Related
I am planning to buy a new unlocked phone within 10 days. I have the following options:
Xperia Z2($500)
Xperia Z3 Compact ($600)
Galaxy Alpha ($500)
iPhone 5S ($550)
I had made up my mind for the Xperia Z2. It is the most balanced phone providing adequate power, battery life, decent camera, storage, etc. but recently I came to know about the over heating & self cracking screen issues with the Z2( or the entire Z series including the Z3 & Z3 compact). There are quite a lot of reports of the glass on the phone cracking. Also that the phone overheats a lot. I am worried as whatever I buy, I'll have to stick with it for 2 years. Sony has refused warranty in most cases related to this issue. Same issue plagues the Z3 Compact
I recently had a look at the Samsung Galaxy Alpha. It's a good looking and decent device and offers all that I want. The primary drawback is the battery life of the phone and to some extent the pentile matrix display.
The iPhone 5S is also a good phone though it does have a smaller display. It has the best camera among all the devices I have mentioned.
So I ask you people for your opinion. Which device should I buy?
I am not a heavy user. My daily usage includes a couple of hours of offline music, roughly 1-1.5 hours of web browsing, average messaging, a couple of photos and some pandora in the evening while connected to my bluetooth speaker. I don't play games much on my phone. Maybe an hour of cumulative gaming in 3-4 days.
I am still willing to buy the Z2 if the overheating and cracking issues aren't that widespread. I have nothing against iOS or Android. I use an android phone along with an iPad Air. So no issues there. So please be neutral in your opinions( don't start bashing the iPhone). And please feel free to suggest any other phone that you think is good ( please avoid the HTC One M8 and LG G3)
I personally have the z2 and love it. The main thing boils down to design and ui you will have no issues with battery life based on your usage. Apple and ios is its own thing all together if you prefer ios as a daily driver go for the iPhone as for the Android devices Samsung is plagued by there touchwiz ui where as Sony is pretty much stock android with a few added things for the camera and Walkman app etc. The z2 is a large device there is no denying that however the larger screen if you don't mind the phone being bigger is a big advantage for just about everything. It's easier to type on and makes Web browsing easier. I haven't had any issues with mine in terms of defects. One big advantage with the Android devices is the sd card. Although you may not need it at the moment if you have got the phone for 2 years it's great to be able to expand the storage if needed. I would recommend popping into a phone shop and playing with the phones and see what you like best as everybody is different. Hope this helps you.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
nobby00900 said:
I personally have the z2 and love it. The main thing boils down to design and ui you will have no issues with battery life based on your usage. Apple and ios is its own thing all together if you prefer ios as a daily driver go for the iPhone as for the Android devices Samsung is plagued by there touchwiz ui where as Sony is pretty much stock android with a few added things for the camera and Walkman app etc. The z2 is a large device there is no denying that however the larger screen if you don't mind the phone being bigger is a big advantage for just about everything. It's easier to type on and makes Web browsing easier. I haven't had any issues with mine in terms of defects. One big advantage with the Android devices is the sd card. Although you may not need it at the moment if you have got the phone for 2 years it's great to be able to expand the storage if needed. I would recommend popping into a phone shop and playing with the phones and see what you like best as everybody is different. Hope this helps you.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your opinion. I have been to various stores and tried the devices. My major concern is the cracking, which cannot be tried in the store. Since you have a Z2, maybe you can elaborate your usage a bit. How long have you had the device? Also does the device overheat?
Also, what would be your next preference, after the Z2 (out of the 4)?
Hey, welcome to the Z2 forums.
First and foremost let me say that my phone is from the 14W28 batch, meaning it was produced between 7th July 2014 and the 13th July 2014 (both dates are inclusive). Also I am running a ExistenZ made by @niaboc79 which may have sorted some problems I may have faced if I hadn't have installed it.
The first worry you have with the phone is overheating, with my phone in particular I have not encountered any overheating problems with normal usage. The hottest it usually gets to is 50C or so. When the phone is on charge it does get slightly hotter if and when I use it, although it has never gotten past 60C. I don't think it is fair to compare the heat from usage of this phone to the Xperia M but I would like to point out when I was using the Xperia M normally the phone would hit 60C-65C and when I tried to use the phone on charge it was hitting 70C-75C. And thus I don't think there is much of a 'problem', although the constant heating and cooling down of the rear panel could contribute to it cracking. (Side note; I also did a 4K video record test to see how hot the phone could go/how long I could record for, I managed 10 minutes before I accidentally closed off the recording and the hottest the phone got was 60C and it cooled off quite quickly.)
The second worry you have with the phone is the self-cracking issues. Again, I haven't encountered any problems with the phone cracking. I do keep it in a case to be safe. However, I have knocked it off of my bedside table during the night quite a few times but still no scratches nor cracks on the front (due to my screen protector) and no scratches nor cracks on the rear of the phone either. It is possible that the self cracking phones were put under 'stressful' situations like tight pockets, rapid cooling and heating, often drops/falls or maybe it could just have been a problem with the earlier batches (mine may still be subject to these issues as it is from about 2 months after the release of the phone).
I have now had my phone for 2 weeks and I am happy as Larry with it. I manage to easily get 1 day battery out of the phone (this is only cause I use it a lot at night before I charge it). If you want my opinion on what other phone I would go for after the Z2 it would be the iPhone 5S.
Having just gone though a similar decision process, I feel I am qualified to answer.
Obviously, since I am reading this forum, I went with the Z2
I also do not like the idea of a glass back. It almost made me avoid this phone. I just don't see the advantage - Thicker, heavier, slippery, and it doubles the chance of cracking.
Note that in my research, I did not see that there is any greater chance of the screen cracking on the Z2 than other similar phones, just that there is the addition of the back cracking, which doubles the statistics.
On the plus side, the Z2 was basically the only phone out there (at all) that "Checked all the boxes"
Must - haves:
4.4.x
All bands 3G and 4G
stereo speakers
NFC - Can use Google Wallet
Other "Icing on the cake"
Looks good.
1080p screen
Good Cameras
Waterproof
Other phones I was considering:
Oppo Find 7
One Plus
Xaiomi Mi3
Huawei P7
HTC One M8
I should mention that the Vertu Signature Touch (Pure Jet Calf, preferably) was the only other phone that really met all my specifications (3G/4G bands, 1080P, NFC, 4.4. stereo speakers), but even after doing a really good job of looking under the cushions of the sofa, I wasn't quite in a position to buy a $10,000 phone.
First of all, congrats for buying a new phone, having a new phone is always exciting to me.
I own a Xperia Z2, and previously owned an iPhone 5s and a galaxy S5. So as you, I don't have any concern about iOS and android.
So, let me begin with Xperia Z2. The Z2 is one of the best phones I'd ever owned, as the battery life is great, I think photos are better with this than with the iPhone 5s, it looks great, the stock UI is easy and stylish, Sony developed great tweaks such as ClearAudio or Stamina Mode and there are lots of development for this. Personally, I had problems with proximity sensor, but it was solved after I flashed a custom rom, and I'm happy after that. No overheating problems or cracking.
I consider Z3 Mini, the expensive version of Z2, as the specs are almost the same but in a smaller case, so If you want to stay with Sony, I would go for the Z2.
The iPhone 5s is such a great device, I consider this also one of the best phones I'd ever owned (Under the Z2). Camera is great, battery life is average, iOS is well balanced and stylish, tons of accessories specially designed for iPhone, and well... is an iPhone.
The Galaxy Alpha looks gorgeous and high-end, almost as an iPhone, the specs are average for the price. I think you are paying more for design than for specs. It's pretty though. In my own opinion, I don't like TouchWiz, so I will put this in the last option.
I would buy it in this way:
- Xperia Z2
- iPhone 5s
- Xperia Z3 Mini
- Galaxy Alpha
If you accept recommendations and if you want a high-end device at low prices, look for the OnePlus One. The negative aspect of this, is that you need an invitation to buy one (I have one, if you want).
Let us know which was your decision.
What about LG G3?
Sent from my D6502 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
The overheating problem with 4k video has greatly improved with software updates. Not so much an issue now. The build quality issues are never general. Luck of the draw I suppose!
The z2's got the best overall specifications on your list of devices. It's a great phone with no weaknesses side from the auto mode of the camera. Learn to use manual controls and you'll soon lose the impression that the 5S has a better camera.
Considering that is the cheapest on your list, I'd say it's a no brainier. Best phone, cheapest price! What more could you ask for. You have Sony's insane 6 month cycle policy to thank for being able to buy the z2 at such a price.
Trust me, in no way are any of the other devices on your list worth more than the z2.
That's One thing to bear in mind though when purchasing Sony devices. They don't hold their value for very long because of the rate at which Sony releases flagship phones so don't expect good resale prices should you decide to sell it on one day.
So if the rapid devaluation in value isn't an issue for you, the z2 is the one and only real choice you have. Unless, that is, you want to settle for less and pay more for the privilege lol
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
As far as i can tell, ive owned two z2s... The self cracking is an earlier build issue.
My 2nd one has had no issues.
Also after some fighting with sony and getting the better business bureau involved sony fixed the first one at no cost.
Self cracking is an issue for a small, but vocal, minority so can be ignored. overheating similarly isn't an issue for most users in normal usage, sure Z2 gets warm but what superphone doesn't only real issue is if you want to record long videos in 4k,which if you bear in mind most phones are limited to 4 minutes is a problem whatever device you get. Z3 compact will likely be more prone to overheating, much the same hardware in a smaller package.
As for iPhone 6,if it fits your criteria and you can live with its closed environment go with it, an android device probably isn't for you anyway.
ghostofcain said:
Self cracking is an issue for a small, but vocal, minority so can be ignored. overheating similarly isn't an issue for most users in normal usage, sure Z2 gets warm but what superphone doesn't only real issue is if you want to record long videos in 4k,which if you bear in mind most phones are limited to 4 minutes is a problem whatever device you get. Z3 compact will likely be more prone to overheating, much the same hardware in a smaller package.
As for iPhone 6,if it fits your criteria and you can live with its closed environment go with it, an android device probably isn't for you anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What makes you think android devices are not for me?
I just found out about this phone and I am in a similar situation as the OP.
I am looking for a used/new phone for less than $500 dollars, has an above average camera, good battery life, and no lag issues.
Currently, I am using HTC one m7. A few problems with it is that a camera is super slow and crappy at low light situations. The camera takes like 1-2 seconds to focus on the subjects in dark environments. Next, the phone lags and hiccups quite a bit. I've tried a few custom roms but the performance is still not flawless.
In the past, I have owned an iPhone 5 and it was great except I got tired of the OS, that's why I went back to android. iPhone took best pictures in my opinion. The camera was fast. The phone did not have any hiccups. One big thing I noticed going from iPhone to HTC was that songs don't skip as fast as on the iPhone. It takes a split second more for songs to skip in an HTC music player. It kinda took time to get used to it again. I would consider getting the iPhone 6, but it is too expensive.
I am also considering oneplus one, m8, and maybe moto x or nexus 5. But overall, I think z2 is the best all-round performer.
Ananay Singh said:
What makes you think android devices are not for me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With iPhone everything is designed to just work, if it doesn't tough ****. Android, still IMHO, lacks the polish but there are almost always work around to any major issues.
In my experience the people willing to work around androids foibles find the locked down world of iOS too constrained, and those who put up with those constraints find the fiddling with android to get it set up to their liking too much. But that's just my take on it.
I was kinda skeptical too after reading about all those Issues but still bought the Z2 1 month ago and I couldn't be happier.
No heating issues, no call issues, no cracking glass (so far)
Everything works flawlessly ?
Sent from my Xperia Z2
Ananay Singh said:
I had made up my mind for the Xperia Z2. It is the most balanced phone providing adequate power, battery life, decent camera, storage, etc. but recently I came to know about the over heating & self cracking screen issues with the Z2( or the entire Z series including the Z3 & Z3 compact). There are quite a lot of reports of the glass on the phone cracking. Also that the phone overheats a lot. I am worried as whatever I buy, I'll have to stick with it for 2 years. Sony has refused warranty in most cases related to this issue. Same issue plagues the Z3 Compact
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Self-cracking is not a thing. If it was, you'd be seeing the forum flooded with complaints, not just a handful of people moaning.
Those claiming self-cracking most likely damaged it themselves through abuse, possibly knowingly, or possibly not.
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems as if there will also be a z4c.
You might want to wait for that, but if you fancy a good camera Sony phones wouldn't be something for you.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
Dsteppa said:
It seems as if there will also be a z4c.
You might want to wait for that, but if you fancy a good camera Sony phones wouldn't be something for you.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally speaking I'm not quite sure how much the price of the z3c will fall with the introduction of the z4c.
However I'm curious about the overall performance of the phone: Do you think it is worth the buy?
And what is more, I've seen there is quite a struggle with the bootloader and with developers, but with official CM nightlies this should be fine, right?
Jkay7 said:
Generally speaking I'm not quite sure how much the price of the z3c will fall with the introduction of the z4c.
However I'm curious about the overall performance of the phone: Do you think it is worth the buy?
And what is more, I've seen there is quite a struggle with the bootloader and with developers, but with official CM nightlies this should be fine, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price won't fall THAT much, but the recent price drop could be because of that.
The phone is still worth to buy for sure as for bootloader problems, they should be history now.
There is no real evidence of a z4 compact being released anytime soon. For now, pretend like it doesn't exist and get whatever phone you want. Besides, the rumors indicate the phone will only be a marginal upgrade: newer processor and increased screen resolution.
Sent from my Xperia Z3 Compact
phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is just my opinion and I don't intend to talk trash about Sony phones but I'm gonna just tell you like it is.
Just so you know, I'm in IT field (Windows) and I have a comprehensive knowledge about PC hardware tech. Since I switched to android from iPhone about 2.5 years ago, I had bought quite a few phones that included 3 Sony phones.
- ZR with overheat problem even only on browsing the internet with Chrome and very poor quality display (made with TFT) => RETURNED with 15% restocking fee.
- ZL Same poor quality TFT display => I ended up gave it to my sis.
- Z3C made with IPS but with poor touch panel. Annoying touch pattern grids are visible. IPS display quality of the Z3C is well below average even compared to the iPhone 4's. Camera is mediocre at best but all the hype makes me really look down on Sony - the only company who created TA partition just to put their crappy softwares on it and tied the bootloader with it. Not that I give a rat ass about losing its DRM functions, it's just that errors pop up here and there when I unlock the bootloader.
My other 2 Android phones are the Nexus 5 and LG Optimus E970. These 2 phones' displays are superb. I wish the Z3C has the same display quality as those 2. I love its size and battery performance but Sony mobile display sucks big time. Don't get me started on Sony bloatwares (2 ecosystems on 1 device is a joke).
I have many Sony devices in my home (laptop, bluray player, tv...) but when it comes to Sony phones, I'm sure next time I'll pass.
I bought my Z3C for $520 USD. It's still 99.99% new. I would sell it to you for $300 USD if you live in my area (I wouldn't buy it even for $300 though)
Some of the cheaper Z3C listings in the US are for the D5833 overseas model. Be careful with this version, as it will suffer from limited 4G compatibility in the States.
phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a D5803 running stock 5.0.2 and I'm very happy with the device.
It's compact, fast and battery lasts for 2 days minimum (if you don't play games).
The user interface is simple, fast and close to AOSP look&feel .
I saw no reason to hack the phone with custom ROMs or mods, since I found it to be VERY stable and basically everything works.
If you plan to heavily customize your phone, be ready to face some obstacles mainly due to the fact that Lolipop is quite new on this phone and mods are not yet perfect (although they are improving). I've gone that route before with previous phones, and usually the outcome is that you get some visual adaptations to your taste, but in fact the overall stability/performance will be worst.
Some may argue that the camera software could be better, and I tend to agree. But you will be able to take good pictures, if you use some manual settings.
In my experience, Bluetooth/NFC works very well with different gadgets/systems: hi-fi, Pebble watch, BT headphones (even using aptX), car system, ...
I haven't tested audio high-res external DACs, but some users report some devices are tricky to interface well using Lolipop. Other report their device works. Basic audio play is quite good if you have good headphones and choose the right eq settings.
Some users report the glass may crack due to overheating, and I saw many friends with other phones (like Samsung) suffering from the same issue. Mine is in perfect condition and I hope it stays that way.
In summary: I'm very happy with my gadget and I wouldn't change it for anything out there with similar form factor. And although Lolipop 5.0.2 is not perfect, I got used to it and don't see a reason to go back to KK. And 5.1 will certainly come...
Is there a perfect smartphone (hw+sw+UX+price) ? No, but in my opinion this one is a good step forward.
Oh, and if you don't want to fiddle around with connectivity issues, be sure to buy the phone that maps to your geography and operator (D5803 vs D5833) and use a ROM that was built for it.
z4c would defiantly be a "want to have" but at a premium price point, that's why i picked z3c and i got a great deal. In my eyes it's the best phone on the marked atm. If you exclude all the minitablets which i have 0 interest in.
I am in the same position as the OP.
I had some android devices (nexus s, gnexus, htc incredible s, nexus4, htc one m7), right now I have no smartphone.
Z3C seems the "right choice" except for a couple things:
1) Price: here in Portugal the lowest is 400eur. For that price you can also have: htc desire eye, galaxy s5, and a lot of other non-waterproof phones with better cameras and better screens, but also worse battery.
The Z1C is 100eur cheaper.
2) Camera: it seems that sony camera is not on pair with others, even with everyone saying that is software the truth is that nobody solved it.
3) Sudden death: there are some cases (see sony's forum) of sudden death phones.
4) Cracked glass: this I don't know if is hype or not.I had a nexus 5 and people said that it broken by itself but mine only broke by hitting the floor.
I guess that if the Z4C brings the Snappdragon 810 it won't be very good because of overheating and throttling...
Only option is to wait.
Thanks for the replies.
For me the Z3C choice comes down to physical size.
I want a smaller phone but good specs, and as far as I can see there is no competition in the Android sphere (happy to be proved wrong).
I'll be keeping the phone pretty much stock until I need to start tinkering, so mods are not a problem for me currently.
I suspect the Z3C will have OS support for longer than the Z1C so that may make the £100 difference worth paying.
phoneowner71 said:
Thanks for the replies.
For me the Z3C choice comes down to physical size.
I want a smaller phone but good specs, and as far as I can see there is no competition in the Android sphere (happy to be proved wrong).
I'll be keeping the phone pretty much stock until I need to start tinkering, so mods are not a problem for me currently.
I suspect .com/2015/04/22/sony-xperia-z4-compact-e5803-z4ultra-e6683-e6883-certification-details/"]http://www.whatsontech.com/2015/04/22/sony-xperia-z4the Z3C will have OS support for longer than the Z1C so that may make the £100 difference worth paying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.whatsontech-compact-e5803-z4ultra-e6683-e6883-certification-details/
Z4c and Z4U are real coming and they already passed the certification process with the model number being leaked out. I guess they will out on Sep.
But if you are speaking for the battery life, Z3c with s801 and 720p will be much better. All I can think is Z4c will improve the camera software further(and also fixed the Z3/Z3c red/green/purple tint issue) and upgraded to FHD screen. I've got a Z1c, if you want a cheaper phone to wait Z4c then Z1c is still doing good. If you want battery life for all then go for Z3c now.
Hi guys. I own an LG G2 and it's a beastly phone, but poor software updates, bad signal reception and a badly aging camera made me want to move on from it.
I'm looking mainly for a stock experience with good software updates, good battery, great camera, large screen and decent performance.
MXP is within my budget and seems to be what I look for, but I'm concerned about the performance and the lack of sensors (and therefore some functionality). Other options are the Oneplus One and Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3. Moto X 2014 is out of that list due to its battery and camera, and they only sell the 16gb variant in my country and that doesn't work for me.
Users of this phone please help me if you can, thanks in advance!
tiagoSequeira said:
Hi guys. I own an LG G2 and it's a beastly phone, but poor software updates, bad signal reception and a badly aging camera made me want to move on from it.
I'm looking mainly for a stock experience with good software updates, good battery, great camera, large screen and decent performance.
MXP is within my budget and seems to be what I look for, but I'm concerned about the performance and the lack of sensors (and therefore some functionality). Other options are the Oneplus One and Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3. Moto X 2014 is out of that list due to its battery and camera, and they only sell the 16gb variant in my country and that doesn't work for me.
Users of this phone please help me if you can, thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything is good. Lack of sensors??? Performance is as expected from a mid range chip.
Okay, so:
-Good software updates : Android 6.0 is in soak test, we might get it this month. CM13 is currently in development and is becoming better every day.
-Good battery: Depends. Would you call 7 hours of SOT good battery?
-Large screen : Large and beautiful, just like my ma' always said (no, jk)
-Decent performance : Similar to the S800 that powers your G2. Enough to run almost anything smoothly
The only sensor that is "missing" is the gyroscope. And unless you want to use it for VR, you won't miss it. At all. Trust me.
I've had the OPO, and I didn't like it. Bezels were too large, and the poor customer service made me sell it after a few weeks. The Idol 3 was my second choice after the MXP. Both are great phones for their price, have similar specs and size. But the huge 3640mAh battery made me buy the MXP, regardless of the higher pricing. I think any of those two phones would be a great choice. They're both balanced, have good specs, and offer almost everything you'd want in a phone for a cheap price.
tiagoSequeira said:
Hi guys. I own an LG G2 and it's a beastly phone, but poor software updates, bad signal reception and a badly aging camera made me want to move on from it.
I'm looking mainly for a stock experience with good software updates, good battery, great camera, large screen and decent performance.
MXP is within my budget and seems to be what I look for, but I'm concerned about the performance and the lack of sensors (and therefore some functionality). Other options are the Oneplus One and Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3. Moto X 2014 is out of that list due to its battery and camera, and they only sell the 16gb variant in my country and that doesn't work for me.
Users of this phone please help me if you can, thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The one+one for sure
---------- Post added at 10:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:57 PM ----------
tiagoSequeira said:
Hi guys. I own an LG G2 and it's a beastly phone, but poor software updates, bad signal reception and a badly aging camera made me want to move on from it.
I'm looking mainly for a stock experience with good software updates, good battery, great camera, large screen and decent performance.
MXP is within my budget and seems to be what I look for, but I'm concerned about the performance and the lack of sensors (and therefore some functionality). Other options are the Oneplus One and Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3. Moto X 2014 is out of that list due to its battery and camera, and they only sell the 16gb variant in my country and that doesn't work for me.
Users of this phone please help me if you can, thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is also a lenovo note 8 (k3) i believe is what its called it looks good on paper and its super cheap. Specs are decent. The only thing im not sure about is 4glte. That might be a good alternative.
This phone is overpriced in my opinion
My fiancée came from a G2 and she loves this phone. She loves the battery, the pictures she has taken with this phone are amazing, and she hasn't been happier. I have the phone as well and coming from a Z1 Compact, I love it. Some stutters here and there but the small moto software changes like the moto display and knowing when you drive makes life much easier. It just feels more user friendly.
Sent from my XT1563 using Tapatalk
Lurdy said:
Okay, so:
-Good software updates : Android 6.0 is in soak test, we might get it this month. CM13 is currently in development and is becoming better every day.
-Good battery: Depends. Would you call 7 hours of SOT good battery?
-Large screen : Large and beautiful, just like my ma' always said (no, jk)
-Decent performance : Similar to the S800 that powers your G2. Enough to run almost anything smoothly
The only sensor that is "missing" is the gyroscope. And unless you want to use it for VR, you won't miss it. At all. Trust me.
I've had the OPO, and I didn't like it. Bezels were too large, and the poor customer service made me sell it after a few weeks. The Idol 3 was my second choice after the MXP. Both are great phones for their price, have similar specs and size. But the huge 3640mAh battery made me buy the MXP, regardless of the higher pricing. I think any of those two phones would be a great choice. They're both balanced, have good specs, and offer almost everything you'd want in a phone for a cheap price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah those OPO bezels aren't sexy!
7 hours SOT isn't good, it's great
I think I'll go with the MXP, thank you for the help!
Hi guys,
My nexus 5 is getting really old and I'm looking for a replacement.
On the hardware side, I'd like to know if you guys are happy with the battery and camera.
Regarding software, are there maintenained, stable ROMs available? Do you believe Android O will be available soon after it's release?
Do you have active kernel maintainers?
Would you recommend me to switch?
Thanks for your advices
Hardware is great for the Price.
Had the Nexus 5 for 2 years and was the best phone i had... but i think the Zuk Z2 does a great job. The battery should be better and the camera too in my opinion.
I dont think there will be Android O, maybe a custom rom...
Hi,
Personnaly, I came also from the Nexus 5 and moved to the Zuk Z2 Pro.
And I regret my choice, despite specs are very good for the price... but it doesn't make the whole thing!
I am not happy by the stock ROM and not too much by the custom ones.
It is clearly totally different from my experience I had with the Nexus 5 for which we had several perfect ROMS/Kernels, and very active community.
If you are the guy who would like to get your hands dirty, then change your choice, that is my personal opinion.
zyvex_14 said:
Hi,
Personnaly, I came also from the Nexus 5 and moved to the Zuk Z2 Pro.
And I regret my choice, despite specs are very good for the price... but it doesn't make the whole thing!
I am not happy by the stock ROM and not too much by the custom ones.
It is clearly totally different from my experience I had with the Nexus 5 for which we had several perfect ROMS/Kernels, and very active community.
If you are the guy who would like to get your hands dirty, then change your choice, that is my personal opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answer. I do like to mess with my phone, flash ROMs and kernels etc.
With the nexus 5 it was "for fun" at the beginning, and now I'm happy there's a great community that brought Android N on it.
So your opinion is that with the Z2 Pro, you have to stick with the stock ROM, what about lineage for instance?
Hi,
No you dont have to stick with the stock ROM and actually I would say it is a MUST to change. I consider the stock one like carbage.
And for the custom ones, they are far from perfect (I am on Lineage) + community is far away to be a big as for the Nexus5, despite I recognize several people try to do some stuff (I deeply thanks them otherwise I would have considered this phone as my worst, even if on the paper, from hardware point of view, it looks so interesting!).
Thanks again cher compatriote !
For sure the community is really small, but if there is only one ROMs but up-to-date and garbage-free, I'll be happy enough
I'm not sure I understand what is missing from, say, Lineage ROM. Do you have bugs or broken features?
Which phone would you recommend, I'm looking at the Oneplus 3T. I'm pretty sure the community is big for this one, but the price tag is much higher.
Haha, beaucoup de Français par ici ^^
Anyway, I just bought one and yes I think I'd recommand it if you want a new phone now.
Yes the ROMs are a problem : you definitely can't stay on the official ROM (it's on Nougat, it works well enough, but it's definitely made for chinese users : All the google apps are replaced with a Chinese equivalent and there's a bunch of chinese bloatware), and there's not a lot of support from the mainstream ROMs such as LineageOS.
As far as I know, the best working ROM right now is this port of AICP : https://forum.xda-developers.com/zuk-z2-pro/development/rom-aicp-12-1-n-zuk-z2-pro-t3596836 . I'm using it now and as far as I can tell everything is working just fine, including the multi color notification light and U-touch (the configurable gestures on the home button) but any update depends on the good will and free time of the dev.
So it's definitely not ideal but... I got the 128GB/6GB Z2 pro for 249€ including shipping... That's almost half the price of a 64GB OnePlus 3T (which is also a bit too large for my taste). So in my opinion the price alone makes it a good choice.
Compared to the N5 you'll get a slightly bigger OLED screen, much better battery life, a much much better camera, the fingerprint scanner (which works surprisingly well), and of course the SD820, more memory and storage. I'd say the built quality is about on par with the N5 or slightly better.
Hi,
I found a good deal for a Lenovo ZUK Z1 for about 110€ instead of 250€ - 300€
What do you guys think? Is it still worth it?
Does it have a display protection like Gorilla Glass?
How about the SAR value?
Sorry for asking these kind of questions but there are many different specs out there.
I want to install LineageOS and Magisk. I think it'll have nearly the same performance as a OnePlus One right?
Please tell me your thoughts on this, thanks.
Buying this phone after 2 years of this phone release .....is not suggestible.
If money is the most important factor, and you need a device to have lots of ROMs to flash, Z1 may be your choice. But I suggest to have a look at modern CPU devices. Z1 has 28nm CPU, modern phones have 14nm CPU - less heating, lest power consumption.
I still have my zuk z1 but as a backup! I would seriously recommend the lg v20 as an upgrade! I did have a look the zuk z2 but spec-wise, it wasn't that much better than the Z1! I opted for the lg after some research and loving it! Check it out on youtube!
Sent from my LG-H990 using Tapatalk
I am down to 1 ZUK as the "newest" failed during a phone call...dead from one sec to the other. Tried to reboot it and got some sort of vibration sequence. Then it showed a penguin on the display...never seen that before - Linux?! Anyway decided against putting time and effort in the phone and bought a Huawei Mate 9 for my daily driver, keep the 2nd ZUK as my backup phone. The 1st phone has served me well and is still going strong although the incident with the other combined with some of the trouble I read here on the forum has made me changing my opinion of the ZUK...I believe the early models where quality wise better than the later ones but you needed also a fair amount of luck to get a "good" example.
No, don't invest in this phone, go for something newer unless they offer it very cheap.
I just wanted to give you an update...
I always thought my ZUK was fast, yes compared to my Samsung galaxy note 4 the ZUK was fast. But now since I have the Huawei Mate 9 for a week I have to admid that the ZUK was showing its age. The Mate 9 is blazing fast. Ok, maybe I should not compare Android 5 with android 7.
No, don't invest in it unless you get it (very)cheap and you are ready to flash a custom rom, something I never bothered in doing. I did all that years ago but now I cannot be asked to spend my time looking trough topics to find out which rom is the most stable etc...I need a reliable phone which is working out of the box. I will keep the ZUK as a spare but he's days of glory are over.