Database Users

Why I'm returning my G5, after 5 days

In short, the G5 feels poor, for a flagship. I knew about some of these issues beforehand but I didn't think they would bother me as much. I've never returned a phone before.
I'm coming to it from a Samsung S6 Edge and iPhone 6. I can include the Nexus 5 and even the HTC One X in here too. They all felt a lot better, smoother and cleaner.
I wanted the G5 + Hi-Fi Plus to replace the phone + audio player combination I've gotten used to (most recently, Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX2).
I still haven't received my Hi-Fi Plus. But even if it was great (it is essential, for me), it wouldn't make up for everything else.
It feels like there is a lip when you swipe from the side of the screen. It's not smooth glass like an iPhone, S6/S7 Edge, or Nexus 5. It doesn't feel nice.
The chrome trim around the back has hideous gaps. The bottom of the phone doesn't align along perfectly along the sides. I think this is shocking in this day and age. I can imagine Steve Jobs slapping you in the face if you tried to release something like this at Apple.
The fingerprint scanner doesn't always work and seems to be worse than my iPhone and the S6 Edge.
The battery life is mediocre, even without always-on display. With lighter than average use I can go a day. I would expect this to be reduced with the Hi-Fi Plus. I don't want to carry two batteries and I don't want to be swapping batteries until this one becomes suboptimal. But by that time I will probably want a new device.
The supposedly metal body feels like plastic, so what's the point of it? It's not as though plastic phones fall apart or melt in time. Moreover, this prevents wireless charging.
Audio quality through the standard headphone socket is dull. The fact that something can play 24-bit audio doesn't mean it will sound great.
The tapered top of the phone means that I can't use a screen protector. In the long term, this is not a good idea, especially without a case.
The fact that the Hi-Fi Plus makes it a little bigger means that I can't use a case.
I think I'll get the HTC 10 when it's released, because the S7 Edge isn't a worthwhile upgrade over a 128GB S6 Edge.

I had similar build quality concerns. You can actually see some of these things in review photos and videos of you know what you are looking for. A friend of mine has already exchanged his first G5 due to build quality.
BTW, what does the M10 have over the S7E that makes it worth the upgrade and the S7E not? Just curious.

Wow, I've had a totally different experience. My build quality is perfect much to my surprise. The seams along the modular edge are spot on. The fingerprint scanner is spot on. Faster than my S7 and on par with the Nexus 6P.
The screen lies smooth to the side and I like the curved top and bottom as I really don't use screen protectors anymore. The gaps on the chrome are antenna lines, at least they are not all over the phone. As far the finish it's a coating. I like it as it has better grip than my S7 edge or any metal/glass phone and I have no blemishes thankfully.
I can't comment on the headphone audio as I use LG Tones and the sound has been great coming from Bluetooth.
As far as the M10 it will be no where near as good as the S7 or even this. Why? Because HTC has lost its identity and produces a mismosh of tech. Smaller screen, added a home button and remove its defining feature the front facing speakers. Blah. Ill skip it.
I'm sure Steve Jobs has already rolled over in his grave with the crap Apple has been pushing out for the last few years. Innovation stopped with his illness and unfortunate death. They have been far too stagnant. From antenna gate to bending phones to buggy os releases there are plenty of bad quality control issues at Apple, no company is exempt.
Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

Well to be fair to the HTC 10 it presumably will have a better DAC in it than the stock SD820 DAC that the S7 and G5 has. But at the same time the SD DAC which has been notoriously awful over the years is much improved. Definitely good enough for most people or cheap gym headphones. I would also give a slight nod to Sense over touchwiz and LGs new abomination of an iphone setup.

I am Coming from the HTC m7 and htc models before the m7, after one week i am still fascinated from the design and the quality of the the G5. Battery is ok could be better but ok. i am not more then 24 h away from a power supply and can still use some powerbanks on tours. the Launcher i use for years now is Lightning Launcher so i never have to care bout sense or other original used launchers by the manufacturer of my phone. till now the phone is top for me.
let me see if the sound module can beat the boomsound of HTC and if it will get rooted for some framework and so on.

For me, the back seam is not straight in terms of height. The seams along the side don't align either.
I think in part I'm used to devices impressing me in the hand. The One X felt amazing. The Nexus 5 felt very clean. The S6 Edge looked fantastic (although the Edge was pointless).
These things wouldn't bother me so much if I kept the phone in a case, but this won't happen.
Even without sound quality considerations, I much prefer the S7/Edge/HTC 10. I can get a separate DAP (I'm considering Onkyo DP-X1 but waiting for it be released in Europe, for warranty reasons).

The one clear advantage of the HTC 10, for me, is that you can use the microSD for app storage. I found that I'd used up all the space on the G5 after saving a lot of Spotify music for offline access. It felt like a step backwards from a 128GB S6 Edge in this regard.

Mines perfect. I adore this device. Sorry to hear your device sucked.
Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

Bye, and dont let the door hit you in the arse on your way out.

If you're that much of an audiophile.... I don't even know why you'd consider a phone to play audio. Just my 0.02.
Fingerprint scanner is spot on for me.. Even when I'm dirty at work, it still picks it up. My S6 Edge+ would pick it up 10% of the time when my hands were clean.
Sure, I went through 8 G5's before I settled. Is this one flawless? No. It's slightly off flush. Do I care? Not really... It's in a case.
Do I expect perfect QC for a $700 phone? Sure. But it's not going to happen until manufacturing returns to this country. Will that happen? Nope.
Overall, I'm loving this phone. Displays nice, clear, and smooth. UI is great... Probably moving back to nova, but the styling and icons are beautiful. The grip without a case is great for a metal phone. Due to the coating, for sure.
It just feels and looks nicer than the S6 and S7 IMO. Had the M10 not had a physical home button, I would've considered it. Nothing says classy like a buttonless face.
Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

Rauch said:
If you're that much of an audiophile.... I don't even know why you'd consider a phone to play audio. Just my 0.02.
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Because its not asking too much to want above average quality without having to carry multiple devices. Im not expecting it to rvial my fiio x3 but it should at least be passable for the gym etc.
Rauch said:
ISure, I went through 8 G5's before I settled. Is this one flawless? No. It's slightly off flush. Do I care? Not really... It's in a case.
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You went through 8 then immediately claim you dont care? Sounds like you are trying to convince yourself that you dont care not us.
Rauch said:
IDo I expect perfect QC for a $700 phone? Sure. But it's not going to happen until manufacturing returns to this country. Will that happen? Nope.
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Click to collapse
I know right, it really sucked when they stopped making smartphones here right? Whats that? They have never been made here? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
Really though, how can you even try that excuse? The G5 is made the same way the s7/iphone is made. Cheap asian labor but you dont see these issues plaguing them do you? This notion that made in china = garbage is so ignorant and shortsighted. It dont matter where its made the manufacturer can set the quality standards its like this in every country no matter what they are making.

Exactly. I don't want to carry two devices all the time. Especially in the summer.
The Hi-Fi Plus could make the G5 compete with DAPs that cost roughly the same.
The ZX2 was good but it was stuck on Android 4.2. The DP-X1 is still not forthcoming for me. So I need something. I sold the S6 Edge and my iPhone doesn't have enough memory for much music.
Yes, some of these issues are due to quality control. Others are just very bad design choices.
I'm still having problems with the fingerprint scanner. I tried rescanning carefully but it hasn't improved.
I'm also a little sceptical about the fast charging estimates. I think they're underestimated.

Aeneas said:
The one clear advantage of the HTC 10, for me, is that you can use the microSD for app storage. I found that I'd used up all the space on the G5 after saving a lot of Spotify music for offline access. It felt like a step backwards from a 128GB S6 Edge in this regard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you know that one can change storage too sd card thou: In spotify go to settings > scroll down to storage > choose sd card
And problem solved!

notinterested said:
Because its not asking too much to want above average quality without having to carry multiple devices. Im not expecting it to rvial my fiio x3 but it should at least be passable for the gym etc.
You went through 8 then immediately claim you dont care? Sounds like you are trying to convince yourself that you dont care not us.
I know right, it really sucked when they stopped making smartphones here right? Whats that? They have never been made here? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
Really though, how can you even try that excuse? The G5 is made the same way the s7/iphone is made. Cheap asian labor but you dont see these issues plaguing them do you? This notion that made in china = garbage is so ignorant and shortsighted. It dont matter where its made the manufacturer can set the quality standards its like this in every country no matter what they are making.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If quality of music is your biggest concern at the gym, you've got some other issues at hand. You should become more focused on your workout and sweating away that fat instead of worrying how good your music sounds.
Yeah, I went through 8 because the moment you pull them out of the box the flaws were that noticeable. Beyond that, no big deal.
Ignorant and short sighted? No. Compare tools made in China vs. Made in america, germany, or Spain. Big difference. Or more importantly - copper and steel pipe and fittings. Tell me there's no quality difference between something made with cheap labor vs. Something made here. The fact I can crack a 2" black iron fitting with an 18" pipe wrench is enough to see there is a difference. Than you factor in dimensions and threading differences.... Get out in the real world and realize there is a huge quality difference between cheap labor and expensive labor.
Oh, I'm sorry.... Did you forget about about the admitted iphone 5S manufacturing defects? Could be sworn there was something wrong with the 6's as well!
Open your eyes kiddo.
Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

Rauch said:
If quality of music is your biggest concern at the gym, you've got some other issues at hand. You should become more focused on your workout and sweating away that fat instead of worrying how good your music sounds.
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Click to collapse
What? That makes no sense AT ALL... Music is a motivator, when your music sounds like ass its a distraction. You must not go to the gym.
Rauch said:
Ignorant and short sighted? No. Compare tools made in China vs. Made in america, germany, or Spain. Big difference. Or more importantly - copper and steel pipe and fittings. Tell me there's no quality difference between something made with cheap labor vs. Something made here. The fact I can crack a 2" black iron fitting with an 18" pipe wrench is enough to see there is a difference. Than you factor in dimensions and threading differences.... Get out in the real world and realize there is a huge quality difference between cheap labor and expensive labor.
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Click to collapse
Thats a cute analogy ill give you another one.
Compare the iphone and the galaxy s7 to the G5. All are made in the same place 2 are considered to be very well made one has problems like crazy.
get out in the real world and realize all phones are made in cheap asian countries and only one has these glaring issues and you will see a flawed design for what it is. Your argument holds no water whatsoever.
Rauch said:
Oh, I'm sorry.... Did you forget about about the admitted iphone 5S manufacturing defects? Could be sworn there was something wrong with the 6's as well!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must be joking right? Those where design flaws antennagate was bad design not bad production. The iphone 6 bending was bad design not bad production.
Rauch said:
Open your eyes kiddo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Open my eyes? Your argument is that the G5 is messed up because its "made in china" every other smartphone on the planet is too and they are just fine... Stop being so stubbornly ignorant.

BudaBang said:
I hope you know that one can change storage too sd card thou: In spotify go to settings > scroll down to storage > choose sd card
And problem solved!
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Click to collapse
Lol. I was going to say that.
But yes g5 has micro sd slot.
Sent from my LG-H812 using XDA-Developers mobile app

notinterested said:
What? That makes no sense AT ALL... Music is a motivator, when your music sounds like ass its a distraction. You must not go to the gym.
Thats a cute analogy ill give you another one.
Compare the iphone and the galaxy s7 to the G5. All are made in the same place 2 are considered to be very well made one has problems like crazy.
get out in the real world and realize all phones are made in cheap asian countries and only one has these glaring issues and you will see a flawed design for what it is. Your argument holds no water whatsoever.
You must be joking right? Those where design flaws antennagate was bad design not bad production. The iphone 6 bending was bad design not bad production.
Open my eyes? Your argument is that the G5 is messed up because its "made in china" every other smartphone on the planet is too and they are just fine... Stop being so stubbornly ignorant.
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Click to collapse
Bro, you make some solid points

Baxter you know I don't speak Spanish.

Aeneas said:
The one clear advantage of the HTC 10, for me, is that you can use the microSD for app storage. I found that I'd used up all the space on the G5 after saving a lot of Spotify music for offline access. It felt like a step backwards from a 128GB S6 Edge in this regard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spotify - How to store cache on external SD
People should learn how to use google.
---------- Post added at 10:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:00 AM ----------
Wow, lots of people managed to do something you couldn't.

Sound isn't that bad, I listened to a few tracks quickly on spotify on my sennheisers and it was on par with other phones I've tested.
Could be tweaked a bit with viper when we get root but I'm satisfied.
Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

Still a good phone?

A bit deceived by HTC with the U 11 that has apparently a bad 3.5mm adapter, I am searching for a good phone to replace my 1 year old HTC 10.
I saw the V20 is an excellent audio phone with a very good camera and screen but I am afraid of a lack of custom roms and contrast for the screen.
What do you think? Is the V20 too old to fight against newer S8 and U 11 or it's still a strong candidate?
Any lags?

I don't have my phone as I am still waiting for it to come in the mail; However, the spec on papers appears that both phones are similar in CPU and RAM. Is there something specific that draws you to the V20?

question is: why would you want to replace your htc10 in first place?
except you have some problem with it, I would see no reason why you should change it with a v20... unless you're going to use really high impedance headsets... but since you're considering the s8 as a substitute, I doubt have you have any interest for that kind of headsets.
v20 and htc10 share the same SoC, have more or less the same overall photo quality (v20 has the wide angle camera which is useful and nice but you may or may not be interested in landscapes), v20 has a better screen, but altogether it's not a great step forward from the htc10.
so... if listening to lossless tracks with high impedance headsets isn't your top priority, you can either keep your htc10 or go for the s8. otherwise v20 is a no brainer, together with the korean g6.
if you're just looking for a fresh new smartphone, s8

Well the v20 has an IR blaster and a removable battery. That alone makes it a step up from the HTC 10. The S8 and u11 don't have enough specs to make up for that IMO. If I was buying a phone today, I would personally choose the v20. I Love mine!
Sent from my LG-V521 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

The V20 is way too heavy, I was interested at first for the bigger screen but this phone is too heavy even without a cover

Not compared to the U11 you mentioned - that's only 5g lighter.
The V20 is well engineered and solidly built, that's a plus. A case adds very little extra weight.

rubiicon59 said:
Not compared to the U11 you mentioned - that's only 5g lighter.
The V20 is well engineered and solidly built, that's a plus. A case adds very little extra weight.
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I think a dbrand skin will be perfect no? it will make it prettier and protect it against scratches

I've dropped my phone several times. This phone is built to last, you don't need a silly case over it covering up all the sexiness lol

I got rid of my V20 after 5 months I hated it. Battery life was awful. The look and feel was cheap. The speaker was tinny. It was very sluggish from time to time without a reason. The screen was very good for a LCD. Dual camera was fun and pictures came out well most of the time but nothing to brag about.

Quality feel (use of materials)

Rate this thread to express how you think the LG V30 feels in terms of quality. A higher rating indicates that it feels premium and high-quality (attention to detail is high, manufacturing defects don't exist, etc).
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

disclaimer, i don't actually own a V30. however, i've been to a local electronics store today and was lucky they had one on display. well... it looks better on pictures, imo. and hand warm as it was it didn't feel great either, to say the least. frankly, it looked and felt very cheap, like glossy plastic all around. other phones with similar materials made a more premium impression.
maybe it takes more time, maybe it feels better when cold, perhaps i'm just not a big fan of the whole glossy glasswich design. whatever it is, i didn't like it and felt a bit disappointed

Valfaun said:
disclaimer, i don't actually own a V30. however, i've been to a local electronics store today and was lucky they had one on display. well... it looks better on pictures, imo. and hand warm as it was it didn't feel great either, to say the least. frankly, it looked and felt very cheap, like glossy plastic all around. other phones with similar materials made a more premium impression.
maybe it takes more time, maybe it feels better when cold, perhaps i'm just not a big fan of the whole glossy glasswich design. whatever it is, i didn't like it and felt a bit disappointed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the other hand, I own five and it has a very premium feel.
You do need the back glass for Qi wireless charging, and as a result you need a case.
So, what you saw in the store is not what you'll carry.

High quality! The only reason some say it doesn't feel premium is because LG successfully made it lighter. Why heavy == premium in 2018 is beyond me.

I love the feel of the V30. Always felt very premium compared to many of the other flagships that have been released as of late. I am an omni-rep for the major US carriers and I get to play with all the new phones and the V30 just fits my hands better compared to the s9 or s9+.
I like the V30 being light as a heavier phone generates more force when striking the ground. Adds for survivability.

Well built except for the back class cover not even with the metal frame, you can feel the edge not being smooth. I red about it in a review before buying, thought this cannot be real in a flagship in 2018 but still is. Anyway if used with some back protection this won't be felt.

usersky007 said:
Well built except for the back class cover not even with the metal frame, you can feel the edge not being smooth. I red about it in a review before buying, thought this cannot be real in a flagship in 2018 but still is. Anyway if used with some back protection this won't be felt.
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Click to collapse
More grip :laugh:
The phone feels valuable from the materials but Gorilla Glass sucks - already have countless micro scratches (without even combining it with keys and other sharp objects in my pocket) and it's only a few months old with very minor usage traces.
And that applies virtually to EVERY flagship (or non-flagship) phone nowadays.
Call me oldfashioned, class-less or whatever but I prefer a good plastic back/case which can without rough usage, had my Note 3 fall down countless times (with case TPU case) and no crack, same applies to the Galaxy S1 that one is even more sturdier and has survived even more falls without any traces :good:
Flagship phone users shouldn't be assumed to need to babysit or only touched their phones with silk gloves on (and whole-phone protectors) - they are everyday usage devices ("daily driver") after all - thus should be able to take quite a dozen falls, a beating (e.g. bumping against table/wall corners) and not just be there for aesthetics
If you want aesthetics by a Russian variant of those with gold plating and diamonds

zacharias.maladroit said:
The phone feels valuable from the materials but Gorilla Glass sucks - already have countless micro scratches (without even combining it with keys and other sharp objects in my pocket) and it's only a few months old with very minor usage traces.
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Click to collapse
The problem is sand. You can carry around a few particles of sand in your pocket or on a table and your phone has littly tiny scatches. :/

One of the things I really love about the V30 is how thin it is, which is only 7.3mm thick. Compare that to the S9 which is around 8.5mm. Takes me back when thinness used to be all the rage back in 2015. However as much as I like the glass back in terms of looks, I've already gotten many small scratches on the glass and I've only used it for less than 5 days! Lesson learned, ALWAYS have a case ready when you buy a glass back phone.

ChazzMatt said:
On the other hand, I own five and it has a very premium feel.
You do need the back glass for Qi wireless charging, and as a result you need a case.
So, what you saw in the store is not what you'll carry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@ChazzMatt
Yo bud, since you have 5 of these things, and you've always been helpful in the past with my (and yours I think at the time) older phones, I feel you're the go-to guy for an in-depth look at these phones.
I'm not looking for a huge write up, I don't want to take a ton of your time. But after my past experiences with the G3 heating up and destroying the solder on the display connection to the rest of the phone (or whatever it would do to break itself, fixed temporarily by the "penny mod" but ultimately doomed many G3s including two by me...) I'm a bit hesitant to buy another LG product again. I believe this issue should be fixed or at least tempered with a smaller SoC and going to an OLED display... but I digress...
Alas, I desperately need an upgrade and waiting until the fall for the SD855 Pixel 4 is not an option. I found some fairly good deals on V30+ phones and knew you had one (or 5).
Since this is a "vote how good the V30 is" thread, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind giving a semi-in-depth review. V30 and V30+ the same phone hardware/software? What are the pros/cons? Any long term concerns about construction, hardware, software? Good power, battery life, heat dissipation? Rootable at newest stock ROM? Bootloader unlockable? Good custom ROMs available? Is the stock ROM themable (substratum)? Anything else you can share that I or others may not have thought of?
I know I quoted your post from over a year ago, but was hoping to get some insight from a guy I trust here on XDA.
Thanks in advance for any help and info you can give!

LifeAsADroid said:
@ChazzMatt
Yo bud, since you have 5 of these things, and you've always been helpful in the past with my (and yours I think at the time) older phones, I feel you're the go-to guy for an in-depth look at these phones.
I'm not looking for a huge write up, I don't want to take a ton of your time. But after my past experiences with the G3 heating up and destroying the solder on the display connection to the rest of the phone (or whatever it would do to break itself, fixed temporarily by the "penny mod" but ultimately doomed many G3s including two by me...) I'm a bit hesitant to buy another LG product again. I believe this issue should be fixed or at least tempered with a smaller SoC and going to an OLED display... but I digress...
Alas, I desperately need an upgrade and waiting until the fall for the SD855 Pixel 4 is not an option. I found some fairly good deals on V30+ phones and knew you had one (or 5).
Since this is a "vote how good the V30 is" thread, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind giving a semi-in-depth review. V30 and V30+ the same phone hardware/software? What are the pros/cons? Any long term concerns about construction, hardware, software? Good power, battery life, heat dissipation? Rootable at newest stock ROM? Bootloader unlockable? Good custom ROMs available? Is the stock ROM themable (substratum)? Anything else you can share that I or others may not have thought of?
I know I quoted your post from over a year ago, but was hoping to get some insight from a guy I trust here on XDA.
Thanks in advance for any help and info you can give!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't forgotten about this. Yeah, no more overheating or boot loops. LG put in copper pipe heat dissipater.
Yes to about all your questions.
I'll try to write more later.
Go read the introduction (Section 1) part of my WTF Bootloader Unlock and Root Instructions post. I tell why V30 is good.
Also LG just added DTS 3D stereo...
LG V30/V30+
* 1440P OLED (537 ppi)
* Qi wireless charging
* 3.5mm headset jack
* Quad DAC
* DTS 3D stereo
* IP68 dust/water resistance
* rear camera OIS on normal lens - plus 120 degree wide angle lens
* superfast fingerprint sensor
* 64GB (V30) or 128GB (V30+) internal storage
* microSD port for additional storage
* bootloader unlock and root
* no notch
* fantastic battery

ChazzMatt said:
Haven't forgotten about this. Yeah, no more overheating or boot loops. LG put in copper pipe heat dissipater.
Yes to about all your questions.
I'll try to write more later.
Go read the introduction (Section 1) part of my WTF Bootloader Unlock and Root Instructions post. I tell why V30 is good.
Also LG just added DTS 3D stereo...
LG V30/V30+
* 1440P OLED (537 ppi)
* Qi wireless charging
* 3.5mm headset jack
* Quad DAC
* DTS 3D stereo
* IP68 dust/water resistance
* rear camera OIS on normal lens - plus 120 degree wide angle lens
* superfast fingerprint sensor
* 64GB (V30) or 128GB (V30+) internal storage
* microSD port for additional storage
* bootloader unlock and root
* no notch
* fantastic battery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks boss, no need to write more. I did find your WTF... post all about the root and unlock method. After writing the above I did feel like a tool, life "why couldn't I just surf around xda for a while and find these answers" lol. I guess wanted to hear it from someone I trusted from past experience.
Thanks again. I guess my only real question is related to the waterproofing. If I put the phone under the faucet to wash off spills, or if I put the phone in a tub of water, do I have to close off the charging port or headphone jack? My first time with a water resistant phone, don't want to botch it up giving it a bath or something.

LifeAsADroid said:
Thanks boss, no need to write more. I did find your WTF... post all about the root and unlock method. After writing the above I did feel like a tool, life "why couldn't I just surf around xda for a while and find these answers" lol. I guess wanted to hear it from someone I trusted from past experience.
Thanks again. I guess my only real question is related to the waterproofing. If I put the phone under the faucet to wash off spills, or if I put the phone in a tub of water, do I have to close off the charging port or headphone jack? My first time with a water resistant phone, don't want to botch it up giving it a bath or something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's the demo LG did to show it off.
I wouldn't abuse it like going swimming to take underwater pictures, but occasional rinse off shouldn't hurt.
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"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
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Sent via open market LG US998 V30/V30+

There is little of scratches at the back. But its visible if you get closer and use the light to see scratches. So not a game breaker. Yesterday while i was pulling up and when I get upsidedown, phone dropped on the marble floor and nothing happened. Height was 1.80 like.

What I hate about the Pixel 2 XL

Is Google turning into Apple?
Google is still doing carrier exclusive to Verizon just like Apple did with AT&T. Why!?
-Its 2017 and Google sure as hell doesn't need extra money from a carrier exclusive.
Google trolled Apple last year for no headphone jack. This year they followed in the footsteps of Apple by removing it? Why!?
-IP67 can still be done with a headphone jack. (Samsung etc..)
-Headphone jack sound can be improved with DAC (LG)
-The USB C can still be used for audio even with a headphone jack.
Google charges $200 more for a bigger screen? Apple charges $100 more for the bigger screen and better specs?
Google still doesn't have wireless charging but they did on the Nexus 6? (All the competition has wireless charging in 2017)
Google is playing the Apple game of endless adapters to do simple basic **** so they can pocket more money.
-$20 for USB-C to 3.5mm Jack (When you lose the included one)
-$44.95 for USB-C to 3.5 mm Adapter/Charger (So you can charge your phone and listen to music at the same time...)
-It's 2017 we should be moving away from adapters and cables not adding more.
Google only 4GB of RAM like really come on. At least bump it up for the Pixel 2 XL to help justify the $200 difference.
Google's camera sticks out on this version. Why?
Up to 7 hours of battery on 15 minutes of charging? Like what does that even mean? That's completely relative to the user. Why not say up to 70% in 15min or whatever.
Google why are you still using USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) and not Gen 2(10Gbps)?
Using LG for the display is disappointing. I would have liked to see Samsung make the displays. Samsung makes the best displays on the market.
The Pixel 2 is a big improvement over the Pixel but still, falls short of the competition IMO. (Samsung, LG, OnePlus etc..)
I'm not saying the Pixel 2 is a bad phone. Its just targeted towards the type of people that buy iPhones.
I miss the phones targeted towards developers aka the Nexus line. Why not have a Nexus and Pixel line?
I'm still rocking the Nexus 6P. I couldn't justify the price for the Pixel XL and still have trouble justifying the price for the Pixel 2 XL
The lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack really rubs me the wrong way. Especially since they trolled Apple last year for not having one. Google fans went nuts over that and couldn't understand why Apple fans acted like it was no big deal. Now Google does the same thing and the majority of Google fans act like it's no big deal. Just shrugging it off. I have such a hard time supporting Google anymore. I've been a huge Google fan since the first Nexus device. I just feel so left behind now. My respect for Google is diminishing fast.
I realize that these are all nitpicking complaints but come on. With that price tag, everyone should really be nitpicking.
The lack of 3.5mm headphone jack has me on the fence. Every time I see an iPhone user walking around with the adapter to listen to music I laugh. It looks so damn goofy and awkward. Picturing myself with the adapter and my Bose headphones for the Pixel XL just makes me shake my head.

I can agree with you on some points.
Like why troll Apple and then follow in their footsteps with the headphone jack removal. I don't have an issue losing the jack I have an issue with trolling Apple then doing it like it isn't an issue.
The wireless charging is a nice feature I'm rocking on my note 8 but it isn't a necessity for me.
I'm curious to see the how the screen is but all the videos and hands on I've seen it looks pretty darn good.
The Nexus 6p was a great device but it's outdated now. I'm thrilled the front facing speakers come back and that camera bump is to house an amazing sensor. Just saw some of the samples and they are unreal!
They aren't making you spend the money just like the iPhone X but I'll gladly spend the $1000 over anything else on the market
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

If they were trying to emulate apple or even compete with them they would have a higher storage option than 128gb.
Hell even chinese phones have a 256gb option these days.
Google dropped the ball on storage options for sure.
And thats the only thing holding me back from getting one
sent from my Note FE

oneandroidnut said:
I can agree with you on some points.
Like why troll Apple and then follow in their footsteps with the headphone jack removal. I don't have an issue losing the jack I have an issue with trolling Apple then doing it like it isn't an issue.
The wireless charging is a nice feature I'm rocking on my note 8 but it isn't a necessity for me.
I'm curious to see the how the screen is but all the videos and hands on I've seen it looks pretty darn good.
The Nexus 6p was a great device but it's outdated now. I'm thrilled the front facing speakers come back and that camera bump is to house an amazing sensor. Just saw some of the samples and they are unreal!
They aren't making you spend the money just like the iPhone X but I'll gladly spend the $1000 over anything else on the market
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, honestly that's the biggest reason why I think it bothers me so much. Just because they trolled Apple about it. If they would have made fun of themselves during the keynote about removing the 3.5mm headphone jack after last years troll. I would have really respected that but they just brushed it off. I'm not saying that LG will have a bad panel but I fear it will have some inconsistencies between devices. If I get the Pixel XL and the screen is not perfect. Then have to return it to Google to get another one that would really piss me off. Especially since Verizon users can just walk into the store and get a new one the same day if that's the case. LG has had issues in the past with producing consistent displays. Samsung just simply has the best displays.

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A perfect phone never existed and never will be one in history
you have to know this for a fact
all phones have flows (expensive - cheap - heavy -big -small -skinny - old specs - etc )
and you have to decide what is the most important thing to you and go for it
for example, to me ( vanilla android - OS update very fast ) this is way i got my Nexus 6 before and the reason i order pixel 2
other factors are important but these 2 things are a most for me
And to some people if they removed a thing it will not affect them
like the Headphone jack, i have not used a wired headphones in 2 years (in my phone)
i went full Bluetooth, so removing it is sad but it will not affect me
i wish it has 6 gigs of ram though
and i wish a good nexus replacement show up in the future

If they are trying to copy Apple or create a premium handset, then why is wireless charging omitted from the Pixel 2? I did not understand why that option is not present, while ever other flagship smartphone has it.. I also cannot understand not adding an SDcard slot, well other then to force you to buy the 128GB model and charge a huge premium like Apple does.
Edit: I was also really considering a Samsung S8 or Note 8 but after getting burned with a S7 Edge this pushed me toward the pixel. My S7 display had the pink line issue with the screen and was 2 months out of warranty so Samsung wanted to charge $200 for a DEFECT in the device that many others had and no recall was done. This really pushed me away from Samsung. I also had issues with the LG G6 bootlooping in the past and why I tend to avoid LG going forward.

I think they (and every other manufacturer) try to make a decision based on their analysis of what gets them the best return. You (the general you, or we... whatever) need to make a decision about which manufacturer's decision best fits our personal desires. If you can find one that is a complete match... awesome!
I have no interest in SD cards or wireless charging. I was kind of sad when the front facing speakers went away for the Pixel XL, so I am thrilled that they're back. I use headphones regularly, but just bluetooth sets... so I am fine with the ditched jack. I have never had anything resembling lag or slowness, so the performance specs seem great.

force70 said:
If they were trying to emulate apple or even compete with them they would have a higher storage option than 128gb.
Hell even chinese phones have a 256gb option these days.
Google dropped the ball on storage options for sure.
And thats the only thing holding me back from getting one
sent from my Note FE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree I was looking to try a mi mix 2 and you can get 8 GB of ram and 256 GB of storage on their special edition one and 6/256 on a regular! That is nuts compared to google with half of that!
KillerDroid96 said:
Yeah, honestly that's the biggest reason why I think it bothers me so much. Just because they trolled Apple about it. If they would have made fun of themselves during the keynote about removing the 3.5mm headphone jack after last years troll. I would have really respected that but they just brushed it off. I'm not saying that LG will have a bad panel but I fear it will have some inconsistencies between devices. If I get the Pixel XL and the screen is not perfect. Then have to return it to Google to get another one that would really piss me off. Especially since Verizon users can just walk into the store and get a new one the same day if that's the case. LG has had issues in the past with producing consistent displays. Samsung just simply has the best displays.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah for sure and i hope the LG will have a great panel, everything I have seen on the v30 it looks great and i believe panel is the same or very close! I am a verizon user but will not purchase from verizon! I want that google unlocked bootloader!

krolla03 said:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.
Considered response to op's whining snowflake post but yours says it better!

They are not turning completely into Apple, they are just barely trying, come on I can buy an iPhones anywhere, with global warranty and more than 5+ years of software updates.
Pixels, on the other side, can only be purchased in 5 out of 195 countries no international shipping (they have a useless Google Store in more than 30 countries at the moment), no physical stores or pickup points for travellers, now they have 3 years of software updates (better than 2), and they mostly sell the pixels "on-demand". Stock never last etc. (Of course there are always stock problems, probably 50% of the Pixels purchased are sold at a much higher price to the rest of the world and with crappy warranty).
So, yes, Google is converting into Apple, but only in the bad sides of Apple. Apple has good sides (stock everywhere, warranty everywhere no matter where you purchased the phone, pickup locations, no inflated price, 5 years of software updates). I'd love to see google adopting these things from Apple, and not the bad things, like giving "exclusive" software features to Pixels (new iPhones) and separating the Pixels more and more from the AOSP.

Problem solved. Don't get one.

My dislike is much more trivial. I hate the uneven top and bottom bezels. I guess I'm a sucker for symmetry.
Still gonna be the best phone on the market along with the V30.

Sounds like you shouldn't get a Pixel 2 XL then. And by extension, you shouldn't clutter the forums with useless posts just to feed your inner drama queen.

Elnrik said:
Sounds like you shouldn't get a Pixel 2 XL then. And by extension, you shouldn't clutter the forums with useless posts just to feed your inner drama queen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Guess you didnt read the thread title lol.
"What i hate about" its not a what i love about it or why im getting it thread.
So technically your cluttering this thread lol
sent from my Note FE

You must be right.
:good:

What purpose would extra RAM serve on the device?

force70 said:
Guess you didnt read the thread title lol.
"What i hate about" its not a what i love about it or why im getting it thread.
So technically your cluttering this thread lol
sent from my Note FE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then dont get it...you will make someone else happier to get it

lucky_strike33 said:
Then dont get it...you will make someone else happier to get it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read dude...and you will see your reply to my quoted post makes zero sense lol.
I may actually get it though ....it kinda ticks all the boxes this year for me anyway.
sent from my Note FE

I'm out of the XL 2 party. I got a good look at the screen bezels today and canceled my order. I like my flat screen so I ordered the regular XL instead. At least I'll be getting a larger phone as this 5" is pretty tough for me to read. Maybe next year Google...

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Moto G6, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Moto G6 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

Got it activated first on Project Fi 3 days ago, for some reasons - I was "expecting" it to be a little bigger but it's just 2 clicks larger than the Nexus 5X getting traded in with the "generous" upgrade. For an entry/mid-range smartphone in 2018, I voted a 4 out of 5 (not that the absence of NFC or inability to use G.Pay is a make or break deal, I hardly use it & most places still do not accept it as mobile payment here in the US)
Dolby sound is very good, screen is bright & audio played via the speaker is fine - giving it a good workout as we hit the road today for a trip, more on the G6 later ... bootloader still locked at the moment.
Net cost to get this brand new G6 to me is about $120 after the trade-in, not really spend much more than paying someone to replace the old, tired & not as good 2.5 years old battery on the Nexus 5X, so I'm a little biased on this Lenovo/Motorola piece.

Letitride said:
Got it activated first on Project Fi 3 days ago, for some reasons - I was "expecting" it to be a little bigger but it's just 2 clicks larger than the Nexus 5X getting traded in with the "generous" upgrade. For an entry/mid-range smartphone in 2018, I voted a 4 out of 5 (not that the absence of NFC or inability to use G.Pay is a make or break deal, I hardly use it & most places still do not accept it as mobile payment here in the US)
Dolby sound is very good, screen is bright & audio played via the speaker is fine - giving it a good workout as we hit the road today for a trip, more on the G6 later ... bootloader still locked at the moment.
Net cost to get this brand new G6 to me is about $120 after the trade-in, not really spend much more than paying someone to replace the old, tired & not as good 2.5 years old battery on the Nexus 5X, so I'm a little biased on this Lenovo/Motorola piece.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Similar thoughts as you (also running the Project Fi version of the phone).
- Phone is smaller than I expected.
- Loving the thin bezels, looks much more premium than the actual cost to me ($200)
- I don't use NFC. Don't trust it, so the lack of NFC is not a big deal
- Battery life is good, front facing speaker loud, screen is bright and sharp
- Responsiveness is in line with what you would expect from a $300-400 phone IMO
- Nearly stock Android experience = CLUTCH

Agree with others. Coming from a 5X most everything is acceptable given the price. I was blown away by the speaker. BUT my biggest gripe is the cameras low light performance...its not good by any means, very grainy, colors are bad. Regular outdoor pics are good though. Also wouldve preferred for it to NOT have a glass back since im a klutz and guaranteed to break it.

Have had this phone a couple of weeks now. Got to say I like it a lot. Definitely a step up from my Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 that I had for 3 years. This is also the most expensive phone (about $250) I've had as I'm a cheap skate and no way I'm ever paying $400 plus for a phone. Just can't bring myself to do it. The price I paid for this phone is "high dollar" for me, lol. Still getting used to the new 18x9 screen. A part of me likes it and a part of me likes 16x9 better. Since pretty much all phones are going to this size, I guess I better get used to it. The new screen size almost feels like a "cheater" to me. Moved the menu icons inside screen and made the width smaller making keyboard in portrait view (which is the way I text) actually a little smaller than what I had. Taller view but most stuff you view in landscape has bars so I don't see the benefit to it yet. Most comments I read about it, people love it. Me not so much. Phone itself is very good. Performance is very good, screen resolution is very good, camera is very good, battery life is very good (especially compared to my Redmi Note 2 which was a battery sucker). I like Android 8 and Moto apps. Pretty much bloatware free, and is nice and snappy. Had to put a case on it (put a Spigen on it) cause the phone actually felt a little small in my hands. The case gave it a little more bulk and made it feel a lot better in my hand. Love the fingerprint scanner which to me is the coolest thing since sliced bread (yup I'm a dinosaur). To tell the truth I would probably still be using the Note 2 but it started acting up on me. Now since I got this one though, it pretty much blows away my old phone in every way possible which of course is a good thing since I spent the bucks for a new phone. All in all I'm pretty damned happy with this phone. About the only thing I could say I wished it was, was a bigger phone. I went from a 5.5" 16x9 screen to a 5.7" 18x9 screen and this feels smaller than the other one to me in my hands. In the 18x9 size, I wish a had like a 6" or 6.5" screen. That would give more width that I would like to have. The width on the 16x9 was actually about 1/4" wider than the18x9 one, which is actually a substantial difference when using a keyboard.

Deleted: Double post

MikeO89 said:
Have had this phone a couple of weeks now. Got to say I like it a lot. Definitely a step up from my Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 that I had for 3 years. This is also the most expensive phone (about $250) I've had as I'm a cheap skate and no way I'm ever paying $400 plus for a phone. Just can't bring myself to do it. The price I paid for this phone is "high dollar" for me, lol. Still getting used to the new 18x9 screen. A part of me likes it and a part of me likes 16x9 better. Since pretty much all phones are going to this size, I guess I better get used to it. The new screen size almost feels like a "cheater" to me. Moved the menu icons inside screen and made the width smaller making keyboard in portrait view (which is the way I text) actually a little smaller than what I had. Taller view but most stuff you view in landscape has bars so I don't see the benefit to it yet. Most comments I read about it, people love it. Me not so much. Phone itself is very good. Performance is very good, screen resolution is very good, camera is very good, battery life is very good (especially compared to my Redmi Note 2 which was a battery sucker). I like Android 8 and Moto apps. Pretty much bloatware free, and is nice and snappy. Had to put a case on it (put a Spigen on it) cause the phone actually felt a little small in my hands. The case gave it a little more bulk and made it feel a lot better in my hand. Love the fingerprint scanner which to me is the coolest thing since sliced bread (yup I'm a dinosaur). To tell the truth I would probably still be using the Note 2 but it started acting up on me. Now since I got this one though, it pretty much blows away my old phone in every way possible which of course is a good thing since I spent the bucks for a new phone. All in all I'm pretty damned happy with this phone. About the only thing I could say I wished it was, was a bigger phone. I went from a 5.5" 16x9 screen to a 5.7" 18x9 screen and this feels smaller than the other one to me in my hands. In the 18x9 size, I wish a had like a 6" or 6.5" screen. That would give more width that I would like to have. The width on the 16x9 was actually about 1/4" wider than the18x9 one, which is actually a substantial difference when using a keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great post, MikeO89...
Love your enthusiasm for the G6. It pretty much echoes mine.
I paid £220 here in the UK for mine, and like yourself, it's really about as much as I want to pay for a phone these days. There's been a considerable amount of coverage over the recent release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and certainly the specs do look pretty damn awesome, but at close to nearly a £1000, an eye-watering sum of money for me... well, I just couldn't envisage spending that amount, even if I had it. Maybe when I have the next winning Euromillions lottery ticket, I'll buy one or whatever flagship is out then, but until that auspicious and lucky day arrives, I'm more than happy with my Moto G6.
And which I bought to replace my ageing and battery-dying HTC One M8, which I paid £530 for back in 2014. I remember my Dad at the time saying in almost stunned and amazed disbelief "You want to spend how much on a phone??!!!" as though he'd not quite heard me correctly. Of course, I did try to explain that it was more of a personal pocket computer that just happens to have the ability to make phone calls. After I bought one and he saw it in action and began to understand the capabilities of it... well, he went out and bought one himself!
That was four years ago, and I'm a little bit more price conscious these days, so when my One M8's battery began to die earlier this year, I knew I needed a new phone.
Initially, I made the mistake of assuming that you needed to spend £600 or £700 on a phone to get a quality device. I'd been hearing about the Moto G series phones and the rave reviews they'd received around a year before, so when I heard about this years G6 release, I checked out all the reviews. My initial response was one of skepticism ~ how can a company like Lenovo release a phone with such great features at just a shade over £200 AND make a profit. Surely there's a catch, I mean there has to be, right? Wrong!
As it turns out, the Moto G6 is every bit as good as the reviews say it is. And you don't need to mortgage your soul to own one. I mean, where do I begin... fast turbo charging, really nice vibrant colourful screen, amazing battery life, Android 8 Oreo with next-to-no bloat, and fingerprint unlock. Yeah, I love fingerprint unlock. It's like your very own personal ON switch that nobody else can use, and no more playing join-the-dots and trying to remember which unlock pattern is correct for this device amongst the other devices (tablets) I own.
As for the size and aspect ratio, I love it. Coming from my old HTC One M8 which had an aspect of 16:9 and a resolution of 1080x1920...
...to the Moto G6 with an aspect of 18:9 (Rhetorical question: why isn't it just simply called 2:1) and resolution of 1080x2160, which my calculations reveal to be a 12.5% increase based on number of pixels alone. It is a sort of a cheat, but I feel in a good way. I now have a phone that doesn't feel significantly bigger than my One M8, because the width has stayed the same, but the height has increased, but not by that much when you 'add-on' the One M8's speakers at the top and bottom, but the actual screen size increase on the G6 is quite noticeable.
I use Nova Launcher, and I like tinkering around with Themes, Icon Packs, Wallpapers and Layouts and with the increase vertically, I now have more layout options for things like icons and widgets, because there's an extra couple of rows on the Nova desktop. And 5.7 inches feels about right to me. I'm not sure I would feel comfortable handling something like a 6 inch or larger device. If I can, I like to operate my phone one-handed and the bigger these things get, the more difficult one-handed operation becomes.
I do take your point about black bars in landscape mode though, particularly if you're watching video content, most of which tends to be shot in 16:9 aspect. This doesn't overly bother me really, because I generally don't watch a lot of stuff on my phone anyway. And when I do, I just sort of ignore the black bars. I watch a lot of old films and TV dramas on my TV back when things were shot in 4:3 aspect, and I just got used to seeing left and right black bars on my TV, so on my phone it's really not an issue for me.
I guess we can quibble about the shortcomings of the G6 ~ for example, the one thing I do miss is the left and right stereo HTC BoomSound front facing speakers that provided great quality audio on my old One M8. On the G6 there's only a single mono speaker - it sounds pretty good, but I miss the stereo - gotta dig out my headphones now if I want stereo. Great that there's an old fashioned 3.5mm audio socket on it for me to use my headphones. Won't get that an some £1000 flagships! I jest of course; I'm not having a pop at flagship devices, I'm just amused by the irony of it.
So, on the whole, minor quibbles aside, the Moto G6 is a pretty amazing phone for such a great price. It performs brilliantly and looks great. The Gorilla Glass back adds a touch of class to the device, although it can feel a little bit slippery at times. When I first got it, I had unpleasant visions of it sliding out of my hand and crashing to the concrete outside and cracking all that beautiful glass (the horror, the horror!), so I have now ensconced it in the protective embrace of a Spigen case, which actually looks quite good, and feels good in the hand too.
Well, that pretty much says it all really. A great phone at a great price. Can't really say much more than that... Well, I could, but then I'd be here all night typing superlatives and this post would just go on and on and on and on, etc., etc. and etc.
Ged.

its not the fastest device but for a budget device I really like it.

Overall probably the best bang for your buck if your looking at carrier specific devices. Came from a Galaxy S7 which I kinda went swimming with. I'm loving the 18:9 screen. I do notice the occasional hiccup when multitasking, but the battery life is on another level compared to my old S7.

Love my North American unlocked G6! Great value for the money. The battery life is fine, but I suggest using a browser for some of your social media, if you want to get plenty of power for a day of use.
I've already gotten direct looks at my phone from other people, and some folks can't believe I paid less than $300 for it. Glad I chose the oyster finish vs deep indigo. I do have a case on it, as the glass back is known to crack easily if the phone falls hard on the ground. My B&H order came with a free frosted silicone case, and tempered glass for the screen. Perfect!

Coming from U11 life, this phone seems better.
VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling work out of the box with T-Mobile
Rather loud speaker
I think 2:1 screen is OK
It looks like plain Android
Cam looks OK under low light
Decent reception with B12
It's fast like 6xx processor.
Adjustable screen tint
I am satisfied with the phone for the price.

Cool looking..

I've manageg to buy mine G6 for 129EUR, for that price it's best device I could choose.

Great phone for ~$100 now on eBay that's still getting security updates.
Pros:
+ $100 now on eBay for like-new condition
+ Almost pure stock Android, very little bloat and what is there I actually use (chop twice for flashlight, etc). Very stable.
+ Great band support, unlocked XT1925-6 will work on any US carrier, only missing bands 14, 46, and 71.
+ 3gb RAM is plenty sufficient to keep about three resource-heavy apps active at once.
+ Camera is decent enough and about what you'd expect from a phone in this price range.
+ You can adjust DPI under developer options, which makes content on phone appear larger/smaller so you can fit more on-screen. Very handy.
Cons:
- SD450 is an obvious bottleneck in resource-heavy apps, expect sporadic lag if you're playing PUBGM or running a browser with ten tabs open.
- Battery life could be better, usually end the day around 20% with moderate use. Not bad, but not great either.
If this had a SD600 series and a slightly larger battery it'd easily be 5*. For $100 bucks though it's hard to be upset with it.

Well I found the first problem with this phone. I can't get it to recognize an external microphone to record with the camera. I plugged in an external mic I had (3.5mm with 4 pin plug) and at first thought it was working as I made a couple of videos. Then I noticed in the videos that the sound would go up and down through the video. As I later found out, the volume was going up and down each time I would walk away from the phone while recording being the external mic had a 6 ft cord on it. I then actually tested the external mic this time (like I should have from the beginning) and found out the whole time it was still recording with the onboard mic even with external mic plugged in. The G6 was just ignoring it as a microphone and treating it as a headphone. So now I'm stymied. The onboard mic works well enough but I really wanted to have an external mic if I wanted it. I can hardly find any info on this whole external mic vs onboard mic thing with cellphones. Still like this phone and plan on having it for quite some time but a little bummed about this latest development.

OK, doing a follow up post to the one above concerning the issue with G6 not recognizing external mic when making a video. I had about given up on this and I had been searching like crazy about it. With my lack on finding anyone having similar issues like this, I was starting to think I'm the only one who is trying to use an external mic with this phone to make videos. I thought maybe is was just a jack issue so I then tried same external mic with my voice recorder app. With that app the external mic was working. Now I knew it wasn't the jack. I then installed "Open Camera" from the Google Play Store. There was actually a setting in video settings to select an external mic for recording. I then went ahead and made another video using the external mic and what do you know it worked perfect! One other setting that I'm excited about so far in Open Camera is the video stabilization setting. I don't have the steadiest hands and always had to use a tripod or my videos would come out like being on a boat. Made one with that setting on and it kept the video still as I was shooting it. It made me look like my shake was gone (wish it really was). This Open Camera app just kicks the living **** out of the Moto G6 stock camera app! Sure glad I tried it.

Got one on Motorola promo for $100. Very nice inexpensive backup phone!