I am switching from Verizon to AT&T so I need to get a new phone. Since AT&T doesn't offer Motorola smartphones, I have narrowed my choices down to the S7 and S5 (or maybe the S5 active). I have looked at the specs for both and they seem pretty close. I am not a heavy phone user, mostly just Facebook, email, Pandora, and a few games here and there. Also need a decent camera. Trying to decide if the S7 is worth the extra money over the S5. What is everyone's thoughts? Thank you.
P.S. I am not looking at the S6 due to lack of a SD card slot.
I would go for the S7. I just upgraded to it and i like it better (although there is no root, but if you get a new S5 you won't be able to root anyhow) the camera is 10 times better on the S7 i think (it's like looking through a window) the S7 is reportedly capable of reading the new 200gb mini SD. Overall i like it better (again other than root)
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I had an S5 for the past couple years. Decided to upgrade this week. It came down to the S7, S7 Edge, and LG G5. I love the concept behind the G5. The modular accessories are a brilliant idea. However, I don't think that's something I'm willing to jump into right away. I expect it'll take a year or so to get all the kinks worked out. So I came down to the S7 or Edge. Similar to the G5, I think the edge screen is a brilliant idea, but I still think it's gonna take some time to take full advantage of that. Plus, I'm not big on the phablet craze. So I ended up going with the smallest of the 3 phones, but still has the same CPU, RAM, etc. as the other 2. I figured it would fit better in my pocket and wouldn't be as fragile as I expect the edge to be with the curved glass. I have always rooted my phones, and the S5 was no exception. I pushed that thing to the edge and really liked the phone. I picked up my S7 today. And let me tell you, although I'm disappointed I can't root it (yet), stock right out of the box it crushes my S5 in performance. The camera is leaps and bounds better, as has been previously reported. Especially in low light situations. And the new Snapdragon is as incredible as the reviews imply. With the 4GB RAM. This thing flies as smooth as butter. But probably the biggest factor to me, is that it's waterproof without relying on that annoying flap and has the regular quick charge micro USB instead of the awkward USB 3.0 charging port before. It was always a headache plugging in my S5 in the dark, but the S7 has no such issue. I also think aesthetically it's a much better looking phone. But that's simply opinion. Though I liked the removable battery of the S5, the S7 back just looks FAR more refined. Especially in the Platinum Gold color I chose. The ONLY complaints with this phone is the lack of a removable battery and not being able to root. But it is definitely fast enough without root. But the quick charging capability compensates for not being able to remove the battery, and I expect some genius devs to figure out root in the near future. I avoided the S6 because they took away the removable battery, the microSD card, AND waterproofing. Even the Snapdragron last year sucked. The S7 is what the design change SHOULD have been. It's a nearly perfect phone
52brandon said:
I had an S5 for the past couple years. Decided to upgrade this week. It came down to the S7, S7 Edge, and LG G5. I love the concept behind the G5. The modular accessories are a brilliant idea. However, I don't think that's something I'm willing to jump into right away. I expect it'll take a year or so to get all the kinks worked out. So I came down to the S7 or Edge. Similar to the G5, I think the edge screen is a brilliant idea, but I still think it's gonna take some time to take full advantage of that. Plus, I'm not big on the phablet craze. So I ended up going with the smallest of the 3 phones, but still has the same CPU, RAM, etc. as the other 2. I figured it would fit better in my pocket and wouldn't be as fragile as I expect the edge to be with the curved glass. I have always rooted my phones, and the S5 was no exception. I pushed that thing to the edge and really liked the phone. I picked up my S7 today. And let me tell you, although I'm disappointed I can't root it (yet), stock right out of the box it crushes my S5 in performance. The camera is leaps and bounds better, as has been previously reported. Especially in low light situations. And the new Snapdragon is as incredible as the reviews imply. With the 4GB RAM. This thing flies as smooth as butter. But probably the biggest factor to me, is that it's waterproof without relying on that annoying flap and has the regular quick charge micro USB instead of the awkward USB 3.0 charging port before. It was always a headache plugging in my S5 in the dark, but the S7 has no such issue. I also think aesthetically it's a much better looking phone. But that's simply opinion. Though I liked the removable battery of the S5, the S7 back just looks FAR more refined. Especially in the Platinum Gold color I chose. The ONLY complaints with this phone is the lack of a removable battery and not being able to root. But it is definitely fast enough without root. But the quick charging capability compensates for not being able to remove the battery, and I expect some genius devs to figure out root in the near future. I avoided the S6 because they took away the removable battery, the microSD card, AND waterproofing. Even the Snapdragron last year sucked. The S7 is what the design change SHOULD have been. It's a nearly perfect phone
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Rooting is Greek to me. lol Not even 100% sure what it means or is. I have always carried my phones on my belt so fitting in a pocket is not an issue. My current phone does not have a removable battery either, but lacks a SD slot which I HATE. Does the S7 as the normal micro charge slot? I already have a number of those chargers and don't want to get different chargers. I will be putting an Otterbox case on whatever phone I get so looks are not very important. Thank you.
boy_welder2000 said:
Rooting is Greek to me. lol Not even 100% sure what it means or is. I have always carried my phones on my belt so fitting in a pocket is not an issue. My current phone does not have a removable battery either, but lacks a SD slot which I HATE. Does the S7 as the normal micro charge slot? I already have a number of those chargers and don't want to get different chargers. I will be putting an Otterbox case on whatever phone I get so looks are not very important. Thank you.
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yes it does. With the Quickcharge 2.0. I look forward to USB-C becoming the standard (it will even be used for laptop chargers. It will revolutionize electronics in time. But it's still young tech right now), I think Samsung was right to do the charger this way for now. Plus the new Qi quickchargers are incredibly efficient. Which is an added convenience I haen't even taken advantage of yet. Rooting, to put it simply, is giving the user access to the very base directory of the phone. You can use apps and features like ad-blocking and run custom operating systems with many features. The dev community created many features on rooted phones that we now see in the stock versions of Android years early. I don't believe Android would have advanced as far as it has so quickly without end-user devs rooting their phones. Rooting used to be very complicated compared to how simple devs have made it in recent years. But it was great. You could put custom kernels (essentially CPU settings) that would overclock it when running apps that need the power, and then underclock it when not. Features that are now included in the stock Android experience. Almost every reason I originally rooted my phones are now features baked into stock Android, so it's not as big a deal to not be able to root IMO. But I do still want the option at least. But if you have no desire to root, that's all the more reason I'd suggest the S7 for you. Running stock it is a BEAST. There's not even the slightest hint of lag anywhere using it. Though I don't know you at all, I don't believe you will be disappointed in the slightest by choosing the S7
After looking phones over a few days ago, I ended up with the S7. I have figured most of it out and still learning as I go. I do have one question though. How do I do a screen shot? It is not the same as my pervious phone. I looked in the manual, but did not find it. Thank you
just hold the home and power buttons at the same time
You can also screen shot using your hand. Go to settings, advanced features, Palm swipe to capture, and turn it on. It shows you how to capture a screen shot by swiping your hand across the screen. I prefer this method. It seems easier to me.
S7 is far better then s5.
I still have my rooted and rom'd S5, no comparison, S7 is in another league in every way.
I had a Moto X Pure (2015), which I naturally rooted and installed a custom kernel. A friend dropped the darn thing and cracked the screen and busted the touchscreen. I thought I would have been so incredibly disappointed with the S7 due to the lack of rooting and whatever Samsung calls Touchwiz these days.
The last galaxy phone I owned was the Note 3. I didn't have it for long before I ditched it for the original Moto X. Since, I've owned all three iterations of the Moto X. Leaving what was basically a stock Android experience seemed unfathomable. Nonetheless, it would have been cheaper to use an upgrade (which I had for some time thanks to me always buying my phones unlocked through motomaker).
I too looked at the G5, S7, and S7 edge. I didn't like the feel or design of the G5. Also, the 2015 Moto X was just too damn big. Thusly, the edge was out of the running. I left the store with a black S7. Holeesheet Batman, this thing is gorgeous. The jump from the 808 with 3gb of RAM (in the X Pure) to the 820 with 4gb of RAM shows tremendous performance benefits.
The leap ahead to the 14nm process behind the 820 simply cannot be physically beaten by the 808's 22nm process, even with stock Android or overclocking and all the other bits that can come with a custom kernel. Not to mention, the 820 in my S7 has 2 fewer cores than the 808 in my X.
I'm happy with this phone. It flies through everything. The animations in the play store, and other apps, are much smoother than any other phone I've owned. The camera cannot be understated. My girlfriend, who is a professional photographer, is jealous of the performance compared to that of her iPhone. It won't produce photos better than her DSLR camera, but she can't put her Canon DSLR in her pocket.
I could keep going, although I won't.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using XDA-Developers mobile app
I'm not sure I'd want to get an s7 unless its the 930f international model, I'm not a fan of quad HD on phones, I'm perfectly fine with 1080. My S5 and one plus one serve me well.
Sent from my A0001 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Related
I'm getting tired of the horrible camera from my note 3 and really bad build quality, so I'm thinking of getting a new flagship phone and pass my note to my girlfriend.
At the moment, I'm deciding between the nexus 6p and the newly released Galaxy s7 edge.
I used some AOSP roms on my Samsung and I fell in love with them, the ui was incredibly smooth and minimalistic, everything was flying except for the camera performance and poor battery life because somehow touchwizz had better drivers. I would really love a stock android rom on the premium body of the 6p, but I'm planning to use this phone for a long time, at least 3 years. So I was wondering if the s7 edge wouldn't be a better option, since it has better specs and should be more future proof.
How is the snapdragon 810 compared to the exynos 8890? Is the exynos much better?
lvnatic said:
I'm getting tired of the horrible camera from my note 3 and really bad build quality, so I'm thinking of getting a new flagship phone and pass my note to my girlfriend.
At the moment, I'm deciding between the nexus 6p and the newly released Galaxy s7 edge.
I used some AOSP roms on my Samsung and I fell in love with them, the ui was incredibly smooth and minimalistic, everything was flying except for the camera performance and poor battery life because somehow touchwizz had better drivers. I would really love a stock android rom on the premium body of the 6p, but I'm planning to use this phone for a long time, at least 3 years. So I was wondering if the s7 edge wouldn't be a better option, since it has better specs and should be more future proof.
How is the snapdragon 810 compared to the exynos 8890? Is the exynos much better?
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I'm facing the same decision as you.
I'm used to the fluidity of the iphone...
I'm just afraid the nexus is too big for me, as i like typing with one hand...
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DroidBiteApple said:
I'm facing the same decision as you.
I'm used to the fluidity of the iphone...
I'm just afraid the nexus is too big for me, as i like typing with one hand...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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With just 0.2" more and a just slightly bigger bezel at the nexus 6p, there isn't that much of a size difference between the two.
When it comes to fluidity, sure both serve a great experience as well. I at least haven't faced any fluidity problems at my G935F within the 2 days I own it and I used it pretty much including playing XCOM and FF9 which both take nice load on the device (it even just gets slightly warm at those games, I only barely noticed it even while it was something I actively checked for). But it's most likely not that much different at the nexus 6p.
The 6p is when it comes to updates more future proof, because it will get them sooner and as it is atm a year longer than the galaxy family (nexus update policy is about 3 years, samsung is known for supporting devices for 2 years, on the other hand, by being mostly open source nexus devices can have a much longer update lifetime through the community and custom roms, galaxy devices as well, but escpecially at exynos devices it is much harder). On the other hand does the s7 ship with vulkan api support already, what is more or less the next big thing in gaming.
When it comes to bare bones benchmark performance, the exynos has the upper hand pretty easily (about 50% better overall performance at antutu).
Had to make the same decision as my old phone died recently. I had the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus 5. Now I ended up with the S7 edge. I think it is fair to say that the phone aim for a different type of consumer.
As I was at the university I wanted to have a cheaper phone, with a lot of customization. Also something I could "work" with, e.g. flash and modify.
Now I wanted to have something more "solid". I am not interested in flashing anymore, but something that is and looks like some value. With good camera and good performance (I did not notice the occasional lag nor would a frame lost while scrolling bother me that much).
Thus, I ended up buying the S7.
After having the 6P since it came out, I can say it's really not that great - I'm getting my S7 Edge tomorrow and look forward to using a much smaller phone, with a much better display and camera.
If you're using it for 3 years, then I'd go nexus. I'd get very sick of slow updates and TouchWiz in 3 years. The decision came down to this for me: Updates, development, and front facing speakers or nicer design, best specs available, and SD card.
Tectas said:
With just 0.2" more and a just slightly bigger bezel at the nexus 6p, there isn't that much of a size difference between the two.
When it comes to fluidity, sure both serve a great experience as well. I at least haven't faced any fluidity problems at my G935F within the 2 days I own it and I used it pretty much including playing XCOM and FF9 which both take nice load on the device (it even just gets slightly warm at those games, I only barely noticed it even while it was something I actively checked for). But it's most likely not that much different at the nexus 6p.
The 6p is when it comes to updates more future proof, because it will get them sooner and as it is atm a year longer than the galaxy family (nexus update policy is about 3 years, samsung is known for supporting devices for 2 years, on the other hand, by being mostly open source nexus devices can have a much longer update lifetime through the community and custom roms, galaxy devices as well, but escpecially at exynos devices it is much harder). On the other hand does the s7 ship with vulkan api support already, what is more or less the next big thing in gaming.
When it comes to bare bones benchmark performance, the exynos has the upper hand pretty easily (about 50% better overall performance at antutu).
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I feel like there is a huge size difference between the 6p and s7 edge. 6p feels massive now when I hold it whereas the s7 edge is much better suited for one-hand use.
Overall you can't really go wrong with either. The nexus does feel a bit more fluid when navigating / using apps but it's barely noticeable, and it will receive timely updates. The samsung has the better display, camera, and battery. I think the only thing I really miss from the nexus is the fingerprint reader on the back.
I had the Nexus 6p for two weeks before the metal case buckled near the volume rocker, google it, it's a common problem. I returned it in favor of the S7E.
On the Nexus I loved the fingerprint reader location, front facing speakers and stock Android but I wasn't banking on the hardware lasting 2yrs given that it started to fail after two weeks.
cnsviet said:
I feel like there is a huge size difference between the 6p and s7 edge. 6p feels massive now when I hold it whereas the s7 edge is much better suited for one-hand use.
Overall you can't really go wrong with either. The nexus does feel a bit more fluid when navigating / using apps but it's barely noticeable, and it will receive timely updates. The samsung has the better display, camera, and battery. I think the only thing I really miss from the nexus is the fingerprint reader on the back.
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Sorry for OT, but what is as much better at locating it on the back. I really like it at the front, it's pretty natural to use the thumb to unlock the device while in hand. Maybe slightly less as while it was on the back with the index finger, but I get the ability to also unlock it while the device is lying on the table, what is a big plus for my opinion...
geoff5093 said:
After having the 6P since it came out, I can say it's really not that great - I'm getting my S7 Edge tomorrow and look forward to using a much smaller phone, with a much better display and camera.
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Click to collapse
This exactly. It's a great device, hardware wise. However that little size difference DOES make a difference. It's just a hair too long and wide to be comfortable sitting with in in jeans of any sort...and the stock android experience is nice, but a bit overhyped, at least for me. I also found it to be a rather plain, and boring device. Took GREAT photos and i loved the placement of the fingerprint sensor, but ultimately I let it go to get the S7 Edge.
One thing to consider, if you're not going to root it, go with the S7E. I had the Nexus 6P and I can't root due my work app detecting it (even with xposed) and it's just so vanilla that I got pretty bored with it. Even iOS seems to have more options than stock Android. The S7E has a ton of features baked in that are fun to play with.
If you can root though and install ROM's like PA, CM, etc... then the Nexus 6P might be the best way to go.
I sold my 6p the same day I got my s7 edge. To me they are both just as fast. After owning several Samsung and a couple nexus phone I can't believe how fluid and smooth the s7 edge is. As others have stated the 6p did feel a little bigger and harder to manage than the s7 edge. Both are great phones. I don't regret my decision at all.
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If you use your phones for 2-3 years, the S7 might be slightly more future proof because of the great processor be it SD or Exynos, plus 4gb of RAM that should account for at least 2 years of usage imo, and you get the SD card storage so you would probably need to get at least the 64GB 6P in order for it to be slightly future proof.
I've owned the 6P and the 5X so I'll pipe in on this as well. The 6P is a GREAT device when it comes to updates and having the backing of the dev community. If you don't like something about the user experience, you can bet there is something out there that will allow you to modify whatever it is you're griping over. I never had a problem with the hardware and the camera was surprisingly GOOD!
It is, however, a pretty girthy device. When comparing it to the S7 Edge, it's really not even a comparison. The 6P footprint is larger and much more difficult to use one handed. I found myself having to use to do some thumb gymnastics to reach the corners and I'd like to think I have some decent sized hands.
At the end of the day, it boils down to your preference. If you can stomach TW, then get the Galaxy. If you're #TeamStock all the way then the Nexus is for you.
Tectas said:
Sorry for OT, but what is as much better at locating it on the back. I really like it at the front, it's pretty natural to use the thumb to unlock the device while in hand. Maybe slightly less as while it was on the back with the index finger, but I get the ability to also unlock it while the device is lying on the table, what is a big plus for my opinion...
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Click to collapse
It just felt a lot more natural in the back and the sensor is more accurate. Not to take anything from the gs7 edge fingerprint sensor which is pretty good but definitely not as good as the nexus.
Erhh.. Still cant decide.
Nexus pros are:
- faster updates
- front facing speakers
- cheaper
Galaxy pros are:
- beautiful
- somewhat smaller and easier to handle one handed
- larger battery
- water resistant
- optical image stabilization
I live in an area where we get the Exynos model...
I hope it will be as good as the snapdragon.
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I've owned both. S7e is a No-Brainer unless you want root.
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Thanks for all the replies guys, I decided to buy the nexus in the end.
Here's why: I will use it for at least 3 years, so the constant updates are a big plus. Also, even if it has lower specs then the s7, the software is much more optimized. No matter how fluid and smooth touchwiz has become, no Samsung in this world runs better then stock android on the latest nexus flagship.
And even if it has slightly lower specs then the s7, they are still more then enough for what I'm planning to use it for: Internet browsing, YouTube, Facebook, clash of clans and taking pictures (I read that the camera is great).
The reason I'll be using it this much is that the store I buy it from, here in Romania, offers the possibility to get 1 or 2 more years of warranty, aside from the 2 years the device already comes with. And if do I get extra warranty, it becomes premium warranty. This means: if my device breaks and needs to be sent for repair, they send a courier to my door to pick the product for me, free of charge and free shipping. And if they don't fix the device within 5 working days, I can get a full refund of the initial price. That's right, after let's say 3 years, when this phone will be worth around 200-300$ in used condition, I can get the full 570$ I initially payed, if they can't fix the phone.
I already did that with my nexus 10 after a year, then got enough money to get the note 3. My note still has 2 more years and a few months of warranty, in which time I'm 100% positive that it will eventually break.
The note goes to my girlfriend and I decided that I want a new phone, a premium one that I'll be using for a long time while I have the 4 years warranty.
If you can't afford an Edge, go with a 6P.
6p horrible batterlife
I know, this seems like a no-brainer: Two-year old Chinese upstart’s first device vs. the 7th generation Samsung Galaxy flagship phone. But here’s why: I sold my S4 and skipped the S5 & S6 because the OnePlus was that good, and back then the motto “Flagship Killer” was no exaggeration. And after having the S7 for a week now, I realize that I could have been pretty content pressing on with my OPO—it’s still that good. But I wouldn’t go back, and here’s why:
DESIGN
When I unboxed the OPO it blew me away. The unboxing experience was amazing for a $350 Chinese device, from the quality of the packaging materials, quality of the accessories (even the SIM tray ejector tool!) and the device itself looked amazing. I had unboxed the S3 and S4—this was better by 100 miles! The S7 unboxing experience wasn’t nearly as good as the OPO, just meh... another typical Samsung box with a cool flap that has a magnetic lock.
But when I put the two devices side-by-side, the OPO feels well... merely good whereas before it felt amazing. The S7 takes it up several notches and is absolutely stunning to look at and stunning to touch! If they made a Braille version for blind people, I know they’d love it!
S7 clearly wins over the OPO which is saying a lot.
DURABILITY
I don’t use cases, usually don’t use screen protectors and I don’t drop my phones. In two years, my OPO has taken one fall from the seat of my Tacoma onto rough pavement. That fall merely scuffed a corner before the phone landed face-first on the glass with no discernible scratches. If that had happened to the S7...
In favor of the S7, it has an IP68 rating which the OPO doesn’t. But, since I won’t treat even my S7 like a bath toy, the best moisture protection available is something both devices have—a careful owner.
OPO wins over the S7, which is totally expected. Don’t drop a glass & metal sandwich expecting great things!
DISPLAY
I’m fine with anything above 1080P. I have extremely good near-sighted vision and can occasionally discern pixels on the OPO, though it’s not a bother. So the S7 earns a hollow victory on this front if you ask me.
But I’ve missed SuperAMOLED, and the S7 reminds me why—the deep blacks extracted from a nearby black hole, better color saturation, and yawning viewing angles that are tough to beat.
Both are capable of great color accuracy. My July 2014 OPO doesn’t have the yellow band issue found in many early production models.
In favor of the OPO, it does have good enough viewing angles, but the best thing is that there is very little color shift (none?) at even deep viewing angles. As soon as an AMOLED screen goes off-center, the colors shift blue-green. Not so with the LCD on the OPO, though there is a significant drop in brightness.
S7 easily over OPO, though LCD does have its advantages.
AUDIO
A weakness of the OPO but a strength of the S7. The DAC (at least in the Exynos version) of the S7 is great and the speaker is by far better.
S7 over the OPO.
BATTERY LIFE
No contest here: The OPO is better than the S7 by a long-shot (maybe 25-35%) with a similar usage pattern. I know this isn’t very scientific, but I’m on the charger a lot more with the S7. It’s DEFINITELY better than the S3, S4 and Nexus 5 I had before the OPO. Both devices charge really fast, but the S7 is a bit faster.
OPO clearly over the S7, but the S7 is good enough for me.
CAMERA
Absolutely no contest here either. In low light, the S7 absolutely kills and buries the OPO. In high contrast situations, the HDR on the S7 is also miles beyond what the OPO is capable of. The fast focus on the S7 makes the OPO camera seem like jurassic technology. Only in great lighting during the day are the two phones comparable, but even then it's the S7. This is one major reason that I upgraded. I've attached some comparison pictures below. The S7 pictures are the first 4, the OPO the last.
S7 over the OPO in an unfair contest, like pitting the 2007 Dolphins against the 2007 Patriots.
PERFORMANCE
I don't care about benchmarks. I’m also not much of a gamer, so I don’t really care about frame rates, except that something in TouchWiz is crippling games with 2D graphics. I’ve looked under battery saver settings, Game Launcher and Game Tools, enabled “Force GPU rendering” under developer options, installed Samsung Game Tuner, all with no joy. Hopefully a future update will address this issue. The power is there, but something deep in TouchWiz is throttling it.
The S7 loads apps faster. I’ve also noticed that even though encrypted, the S7 runs circles around the OPO in USB transfer speed.
S7 over the OPO.
DEVELOPMENT
Samsung is trying to make it so that we can’t use the words “development” and “Galaxy” in the same sentence. On the other hand, the OPO’s development scene is as prolific as the bacteria culture flourishing on a 1,000 Riel bill that’s been passed around open-air markets in Cambodia for the last 10 years. If that makes no sense to you, let’s just say it’s on par with any Nexus device out there!
Since the only S7 that can be modded is the Exynos version, I may get some custom TouchWiz ROMs in the future.
No contest here, nor will it ever be—only the OPO showed up to this fight.
THEMES
I’m not a huge themer, but being able to apply an AOSP-like Marshmallow theme over TouchWiz is a great bonus. Nova Launcher puts the icing on the cake.
If this is your thing, both are good. Maybe a themer can chime in and add more.
Tie...
TL;DR
In my non-journalist and non-scientific completely subjective opinion, they both win and I'll be keeping both.
The OPO beats the S7 in unboxing experience, durability, battery life and development, an area which is as close to night (S7) and day (OPO) as possible.
The S7 beats the OPO in display, audio, camera, design, performance—basically every category relevant to the operation and use of the device except battery life and durability.
The bottom line is that I love the S7 and see myself keeping it for a long, long time. But, neither is the OPO for sale—I’ll be keeping it to satisfy my ROM flashing addiction.
If you’re thinking of moving from the OPO to the S7 and have the coin to do so, I think you should. Just make sure that you have something beside the S7 if you need a platform for flashing/customizing.
I have the S7EDGE and owned an opo for 1.5yrs. Its no contest, even battery life is miles ahead on the S7EDGE. All in all, the S7 is the most complete device on the market to date
Added pictures to the OP, from the OPO first, then the S7.
Very well written, thanks for posting your thoughts.
I can agree to nearly every sentence you wrote. I had an Opo for about 1 year and switched to the Galaxy S7 a few weeks ago. If I had not already switched, I would switch after reading your post. For me, the major reasons for me to use the S7 as my main phone were
1. camera
2. smaller form factor.
In the meanwhile I put my S7 in a spigen thin case, which adds better grip and increases the overall size minimally.
I don't have a OPO, but I guess in terms of smoothness it's like a nexus device: butter smooth. How do you guys the OPO smoothness to S7, in apps like chrome, YouTube, playstore... Is the S7 as smooth as the OPO?
nsmart said:
For me, the major reasons for me to use the S7 as my main phone were
1. camera
2. smaller form factor.
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Click to collapse
I could have written this myself!
gusoldier said:
I don't have a OPO, but I guess in terms of smoothness it's like a nexus device: butter smooth. How do you guys the OPO smoothness to S7, in apps like chrome, YouTube, playstore... Is the S7 as smooth as the OPO?
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Click to collapse
It can be even smoother if you turn off all the power saving junk.
CafeKampuchia said:
I could have written this myself!
It can be even smoother if you turn off all the power saving junk.
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Click to collapse
Which power saving junk?
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nsmart said:
I can agree to nearly every sentence you wrote. I had an Opo for about 1 year and switched to the Galaxy S7 a few weeks ago. If I had not already switched, I would switch after reading your post. For me, the major reasons for me to use the S7 as my main phone were
1. camera
2. smaller form factor.
In the meanwhile I put my S7 in a spigen thin case, which adds better grip and increases the overall size minimally.
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I also made the switch the same time from a Opo as you. I really wish i didn't though. I don't like the edges (inadvertent taps), that its not rootable, sensibility issues, bloatware etc. I also had to get a glass protector, normally i don't do this but it scratches really really easily. So i don't like the feel of it. I would have liked to have waited for something better to have come out. My Opo lasted about year too. Normally my phones last longer but the audio insert broke on my phone and couldn't listen to music with out holding the cable in. The 2 for one special seemed like a great deal but too many draw backs.
iamnotkurtcobain said:
Which power saving junk?
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Under Settings > Battery > App power saving and Battery > Battery usage > More > Optimize battery usage.
jackscagnetti said:
I also made the switch the same time from a Opo as you. I really wish i didn't though. I don't like the edges (inadvertent taps), that its not rootable, sensibility issues, bloatware etc. I also had to get a glass protector, normally i don't do this but it scratches really really easily. So i don't like the feel of it. I would have liked to have waited for something better to have come out. My Opo lasted about year too. Normally my phones last longer but the audio insert broke on my phone and couldn't listen to music with out holding the cable in. The 2 for one special seemed like a great deal but too many draw backs.
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I got the international dual-SIM version (G930FD) so mine is rootable and had no carrier bloat.
jackscagnetti said:
I also made the switch the same time from a Opo as you. I really wish i didn't though. I don't like the edges (inadvertent taps), that its not rootable, sensibility issues, bloatware etc. I also had to get a glass protector, normally i don't do this but it scratches really really easily. So i don't like the feel of it. I would have liked to have waited for something better to have come out. My Opo lasted about year too. Normally my phones last longer but the audio insert broke on my phone and couldn't listen to music with out holding the cable in. The 2 for one special seemed like a great deal but too many draw backs.
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I would have preferred to buy the Galaxy S7 with sandstone backcover and 64GB internal storage. I don't notice any inadvertent taps any more. Maybe it's the spigen case or it was fixed with the april update, I don't know. I don't have carrier bloatware, only the samsung bloatware (plus facebook), but most of it can be deactivated. If I feel the need to mess again with recovery and custom roms, I would turn on my opo again. In the meanwhile I am just using my Galaxy S7.
I too have switched from my opo to s7. Now that I think back, I miss having a 5.5 inch screen and the stock Android feels. As much as I dislike touchwiz, I was bought over by the awesome camera
Just ordered the Galaxy S7 yesterday. I too am coming from a OPO, which I'm not handing down to my wife. It has really served me well over the past two years. The things I'm most looking forward to is the smaller forfactor. 5.5" is just too large and one hand use is nearly impossible unless I'm running LMT launcher.
I'm getting the Exynos version and this time around I'm not planing on rooting. I've done that to every phone and tablet I've had since my HTC Wildfire. But this time I'm actually looking forward to just using the phone as it is. I've grown a bit tired of the stock android feel. To me it's just boring and bland, so it'll be great to once again being back on a UI that has more of complete feel to it that stock android (I know almost everybody will dissagree with me on this).
I feel like the rooting scene hasn't got much to offer anymore. "Back in the days" there where a lot to be gained from rooting. I overclock my Desire S from 1 ghz to 1.7 ghz and you could really feel the difference. Now the most used custom roms on the OPO underclock from 2.5 to 1.9 ghz, because the processor is fast and powerful enough at that freq.
All in all, I'm looking forward to getting my S7 with all it's pros and cons. Also I've ordered the Spiegen Neo Hybrid Case, 'cause I totally agree on OP views on durability.
BTW, wanted to add that the S7 charges crazy fast, even with the OPO'a charger.
I am curious to see how many people made the switch from a Samsung device and what everyone's thoughts are on giving up Samsung and TouchWiz.
I for one couldnt be happier with the decision although I am coming from a Galaxy S4 so a lot of devices would have been a huge upgrade, but being prepaid not many options are offered for high end devices.
LeeMullinsII said:
I am curious to see how many people made the switch from a Samsung device and what everyone's thoughts are on giving up Samsung and TouchWiz.
I for one couldnt be happier with the decision although I am coming from a Galaxy S4 so a lot of devices would have been a huge upgrade, but being prepaid not many options are offered for high end devices.
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The one and only Galaxy device I owned was the GS3...by the end of the first year I couldn't wait to get rid of it...
That was many moons ago, so it's pretty irrelevant now...but I would never go back
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I cannot speak from personal experience but a family member bought the Z Force and battery mod after seeing mine over the weekend. He's older and not very tech savvy. But he really likes the moto software and a cleaner android setup.
Well put it this way. When he bought an s4 I would get calls every other day. Now he's had it since Saturday. I helped him set it up. But haven't had a call asking for help in 3 days.
After being a long supporter of Motorola, especially the Droid lineup going back to the OG Droid, I decided to try the Galaxy S7 Edge. (My previous phone was a Droid Turbo, which I loved)
I can say, the S7E is a beautiful device - however, I bought the Moto Z Force when it was released and haven't gone back to the S7E, and I have no regrets!
A few things that I didn't like about the Samsung device:
1.) Heavily modded software; it's a nice interface, however it is slightly noticeable a resource hog when compared to Motorola's Vanilla-style software.
2.) Hardware design impacts stability; I can say this only about the Galaxy S7 Edge - the decision to go with a glass front AND back may look awesome, but glass is an insulator, which impacts heat dissipation; Countless times the phone overheated and began force-closing apps - so annoying! Especially when trying to simply play a game.
Note: the above occurred as stock - so then I decided to root the device, removed the bloat, optimize the CPU, greenify, etc. This helped reduce the amount of resources used, however overheating still occurred.
3.) Comparing both phones (completely stock), the Moto Z Force has roughly 2GB of available memory, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge had roughly little over 1GB free; Just an example of how much TouchWiz uses resources.
4.) Battery life on the Moto Z Force is bar-none! With no mods attached, I can last almost a full day with average use. Add on the power-pack mod and by the end of the day, the power-pack is drained and my phone is above half-full.
Bottom-line: The Moto Z Force has -
- No overheating issues;
- Solid build quality;
- Fast and fluid interface;
- Stellar battery life with easily expandability;
Despite having a locked bootloader and no root yet, I was still able to disable all of the bloat. (which there wasn't much to begin with) I'm hopeful we'll see at least root, so I can install xposed and viper4android.
I hope this helps!
The gs4 was the last good Samsung I had. The gs6 was a headache the whole time I had it, one issue after another. Until it completely crapped out only after 10 months of owning it. Flash ram died on it. So far this phone has been great
I came from a Note 4. Overall, I appreciate the speed of the Z Force. Phone seems less buggy as well but that Note 4 was on LP still.
I've posted this before but I hate the huge chin at the bottom of the phone compared to the Samsung lines. I miss capacitive buttons. That's probably the big thing.
I left Samsung over a year ago when my S4 died. I liked that phone, at the time, and if the (then flagship) S6 had an SD card slot I might have just gotten one, but that was a dealbreaker. I wasn't willing to get a last-generation S5 just so I could have a slot, so I ended up with an LG G4 instead.
I was generally happy with the (rooted) G4, though the hardware got flaky over time, and there were some annoying things like touchscreen sensitivity issues. I got rid of it after barely a year because it died under warranty, and then 2 warranty replacements I got from Verizon both had serious issues. When finally ditching it, my requirements were basically that it have a 5.5" screen, which I loved from the G4, and an SD slot. I would have liked a swappable battery too, but no such phone exists any more that I know of (5.5", swappable battery, sd). So gave up on that. I looked at:
LG G5 - 5" screen
S7 - 5" screen
S7 edge - don't like the design of the wrap around screens
Everything else either looked like junk, or was too small or too big (like "note" devices).
So basically the Droid Z Force was the only phone meeting all those criteria. (And the non-force version, of course). I waited a month for it to be released.
I absolutely love the phone so far. It's remarkably faster than the LG G4. Obviously it has a faster CPU, but I think the near stock OS makes a difference too. Hardly any junkware is a huge plus. Everything is unbelievably responsive, the digitizer and screen are fantastic. You can even see with polarized sunglasses on in both orientations (though there is some rainbow effect looking at in vertically). The fingerprint reader works amazingly well. I could never go back to a phone without one after just a week with the Moto.
Physically, the build quality seems extremely good. The S4 (and the G4) both always felt a bit cheap. It's slightly heavier than the G4 but not in a bad way, it feels "substantial" where the G4 felt "one drop away from being pulverized".
I do miss being rooted a little, but there's nothing that's a dealbreaker because I'm no longer rooted. I wish I could switch the "back" and "recent apps" buttons so I didn't have to reach my thumb like jimi hendrix playing guitar just to go "back" while holding it one-handed, but I've already adapted to that. I don't feel like I need greenify any more since Android M, there's really nothing I miss (other than tinkering) about not being rooted any more except that back-button layout thing.
I'm switching my Galaxy S6 Edge after long using it and I have 2 main choices: OnePlus 5 (128 GB version) or the Galaxy S8+
The main reasons for me to choose the OnePlus are the faster and cleaner android performance, even though I'm a Galaxy user since the Galaxy 2 I never liked the bloatware and the oxygen OS looks wonderful.
The reasons for taking the S8+ are... Well everywhere I searched and almost any review by people who used them both are saying that it is the best android smartphone there is.
Except the reviews, the camera and amazing display and quality are much better.
After a couple of days, and hundreds of video and written reviews and comparisons I still couldn't choose so I decided to ask here, after you've used OP5 for some time, if someone approached and offered you to switch your OP5 with a S8 for free, would you do it?
Please note that cost is not an issue, here in Israel the S8+ costs about 300 ILS (about $85) more than the OP5 and i can afford it if it's worth it.
Nope. OP5 has far superior battery life, it is faster and dash charging is amazing, more ram and storage and basically Stock Android! The S8 has a better display but I'm OK with 1080p (didn't think I would be coming from 1440p phones) as I don't care about VR. Also, better updates and more frequent to date.
I switched from the S8+, the near stock Android is unbeatable for fluidity and just quality of life. Everything seems more iOS like on stock (or near it) Android. And when I say more iOS like I mean the good things about it, such as the fluidity and overall polish.
I switched from the S8. OS is light-years better. I don't need all the gimmicks and love quick updates. Portrait mode is a plus for taking pics of the family.
I'd trade, try it out for a bit, then sell it for another phone lmao. Maybe a Z2 Play or Mi A1. Who knows?
S8+ is a nice phone but all that Samsung bloat I can't deal with
You probably should ask that question in a more Samsung friendly thread because people here are obviously going to be biased. The OP5 is better if you are into rooting or customizing your phone. But it also has terrible camera software --I could take better low light pictures with my $200 Samsung Galaxy J3. The other thing Samsung phones have going for them is the build quality. I've never owned a Samsung phone that broke before I was ready to replace it. I don't think the OP5 has comparable build quality. But if you like to root your phone and flash custom kernels and ROMs the OP5 may be the best phone on the market.
For the looks yes, I came from a s6 edge+ and my girl has a normal s8, but for overall experience, speed and stuff I would def choose the 5, and if I want looks, I just hold my girls phone for a few sec..
They could pay me money on top and I would never come back to Samsung!
As you may have noticed, most of oneplus's users (including me) see the OP5 as a superior device to the s8.
Most people are not buying this phone because it's cheaper.
Coming from an s4, I was considering the s8 and the oneplus 5. But I am going for the OP5, because I think it's the superior device.
S8 is a good phone but I cannot live with Samsung's software
I haven't used Samsung devices much, but simply because I am able to mod this (custom ROMs, kernels, etc.) with virtually no bloatware and heavy skins (such as TouchWiz) makes this the better option for me.
The S8 does have a nice design though, and from reviews/feedback, seems like it has a better camera as well; but that isn't enough for me to switch over.
The 5 is a great device and I think if you choose it, you won't be disappointed!
Considering the fact that I'm switching from the LAGGY S8+ to the OP5 then I guess the answer to this would be NO
I could go either way except for the fact that I need dual sim cards so I don't have to carry 2 phones. I used an s8 for a couple weeks before switching to the op5. They both have there pros and cons which have all been touched on here. I won't switch but I would be happy with either phone. I think the s8 design is prettier and more impressive but the op5 is easier to use.
I like both.
As stated they both have their pros and cons...
S8+ has got a brilliant camera, sd card support and a heap of hardware features to explore. There is always things to find and surprise. Bixby is a little hard to use unless you have a US accent, I find it doesn't understand Aussie to well but it does learn.
The 4gb of ram is noticeable when you hold the Oneplus up to it though.
Oneplus doesn't have sd card support but does have dual sim support. You are stuck with the internal memory you buy so make sure you account for that. It is quick with 8gb ram and easy to flash/theme and mod .
In the end it depends if you like to be able to change roms and mod easily, though the S8+ isn't too hard after bootloader unlock (you just destroy any chance of Samsung honoring your warranty) or like to play with some cool little features you may or may not get over.
It will ultimately come down to you and how you use your device...
Just to be clear here, asking a dev forum of dedicated phone owners how their phone compares to the "competition" is not really going to get you anywhere. Most will fight tooth and nail defending their vaunted purchase and you will get a very biased opinion...
If you don't believe me, ask how it compares to an Apple... Now I've let loose the cat amongst the very heavily armed pidgeons...
I chose OP5 over an Exynos S8 because Samsung's software is the worst and I've been burned too many times. Price didn't enter the equation.
Same. Money wasn't the deciding factor for me. I had an S6... the ritual of disabling all the bloat got old. Too many gimmicks. Plus lots of RAM makes me happy.
I'd post in the S8 forum and ask why they chose S8, see what their responses are, and see if you value those things.
Home button and phone unlocking is way better on the OP. Infinity display is nice but also very fragile. I went with the OP5 instead of the S8 for these two reasons and never regret. This phone rocks.
Coming from an s6 then the s8 for a couple weeks, the home button is really nice of have. Both phones have equally lightning fast fingerprint sensors. The op5 would be much less likely to break if you accidentally drop it it.
Only big issue is Facebook Messenger is still freezing a lot when typing or just sitting idle. After several updates it's still problematic and it's only happening on my op5. I started just messaging on my old HTC m9 which still works fine, as did the s8 and s6 and even an s4 I just sold.
A Google search hasn't helped so far and I'm away from home on vacation without my m9 so it's getting frustrating.
Other than that it's been basically flawless.
350Rocket said:
Coming from an s6 then the s8 for a couple weeks, the home button is really nice of have. Both phones have equally lightning fast fingerprint sensors. The op5 would be much less likely to break if you accidentally drop it it.
Only big issue is Facebook Messenger is still freezing a lot when typing or just sitting idle. After several updates it's still problematic and it's only happening on my op5. I started just messaging on my old HTC m9 which still works fine, as did the s8 and s6 and even an s4 I just sold.
A Google search hasn't helped so far and I'm away from home on vacation without my m9 so it's getting frustrating.
Other than that it's been basically flawless.
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[Off topic] For how much did you sell your s4? Thinking of selling it but I'm afraid nobody wants it for a good price (~100$)
I'm looking to buy a new phone for myself upgrading from a Galaxy S6 (32 GB) and I've lately found myself running out of space. I can get the OnePlus 5 or Galaxy S7 Edge in my current budget. I prefer stock android but I also don''t have a hatred towards touchwiz as a lot of people do. I also want a decent camera with which I can take pictures of myself/friends. Waterproofing isn't really that big a deal for me personally. On the contrary, battery life is a big deal. I don't mind having to recharge my phone during the day but I also don't want my phone dying out on me if I decide to stay in uni for a couple more hours than I normally do. For anyone who has used/owned/has an idea about both phones, which one do you think would be the better phone for me? Oh and I should mention, the Oneplus 5 is the 128 GB model whilst the Galaxy S7 edge is the 32 GB model (I will be using a micro sd card with it)
Thanks
If you're coming from the S6, the S7 will be a noticeable downgrade. The CPU is pretty underpowered compared to the exynos in the S6. I tried the S7 when I'm normally on the Note5 and I couldn't stand it. I'd get a oneplus. I was thinking about it (which is why I'm in this page) but I can't ditch my Samsung.
I came from the s8 with no regrets, the user experience, fluidness/smootheness is amazing. No hiccups or anything.
I'd go with the oneplus 5 in your case.
If you don't mind a medeocre camera....go for the 5.
NotAbdShahid said:
I'm looking to buy a new phone for myself upgrading from a Galaxy S6 (32 GB) and I've lately found myself running out of space. I can get the OnePlus 5 or Galaxy S7 Edge in my current budget. I prefer stock android but I also don''t have a hatred towards touchwiz as a lot of people do. I also want a decent camera with which I can take pictures of myself/friends. Waterproofing isn't really that big a deal for me personally. On the contrary, battery life is a big deal. I don't mind having to recharge my phone during the day but I also don't want my phone dying out on me if I decide to stay in uni for a couple more hours than I normally do. For anyone who has used/owned/has an idea about both phones, which one do you think would be the better phone for me? Oh and I should mention, the Oneplus 5 is the 128 GB model whilst the Galaxy S7 edge is the 32 GB model (I will be using a micro sd card with it)
Thanks
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If you're looking for really a great camera, then go for s7 edge which can click amazing pictures even in low light. It also has a pretty good battery life as I'm using the exynos version.
I also had a one plus 5 as my daily driver, it's the best in terms of performance and battery life.
But, honestly s7 edge's camera is one of the best camera available on smartphone compared to the one on OnePlus 5.
I will switch to the OP5 from my S7 Edge. That is the last straw of waiting and waiting for updates!
MikeS. said:
I will switch to the OP5 from my S7 Edge. That is the last straw of waiting and waiting for updates!
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RIP. If you care about performance and responsiveness, the S7 is not the way to go.
EDIT: *unless you get the international version with the octa-core exynos.
EDIT2: I'm smart. You said from the S7 to the OP5. My bad, LOL.
I've had both - came from Int'l S7E to OP5. S7E was an awesome phone - easily one of the best I've ever had. Battery, Camera, Screen and Performance (mostly) were awesome. I would still pick an S7E over an S8 because of the fingerprint placement and the larger battery. Anyway, what drew me to the OP5 were the SD835, the dual camera and the 8/128GB configuration. I've had 128GB SD cards die on me 3-4x in the S7E (I don't really keep anything I can't replace on them, but it's still a pain to resync stuff) so the integrated storage is really nice to have.
The camera is definitely a downgrade in terms of quality, especially low light. I feel the OP5 camera has gotten better but still isn't a match for the S7E. I do enjoy the "2x" zoom (really 1.6) and the portrait mode on occasion. Although the OP5 battery is a bit smaller than the S7E (which is really, really an incredible battery), I've had no real issues getting through even my longest days with the OP5. Dash charging is just silly with the OP5, it's crazy fast but you have to buy at least one extra dash charger that's $$.
I don't really miss the lack of wirelessly charging...I really only charge 1x a day at night.
Lack of waterproofing - well, the reality is the OP5 does have some level of waterproofing, just not IP67/68. It's gotten wet from rain, no issues.
S7E has awesome in-hand feel because of the curve edges (narrower), but the OP5 is also excellent and the screen has less distortion without the curved edges. Quality of the AMOLED screens, S7e has a definitive advantage.
OP5 software is really MUCH smoother than S7E and feels much more stock. I always had a "Nougat" type theme running on my S7E so really, Grace UX or whatever it's called now wasn't much of an issue on S7E the way it was previously with earlier Sammy devices.
MicroUSB is becoming legacy, I now do prefer USB-C as my Macbook Pro is also USB-C so can get away with the same charger if I want to be lazy and not bring along a dash charger on trips.
I've never felt a need to go back to the S7E since I got the OP5, but I'd happily use either phone. In day to day use, I prefer the OP5 software but I miss the S7E camera when I'm taking pics for special occasions (e.g. parties) as opposed to casual stuff.
If say the only upside to the s7 good it is way cheaper than the op5. Especially if you are getting the 128gb version
Nice comment. Hopefully I won't to regret my decision to switch to OP5 (8/128).