post

MikeO89 said:
Have had this phone a couple of weeks now. Got to say I like it a lot. Definitely a step up from my Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 that I had for 3 years. This is also the most expensive phone (about $250) I've had as I'm a cheap skate and no way I'm ever paying $400 plus for a phone. Just can't bring myself to do it. The price I paid for this phone is "high dollar" for me, lol. Still getting used to the new 18x9 screen. A part of me likes it and a part of me likes 16x9 better. Since pretty much all phones are going to this size, I guess I better get used to it. The new screen size almost feels like a "cheater" to me. Moved the menu icons inside screen and made the width smaller making keyboard in portrait view (which is the way I text) actually a little smaller than what I had. Taller view but most stuff you view in landscape has bars so I don't see the benefit to it yet. Most comments I read about it, people love it. Me not so much. Phone itself is very good. Performance is very good, screen resolution is very good, camera is very good, battery life is very good (especially compared to my Redmi Note 2 which was a battery sucker). I like Android 8 and Moto apps. Pretty much bloatware free, and is nice and snappy. Had to put a case on it (put a Spigen on it) cause the phone actually felt a little small in my hands. The case gave it a little more bulk and made it feel a lot better in my hand. Love the fingerprint scanner which to me is the coolest thing since sliced bread (yup I'm a dinosaur). To tell the truth I would probably still be using the Note 2 but it started acting up on me. Now since I got this one though, it pretty much blows away my old phone in every way possible which of course is a good thing since I spent the bucks for a new phone. All in all I'm pretty damned happy with this phone. About the only thing I could say I wished it was, was a bigger phone. I went from a 5.5" 16x9 screen to a 5.7" 18x9 screen and this feels smaller than the other one to me in my hands. In the 18x9 size, I wish a had like a 6" or 6.5" screen. That would give more width that I would like to have. The width on the 16x9 was actually about 1/4" wider than the18x9 one, which is actually a substantial difference when using a keyboard.
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Great post, MikeO89...
Love your enthusiasm for the G6. It pretty much echoes mine.
I paid £220 here in the UK for mine, and like yourself, it's really about as much as I want to pay for a phone these days. There's been a considerable amount of coverage over the recent release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and certainly the specs do look pretty damn awesome, but at close to nearly a £1000, an eye-watering sum of money for me... well, I just couldn't envisage spending that amount, even if I had it. Maybe when I have the next winning Euromillions lottery ticket, I'll buy one or whatever flagship is out then, but until that auspicious and lucky day arrives, I'm more than happy with my Moto G6.
And which I bought to replace my ageing and battery-dying HTC One M8, which I paid £530 for back in 2014. I remember my Dad at the time saying in almost stunned and amazed disbelief "You want to spend how much on a phone??!!!" as though he'd not quite heard me correctly. Of course, I did try to explain that it was more of a personal pocket computer that just happens to have the ability to make phone calls. After I bought one and he saw it in action and began to understand the capabilities of it... well, he went out and bought one himself!
That was four years ago, and I'm a little bit more price conscious these days, so when my One M8's battery began to die earlier this year, I knew I needed a new phone.
Initially, I made the mistake of assuming that you needed to spend £600 or £700 on a phone to get a quality device. I'd been hearing about the Moto G series phones and the rave reviews they'd received around a year before, so when I heard about this years G6 release, I checked out all the reviews. My initial response was one of skepticism ~ how can a company like Lenovo release a phone with such great features at just a shade over £200 AND make a profit. Surely there's a catch, I mean there has to be, right? Wrong!
As it turns out, the Moto G6 is every bit as good as the reviews say it is. And you don't need to mortgage your soul to own one. I mean, where do I begin... fast turbo charging, really nice vibrant colourful screen, amazing battery life, Android 8 Oreo with next-to-no bloat, and fingerprint unlock. Yeah, I love fingerprint unlock. It's like your very own personal ON switch that nobody else can use, and no more playing join-the-dots and trying to remember which unlock pattern is correct for this device amongst the other devices (tablets) I own.
As for the size and aspect ratio, I love it. Coming from my old HTC One M8 which had an aspect of 16:9 and a resolution of 1080x1920...
...to the Moto G6 with an aspect of 18:9 (Rhetorical question: why isn't it just simply called 2:1) and resolution of 1080x2160, which my calculations reveal to be a 12.5% increase based on number of pixels alone. It is a sort of a cheat, but I feel in a good way. I now have a phone that doesn't feel significantly bigger than my One M8, because the width has stayed the same, but the height has increased, but not by that much when you 'add-on' the One M8's speakers at the top and bottom, but the actual screen size increase on the G6 is quite noticeable.
I use Nova Launcher, and I like tinkering around with Themes, Icon Packs, Wallpapers and Layouts and with the increase vertically, I now have more layout options for things like icons and widgets, because there's an extra couple of rows on the Nova desktop. And 5.7 inches feels about right to me. I'm not sure I would feel comfortable handling something like a 6 inch or larger device. If I can, I like to operate my phone one-handed and the bigger these things get, the more difficult one-handed operation becomes.
I do take your point about black bars in landscape mode though, particularly if you're watching video content, most of which tends to be shot in 16:9 aspect. This doesn't overly bother me really, because I generally don't watch a lot of stuff on my phone anyway. And when I do, I just sort of ignore the black bars. I watch a lot of old films and TV dramas on my TV back when things were shot in 4:3 aspect, and I just got used to seeing left and right black bars on my TV, so on my phone it's really not an issue for me.
I guess we can quibble about the shortcomings of the G6 ~ for example, the one thing I do miss is the left and right stereo HTC BoomSound front facing speakers that provided great quality audio on my old One M8. On the G6 there's only a single mono speaker - it sounds pretty good, but I miss the stereo - gotta dig out my headphones now if I want stereo. Great that there's an old fashioned 3.5mm audio socket on it for me to use my headphones. Won't get that an some £1000 flagships! I jest of course; I'm not having a pop at flagship devices, I'm just amused by the irony of it.
So, on the whole, minor quibbles aside, the Moto G6 is a pretty amazing phone for such a great price. It performs brilliantly and looks great. The Gorilla Glass back adds a touch of class to the device, although it can feel a little bit slippery at times. When I first got it, I had unpleasant visions of it sliding out of my hand and crashing to the concrete outside and cracking all that beautiful glass (the horror, the horror!), so I have now ensconced it in the protective embrace of a Spigen case, which actually looks quite good, and feels good in the hand too.
Well, that pretty much says it all really. A great phone at a great price. Can't really say much more than that... Well, I could, but then I'd be here all night typing superlatives and this post would just go on and on and on and on, etc., etc. and etc.
Ged.

its not the fastest device but for a budget device I really like it.

Overall probably the best bang for your buck if your looking at carrier specific devices. Came from a Galaxy S7 which I kinda went swimming with. I'm loving the 18:9 screen. I do notice the occasional hiccup when multitasking, but the battery life is on another level compared to my old S7.

Love my North American unlocked G6! Great value for the money. The battery life is fine, but I suggest using a browser for some of your social media, if you want to get plenty of power for a day of use.
I've already gotten direct looks at my phone from other people, and some folks can't believe I paid less than $300 for it. Glad I chose the oyster finish vs deep indigo. I do have a case on it, as the glass back is known to crack easily if the phone falls hard on the ground. My B&H order came with a free frosted silicone case, and tempered glass for the screen. Perfect!

Coming from U11 life, this phone seems better.
VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling work out of the box with T-Mobile
Rather loud speaker
I think 2:1 screen is OK
It looks like plain Android
Cam looks OK under low light
Decent reception with B12
It's fast like 6xx processor.
Adjustable screen tint
I am satisfied with the phone for the price.

Cool looking..

I've manageg to buy mine G6 for 129EUR, for that price it's best device I could choose.

Great phone for ~$100 now on eBay that's still getting security updates.
Pros:
+ $100 now on eBay for like-new condition
+ Almost pure stock Android, very little bloat and what is there I actually use (chop twice for flashlight, etc). Very stable.
+ Great band support, unlocked XT1925-6 will work on any US carrier, only missing bands 14, 46, and 71.
+ 3gb RAM is plenty sufficient to keep about three resource-heavy apps active at once.
+ Camera is decent enough and about what you'd expect from a phone in this price range.
+ You can adjust DPI under developer options, which makes content on phone appear larger/smaller so you can fit more on-screen. Very handy.
Cons:
- SD450 is an obvious bottleneck in resource-heavy apps, expect sporadic lag if you're playing PUBGM or running a browser with ten tabs open.
- Battery life could be better, usually end the day around 20% with moderate use. Not bad, but not great either.
If this had a SD600 series and a slightly larger battery it'd easily be 5*. For $100 bucks though it's hard to be upset with it.

Well I found the first problem with this phone. I can't get it to recognize an external microphone to record with the camera. I plugged in an external mic I had (3.5mm with 4 pin plug) and at first thought it was working as I made a couple of videos. Then I noticed in the videos that the sound would go up and down through the video. As I later found out, the volume was going up and down each time I would walk away from the phone while recording being the external mic had a 6 ft cord on it. I then actually tested the external mic this time (like I should have from the beginning) and found out the whole time it was still recording with the onboard mic even with external mic plugged in. The G6 was just ignoring it as a microphone and treating it as a headphone. So now I'm stymied. The onboard mic works well enough but I really wanted to have an external mic if I wanted it. I can hardly find any info on this whole external mic vs onboard mic thing with cellphones. Still like this phone and plan on having it for quite some time but a little bummed about this latest development.

OK, doing a follow up post to the one above concerning the issue with G6 not recognizing external mic when making a video. I had about given up on this and I had been searching like crazy about it. With my lack on finding anyone having similar issues like this, I was starting to think I'm the only one who is trying to use an external mic with this phone to make videos. I thought maybe is was just a jack issue so I then tried same external mic with my voice recorder app. With that app the external mic was working. Now I knew it wasn't the jack. I then installed "Open Camera" from the Google Play Store. There was actually a setting in video settings to select an external mic for recording. I then went ahead and made another video using the external mic and what do you know it worked perfect! One other setting that I'm excited about so far in Open Camera is the video stabilization setting. I don't have the steadiest hands and always had to use a tripod or my videos would come out like being on a boat. Made one with that setting on and it kept the video still as I was shooting it. It made me look like my shake was gone (wish it really was). This Open Camera app just kicks the living **** out of the Moto G6 stock camera app! Sure glad I tried it.

Got one on Motorola promo for $100. Very nice inexpensive backup phone!