Moto X vs Z1c - Xperia Z1 Compact General

Hey all I have owned a Moto X (republic wireless) for almost a year now. Just a great phone, can't say enough about it. But it does have a few niggling quirks that i'm wondering if the Z1c might solve. Plus I have to switch phones now since my sprint coverage is horrible since I moved.
So this is mainly a shout out to anyone who has owned or had the chance to test the two phones. My first issue with the Moto X is its camera, its okish but only that. I would love to get something that could consistently take good shots(a little tweaking is ok). The Moto X still has very extreme color shift from shot to shot even after its camera app updates. I took a couple pics of a sea craft the other day and the colors shifted from the smiley face yellow you see here to a very pale yellow in just a few seconds. Just annoying. So thoughts on the two cameras?
performance wise it does not really matter to me. The Z1c of course has the higher end tech, but both seem very smooth and have solid battery life. screen size is close enough and I prefer smaller to larger at this point. I don't game, so the GPU is not a big deal.
I do like having the SD card slot in the Z1c although I still have not put over 10 GB on my Moto X, so its not a huge deal. Still if the camera on the Z1c was adequate and could replace my PS that could change fast.
The Moto X(XT1053) does have all of Tmobile/AT&T bands covered while the Z1c is missing a major AT&T LTE (700) band. Thats a minor issue since I will be using the phone on Tmobile, or AT&T MVNOs which typically only have access to HSDPA+ anyways.
Price is very close on the two right now at about $400 each. The Moto X does seem to go on sale a lot though for around $300-$350.
So any thoughts/recommendations on the two phones? Anything I should know about the Z1c as far as issues/complaints? I have read about the flash bleed issue, but I don't mind replacing the back with glass, even though I would end up putting a carbon fiber skin case on it anyways.

1. If i had Moto X it would be long dead cause of water damage.
2. Z1C camera is actually really good if you figure out manual mode (see downsides) and with 64gig sd card you don't have to worry running out of space doing that awesome video.
3. I've never seen a phone with so good battery life as Z1C - my average is 3 days standby with 5 and ½ hours screen on. It actually feels good to see everybodys battery dead at the end of day but i still have over 65% left
4. Here in Estonia we have fairly good LTE coverage but i tend not to use it cause it drains way faster than 3G+ which is fast enought.
Downsides of Z1C.
You have to replace plastic back to fix flash bleed (only issue when doing photos in dark) and replace horrible ASF on front with tempered glass = no warranty
You need to find best Manual camera settings cause superior auto sometimes fails altho it does excellent photos too.
I don't have other issues honestly, i would get the Compact, well i did and it's the first phone ever i am totally satisfied with.
This summer Z3 Compact will be launched with Z2 feathures. Keep that in mind.
I've owned galaxy s4,s2, htc one and some weird LG phone that had buttons on the back.

I currently own both the Moto X on republic wireless and an unlocked Z1C. I agree with the above points about the photos and the battery life blows the Moto X out of the water. The only thing i miss from the moto x is the active display, i find myself picking up the Z1C without pushing the power button to see the time.

Related

Moto X needs a 1080p screen and a better camera.

With the recent $100 off unlocked moto x promo, I was ready to ditch my HTC One. I've been using One since near first day of release and tried all kinds of ROMs including GoogleExperience edition. I ended up settling on HTCs developer edition ROM with OTA updates. I recently got a warranty replacement and this was a cherry picked replacement device from 12 devices in front of me. 10 had flaws such as gaps and creeks for both black and silver ones. Anyways my One is in near perfect condition so I was going to sell it and get the Moto X.
I ordered my 32GB unlocked for $350 so it was a good deal. First thing I noticed was how blurry the text was on the edges. This matters a lot for web surfing and being able to see a lot more without zooming in is really nice. I hold my phone about 16 inches away from my eyes.
When I opened google maps it became relevant that this is a lower resolution screen, but this may be a software problem, I don't know. I'm missing all the details. Compared to my One, it's like going back 5 years to Nexus S times.
Whoever says anything over 300dpi is undetectable is lieing or haven't tried comparing them or simply don't need that high resolution screen. I suspect those people who dont nees high res scrren will use 768p screen on a 15" laptop too.
720p on phone screen would be okay if you only play games and watch movies on it.
Then I tried the camera and pictures in my room this morning after a series of moto x software updates, and had so much graininess it's like it came from a toy cam. This a major let down to me because I use the camera a lot and I don't facebook/instagram.
Moto assist is pretty awesome and so is Active Display and always ready voice commands. Phone itself is pretty snappy even though it has a mid range cpu. Build quality is not top notch though better than HTC One.
I'm returning mine and will stick with HTC One until a higher res Moto X or similar comes out.
Cool?
sent from LenoMoto X
I think you're insane. With the phone a foot and a half away from my face text is far from blurry and I have just about the keenest vision around.
Coming from a GS4 I couldn't tell that much of a difference in screen resolution. Is there a difference? Sure, but not enough for me to care about. I really don't understand the hate on the camera. Low light isn't the best but it wasn't that great on the gs4 either. And the GS4 is regarded as having one of the best cameras for a smartphone. The feel, smoothness and features on the moto x trumps all the jank HTC or Samsung offer imo.
I actually went from a Nexus 5 to a Moto X and I have no regrets. I don't notice the screen difference that much other than the comparisons between IPS and AMOLED display. As for the screen size, I prefer the Moto X because I can hold the phone easily in one hand compared to the Nexus 5 which felt like a flatbread. The Moto X has by far the best ergonomics for a phone to date. The camera for me versus the Nexus 5 is more of a "whatever." Both cameras have their hit and misses but that's coming from someone who uses full frame cameras. I'm not really pixel peeping the quality of the images from the Moto X nor did I with the Nexus 5.
You must remember that the Moto X wasn't made to be a phone for people who cares about specs. It was made for the common, average, user in mind. The Moto X impresses from it's features rather than it's spec sheet. Similar to Apple's iPhone.
Just my 2 cents.
The HTC One's camera is obviously going to be better, especially in low light/indoor situations, because of the ultra pixel technology.
Screen Resolution is always going to be debatable. Some people notice it, some people don't. I'd say the bigger cause of difference between the screens is that one is AMOLED (X) and one is LCD (One). In general, LCD screens are crisper but color reproduction isn't always as good, whereas AMOLED screens have much better color saturation but might appear less crisp in comparison.
Well have fun on the HTC One forums and let us enjoy our crappy screen. Ive put the same image and webpage next to each other on a galaxy s4 and moto x. Studies show Motorola pulled of a 30% more power efficient screen. At 6 oclock at night when Im still using my phone my girlfriends is dead in her purse
I disagree. I came from an s4 and other the moto x screen. Being non pentile makes a big difference to my eyes. The x looks sharper to me
jimmypop13 said:
I disagree. I came from an s4 and other the moto x screen. Being non pentile makes a big difference to my eyes. The x looks sharper to me
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Yeah, pentile AMOLED is far worse than non-pentile AMOLED.
I compared both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Moto X's screens and by far, the Moto X was much sharper.
If we can learn anything from this thread, I think it's clear that some people see the difference in the screen and some don't. It's silly to say "no, no difference, everyone that thinks there is is crazy" or "yes, of course there is a perceptible difference and if you can't see it, you're fools."
For me personally, I see the difference in text very readily. I moved from an S4 to the Moto X, and could immediately see the degradation in text quality. Now, do I care? No, because, while I can see the difference between the two, both resolutions are good enough for me.
As for the camera, I've been taking nothing but amazing shots, and I'm very happy. That said, I leave HDR on at all times.
Nope
HTC marketing shill detected.
hp79 said:
With the recent $100 off unlocked moto x promo, I was ready to ditch my HTC One. I've been using One since near first day of release and tried all kinds of ROMs including GoogleExperience edition. I ended up settling on HTCs developer edition ROM with OTA updates. I recently got a warranty replacement and this was a cherry picked replacement device from 12 devices in front of me. 10 had flaws such as gaps and creeks for both black and silver ones. Anyways my One is in near perfect condition so I was going to sell it and get the Moto X.
I ordered my 32GB unlocked for $350 so it was a good deal. First thing I noticed was how blurry the text was on the edges. This matters a lot for web surfing and being able to see a lot more without zooming in is really nice. I hold my phone about 16 inches away from my eyes.
When I opened google maps it became relevant that this is a lower resolution screen, but this may be a software problem, I don't know. I'm missing all the details. Compared to my One, it's like going back 5 years to Nexus S times.
Whoever says anything over 300dpi is undetectable is lieing or haven't tried comparing them or simply don't need that high resolution screen. I suspect those people who dont nees high res scrren will use 768p screen on a 15" laptop too.
720p on phone screen would be okay if you only play games and watch movies on it.
Then I tried the camera and pictures in my room this morning after a series of moto x software updates, and had so much graininess it's like it came from a toy cam. This a major let down to me because I use the camera a lot and I don't facebook/instagram.
Moto assist is pretty awesome and so is Active Display and always ready voice commands. Phone itself is pretty snappy even though it has a mid range cpu. Build quality is not top notch though better than HTC One.
I'm returning mine and will stick with HTC One until a higher res Moto X or similar comes out.
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What a troll....
For me the Moto X has been a welcome change from my S3. At the price it's truly realistic to go off-contract and save some money and still have a GREAT phone. Consistently 5 hours of screen on time and pretty much only recharging every other day compared with around 2 hours and less than a day on the S3. Really like the size and ergonomics; I think Motorola really hit the sweet spot here. Can still handle and use it with one hand and not feel visually cramped like that fruity phone. The near stock environment is also welcome. I can tell a slight difference in ~300dpi vs ~400dpi, but not huge and wouldn't trade that off for less battery life. When the fonts get that small, I'm switching to landscape orientation anyways. Camera wise it OK, but I don't look for much out of any mobile phone. It's for quick shots when I don't have something better with me (e.g. Sony RX100 with a sensor >7x larger). That said, I respect HTC for their camera approach trading off resolution for larger sensor photosites which end up being in the same range as something like the RX100. Build quality wise, the 3 Moto X's in our house were all perfect. Personally, I don't equate plastic with cheap. I equate quality plastic with a phone designed to take some drops and not dent or crack. A Rolex like feel (i.e. the fruity phone) makes for wonderful marketing, and sort of makes more sense if you're strapping it to your wrist (like a watch) and view it as something for the long haul that you're not replacing when your next 2 year subsidy comes up. Also appreciate that the Moto X has some level of repairability compared with the HTC One. Not as simple to replace a battery as the Samsung's, but still doable (ifixit teardowns).
At 16 inches away text would need to be really small for me to notice blurryness. to the point where i wouldn't be able to read it anyway.
I can see the differences in displays, but it's more than just resolutions (as already mentioned) pentiles have huge drawbacks.... but even in non pentile i think even the shape of the subpixels matter as well.
I think there's diminishing returns for anything much higher than 720p on a phone though (at least for non phablet phones)
It takes so much more power to light the pixes and GPU power to keep them running smoothly.
Tl ; dr
Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk
The camera sucks.
There, I said it.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Well, the cameras are a bit different. The HTC One takes better pictures when it decides to get them in focus. I don't know why, but with my HTC One, it felt like I needed a freaking tripod to not have a blurry shot.
With my X, I get a sharp shot mostly every single time.
When you've got to take a quick picture, I don't give a crap if every 5th one comes out looking great and sharp, I just need one picture that comes out clear and workable.
I did love my One though, but without the touchless and active notifications, it was a goner.
Yes the camera needs to be better when compared to other high-end phones.
and yes the screen would look less crisp next to a 1080p screen.
But how can you argue when its almost half the price of other phones?
Motorola obviously made a conscious decision to make the device way more affordable.
You can't complain about that
I honestly cannot tell the difference between my 720p Moto X and my 1080p Droid DNA. The only difference I can tell between the two are the more saturated colors on the Moto X. Other than that, they're both crystal clear and I cannot make out any pixels.
As for the camera, it has been serviceable for me. Haven't had any issues at all.

My impressions of the Z5C vs Z3C (stuff not generally talked about in reviews)

Overall I've been a pretty happy Z3C user. My two main beefs with the Z3C we're some build quality issues (screen on two devices would pop/flex) and I've never been crazy about the photos. They were just ok.
So here's my take on the Z5C:
First, the fingerprint sensor changes a lot in terms of how I interact with the device and how quickly I can access the device. I really like it. However, as reported elsewhere the scanner is not always completely reliable if my finger has recently been wet, cold, etc. I'm still exploring how to optimize my fingerprint readings, and it may also be a case that my fingerprints are a bit worn down and so fingerprint scanners in general may not work very well for me (this is the first one I've tried using). But overall it's an excellent addition and I love the location of it on the side.
Second, the speed of the 810 processor is phenomenal and makes the phone feel so much quicker. This is something I did not anticipate liking as much as I do, and it has been a real pleasant surprise. If you're a Z3C owner and on the fence about upgrading definitely do not use the Z5C unless you're ready to move up to it as I think you'd have a hard time going back to the relatively slower Z3C.
Third, the build quality has dramatically improved on the Z5C. It feels much more solid and sturdy; a firmer hold in the hand. Z3C was much more slippery, bigger risk to drop. In addition to the screen pop issues I had, my Z3Cs always had more flex and creaking than I liked. Really glad Sony did away with the second flap/compartment on the Z5C, which I'm sure helped reduce device flex. The new SD card/SIM compartment closure feels more solid. Making the USB waterproof was also a great move. I thought I might miss magnetic charging, but I'm not.
Fourth, the audio quality, in terms of both phone call quality and speaker music, is much improved. I can hear people much more clearly on this device than the Z3C. I also play music from the speakers when I jog, and the sound quality is much crisper. I want to also say that using my headphones (aptX Sennheiser Momentum wireless) that sound quality is also slightly improved, perhaps due to a better DAC? I'm not 100% sure about this and was already pretty happy with the Z3C headphone performance.
Fifth, battery life seems to be about the same, which is a relief. I had heard some people were experiencing worse performance, but I have no problems getting through the day with 30 to 40% still left after heavy use.
Sixth, the display seems to be improved. Slightly sharper and more vibrant. I didn't expect this and I'm not quite sure why this is the case because the resolution/spec has not changed much.
Seventh, the location of the volume button has not been a problem. Some early reviews complained about this, particularly on the bigger model, but I find its placement on the Z5C just fine.
Eight, I'm not a gamer or 4K video shooter, but I have not experienced the phone overheating or getting too hot, which was something that was a concern.
Ninth, I have not experienced any of the software stuttering that the Verge and others have reported. I'm wondering if some of the complaints here were on an earlier firmware.
Tenth, using the screen in the tub when the screen is wet, or with a wet finger, also works a lot better. I think Sony rolled out this improvement in the Z4/Z3+. Much appreciated.
I have not had a chance to thoroughly test the camera yet or do a side-by-side with the Z3C, but so far (especially after the 2.0 upgrade) I'm happier with the Z5Ccamera.
So overall, well done Sony!
Good to hear. Mine is coming in the mail today so it's good to hear this positive review.
The improved audio quality is something I've noticed. On calls or when connected to bluetooth headphones / headset.
I'm with you on the volume button position. Once you get acquainted with the change, it is no problem. Quite a few reviews made a big deal of this , but I have no problem adjusting volume on a call.
I have 2 of the z5c and have yet to experience even one issue regarding complaints from users and previous reviews, from battery life and buttery smooth performance to the blurring in the camera,
Everything works perfectly, and it's a fantastic phone.
I wonder if the issues were resolved with an update? I made sure to update before doing anything else once I first activated the devices .
I am coming from a Sony Xperia ZL (basically a Z1). I also had the Z1 Compact.
I've had mine for a week. Mine even came with headphones (which I saw most unboxing videos didn't)
I absolutely love my Z5C. A very beautiful phone (it's more grey than black which i love) and it feels very premium due to it's frosted glass back and weight. I have not had a single issue with it. No overheating and the camera (using 2.0) launches quickly. Picture quality is great (i use manual mode every now and then). Some videos out there show lag if moving through the menu to fast, i have not had this issue. Battery lasts an entire day (disconnect at 8AM connect at 11PM with over 50% of batt. with medium to heavy use and screen on brightest).
By far the best phone i have ever owned. I do not see myself changing anytime soon.
Thanks for this nice impression write-up.
Very clear to understand, and more and more I read about it, the more I get convinced to buy one too.(still using the first Z)
Though, what do u guys talk about with the "2.0 update"?
(Edit) never mind, just read some post beneath this thread. Looks good!
Maybe some of the issues you heard about, are "only" issues for certain people, but not the device in general?
I can agree with quite some stuff you mentioned, but for me:
2) or 9) It looks like the processing apps/devices is much slower than with my z1c. F.i. scrolling down through a page isn't as smooth, loading apps slows down my phone a lot, and some apps open way too slow. I'm still guessing this has something to do with my configuration, and I'm sure I'll figure it out one of these days.
11) The camera... I didn't read too many reviews but quite some people seem to be really happy about it. I can't figure out why. It's an ok camera to take snapshots in bright light, but apart from that it would rather make me cry. The delay between clicking to take a picture and getting the actual picture is gigantic, which make it (again: for me) impossible to take the cam serious. It's much more like a gadget-camera, it's hardly able to make sharp pictures and it's performance in low(er) light conditions isn't that well either...
What can you say about the plastic sides? I really like the metal sides of my z1c and z2, so I'm not sure if I will be satisfied with the plastic. After holding a z3c I wasn't very impressed. Unfortunately, no actual stores here carry the z5 or z5c so I can't test myself.
mmceorange said:
What can you say about the plastic sides? I really like the metal sides of my z1c and z2, so I'm not sure if I will be satisfied with the plastic. After holding a z3c I wasn't very impressed. Unfortunately, no actual stores here carry the z5 or z5c so I can't test myself.
Click to expand...
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I will just say that the grey one looks very premium. And trust me on this. Hold one and you won't be disappointed. The other colours look plasticky to me though
What about how they feel in the hand while using?
mmceorange said:
What about how they feel in the hand while using?
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I love it. Has a very sturdy feel to it. The sides feel like aluminium. The back feels amazing and smooth in the hand but can be a little slippery.
Personnally, I wait Android M before giving my opinion about battery and average perfs.
Crappy Lollipop/launch rom/etc...
Besides that, I found the phone is really great and smooth.
And I like the brightness, enough to see outside, don't kill your eyes at night on lowest setting.
Just wondering what is the real utility of the camera button ?
mmceorange said:
What about how they feel in the hand while using?
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I came from Z, the feel is better because angles are rounded.
ninjy said:
Personnally, I wait Android M before giving my opinion about battery and average perfs.
Crappy Lollipop/launch rom/etc...
Besides that, I found the phone is really great and smooth.
And I like the brightness, enough to see outside, don't kill your eyes at night on lowest setting.
Just wondering what is the real utility of the camera button ?
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Click to collapse
To lock focus and to take the photo after that instantly. It actually helps in a lot of cases and gives you the "camera" feel. Also, it allows you to launch the camera from within any app.
Also take pictures under water
mmceorange said:
Also take pictures under water
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How could I miss that :|
1 of the big downsides that is also not talked about is the screen pixel quality, if you look closer to lets say a white icon on a black background you can see some ugly RGB bleeding if you watch carefully youll see the red subpixels bleeding out of the white icon on the right side of it, i have no idea why this is happening on z5 compact but it got me so upset that i ended up choosing for a galaxy s6 instead, which is a shame as i really liked z1 compact and wanted to "upgrade" rather than switch to another brand and such a big screen size.
TheWarKeeper said:
1 of the big downsides that is also not talked about is the screen pixel quality, if you look closer to lets say a white icon on a black background you can see some ugly RGB bleeding if you watch carefully youll see the red subpixels bleeding out of the white icon on the right side of it, i have no idea why this is happening on z5 compact but it got me so upset that i ended up choosing for a galaxy s6 instead, which is a shame as i really liked z1 compact and wanted to "upgrade" rather than switch to another brand and such a big screen size.
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Well it all comes down to what you want. For me a sd card is a must so a s6 wont do it for me. And hard to finjd a high end phone is such a small size with a awesome camera.
I had a Z3c, and the Samsung S6 Active. I returned the active and have the Z5c on the way!!! I agree with the expansion slot, that was a real killer with the S6. The camera on the S6 was not as good as my Z3c and the Z5c sounds AMAZING!!! I hope the speakers are better than the Z3c, the S6 was very loud and clear. Love the camera button too, hated the S6 for not having a dedicated button. Pulling it out of my pocket and snapping pictures or giving it to a passer-by to take a picture for me without having to unlock or explain buttons is great. S6 can do it with the home key, but then you gotta tap the screen to snap the pic, not as easy IMO.
Look forward to my YELLOW Z5c in two days!!!
Yellow... hahahahahahaha!
Huli13 said:
I had a Z3c, and the Samsung S6 Active. I returned the active and have the Z5c on the way!!! I agree with the expansion slot, that was a real killer with the S6. The camera on the S6 was not as good as my Z3c and the Z5c sounds AMAZING!!! I hope the speakers are better than the Z3c, the S6 was very loud and clear. Love the camera button too, hated the S6 for not having a dedicated button. Pulling it out of my pocket and snapping pictures or giving it to a passer-by to take a picture for me without having to unlock or explain buttons is great. S6 can do it with the home key, but then you gotta tap the screen to snap the pic, not as easy IMO.
Look forward to my YELLOW Z5c in two days!!!
Yellow... hahahahahahaha!
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The speakers are better than those on Z3c once you turn Clear Audio on
RiTCHiE007 said:
Well it all comes down to what you want. For me a sd card is a must so a s6 wont do it for me. And hard to finjd a high end phone is such a small size with a awesome camera.
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Yep, i am really happy that so many people picked up a z5 compact, i really like powerfull compact phones, hopefully Sony will make more in the future when galaxy s6 is obsolete so i can switch back, and by then they probably will wake up and make physical buttons for the compact series as its silly to waste such limited screen space for some virtual keys, all in all z5 compact is the best compact phone out there

Is It worth switching from the pure to the 6p?

I am thinking about switching to the 6p. 808 has been a letdown for me and I am worried about future updates because of lenovo.
osiris970 said:
I am thinking about switching to the 6p. 808 has been a letdown for me and I am worried about future updates because of lenovo.
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Of course it is the worth, 6p is a much better phone than mxp but it costs more (obviously) and the thing that i dont like about it is the glass camera frame (so ugly)
Personally, I wouldn't switch to a nexus. Its a great phone, sure, but I like having an SD card slot. That and the price of the 6p.
If that doesn't sway your decision, I'd say go for it otherwise.
This video is pretty interesting... Especially around 6:30 when both phones are nice and hot and he runs Antutu benchmark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvCM1McR42Q
I just made the switch about 3 weeks ago. For me it was especially worth it since I could sell my X for the same purchase price of a refurb 6p. But Even if there were a price difference, it's a worthwhile upgrade for me. The only thing to keep in mind is Google is probably going to pump out a new nexus phone or two this fall hopefully with Snapdragon 820's onboard. THe 820 is leaps and bounds above the 810 in the 6p and the 808 in the X and I'm looking forward to my next phone having one. It really comes down to your willingness to wait with an admittedly great Moto X for the new Nexus or jump up to a fantastic experience from the current offering.
Pure nexus on 6p vs MotoX is a much smoother experience in my opinion having run them side by side for a few days.
I've ditched 6p for MXPE for a couple of reasons.
The main reason for this was this awful AMOLED screen. It has a lot of issues and even if you are lucky enough and won't get any pink spots or greenish tones to your screen, you'll still get awful ghosting of dark objects with black backgrounds and small letters will fall apart while scrolling. This was driving me nuts and just after a week of using this crappy screen I've sold 6p and bought MXPE. Oh, and also, just in a week, there was a lot of noticeable burn-ins around navbar and status bar. I just don't want to know, what will happen to this screen in a year.
So, here are my personal reasons to choose 6p over MXPE:
1) Amazing camera. MXPE has awful camera, it is usable only in perfect conditions and despite having 21 mpx it just doesn't deliver such great pictures, as 6p does.
2) Performance. Even though I've thought 6p was a little slower then Nexus 5, MXPE is really disappointing. Snapdragon 808 can't cope with QHD screen. Stutters all over the place, scroll is nowhere as smooth as it was back in 2014 with Nexus 5 and Oneplus One.
3) Community. After a couple of years with Nexuses, I can't understand, why there are so few people trying to develop something for this phone. With open-sourced kernel, opened bootloader, such low price and near-stock official firmware I thought MXPE would gather a lot of developers. But still, after more than half a year after release, there is still no fully-functional Cyanogenmod ROM, for instance.
4) Technologies. Type C interface and Nexus Imprint are nice, but they are not necessary.
But, as well, I can mention, why MXPE is better, than 6p:
1) Design. This is not a huge deal, for me both of these phones look and feel great. I just preferred a little more roundness in Motorola, as well as textured back cover. It's nicer and a lot more grippier, than aluminum in 6p.
2) Screen. As mentioned above, this was a deal-breaker for me. IPS is a lot better technology, than AMOLED. IMHO, of course. But never again, AMOLED just won't work for me unless engineers figure out, how to make every single pixel (LED) operate at 60+ Hz frequency for smooth transitions.
3) Speakers. Even though 6p also has front-facing speakers, Motorola's speakers are way nicer. They sound amazing.
4) Build quality. 6p feels a bit tender and weak. It feels like it can be broken in half easily. Motorola is built to last, it feels sturdy. I am pretty sure it will survive a couple of drops. Even in water, according to IP52 resistance. Of course this certificate means that it'll survive a rain, but I am pretty sure it can survive a couple of seconds in water in case of accident.

G4 owners upgrading to G6: happy with purchase?

I have the LG G4 and was considering the upgrade to G6. Verizon customer.
1. How do the cameras compare? The rear is supposed to be better by all accounts. Front camera is 5 MP on G6 and 8 MP on G4, is this a downgrade in photo quality? Perhaps not since MP is not everything.
2. How does the battery life compare?
3. Is a case important on G6? Seems necessary with all that glass. G4 was excellent for handling falls due to leather or plastic back and slight curve in screen.
Downsides are loss of IR blaster and no more removable battery. Any other losses upgrading G4 to G6?
One more thing, the Galaxy S8 can stretch youtube videos to fullscreen but I get the impression the G6 does not have this ability, is that correct?
htcnext said:
I have the LG G4 and was considering the upgrade to G6. Verizon customer.
1. How do the cameras compare? The rear is supposed to be better by all accounts. Front camera is 5 MP on G6 and 8 MP on G4, is this a downgrade in photo quality? Perhaps not since MP is not everything.
2. How does the battery life compare?
3. Is a case important on G6? Seems necessary with all that glass. G4 was excellent for handling falls due to leather or plastic back and slight curve in screen.
Downsides are loss of IR blaster and no more removable battery. Any other losses upgrading G4 to G6?
One more thing, the Galaxy S8 can stretch youtube videos to fullscreen but I get the impression the G6 does not have this ability, is that correct?
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I upgraded from a G3 to a G6 on Sprint. I haven't had it long enough to answer all your questions, but I can offer a little input.
The battery life is significantly better. Obviously, there is a lot of degradation given the G3 is several years old, but I went out and bought a new G3 battery a year ago. The G6 gets me through a whole day easy. I do use an Android Wear watch to triage notifications, so I have a less than average screen time on the phone, but I'll go running using the phone's GPS in the morning or do an hour of lifting with the screen on the whole time inputting into an exercise app, etc. The fast charge on the G6 is amazing. It is multiples faster charging than the G3. I also bought a wireless charger, which is great to set on my desk at work.
I think a case is important. The glass back is gorgeous, but I've only seen it for about 10 seconds once while I held it 6 inches over a plush carpet to install the case. I dunno. I put on a Spigen carbon case, and it does not add much bulk to the phone. I had a Spigen on my G3 for three years and it looked like it went through a war. The G3 looks pristine.
Lack of IR blaster wasn't a problem for me because I just took my old G3 and put it in the TV room to use as a remote. The only issue I see with the non-removable battery is getting a few years down the road when its capacity is less.
I don't use YouTube much at all. I did just now pop it open and fired up a video, and can confirm it did not stretch to full screen. I thought I read somewhere that Google was going to work on this on the software end as they're expecting more 16:9 phones to come along. I have no idea what the S8 does.
I haven't tested out the camera much. Honestly, I was amazed at the high quality of the G3 camera and would be happy if the G6 was as good. I take videos of our kid's wrestling matches and share some of the videos with other parents when they can't be there to watch their kids. I have gotten a lot of remarks about how fantastic my phone's videos are (the G3, that is) from people that have iPhone 6's and 7's. Still photos were awesome from the G3, and I should drag my butt out and try out the G6's new wide view.
I can't think of any other downsides. I do like the form factor of the G6 a lot more than the G3. I didn't mind the G3 that much, but the G6 is a lot narrower. It feels much more comfortable in the hand than the G3. It's taller, but that doesn't seem to be much of an issue for me. Fingerprint scanner on the G6 is great. Unlocks the phone instantly. It was a big adjustment to get used to volume buttons on the back of the G3, and now it's a big adjustment to get used to the "normal" side buttons of the G6. The G6 doesn't seem crazy faster than the G3 and the screen resolution is the same. The G6 does look a little sharper and clearer. My Sprint G6 is supposed to have this awesome new HPUE that increases speeds inside buildings, but I haven't noticed much of a difference in LTE speeds. Maybe that will come.
My G3 was stuck on Marshmallow, and the G6 comes with Nougat and Google Assistant out of the box. I haven't gotten into any good conversations with Assistant yet.

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 Google Pixel 4a 5G, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Google Pixel 4a 5G is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
I've been using it for a few hours, it feels faster than my OnePlus 6, battery seems great (40mn SOT, and only 5% went away), the screen calibration is spot on, for now I'm very happy with it.
The camera is, of course, absolutely great.
I finally decided to get a Pixel as I thought with 4a 5g they finally got the specs vs price ratio right. I must say I am not disappointed.
- slightly narrower and shorter than pixel 3a xl, feels denser, better for my smallish hands
- case texture is nice, less slippery
- fingerprint sensor feels more responsive, more accurate
- transitions are smooth
I just got it set up an hour ago so can't speak on screen, battery, etc but I like it so far.
Coming from Pixel 3. So all below compare to P3
- bezel is thiiiiin, awesome!
- screen is way bigger, while phone size is just a tiny bigger.
- battery is crazy good. 6 hour SOT with 37% left now. (Fast charger killed P3's battery probably)
- camera processing speed about the same.
- wide lens is awesome
- plastic feels great and less scary without a case. It's on the way.
- usb port is tighter. The P3 now will drop some cables.
- DSDS works wonder. I have Fi and Verizon
brandontowey said:
- slightly narrower and shorter than pixel 3a xl, feels denser, better for my smallish hands
- case texture is nice, less slippery
- fingerprint sensor feels more responsive, more accurate
- transitions are smooth
I just got it set up an hour ago so can't speak on screen, battery, etc but I like it so far.
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Looking forward to your updates! I am moving from the Pixel 3a XL.
Explore3 said:
Looking forward to your updates! I am moving from the Pixel 3a XL.
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Great so far:
- faster, boots super quick
- still have 50% battery at the end of day
- loving the smaller size
- google gestures are 50% crap but got used to gestures with Dirty Unicorns so waiting on ROMs to get those back
- Magisk working well but haven't gotten ViperFX working unfortunately
- 5g is in my area but haven't given it a run since I'm always on wifi
Compared to Pixel 3XL
Has a great feel in the hand, it feels "premium" even though it's plastic.
Display is awesome, looks really good.
Have to say the buttons feel "cheap", for lack of a better word. I'm sure it'll be fine, it is a Google phone.
The buttons on the 3XL are just a different grade of quality, you'd have to have both to know the difference.
The punch hole kinda gets on my nerves.
I got the device free through the T-Mobile promotion, so really can't gripe too much about it. My wife is probably gonna steal it from me because it has a headphone jack, she's missing that on her One Plus 7 Pro. The trade off is I get to tinker with the 7 Pro
I got no complaints so far, other than the buttons, lol. Just got it today, battery still at 100% after 3 hours, but I haven't used it much. I'm sure it'll be on par with the Pixel 5, since practically the same specs. Should get the Spigen case and screen protectors first of next week. After that, it'll get some real use.
Google is offering $300 trade-in for your Pixel 3 now!
So, third time the charm, it took a long detour - after Pix4a and Pix5 I landed w/ Pixel 4a 5G, imo the best of them for many reasons. P4a felt kinda flimsy with the creaky housing and I think the digitizer had some 'touch' issues, though the camera was fine. My Pixel 5 had no gaps whatsoever, but the camera didn't produce sharp pics, maybe because of the newest software version. Didn't know about that until now so I shot some pics w/4a5g today having the camera updated to ver. 8.x.x and then I reverted that update to 7.x.x. and took some more shots. Whatever I say about any differences, it'll be a subjective opinion, I see it – other ppl may not. Uploaded couple of pics to '4a5g Photo...” thread if you're interested to see them.
I think now am gonna settle down for a while with Pix4a5G, it's a keeper, I need to have around an extra phone and this one should serve me well for many years ahead. It's my second day with it and I can't really find anything bad or wrong about this phone. Perfect size actually, 6.2” makes it only a few millimeters shorter than my Note 10+, but the width is bigger, at least feels that way because N10+ has rounded edges. Phone is very responsive, everything works smoothly, got rid of all the apps I don't need so I'm not being annoyed with Google's intrusive attempts to “helping” me operating my phone.
Great battery life, no overheating – 'cool cucumber', downloaded in one shot yesterday some 20GB of my music from Amazon, I remember other phones I've had, getting really hot at this point but not this one, couldn't believe, it stayed just lukewarm – no problem'o'.
Coming from Samsung Galaxy S7 on Verizon. Now on T-Mobile with my Pixel.
So far, about 2 weeks, the Pixel has been a great improvement. Faster, with a sharper and brighter display.
The gestures take getting used to, but I'm finding that it works better than I thought it would.
Minor things, none of them are deal breakers, that I would change of I could: 1) put volume buttons and power button on opposite sides of the device; 2) put headphone jack on bottom with the usb port; & 3) I'd make the phone a little smaller.
Still waiting to get my device unlocked so I can modify it more to my liking.

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