Moving on from Lenovo K3 Note - K3 Note General

So,
Right now, I have so many issues with the device, from nvram error, stock rom not allowing updates, half of the new Nougat roms causing boot loop, hardware keys failing etc. I think this is probably the best time to move on.
I was planning to buy K8 note earlier, but I am sick of Lenovo's style of updates. And obviously, I will be using custom roms regularly. So, here I am, trying to figure out any device which is similar to K3 note, as in, no fancy stuff, just plain old hardware. I don't care about 2 camera, fingerprint and other BS. I want a device where I can change battery and use both 2 sim cards and an sd card. If it has a nice following on XDA, similar to K3 note, even better.
So, with that in mind, what is your suggestion for the successor of K3 note. Basically K3 note with better hardware, if such a thing exists.

Related

Note 3 Vs the Note 4

Covered Design, Features, What was removed as well as added and a Speed Test. Is it worth the jump from the Note 3 to the Note 4?
After using the Note 3 as my main device for a year then getting the Note 4, I like to say that there is a difference and it feels refreshed. With the 1440p Display, New Touch Wiz Ui, and a few new features. Now I did notice that there are somethings missing from the Note 4 that the Note 3 had. There are also something that have been moved and changed, like the Pen Window feature is now used with the Multi-Window feature on the Note 4. Spec wise there is not a massive push but its still a beast of a phone. Watch the Full comparison below and let me know what you think. Is it worth the jump from the Note 3 to the Note 4?
Mod Edit: closed as a duplicate.
A big one missing at the moment is root for the US models. Note 3 can be rooted easily and enable card writes for starts. That is if you are one of the folks like me that use a lot of third part apps that need
card writes
I do not believe for one minute Google will keep card writes enabled in Lollipop. They were enabled in the beta for Kitkat as well, but was disabled for public release. One simple parameter change in the load
script to disable it.
rushless said:
A big one missing at the moment is root for the US models. Note 3 can be rooted easily and enable card writes for starts. That is if you are one of the folks like me that use a lot of third part apps that need
card writes
I do not believe for one minute Google will keep card writes enabled in Lollipop. They were enabled in the beta for Kitkat as well, but was disabled for public release. One simple parameter change in the load
script to disable it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Root for the T-Mobile is available, bit hopefully it can be made available for verizon and the rest. IT was done for the Note 3 and S5.
Bump for newcomers.
blackout720 said:
Root for the T-Mobile is available, bit hopefully it can be made available for verizon and the rest. IT was done for the Note 3 and S5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but months later as was the S4. A lot of people were less concerned then since card writes worked before Kitkat. Waiting many months for a feature that uncripples the function of apps for
someone that uses sd cards for a lot of content is not a waiting luxury now as a result. I see the N3 with card writes as a much better option in spite of the good stuff the N4 has. Card writes are
are too critical for me Of course I would prefer the N4- IF card writes worked Too many apps I use a lot to suddenly not be able to edit and save content with.
N3 wins due to a technical knockout from a right hook of card writes Perhaps a rematch this spring, but then the 64bit devices will be out and about.
using the latest Jasmine ROM 2.4.1 you get a really N4 like experience.
he is also working on a full N4 port like he did with the S5 port for N3.
not exactly a N4 but software wise its darn close already.
fletch33 said:
using the latest Jasmine ROM 2.4.1 you get a really N4 like experience.
he is also working on a full N4 port like he did with the S5 port for N3.
not exactly a N4 but software wise its darn close already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used the S5 port on the Note 3 and I must say it was really close. I had s-pen working and everything. You can just use the S5 port and say you have a Note 4.
UPDATE: After almost two weeks of use, I feel as if my Note 4 has more problems than my Note 3. It crashes and lags worst than what my Note 3 ever did on a bad day.
Not having lag issues with the N4 and have a couple hundred apps loaded (really). Seems as fast as the Note 3. I still think the device would be better off with 1080p. Now the S6 will apparently have a 4K display with a smaller display then the N4.
IMO, pure stupid to waste the resources when battery life could be better.

[Q] Samsung Rom differences between devices

Hi
I am considering buying a new phone - Note4 (I have Note2 right now) and I went to a shop with most modern phones to compare. I was focusing mainly on Samsung's phones and I noticed there are huge differences between ROMs even when the android version is the same.
Galaxy Alpha's ROM has a different theme and in general the phone works definitely faster than Note 4 or Galaxy S4 or Galaxy S5. I noticed f.e. that finally there is no delay when switching between the phone tab and the contact tab (previously looked like separate apps on Samsung's ROMs). It was not the case in the Note4! Alpha has android 4.4.4 ROM and so the Galaxy S4/Note4 which is slower than the Alpha. Galaxy S5 UI is faster than Note4's but it has 4.4.2 preinstalled. I tried two different Note4 phones and the same results. I don't even mention the design because Note4's touchwiz looks almost the same as the one delivered for Note2 with the latest update. Alpha's ROM looks much better.
Do you know what may be a reason?
Maybe thay platformed their products to some lines: Note, S ...
With a ton of Spem features they would not want rebuild bases on latest UI like Alpha. I think they based on Note series to dev more features, tweak more to match demand, business plan or something else...
My wife is using Note 2 and I can say that you will enjoy Note 4 which has many things upgraded from Note 2. A big step.
We will have another big step by next Lollipop update
Yes that's correct that there are improvements comparing the original Note2's ROM version to Note4. The problem is that I am completely not satisfied with the Note2. It's so slow it is generally not usable without flashing with the cyanogenmod or something else. I want to buy a device I can use without rooting it at the first day and loosing a warranty. I was quite happy with the speed of the Alpha but completely not happy with what I saw in the Note 4. The problem is that it seems that the Alpha is the only Samsung's device right now which works without any jitters but it has so weak battery it won't last a full day when using more intensively. Maybe as I work in the IT I am less patient with the hardware but I could imagine the original Note4 hardware with a stock ROM would be probably much better.

What is your Next smartphone? (Mention what u bought or planning to buy)

Hi guys! Just thought about creating a new thread about what would be our next device. This is 2017 and i thought it was time to move on and put my SAMSUNG GALAXY MINI(GT-9192)(2013)to rest. Although it is still working well and I might keep it for a few months before giving it away to my friend or family,but as said could not resist the temptation for a new device (Bigger-better-sharper display, bigger battery,fast charging, notification led, fingerprint sensor, updated android( had enough of custom roms)good build quality etc.).
So I choose..............LENOVO P2. Yup, after reading/watching hundreds of reviews i thought it is best Value for money device at the moment. Anyways................ share your stories. Thanks for reading.
UPDATE: SOLD my LENOVO P2.......primary reason....too big for my small hands. Second: I just hate dull stock like ui. Otherwise the device is very good.
UPDATE 2: Bought , used for a week and sold Lenovo Z2 plus/ZUK Z2(4/64). Reason for selling: LCD display. I will never buy a phone with LCD again. Reason 2: Device is compact but too thick. So it fails the purpose(ergonomics).
UPDATE 3: Finally(I hope so ) settled on GALAXY A5 2017(BLACK). Got it for around $250 from Amazon deal. So far enjoying the device. Its bigger and heavier compared to S4 MINI, but compact days are over i guess!!
I have no idea what could be the successor of my s4 mini, specially in terms of dimensions and cost.......
Went for the Sony Xperia X Compact, mainly for following reasons
- smallest form factor for modern mobile I could find, in combination with below
- acceptable price
- open source program (open device program gives you complete binaries and manual to build aosp)
- enough features for me (fingerprint, NFC, enough power for encryption, etc.)
So far I am happy with it. Running a 6.0.1 AOSP on it (no N, due to XPosed); completely removed google, hence microg.
I remember coming to a conclusion about a year ago when i thought about replacing my s4 mini. I realized at that time, I cannot replace my s4 mini.
So bought a Nexus 5X and have been using it alongside my S4 Mini. Any apps that I dont use on my main phone (5X) are installed on s4 mini. It was also
my backup device and I my parents used it occasionally when their phones were out for repair. I am so proud of my "serrano", I will never give up on it.
I will use it till it no longer functions. Awesome phone, phenomenal custom rom support. I would like to take this opportunity to thank @arco68 for putting
an amazing effort to keep this 2013 midrange phone more than relevant in 2017. Thanks for your work man. Cheers.
replacing with what?
for my usecase there is no option available.
- size
- replaceable battery
- sd-card
- hardware-home-button
- KK rom
these are the hardware facts. i also use an amami and it is quite comparable.
unfortunately no battery swap possible, though water-resistant
if i go to the OS features there is no option even close to the KK rom.
batterylife, customization, xposed, BLN (mandatory!). all worse or even
not possible on newer roms.
lucky me has two unboxed serranos, so it will work for the next years
I have a Nexus 5X
You want small (& cheap)?
https://www.xda-developers.com/jelly-is-a-2-45-smartphone-that-runs-android-nougat/
I cannot replace my s4 mini. So I bought another one, just in case of the "Vietnamese phone death" as that happening very often.
IronRoo said:
You want small (& cheap)?
https://www.xda-developers.com/jelly-is-a-2-45-smartphone-that-runs-android-nougat/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good idea, but the resolution si quite embarrassing
It's one step back respect to the s4mini
I got my Honor 8 a few months ago
I just bought my first (brand new) I9505 a couple of weeks ago, to replace an old I9100. Previously I had experimented with a Jolla phone from 2014-2016, but Sailfish didn't quite cut it for me in terms of its versatility and the device wasn't as ergonomic as I would like. Last year I also picked up a mint Nokia 6310i, which I will use as a phone for as long as the GSM networks in the UK aren't shut down.
The GS4 Mini is unique for having one of the last full RGB matrix AMOLED displays, which at a pixel density of below 300 is a big deal. The combination of the size and a removable battery makes the device a perfect fit for me, I even bought a couple of genuine spare batteries, a Casemate tough case and Mediadevil screen protectors, this should allow the phone to last me a heck of a long time. LineageOS 13 will suffice until 14.1 builds become stable.
I do not want to replace S4 Mini. Only if absolutely necessary. Size, RAM, Screen, etc. Are perfect for my use. I would continue to use KK if there were security patches. But AOKP 7 works perfectly. AOSP ROMS just does not have the same quality in the camera and audio recordings. I used a lot of camera and audio recordings (in stereo) in KK. But I still do not want to replace. Only when this new battery is gone. Maybe until that happens Samsung returns with compact and quality versions. S5 Mini was a very bad one. He would be the replacement at the time. But camera, audio recording, etc. Were bad when I compared my S4 Mini.
Just ordered a Doogee s60, but I am holding on to the mighty 257 just in case. Arco68 has been instrumental in keeping mine going and I can't thank him enough. Now I just have to gain his mad skills and start hacking away at the Doogee.
I have 3 phones: s4 mini I9195I, Moto E 2015 and a Galaxy Young GT-S6310N. Next phones probably gonna be an s6 if I can get hold of one.
I bought a Xiaomi Mi 5S Plus
Probably i would buy a galaxy A3 for the actual size very similar to S4mini and for a respectful hw components. Sony Xperia X compact the second choiche or maybe the first one..
I upgraded to a Galaxy A310f(£100 special offer) when it was released in 2016, from the S4 Mini i9195. The adequate A3 lasted several months before something gave up inside and the (non-removable) battery decided to pretend it was constantly charging, even when unplugged, while the power continued to fall until it was empty.
A void warranty due to customisations etc. has rendered it a glass-slab paper-weight until I might decide to get it fixed myself.
In the meantime as a replacement, I found a second hand old, trusty i9195 in a local shop and, to be honest, I'm going to be disappointed if/when it becomes time to replace it again. Lovely little phone with loads of bug-free ROM options(unlike the A3, for now, unless you like Touchwiz, I don't), removable battery, perfect size, the only thing I actually miss from my A3 is the USB-OTG capability but I can live without it.
Long live the S4 Mini! ???
I think i would buy a galaxy A3 2017
Maybe the S9 mini, if this rumor is true.
still nothing comparable
untill today i am not aware of an successor of my GT-i9195 pack
regarding:
- size
- OLED display
- KK 2 O CustomRoms stable and unstable ofcorse
- removable battery (using this app. 2times a month!)
- sdCard slot

is the S5 still a good choice today?

Hello folks.
I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone. Things that are important to me:
high quality screen
processing power
decent storage
Things that aren't that important to me:
camera
I have a price limit of $150. Given the above, I am looking at:
Moto E4
Galaxy S5 (refurbished)
Galaxy J3 Emerge
Moto G4 Play
All of them have 5" screens, but the S5 has the highest resolution (the rest are 1280x720). The S5 also has the highest clock rate.
My concern is that the S5 is using technology from 4 years ago, while the rest are more recent. Should that be a concern, or is the S5 the best option here?
Thanks!
mrfeh said:
Hello folks. I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet is to post this question within one of the following threads that is specific to your question.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1846277
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1620179
Good Luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I DO NOT provide support via PM unless asked/requested by myself. PLEASE keep it in the threads where everyone can share.
yes
mrfeh said:
Hello folks.
I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone. Things that are important to me:
high quality screen
processing power
decent storage
Things that aren't that important to me:
camera
I have a price limit of $150. Given the above, I am looking at:
Moto E4
Galaxy S5 (refurbished)
Galaxy J3 Emerge
Moto G4 Play
All of them have 5" screens, but the S5 has the highest resolution (the rest are 1280x720). The S5 also has the highest clock rate.
My concern is that the S5 is using technology from 4 years ago, while the rest are more recent. Should that be a concern, or is the S5 the best option here?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in my opinion, for this expense and one of the best!
I use a Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo and everything works fine.
2 weeks ago there was an update for the S5 over OTA. It is still alive and good.
In USA the normal S5 is still a smartphone that is one of the bestsellers.
I have no need to get another phone.
And the original S5 is better than my neo.
Gesendet von meinem SM-G903F mit Tapatalk
I would go with the S5...
Amoled screen, wireless charging, fingerscan...16mp cam..
Put LOS or RR and youll get the best deal...
Or try a xiaomi mia1
Hello, had a galaxy s5 for around 3 years. My unit had a bit of a network issue, which sullied my experience, so be careful when buying a refurb!
Also, if processing power is important to you, you should note that it has constant slowdowns/stutters and, though not as often, crashes. It also heats up pretty quick and has mediocre battery life, draining pretty fast with any decent usage. The chipset really does not hold up compared to mid range chipsets now imo. Near the time I upgraded, it became nearly unusable for a bit whenever i turned the wifi on, though a factory reset and a sparser app library has alleviated the worst aspects of using the phone. It might be powerful specwise, but in irl use I find newer midrange chips outperform it in day to day use.
I recently upgraded to a redmi note 5 (china) and it was an upgrade in every way. From build to smoothness to battery life (and both cameras but you don't care about that). It also has the 6' display while retaining the same width as my s5, thanks to the 18:9 display. The aspect ratio is great in all apps that aren't games and in general UI use. It also has oreo out of the box and will get updates in the future, unlike the s5.
The redmi 5 plus(china) could also be a replacement that's cheaper, but I can't vouch for the screen on that one. The redmi note 5 has a bright lcd that looks really good. It's not amoled, but the transition hasn't bothered me at all, it's quite excellent! I've gotten compliments on the screen from many friends who have seen it in person as well.
So, yeah, look into the phone and see if your budget can be adjusted. Shoot for the 3/32 GB which is a steal imo. Oh, and it has a micro sd card slot, just like the s5, so storage won't be an issue. Another plus with these phones is that they actually have a fingerprint scanner that's not trash - another thing from the past that does not hold up.
I looked up the prices for these phones and they seem to be out of the 150$ budget, so, if the budget is rigid you might want to look into the redmi note 4, which can be found for 160$ and has all the same internals as the redmi 5 plus. I cannot vouch for how good the screen is, but it's 1080P IPS LCD. I would personally consider it a better phone to buy than the Galaxy S5 as well (working fingerprint scanner, larger screen, equivalent if not better chipset usability wise).
Anyway, I'm not really as knowledgable as most people in xda but I am a s5 owner, so I figured I'd chip in and try to help.
While S5 is still a nice phone, it is not worth buying one at this time. The best option would be to get current/last year mid end phone. Look at the local market websites, maybe there are good deals. Xiaomi redmi 5 plus is nice phone for low price, also redmi note 4 is nice phone too, you will get better peformance than S5, or at very least the same, more ram, much better battery life due to bigger battery and better chipset, you will get android updates.
S5 is still a great phone.. Do not buy refurbished.. you can find great deals on Ebay.. My cost $110 no dings, or dents or scratches.. Phone actually had very little call time on it.. Moto's IMOP are junk.
Hi ,
I personally think you should go for a newer phone like Honor 8. The main problem i would have with an S5 is the fact that it only has 16GB internal memory. Apart from that it is still a great phone.
With those 16 GB you will always struggle if you want to install many applications and keep Whatsapp data on your phone.
loomax12 said:
Hi ,
I personally think you should go for a newer phone like Honor 8. The main problem i would have with an S5 is the fact that it only has 16GB internal memory. Apart from that it is still a great phone.
With those 16 GB you will always struggle if you want to install many applications and keep Whatsapp data on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does support SD Cards up to 128 GB though. I'm a kinda heavy user and never had problems with storage, always around 3-4 GB free in internal. Though I did put my games on my card obviosly (there was some app that does this, I forgot name).
i picked mine up monday for 45$. cracked rear camera glass. still takes photos fine.
anyway, i love the thing. i went from an s7 to an iphone 7 then to and old moto then to this. i love the effing thing. i get 2 days in low power mode with the original battery. im hunting for a parts phone now.
the s5 has issues from what ive heard but so far, im running fine.
After 2 weeks using the S5 of my wife I have to reverse my opinion. I installed latest lineageos 14.1 on it and it works like a charm. With lineageos there is still a lot of internal memory left for apps. Bluetooth which is often a problem for custom roms seems to work pretty well.
I've actually recently bought an S5, and although it is not the best option, the support for it has been huge over time and its still going on with amazing roms like AEX or CrDroid.
The only part I dislike is the storage, because yea 16GB are little to me. And the fact that it is refurbished is good contrary to what people assume, because, then that means its already fixed, you wont have to go through that pain as you would with a new one waiting to fail, that's how it is, you have more chances of a new one having issues than a refurbished one because that one already had them and its already fixed. On the other hand, "refurbished" doesnt always mean "it broke and we fixed it", usually its because people return it to the store, the package is open, they cant sell them as new, even if theres nothing wrong with it, it automatically falls to the "refurbished" category and not many people think of that.
Now, the Moto G4 is actually a better option, it has a good performance, but you should opt for the Plus version with 32GB internal
So, I'd recommend the G4 Plus, if you cant buy that, then the S5 is the way to go
S5 is still going strong.
I would not change it, but I need a dual SIM phone now.
So if you can get one, go for it.
However, I am not aware of CDMA capabilities or tested it, sorry. I have European model...
My uncle gave me his old S5 back in January to replace my dying S4 LTE-A, and with LineageOS 15.1, it feels like a brand new phone
im now rooted and running the latest lineage 14.1 and its awesome.
12 hours of battery, 4 hours of SOT and no issues. these nougat kernels are pretty nice. lol
people talking about storage, flash Lineage, have a clean sd card in and use the SD card as adptive storage. it shows it as all internal storage and works like a charm.
Bodisson said:
S5 is still going strong.
I would not change it, but I need a dual SIM phone now.
So if you can get one, go for it.
However, I am not aware of CDMA capabilities or tested it, sorry. I have European model...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would you recommend the S5 as a backup to the Note 4?
I still have an S5 as a backup phone. Main phone Xiaomei Redmi Note 4x which I bought due to its superior battery life. The S5 imo is still good as backup phone and has an excellent camera (if you stick to TouchWiz based roms).
mrfeh said:
Hello folks.
I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone. Things that are important to me:
high quality screen
processing power
decent storage
Things that aren't that important to me:
camera
I have a price limit of $150. Given the above, I am looking at:
Moto E4
Galaxy S5 (refurbished)
Galaxy J3 Emerge
Moto G4 Play
All of them have 5" screens, but the S5 has the highest resolution (the rest are 1280x720). The S5 also has the highest clock rate.
My concern is that the S5 is using technology from 4 years ago, while the rest are more recent. Should that be a concern, or is the S5 the best option here?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello!
I can definately assure you that:
A. Off the phones you have listed AND
B. Your stated price range
The S5 is your choice!!
It is amazing!! You will not be dissapointed! Unlimited battery life (multiple batteries), screen resolution, clock speed etc etc.
I am currently typing from one! Lol, I have the OnePlus 3 and my good ol' trusty S5! Some tips:
You stated about being older firmware (S5 is marshmallow) whilst others are nougat..... The S5 is one of the most developed phones ever! even still!!! In literally 5 minutes and little knowledge you can flash a custom recovery and then a custom ROM, no root needed. I have used the S5 since the early days and have used pretty much EVERY rom, honestly!
I can suggest resurrection remix as THE most customisable, they have features beyond any other! They have 100% stable nougat build and Oreo also, I use them both. In fact we have multiboot so can run 2 ROMs at once just choose at boot!
We have lots of kernels if you choose to root like myself, this way you can have 2.1 amp quick charge, boot windows or Linux on PC from phone, double battery time, gaming performance and over clocking to 2.84 GHz!!!! The phone is a beast!! It is reliable as hell too! I have had mine rooted for 4 years, overclocked and its given me no worries....And waterproof with a removable battery!!!!!!
Hope this helps, any questions at all please ask, happy to help
ErbDroid said:
Hello!
I can definately assure you that:
A. Off the phones you have listed AND
B. Your stated price range
The S5 is your choice!!
It is amazing!! You will not be dissapointed! Unlimited battery life (multiple batteries), screen resolution, clock speed etc etc.
I am currently typing from one! Lol, I have the OnePlus 3 and my good ol' trusty S5! Some tips:
You stated about being older firmware (S5 is marshmallow) whilst others are nougat..... The S5 is one of the most developed phones ever! even still!!! In literally 5 minutes and little knowledge you can flash a custom recovery and then a custom ROM, no root needed. I have used the S5 since the early days and have used pretty much EVERY rom, honestly!
I can suggest resurrection remix as THE most customisable, they have features beyond any other! They have 100% stable nougat build and Oreo also, I use them both. In fact we have multiboot so can run 2 ROMs at once just choose at boot!
We have lots of kernels if you choose to root like myself, this way you can have 2.1 amp quick charge, boot windows or Linux on PC from phone, double battery time, gaming performance and over clocking to 2.84 GHz!!!! The phone is a beast!! It is reliable as hell too! I have had mine rooted for 4 years, overclocked and its given me no worries....And waterproof with a removable battery!!!!!!
Hope this helps, any questions at all please ask, happy to help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello.
Please make recomendation for Nougat and Oreo firmwares

Which tablet to keep? Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus or Samsung Galaxy Tab S2.

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas everyone!
I just finished updated my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 to Lineage OS and am about to do the same for my Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus. I plan on giving one of these to my mom but I can't decide which one I want to keep for myself. The Galaxy S2 is older but at the time built to be a higher end tablet, it has more ram, a higher resolution screen, and more built in storage. The Lenovo is newer though more mid range, has better speakers, more efficient / faster processors, and a sim card slot (which in the year I've had it I've never actually used).
So which would you keep and which would you give away? And if you feel like saying why you would keep one over the other that would be great too! Thanks!
tenpinmogul said:
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas everyone!
I just finished updated my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 to Lineage OS and am about to do the same for my Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus. I plan on giving one of these to my mom but I can't decide which one I want to keep for myself. The Galaxy S2 is older but at the time built to be a higher end tablet, it has more ram, a higher resolution screen, and more built in storage. The Lenovo is newer though more mid range, has better speakers, more efficient / faster processors, and a sim card slot (which in the year I've had it I've never actually used).
So which would you keep and which would you give away? And if you feel like saying why you would keep one over the other that would be great too! Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I actually have both right next to me. I originally bought the Lenovo for myself, impressed by the screen and speakers. But a cocktail of SD card corruption, poor software updates, lack of decent, reliable rooting, and bloated default software made me change. The S2 is now my daily driver, getting multiple hours use every day with zero complaints. The Lenovo got passed on to family, and even support use is frustrating. Lenovo updates are rare and unreliable, the onboard storage is limiting, and after a couple of years ownership of both, the Lenovo in noticeably worse condition than the S2, and the S2 is in a backpack daily. Given the free choice of either, I'd pick the S2 all day, every day.
Out of interest, what guide are you using for the LineageOS on Lenovo install? Most I've seen promise much but fail part way through.
enigmo said:
Hi,
I actually have both right next to me. I originally bought the Lenovo for myself, impressed by the screen and speakers. But a cocktail of SD card corruption, poor software updates, lack of decent, reliable rooting, and bloated default software made me change. The S2 is now my daily driver, getting multiple hours use every day with zero complaints. The Lenovo got passed on to family, and even support use is frustrating. Lenovo updates are rare and unreliable, the onboard storage is limiting, and after a couple of years ownership of both, the Lenovo in noticeably worse condition than the S2, and the S2 is in a backpack daily. Given the free choice of either, I'd pick the S2 all day, every day.
Out of interest, what guide are you using for the LineageOS on Lenovo install? Most I've seen promise much but fail part way through.
Click to expand...
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Thanks for the reply. I came to a similar conclusion about the two tablets except I ended up keeping the Lenovo and giving my mom the S2. I wanted her to have the tablet with a good ROM on it with the latest security updates and that would be reliable so I wouldn't have to deal with being tech support any more than necessary. Another factor that went into it was that, as you mentioned, getting a custom ROM on the Lenovo seems to be a lost cause.
I tried following a couple of posts that were basically the same process just with different ROMs. This is the Lineage one - https://forum.xda-developers.com/th...om-lineageos-16-0-lenovo-tab4-8-plus-t3950430. I was able to get the tablet unlocked and rooted, got TWRP fully installed (as opposed to just booting into it), tried both Magisk and SU, and while the ROMs appeared to install I could never get them to boot (I always ended stuck at the Lenovo boot logo which makes me think the ROMs didn't actually install). The only clue as to why was during installation I kept getting an access error with a couple of folders, specifically /lenovocust. I was able to find some others who had that error but I wasn't able to find a solution for it. After trying too many times to count and spending probably 20 or more hours over the course of a week going in circles with formatting, rooting, installing, and using the Lenovo recovery app I finally gave up. I'm not a heavy tablet user and I bought the Lenovo for a specific purpose (drone monitor) that it's no longer used for (got a CrystalSky - which has it's own issues) so I can live with an outdated, slightly less robust tablet. I also have a 10" 2016 Samsung Tab A so might try messing with the Lenovo again in the future until I either get it to work or I break it.

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