Database Users

The Note Edge is Not Worth it

After a little over 24 hours with the Edge the honeymoon phase is already over, I can honestly say its not worth the extra $200. 24hrs may not seem like a lot of time but I've spent nearly 20 of those hours playing with my phone (you know how it is when you get a new Android.)
After playing with the Edge all day today I really dont think its worth the extra money. Theirs just not enough content for the edge part yet. Some of the panels like the CNN News one don't even work half the time ( its been stuck on loading all day today), my weather in the edge hasn't updated since I got the phone, I dont like the Yahoo Sports panel because you have to choose a team or teams which makes it useless during your sport's off-season, I just want general sports news (a ESPN sports ticker panel would be awesome), no custom icons, and lastly you cant even choose your favorite apps in all the panels. My goal was to put all my apps on the edge and leave my screens iconless but I am unable to do that because I can only choose my favorites in one panel.
Bottom line the Edge is not worth $200 additional dollars to me plus the uncomfortable feel in the hand, it has lots of potential if it gets more support though. I will be returning mine on Monday for a regular Note 4 or Nexus 6, I am going to give it a year or so to see if the edge grows and gets more app support if so I can see myself with a Edge 2.

Well... 24 hours is a long time to spend with a phone. I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Cool story bro. I wanna follow you on Twitter so hard!

Ghetto Geeksta said:
After a little over 24 hours with the Edge the honeymoon phase is already over, I can honestly say its not worth the extra $200. 24hrs may not seem like a lot of time but I've spent nearly 20 of those hours playing with my phone (you know how it is when you get a new Android.)
After playing with the Edge all day today I really dont think its worth the extra money. Theirs just not enough content for the edge part yet. Some of the panels like the CNN News one don't even work half the time ( its been stuck on loading all day today), my weather in the edge hasn't updated since I got the phone, I dont like the Yahoo Sports panel because you have to choose a team or teams which makes it useless during your sport's off-season, I just want general sports news (a ESPN sports ticker panel would be awesome), no custom icons, and lastly you cant even choose your favorite apps in all the panels. My goal was to put all my apps on the edge and leave my screens iconless but I am unable to do that because I can only choose my favorites in one panel.
Bottom line the Edge is not worth $200 additional dollars to me plus the uncomfortable feel in the hand, it has lots of potential if it gets more support though. I will be returning mine on Monday for a regular Note 4 or Nexus 6, I am going to give it a year or so to see if the edge grows and gets more app support if so I can see myself with a Edge 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
welcome to xda, where we solve problems, not cry about them.
i'm not sure how you spent 200 extra dollars but, that sucks. sorry to hear that. take it back and get a note or a nexus
it seems like you are more concerned with $ than the phone. if you are tight on $ the edge was not for you anyway.
i am using my edge in the way you intended. try creating FOLDERS in the fav apps panel. i have apps in folders in the panel.
Samsung released the SDK to allow you to do whatever you want. even duplicate the fav apps panel.
i'm not sure what you were expecting from the edge. but you probably should have done some research before buying it or at least spent time with it in the store.
It was totally worth it for me. i love my edge.
...seriously, how did you spend 200 extra?
"note 4:
$720.00 spr
$825.99 att
$699.99 ver
$749.76 tmo
note edge:
$840.00 spr
$945.99 att
$nah.yo ver
$870.00 tmo"
i'm confused? how?

Ghetto Geeksta said:
After a little over 24 hours with the Edge the honeymoon phase is already over, I can honestly say its not worth the extra $200. 24hrs may not seem like a lot of time but I've spent nearly 20 of those hours playing with my phone (you know how it is when you get a new Android.)
After playing with the Edge all day today I really dont think its worth the extra money. Theirs just not enough content for the edge part yet. Some of the panels like the CNN News one don't even work half the time ( its been stuck on loading all day today), my weather in the edge hasn't updated since I got the phone, I dont like the Yahoo Sports panel because you have to choose a team or teams which makes it useless during your sport's off-season, I just want general sports news (a ESPN sports ticker panel would be awesome), no custom icons, and lastly you cant even choose your favorite apps in all the panels. My goal was to put all my apps on the edge and leave my screens iconless but I am unable to do that because I can only choose my favorites in one panel.
Bottom line the Edge is not worth $200 additional dollars to me plus the uncomfortable feel in the hand, it has lots of potential if it gets more support though. I will be returning mine on Monday for a regular Note 4 or Nexus 6, I am going to give it a year or so to see if the edge grows and gets more app support if so I can see myself with a Edge 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So basically , to sum it all up , you just don't like the edge panel. The edge panel is not the overall experience of this phone. The edge panel works coincide with the main screen. You must not play a lot with your phone in that 24 hours.

I paid $945 at ATT on the Next plan, over $1000 with tax.
Is their a way to get custom icons in the panel?
Why is my cnn and weather panel not working?
How do I get more than one panel where I can add my favorites?

Didnt realize the regular Note 4 was $825 on ATT, thought it was $700-$750, but still over $200 more than the cheapest one.

Ghetto Geeksta said:
I paid $945 at ATT on the Next plan, over $1000 with tax.
Is their a way to get custom icons in the panel?
Why is my cnn and weather panel not working?
How do I get more than one panel where I can add my favorites?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your beef is silly.
you are mad because it doesn't do something that nobody ever said it would (custom icons and multiple fav panels). all my panels work. the cnn panel is trash. more fav panels- you don't get more yet.. add folders to the panels (second time being said) or build it with the sdk.
take the phone back and be done with it. if this is your attitude, you are't going to be contributing to development, and if you are on att, you can't root (yet).
go get the Nexus. don't even bother with the note. you'll probably have some unrealistic expectations there too.

Ghetto Geeksta said:
I paid $945 at ATT on the Next plan, over $1000 with tax.
Is their a way to get custom icons in the panel?
Why is my cnn and weather panel not working?
How do I get more than one panel where I can add my favorites?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you don't need to be rooted or use this app but I used unicon on rooted device to have custom icons (velur icon pack) in panel.

mscion said:
Maybe you don't need to be rooted or use this app but I used unicon on rooted device to have custom icons (velur icon pack) in panel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Att has locked up the edge and the note. Root hasnt happened for them yet.

I love my Edge and so much so I returned my att model and bought the T-Mobile version and rooted it. Now its even better. I had the Note 4, sold it. I have the Nexus 6 and it's collecting dust.
You need to get into the settings to have the weather update hourly. The CNN panel works for me.
I have the favs panel full. You can add a ton of apps and folders. I have 15 apps/folders in one edge panel.
Sent from my SM-N915T using Tapatalk

Interesting replies well at least most of them responded with a solution or in depth comments/defense instead of just a one line troll even while disagreeing
Sent from my SM-N915P using Tapatalk

cvaria said:
Att has locked up the edge and the note. Root hasnt happened for them yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
verks said:
I love my Edge and so much so I returned my att model and bought the T-Mobile version and rooted it. Now its even better. I had the Note 4, sold it. I have the Nexus 6 and it's collecting dust.
You need to get into the settings to have the weather update hourly. The CNN panel works for me.
I have the favs panel full. You can add a ton of apps and folders. I have 15 apps/folders in one edge panel.
Sent from my SM-N915T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. If it don't root, give it the boot!

I have the sprint note edge, didnt pay over 850. And its the bees knees. I can root and play with it or odin back to stock like i have done waiting for 5.0.1
I love this phone. Favorite phone EVER

This screen with the edge bar is so convenient

I personally love the edge. Less clutter on the screen. And you can add as many favorite apps as your hearts desire. Or make folders. And my weather stays updated, i have it set once a hour to update, unless i manually do it.

Ghetto Geeksta said:
After a little over 24 hours with the Edge the honeymoon phase is already over, I can honestly say its not worth the extra $200. 24hrs may not seem like a lot of time but I've spent nearly 20 of those hours playing with my phone (you know how it is when you get a new Android.)
After playing with the Edge all day today I really dont think its worth the extra money. Theirs just not enough content for the edge part yet. Some of the panels like the CNN News one don't even work half the time ( its been stuck on loading all day today), my weather in the edge hasn't updated since I got the phone, I dont like the Yahoo Sports panel because you have to choose a team or teams which makes it useless during your sport's off-season, I just want general sports news (a ESPN sports ticker panel would be awesome), no custom icons, and lastly you cant even choose your favorite apps in all the panels. My goal was to put all my apps on the edge and leave my screens iconless but I am unable to do that because I can only choose my favorites in one panel.
Bottom line the Edge is not worth $200 additional dollars to me plus the uncomfortable feel in the hand, it has lots of potential if it gets more support though. I will be returning mine on Monday for a regular Note 4 or Nexus 6, I am going to give it a year or so to see if the edge grows and gets more app support if so I can see myself with a Edge 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get a nexus 6! I just stopped by this forum after frequenting it daily when i had my edge to see where dev. Is on the sprint side... Im glad i jumped ship still nothing for sprint... Its been bout 3 weeks and couldnt have been hapier...Roms galore....!! And nexus is so much faster..no touchwiz to slow it down.

I like to have a very minimalist home screen and the edge panel is great for that and adds functionality and accessibility

jbnorton0524 said:
This screen with the edge bar is so convenient
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very nice wallpaper!
I love the phone too.

nick.farinas said:
Get a nexus 6! I just stopped by this forum after frequenting it daily when i had my edge to see where dev. Is on the sprint side... Im glad i jumped ship still nothing for sprint... Its been bout 3 weeks and couldnt have been hapier...Roms galore....!! And nexus is so much faster..no touchwiz to slow it down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yay. You upgraded and got:
No expandable storage
No removable battery
Lower mp cams front and back
Earley access to lollipop, which being released for all phones.
Less physical customization options
Less options for organization (stock)
Lower pixel density
.193 inches more screen
No s-pen
Lower build quality
You certainly hit that one out of the park. You just have a big android phone not a true phab. Only clear advantage is wireless charging right out of the box.
Enable tablet ui and enjoy though. Its a great phone if you just want a big phone with android.
Top marks and thanks for visiting.

Note5 User Reviews and Opinions

If you have a Note5, give us your first impressions and thoughts about the device. Tell us about the display, sound, feel, camera, quality or whatever else comes to mind. If you've had any problems, we'd like to know about that too.
Unboxing pics are encouraged
Thanks!

I thought there were a couple other threads like this already going on. here's one...
'For the ones who ACTUALLY have the device'
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3183298
I personally love it. it's got its niggles, but it is what it is.
(Sent from another Galaxy via Tapatalk)

Several active threads already going on about all of these things. Reading is fundamental!

Dr. Evo said:
Several active threads already going on about all of these things. Reading is fundamental!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this is the problem. Most device forums have one roll-up thread for user reviews. We don't need a new thread each time someone buys the device. It clutters the forum and makes finding information difficult.
tallazzPilipino said:
I thought there were a couple other threads like this already going on. here's one...
'For the ones who ACTUALLY have the device'
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3183298
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This thread has an ambiguous title and seems to be only for the OP's benefit, so it keeps sinking to the bottom as people ignore it and start another thread unnecessarily.

I have a question here :
When popping up Aircommand menu does it works with finger while clicking on any app or not ?

But how is it in the hand without any cover? Is it not slippery as....?

Advice is needed whether to buy Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or Samsung s6 edge. All suggestions are welcome

fattyleehackz said:
Advice is needed whether to buy Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or Samsung s6 edge. All suggestions are welcome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S6 edge is great if you want more looks and it's a better party trick kind of phone. The Note 5 is much more functional, has the S-Pen, bigger screen, a battery that will actually last a full day, and an extra gig of ram (meaning less aggressive app killing). If you want a party trick type phone, get the edge. If you want a functional phone, get the Note 5.
Sent from my SM-N920W8 using XDA Free mobile app

My only real design issue involves point 3 in this thread by @zeesh86. I don't consider myself a fatfinger (maybe just like a little sausagy-fingered), but I was opening, moving, and deleting apps regularly on accident. I'm blaming it on the rear curved sides and smaller distance between the screen and side of the phone. Less bulk means my grip overlaps the sides and my fingers touch the screen. I ended up having to lock the apps (Nova Launcher) because it was such an oft occurring issue; however, since adding a case (and not even a bulk one) it's no longer a problem.

Pros
- big display with good colors
- powerful CPU (altho i read it gets hot and performance is questionable)
- Stylus
- nice camera (http://echostorms.net/camera.png)
- fast charging
Cons
- no removable SD card
- no removable battery
- locked bootloader (verizon and AT&T), making it difficult to root, and prevents fun stuff
- heavy KNOX hardware
- uses 75%+ of the 4GB RAM when nothing is running (just like the Galaxy S6)
- advertised as octa-core, but actually 2 quad core CPUs. Probably because one is at 1.5GHz while the other is 2.1GHz, bigger numbers = higher sales, so hide the fact that one is slower
unfortunate to say, but iOS > Android
I could probably come up with more pros/cons, but these first that came to mind.
i did a camera test earlier today, records at 1440p? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYu-5LPWPy4

Own it. Love it. I've never been happier in a mobile device.
Screen is gorgeous, sound is loud for a cell phone, the feel in the hand is great as well. The curved back makes it easy to hold. If you don't have your thumb centered the fingerprint scanner won't read. Fast charging is amazing too. Have 15 minutes? Boom Extra 20-25% of juice. I've noticed that this phones battery life is better than my previous Note 4, 3, 2 and any other device I've owned. Coupled with the fast charging and wireless charging it's a breeze. If I don't remember to charge my phone overnight--no problem. Charge it real quick while I get ready for work and I'm usually at 100%

simply dave said:
If you don't have your thumb centered the fingerprint scanner won't read.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That can be remedied by moving your thumb around a bit when registering your fingerprint. Sure you can't just use the corner of your thumb, but as long as your covering most of the button, it shouldn't matter whether it's centered or not if you've recorded enough of the print.

I didn't want to create a new thread for this but don't know exactly where to express this sentiment.
Today my brother bought an AT&T Galaxy S6. It's still on 5.0.2. That really worries me for my AT&T Note 5. How long does AT&T take to update their devices? How long has 5.1 been available while a flagship device on AT&T is stuck on 3+ month year old software? Will we ever see Marshmallow on AT&T?

fchowd0696 said:
I didn't want to create a new thread for this but don't know exactly where to express this sentiment.
Today my brother bought an AT&T Galaxy S6. It's still on 5.0.2. That really worries me for my AT&T Note 5. How long does AT&T take to update their devices? How long has 5.1 been available while a flagship device on AT&T is stuck on 3+ month year old software? Will we ever see Marshmallow on AT&T?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T notoriously takes longer than other carriers to send updates. Been like that for ages.

My list of Ps and Cs coming from an iPhone 6+ and Oneplus One
Pros:
-Battery life has been very good
-Camera takes quality photos and video
-Voice calls are clear
-Phone has a relatively small footprint, so the size is not unwieldy
-s pen works very well, no issues
-s pen integration with the note is a very cool feature and high up on my nice-to-haves
-Screen is gorgeous and easy to read in daylight, I've compared to the iPhone 6+ screen for fun and text looks sharper and most pictures and video look sharper.. there are times the iPhone looks better for certain games that I'm sure were not optimized for the higher resolution
-FAST CHARGING IS REAL and is freaky fast!!!
Cons (very small issues):
-Occasional lag when scrolling... after using Oneplus One and iPhone 6+ it's hard not to notice a few glitches here and there when scrolling pages, especially pages with a lot of rich media; but it's hardly noticeable and I've already gotten used to it, disabling some of the bloatware definitely helped, I'm confident of that.
-Bluetooth is inconsistent when connecting to my Samsung soundbar, which sucks because it's the only device in my house that can't connect. I need to play around a little bit to figure out why.
-Bloatware, bloatware, bloatware
Overall, if I was asked to rate this phone I would say 10/10 compared to other phones in the same class.

Some experience about my note 5
I was tempting by the charging cloud
Actually, Samsung do some innovation on Note 5. I love the glass body very much. Fast wireless charger inside was truly a great progress, which made me want more!!

foulmouthedruffian said:
That can be remedied by moving your thumb around a bit when registering your fingerprint. Sure you can't just use the corner of your thumb, but as long as your covering most of the button, it shouldn't matter whether it's centered or not if you've recorded enough of the print.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:good::good::good:

Hey guys! We have a new section here in the Note5 forum, it's kind of experimental. It's a place where you users can rate and review the many different facets of what makes a device unique like maximum (and minimum) screen brightness, app launch speed, speakerphone quality, and more. Check it out here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note5/review

My mistake of buying Note 5
Oh Lord how I miss having an SD card.
I've never had problems with deleting old stuff off of my phone this is the first time I had to delete stuff of my phone.
On bright side- it helps me stay on top of things but now I gotta continuously monitor storage.
Even now i'm down to free space 2 gb lol
Apparently S7 has sd card in it again- so I'm guessing Note 6 will have it too. Not sure if I'd get it or not but it's nice to see Samsung is going back on track.
What do you guys miss?

Oh Lord I miss the sunlight, it's been a long depressing winter here.
On the brighter side 110gb on onedrive , 17gb on Google drive, plus you can use a OTG drive. My Note 5 has 64gb too !
I miss my dog too, he died and my wife has left me What am i gonna do now?

Concerns? Dislikes? Buyer's Remorse?

Anyone disappointed in a few things like I am?
1. Regardless of how you feel, Verizon removing things and adding even more bloatware is beyond nasty. It's low.
2. The battery life is average at best.
3. There is lags. It's there. Apps open slow, typical Samsung UI stuff. It'll never change.
4. I just don't like the edge. It offers nothing and makes hitting a button close to it awkward. Not to mention cases are just bleh due to trying to fit around it.
5. The S-pen has a smaller tip, but I find it less responsive than it used to be.
6. New theme store is meh. Themes I purchased on my s6 aren't there. I think this feature will improve though.
I like the phone, but it definitely doesn't wow me like the Note 3 and Note 4.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app

I am having way better battery life on the Note 7 than my Galaxy 7. I haven't noticed any lag. I agree, the "edge" is a gimmick.
Biggest issue: No AdBlock. Jesus, how do people use the internet without adblock

Hunt4m3x said:
I am having way better battery life on the Note 7 than my Galaxy 7. I haven't noticed any lag. I agree, the "edge" is a gimmick.
Biggest issue: No AdBlock. Jesus, how do people use the internet without adblock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should use Samsung's browser and use the adblock extension. It is amazing.

Hunt4m3x said:
I am having way better battery life on the Note 7 than my Galaxy 7. I haven't noticed any lag. I agree, the "edge" is a gimmick.
Biggest issue: No AdBlock. Jesus, how do people use the internet without adblock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might have to get rid of it for that. Hope it gets root, dont care about the bootloader. Can't live with the endless ads in apps

thewagdy said:
You should use Samsung's browser and use the adblock extension. It is amazing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have but other apps have ads etc.

Hunt4m3x said:
I have but other apps have ads etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Adgaurd on my note 5. Plan on using it on the Note 7 if i go for it. Works great. On the web and on apps.

Bsober said:
I use Adgaurd on my note 5. Plan on using it on the Note 7 if i go for it. Works great. On the web and on apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Adguard on occasion as it sometimes bogs down the phone. Love/hate relationship with it.

Well, I get way better battery life than any phone I've ever owned. I end almost every day at 50% and I used to charge by 6pm. Apps open faster than any phone I've ever had and have no lag so far. I love the edge for quick weather and sports scores. I don't love finding a screen protector and case that play nice together. The s-pen seems WAY better to me. I don't use the theme store so I can't comment there. So far, I adore this phone.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app

Apparently you guys have never had a Nexus. This phone is good, but it does have lag issues that it just shouldn't have in 2016.
And when I say edge, I dont mean edges apps. You don't need to have an edge screen to use the apps you mentioned. They would work just fine if not better on a flat screen like the quick tools Samsung used to use
Not being a jerk, but every phone that gets released, people make wild claims like " 8 day battery life, fastest phone in the world" blah blah. To be fair, there is always someone who makes a thread like this as well. I'm that someone this time.
I like the phone, but it really isn't the holy grail it was made out to be... I feel like it needs an update to clean some stuff up
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app

I like the phone but I don't think it's a huge upgrade over my s7e. I think I'm going to return it and just keep my s7e. Kind of sick of Verizon for removing helpful features from this phone that were meant to be there.

Rippley05 said:
Apparently you guys have never had a Nexus. This phone is good, but it does have lag issues that it just shouldn't have in 2016.
And when I say edge, I dont mean edges apps. You don't need to have an edge screen to use the apps you mentioned. They would work just fine if not better on a flat screen like the quick tools Samsung used to use
Not being a jerk, but every phone that gets released, people make wild claims like " 8 day battery life, fastest phone in the world" blah blah. To be fair, there is always someone who makes a thread like this as well. I'm that someone this time.
I like the phone, but it really isn't the holy grail it was made out to be... I feel like it needs an update to clean some stuff up
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had a Nexus 6. This blows the doors off of it speed wise. I can actually open the camera and take a picture, answer a phone call, and not have the unlock screen take about 15 seconds to actually unlock.
Makes me wonder if I had a bad device all along. It wasn't like that at first though. Somewhere after 6.0 it slowed down and never recovered regardless of factory resetting.
---------- Post added at 07:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:41 PM ----------
Concerns:
Future updates, but I knew what I was getting into.
The durability of GG5, but the whole issue may be overblown...time will tell.
Dislikes:
The screen protector I bought. There is already dust under it. Not to mention it must have lifted off the center, as I miss keys all the time. I will sit tight for a while on it and see what else comes out over the next month or so.
Samsung Keyboard - I like Google Keyboard for typing, Samsung S-Pen input for writing, and Google Voice Keyboard. No way to get this combo easily.
Price was steep for this phone, but you get what you pay for. I wanted premium, and got premium.
Buyer's Remorse
Nope. None.

I miss the Ascending Ringtone Volume setting. I can't find it in VZN Note 7. All the good basic ring tones are gone, too.
Someone PLEASE unlock the boot loader on this phone.

Really wasn't expecting to see the different ui was actually looking forward to the new one as this phone was supposed to have the grace ui , so very disappointed in that as it was a feature that was a factor in my buying it its more or less the s7 rebuilt as a note with edge panels, so Im annoyed there. I also don't like the fact that I had to make a custom shortcut for the Samsung cloud service when that was also a feature which was a deciding factor for getting this phone , all in all don't get me wrong the phone is beautiful it runs like a dream its screen is fantastic etc. but I really disagree with the feature removal , the device maintenance app , and the difference in ui these are things that were supposed to make this phone unique and there not there , I mean I really like it but im annoyed at the same time if that makes sense lol. What really sucks is I gave my s7 to my wife and shes ecstatic about it so I cant really return it now cause shes now one with the s7. That and i traded in her old phone.

I agree DBCAB. I don't know what is different in the UI aside from a slightly different settings menu. Is there more?
I am also sick of Verizon. There is just no other carrier with a signal here. They're the reason I went Nexus and tried an iPhone. You never know what features they're going to remove or bloat they're going to force when it comes the all other Android phones.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app

I'm not thrilled about Verizon, the way they tamper with what is already a somewhat compromised ROM is vile. Their latest security update had crapware in it. What more can you say?
The phone is amazing, imo. It absolutely kills the Note 4 which I had, it's not even comparable. I'm using a Nexus 6P, I swore on all that is holy I would never use a locked up Samsung phone again and I can barely put this down. It looks better than any phone I've ever seen, the software is actually...dare I say it, useful? Even the damn iris scanner works well. It's not laggy (yet), and I'm getting better battery than my Nexus. I missed the stylus. I don't know if I can bear a locked down phone, but this is the only one I've tried that makes me think about it A LOT.
My only dislike is how gdamn hard I have to work against Verizon and Samsung to get the most out of it. Sneaking to get Samsung Cloud, downloading an older, superior version of SNote with full capability (wtf is that about?!). Otherwise, wow, quite a phone and I was prepared to hate it loudly.

PsiPhiDan said:
Well, I get way better battery life than any phone I've ever owned. I end almost every day at 50% and I used to charge by 6pm. Apps open faster than any phone I've ever had and have no lag so far. I love the edge for quick weather and sports scores. I don't love finding a screen protector and case that play nice together. The s-pen seems WAY better to me. I don't use the theme store so I can't comment there. So far, I adore this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you using for sports scores?

taz1458 said:
What are you using for sports scores?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just the standard yahoo sports one. When you click on the little gear symbol to customize the edge screens you want, Yahoo is literally the first one I can select. It's pretty basic but I like it for my baseball scores at a glance.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app

The $900 price tag got to me along with the edge screen so I returned mine for a Galaxy J3 lol. Seriously the Note 7 is nice but between what Verizon dose and the limited choice of screen protectors that stick and cases that do not peal them off made me return the device. I'm looking to ditch Verizon all together so I opted for the cheapest smartphone they had in stock to fulfill my device payment agreement. Surprisingly the J3 isn't all that bad for what I do on the phone.

Misterxtc said:
The $900 price tag got to me along with the edge screen so I returned mine for a Galaxy J3 lol. Seriously the Note 7 is nice but between what Verizon dose and the limited choice of screen protectors that stick and cases that do not peal them off made me return the device. I'm looking to ditch Verizon all together so I opted for the cheapest smartphone they had in stock to fulfill my device payment agreement. Surprisingly the J3 isn't all that bad for what I do on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't expect early cases and screen protectors to be perfect til people got a chance to beat on them. I still ordered them though and just got them in today, at least get some protection.

jjayzx said:
I wouldn't expect early cases and screen protectors to be perfect til people got a chance to beat on them. I still ordered them though and just got them in today, at least get some protection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's going to be the same as the S7 Edge I just traded in. Not too many choices.

Reviews..what are your thoughts?!

So I thought it would be good to have a central spot for everyone to talk about their S8 or S8+...let us know what you like and what you don't. If you can't figure something out, hopefully someone here will be able to help.

I have a new S8 Plus & I absolutely love it.
The location of the fingerprint sensor is retarded, but I never use it so I don't care about that.
I replaced an LG V10 that went into a continuous bootloop 4 months after it was out of warranty.
I like the S8 Plus better in every way (I dumped Bixby & remapped the button the first day I had it)
~John

I really like the Verizon S8. I came from the pixel and while I had no complaints I decided to move onto the S8.
I also have the Samsung Gear S3 and the S8 works perfectly. Battery life has been great. I even sold my tablet and put a 256gb memory card in the phone.
Sent from my SM-G950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Galaxy S8 - Low Voume
Taking my S8 back to store. Will not reorder and will revert back to S4. Call volume is too low with no way to adjust it. Maxed out is not sufficient. Samsung markets the perfect phone. Cannot use it for business at all.

Not only does the S8 have loud call volume, you can tap on the menu button in the call screen and turn on "boost" to make it extremely loud.

Chappydean said:
Taking my S8 back to store. Will not reorder and will revert back to S4. Call volume is too low with no way to adjust it. Maxed out is not sufficient. Samsung markets the perfect phone. Cannot use it for business at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may be too late for you but from my experience, some ring tones are significantly louder than others. Try different ones or make your own.
Sent from my SM-T800 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Jay5583 said:
So I thought it would be good to have a central spot for everyone to talk about their S8 or S8+...let us know what you like and what you don't. If you can't figure something out, hopefully someone here will be able to help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had it for about 24 hours now, and it's "just okay" to me. I came from a Nexus 5x that was really slow and hard to use for even my meager needs.
S8 is great, but I had to nearly immediately take off the screen protector that Verizon sold me. It was very difficult to get the phone to detect my touch/taps with it on, and I couldn't find any sensitivity options or "glove mode" to try to work around it, so I just pealed it off (and discovered it wasn't even sticky except around the edges-weird.)
Now my biggest struggle is "which email client to use". If I use the built-in Samsung email/calendar app, I get a more native experience. But I also need to sync my email with the "Gmail" client if I want Cortana to be able to see/read my work email/calendar (Office 365). Or if I want to use the (imho, superior) Office Outlook app from Microsoft, I have to basically have 3 separate apps constantly checking & syncing from the same single email account. It hurts me, perhaps more existentially than physically with battery life, but it hurts me nonetheless.
Similar story for assistant. Do I want Google Assistant and Google's "feed" (formerly "Google Now")? Or do I want to use Bixby? Or Cortana? I have all 3 installed, but I turned off voice-activation for them to save battery.

skeene85 said:
I've had it for about 24 hours now, and it's "just okay" to me. I came from a Nexus 5x that was really slow and hard to use for even my meager needs.
S8 is great, but I had to nearly immediately take off the screen protector that Verizon sold me. It was very difficult to get the phone to detect my touch/taps with it on, and I couldn't find any sensitivity options or "glove mode" to try to work around it, so I just pealed it off (and discovered it wasn't even sticky except around the edges-weird.)
Now my biggest struggle is "which email client to use". If I use the built-in Samsung email/calendar app, I get a more native experience. But I also need to sync my email with the "Gmail" client if I want Cortana to be able to see/read my work email/calendar (Office 365). Or if I want to use the (imho, superior) Office Outlook app from Microsoft, I have to basically have 3 separate apps constantly checking & syncing from the same single email account. It hurts me, perhaps more existentially than physically with battery life, but it hurts me nonetheless.
Similar story for assistant. Do I want Google Assistant and Google's "feed" (formerly "Google Now")? Or do I want to use Bixby? Or Cortana? I have all 3 installed, but I turned off voice-activation for them to save battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get your predicament. Although it is the epitome of a first-world problem I also have trouble deciding which app to use when there are duplicate apps available. It used to be so much easier back in the day when Samsung apps were so poorly written. Now Samsung apps are VERY competitive with third-party apps. I keep switching between Nova launcher and Touchwiz launcher, between Samsung Music app and Poweramp, between Samsung email and GMail trying to find one that clearly offers an advantage. Right now I am inclined to keep the native feel that Samsung apps offer, but that could change the next time I am bored with my phone.

serpent2005 said:
I get your predicament. Although it is the epitome of a first-world problem I also have trouble deciding which app to use when there are duplicate apps available. It used to be so much easier back in the day when Samsung apps were so poorly written. Now Samsung apps are VERY competitive with third-party apps. I keep switching between Nova launcher and Touchwiz launcher, between Samsung Music app and Poweramp, between Samsung email and GMail trying to find one that clearly offers an advantage. Right now I am inclined to keep the native feel that Samsung apps offer, but that could change the next time I am bored with my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ended up leaving my email accounts in the Samsung mail so I can take advantage of most of the other defaults like the edge calendar, widget calendar, bixby integration and such. But I turned off notifications and use the real Outlook app mostly. I'd go all Samsung if it had a "swipe to archive" but that muscle memory is way ingrained in both my thumbs and my workflow.
At this point I think my only frustration now with this phone is that sms don't want to notify me on my Galaxy Gear S3. But that has a thread to itself and I hate sms so I'm not super worried about it.
PS. Do you use a case? I feel like I can't grip the phone without one.

skeene85 said:
I ended up leaving my email accounts in the Samsung mail so I can take advantage of most of the other defaults like the edge calendar, widget calendar, bixby integration and such. But I turned off notifications and use the real Outlook app mostly. I'd go all Samsung if it had a "swipe to archive" but that muscle memory is way ingrained in both my thumbs and my workflow.
At this point I think my only frustration now with this phone is that sms don't want to notify me on my Galaxy Gear S3. But that has a thread to itself and I hate sms so I'm not super worried about it.
PS. Do you use a case? I feel like I can't grip the phone without one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using a Ringke Slim for about 2 weeks now. I also have a Caseology Parallax Series which is a bit bulkier than the Ringke.

Thinking of getting an S8 from the Google Pixel XL. Good decision, or bad? I realize stock android vs. bloatware, timely updates vs. not so timely updates. Anything I should be wary of if I make the switch? Thanks!

Rootable?
My thoughts? Is it rootable?

Simple review
Beautiful phone, better software, still lags for some stupid reason with the latest specs, battery life is eh (doesn't matter to me since I always carry my macbook pro with usb-c to charge it when in class), fingerprint performs perfect (babies complain about the placement), and their flagship phone finally doesn't overheat at all even when charging :victory:

GeorgeNav said:
fingerprint performs perfect (babies complain about the placement)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well count me in as a 62 year old baby. I've owned my S8 since April 18th, and I am still frustrated with the fingerprint sensor on the back. It's a pain if you like to use the sensor while the phone is laying down, not to mention the smearing of the camera lens. Other than that it's the best phone I have ever owned.
Sent from my SM-T800 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Love it
I love my vzw s8+ I have rooted and installed xposed I'm in overall love rn
---------- Post added at 12:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 PM ----------
PhallusOfGod said:
My thoughts? Is it rootable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is

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 Samsung Galaxy Note 8, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

Things I love so far from my hands on experience. The more squared corners. I feel the note should be almost flat and I feel they met that. The size of the screen. 6gb ram. Water proof. Even more refined S pen and the new features. Of course the Qhd Oled screen.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

No physical home button. Taller than Note 5. Narrow screen.
Played with it at the store and honestly don't like it. If Nokia 8 or Oneplus 5 included a real wacom pen (a k a S-Pen) I would jump ship.

thankyouxda said:
No physical home button. Taller than Note 5. Narrow screen.
Played with it at the store and honestly don't like it. If Nokia 8 or Oneplus 5 included a real wacom pen (a k a S-Pen) I would jump ship.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a fan of the skinny phone trend either. I had the Note 7 for close to 2 months and I've spent some time playing around with the s8+ while anticipating the arrival of the Note 8. I haven't seen the Note 8 in person yet, but based on the screen ratio I'm going to be disappointed just like I was with the Note 7. I preordered on day 1 because I love Note phones, but it's definitely not the ideal phone. If they had made the phone ratio 16:9 based on the current height, they could've fit a larger battery in it. I'm not asking for a huge phone, maybe as wide as the Note 3, 4, or 5. They seem to be trying to make it a one-handed phone for people with small hands, when in reality it's meant to be a 2-handed phone to begin with. I had problems launching apps in pop-up window on the Note 7. The S-pen couldn't find the starting point with the curved screen. Anyway, the skinny phone with the curved edge just makes the screen way too narrow.

I hear some of the complaints from people who haven't physically played with it, which I can't understand. I've actually played with this phone and I must say this is one gorgeous device! The new S-pen features are awesome! Camera, display and overall design is amazing! I love Samsung because they continue to impress me Note after Note after Note. I've owned every one and they just keep getting better and better. There is things that I wish they would add like a bigger battery and stereo speakers but you can't have it all, overall I am satisfied.

(deleted)

I say, keep the current height and stretch the width to 16x9. Huge screen, more battery. Just like the Note SHOULD be.

I am not so much concerned about a "thin" phone, but a phone that is comfortable to hold. The race for the thinnest phone is crazy, I mean the end of the road is having a chip implanted under your skin, which some companies are already doing.
I am more of less concerned that the battery is too small for this phone and the lack of a 128 or 256gb model + the card slot. Second would be the screen protector issue with the curved screens.

I have big hands and can operate my current Note 4 without problems. I hope my Note 8 (when it arrives) is just as big.

I got mine yesterday and so far I'm loving it. I had an S8+ but it was worth the upgrade. (I have T-Mobile's JOD).
Cheers!

Not as big as I feared
I have really small hands, and I was afraid the phone would be too hard to hold but I haven't felt that way. I've had it three days, lot of setting it up, tweaking it, etc. It's a two handed phone. I generally use the iris scanner which is faster than on the Note 7, so the placement of the fingerprint sensor doesn't bother me as much as it might. It's a beautiful phone, a pleasure to look at things on, and has some really cool little tricks--I can't express how great it is to pair up my budget program and the calculator and have them both up at the same time in a really convenient form.. I've only played a little with the camera but it did a great job of capturing a still image of my two year old grandson who rarely stops moving, without any blur, and the video I took came out really clear and focused on him. The battery life is so-so so far, but it's gotten a work out, during the setting up. I think it's a great phone, and I am definitely falling in love..

Overall.... EXCELLENT phone. However, Hate that the nav bar isn't customizable. Full Screen apps don't have translucent background... This really sucks for me

Angel0fDeath said:
I got mine yesterday and so far I'm loving it. I had an S8+ but it was worth the upgrade. (I have T-Mobile's JOD).
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Smaller battery, but an added spen. The note used to be different from the s series. I think Samsung f'd up this time.

Um, why do all the previous videos and reviews I've seen not mention how far Bixby actually controls the phone? It destroys Siri and GA. I'm blown away once I was shown this. Yea, it does all that typical question stuff pretty normally, nothing special and not as good as Google. But what you can chain together and control on the phone blew me away. I actually get having this and Google going at once, which seemed like a typical samsung waste to me when I picked this up. Probably not news for you coming from S8 etc.
By reviews I mean these Siri vs Google vs Bixby videos where they just ask them the king of France or to rap for them or tell a horrible joke. Why not show that you can control the entire phone by voice haha.

Steigerelli said:
I'm not a fan of the skinny phone trend either. I had the Note 7 for close to 2 months and I've spent some time playing around with the s8+ while anticipating the arrival of the Note 8. I haven't seen the Note 8 in person yet, but based on the screen ratio I'm going to be disappointed just like I was with the Note 7. I preordered on day 1 because I love Note phones, but it's definitely not the ideal phone. If they had made the phone ratio 16:9 based on the current height, they could've fit a larger battery in it. I'm not asking for a huge phone, maybe as wide as the Note 3, 4, or 5. They seem to be trying to make it a one-handed phone for people with small hands, when in reality it's meant to be a 2-handed phone to begin with. I had problems launching apps in pop-up window on the Note 7. The S-pen couldn't find the starting point with the curved screen. Anyway, the skinny phone with the curved edge just makes the screen way too narrow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Writing this from a Note 8 now. Upgraded from a Note 4 that was on its last legs. The screen is the same width, just taller. I can put a TPU case in it and it's the same width as the Note 4 in hand. The aspect ratio doesn't effect the screen width, just the height. There is a very small area on the edges of the screen that would be hard to write on, but if you liked the Note 4 you'll LOVE this phone. I certainly do.
---------- Post added at 01:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:56 PM ----------
Kil4Thril said:
I say, keep the current height and stretch the width to 16x9. Huge screen, more battery. Just like the Note SHOULD be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NO. NO. NO. It would be ridiculous at this height and a 16:9 ratio. It would be a straight up tablet.
---------- Post added at 02:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:59 PM ----------
TexasAggie97 said:
I have big hands and can operate my current Note 4 without problems. I hope my Note 8 (when it arrives) is just as big.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I made the same upgrade. You'll friggin' love it. LOVE IT.
---------- Post added at 02:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:00 PM ----------
JameyS said:
Overall.... EXCELLENT phone. However, Hate that the nav bar isn't customizable. Full Screen apps don't have translucent background... This really sucks for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just download Navbar Apps from Google Play. You'll be all set.
---------- Post added at 02:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:03 PM ----------
suzook said:
Smaller battery, but an added spen. The note used to be different from the s series. I think Samsung f'd up this time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's considerably different from an S8.
---------- Post added at 02:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 PM ----------
All I want now is root so I can get Adaway on this thing. I had NO IDEA how many ads were on the internet! Lol. Haven't seen them in years. It's friggin' ridiculous.

Let me suggest using Seven AdClear. Free. Uses a local on your phone VPN to block ads from everything. It's wonderful. Google search, it's blocked on the Play store.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I love my note 8. I had the note 7 and loved that one till I had to turn it back in and got the V20. I am done with LG. Coming from the V20 is like going from a Toyota to a Mercedes.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

guthrien said:
Um, why do all the previous videos and reviews I've seen not mention how far Bixby actually controls the phone? It destroys Siri and GA. I'm blown away once I was shown this. Yea, it does all that typical question stuff pretty normally, nothing special and not as good as Google. But what you can chain together and control on the phone blew me away. I actually get having this and Google going at once, which seemed like a typical samsung waste to me when I picked this up. Probably not news for you coming from S8 etc.
By reviews I mean these Siri vs Google vs Bixby videos where they just ask them the king of France or to rap for them or tell a horrible joke. Why not show that you can control the entire phone by voice haha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't get bixby to do ****. If I say send text message to Joe, it won't open up a text screen. If I say call joe it won't do it. I can't figure out what it can do. And it doesn't want to use Verizon's message app. It wants to use Samsung's. Google doesn't care what you use.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

guthrien said:
Let me suggest using Seven AdClear. Free. Uses a local on your phone VPN to block ads from everything. It's wonderful. Google search, it's blocked on the Play store.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is that on battery? I've used local vpn ad blockers before, and they seem to be battery killers.
The only reasons that I still want root is to install an ad blocker and to be able to work out and kill stupid wakelocks. If I could find a way to do these without root, then this would be perfect.

I've had mine since 9-07. I still have my Note 7. Wow. Incredible screen clarity, Screen scrolls are smooth as glass, and this thing is fast.
It keeps growing on me and I haven't even put a sim in it yet. Case and screen protectors come tomorrow than out with the 7 and in with the Grrrrr 8.