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Hi. Im living in Russia and there are only exynos variant available. After using rather bad exynos note 4 (overheat, bad reception, 3g/4g battery drain, poor aosp development) i decided to buy snapdragon variant of s7 edge. I believe samsung is using superior versions of their handsets in key markets such as NA and China. But for my surprise all s7 edge sold in USA are carrier bound. My question are there unlocked s7 edge snapdragon? What carrier should i choose? Will at-t and t-mobile phones work with other gsm carriers around the world. Also i need no carrier bloatware and unlocked bootloader. As for network i need band 20 800Mhz and band 7 2600Mhz.
Thanks in advance.
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
Hi. Im living in Russia and there are only exynos variant available. After using rather bad exynos note 4 (overheat, bad reception, 3g/4g battery drain, poor aosp development) i decided to buy snapdragon variant of s7 edge. I believe samsung is using superior versions of their handsets in key markets such as NA and China. But for my surprise all s7 edge sold in USA are carrier bound. My question are there unlocked s7 edge snapdragon? What carrier should i choose? Will at-t and t-mobile phones work with other gsm carriers around the world. Also i need no carrier bloatware and unlocked bootloader. As for network i need band 20 800Mhz and band 7 2600Mhz.
Thanks in advance.
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None of the U.S. devices cover band 7 nor 20 i guess, those bands aren't used over there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks_in_Europe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Also, normally carrier locked devices won't work for other carriers unless you hack (was not possible at recent devices afaik) it or pay for unlocking it. But you could be lucky there at the s7 with it locking just at first boot. It could be, that it'll lock to your carrier instead of the one you bought it from, but you'll have to verify that it works before, also it'll only work, if it never has been booted by any employ at the carrier you bought it to ship it locked already.
Tectas said:
None of the U.S. devices cover band 7 nor 20 i guess, those bands aren't used over there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks_in_Europe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LTE_networks
Also, normally carrier locked devices won't work for other carriers unless you hack (was not possible at recent devices afaik) it or pay for unlocking it. But you could be lucky there at the s7 with it locking just at first boot. It could be, that it'll lock to your carrier instead of the one you bought it from, but you'll have to verify that it works before, also it'll only work, if it never has been booted by any employ at the carrier you bought it to ship it locked already.
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I saw people importing note 4 sm-910c to USA because its compatible with US lte frequences Same model sold in Russia. I think device itself can support this frequnces though they are not used there.
I'd wait before presuming the Snapdragon model will be superior to the Exynos, especially in terms of things like overheat and reception. It's certainly possible it will be the better option, but there is no guarantee yet. And especially with the debacle on the 810, Snapdragon haven't exactly covered themselves in glory recently.
Hardly anyone has the Exynos model yet, whilst there are a lot of T-Mobile customers in the US who have the Snapdragon, some of who are reporting being unable to use the VR headset for more than 30 minutes without the phone complaining of overheat. Wait until next week and there will be proper comparison reviews that go beyond Snapdragon having a few extra meaningless numbers on some benchmark. That's when an informed decision can be made as to whether it's worth going through the bother of buying your device out of territory and forsaking the manufacturer guarantee.
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Beefheart said:
I'd wait before presuming the Snapdragon model will be superior to the Exynos, especially in terms of things like overheat and reception. It's certainly possible it will be the better option, but there is no guarantee yet. And especially with the debacle on the 810, Snapdragon haven't exactly covered themselves in glory recently.
Hardly anyone has the Exynos model yet, whilst there are a lot of T-Mobile customers in the US who have the Snapdragon, some of who are reporting being unable to use the VR headset for more than 30 minutes without the phone complaining of overheat. Wait until next week and there will be proper comparison reviews that go beyond Snapdragon having a few extra meaningless numbers on some benchmark. That's when an informed decision can be made as to whether it's worth going through the bother of buying your device out of territory and forsaking the manufacturer guarantee.
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Good point. I bother buying snapdragon mostly because of lower TDP and better 4g reception in past models. If exynos become equal in this areas i see no point in importing. And i dont wanna wait long cause if i preorder before 18 march i will get free gear vr though i dont need it xD
Tectas said:
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Note 4 have both sd and exynos variants. Its note 5 only nave exynos.
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
Note 4 have both sd and exynos variants. Its note 5 only nave exynos.
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Yes, that's why I've removed the post, mixed the numbering, sorry.
But if you take a look, at least here aren't any of those bands supported at the U.S. variants.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/how-to/detailed-sm-g935-s7-info-t3326180
But what about carrier software? I heard some carriers replace stock samsung apps like browser. Also is it true what at-t and tmobile phones recieve updates later than their unlocked counterparts?
TANKRED_ENDURES said:
But what about carrier software? I heard some carriers replace stock samsung apps like browser. Also is it true what at-t and tmobile phones recieve updates later than their unlocked counterparts?
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Would be the first time I hear something like the browser replaced by a carrier, but maybe possible, in common they just add stuff though and make small changes (modem, bootscreen,...). And yes, carrier devices in common get updates later, because the carriers have to incorporate their changes (which can be a few days to months, depends on the carrier), but at the european variants we're lucky with stock roms at least (or at least have been). In most cases you simply can flash a unbranded rom there through odin without second thought.
Like the title says, what's the best place to buy unlocked international phones in US.
I also might have an option to buy while traveling to UK and looking for suggestions.
Will be using it on AT&T.
thanks!
The US has Snapdragon, the UK has Exynos
Super-Veloce said:
The US has Snapdragon, the UK has Exynos
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thanks for the eye opener, now back to my question "Best place to buy Exynos version in US"
In the past, I've had the best success with well rated ebay resellers. Having ebay back your purchase is important because they are so buyer centric. If there are any issues at all, they will force paypal to refund your money. The only downside to this, is that you'll likely pay a little more - especially if you purchase right at release time.
Wonda Mobile and Expansys are also great/reputable online resellers that will surely sell the S8 and S8+. You'll pay closer to the retail price of the device (no ebay fees, price gouging, etc) and their return policies are good. That said, YOU will pay return fees back to Korea if there are issues and you're 100% at their discretion for returns/replacements/restocking fees, etc.
Hope this helps.
morbidz said:
thanks for the eye opener, now back to my question "Best place to buy Exynos version in US"
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I got my Galaxy S7 Edge (G935F) on Amazon and was going to get the NOTE 7 EXYNOS from https://www.bhphotovideo.com/
They are a good retailer - I am hoping we can get preorder from them - (they did offer a preorder for the NOTE but it never happened because batteries started exploding before the NOTE 7 Was released.
Silly question - but why would one prefer the Exynos version over the Snapdragon? Is there a noticeable difference in performance, or some other factor?
From what I hear, the performance on the Exynos variant is better than the Snapdragon variant. Also, the SnapDragon variant has been bootloader locked as of lately (Note 7, S7, and S7 Edge) while the Exynos variants have been unlocked.
So I pre-ordered a sim unlocked s8+ through samsung's UK site. not sure if they will ship to US though
Greetings from Canada,
Would anyone know which "soc" goes in the Canadian variant?
Thank you.
cguarino said:
Silly question - but why would one prefer the Exynos version over the Snapdragon? Is there a noticeable difference in performance, or some other factor?
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thats so naive from you..see the galaxy s7 exynos variant was unlock the past year where the s7 820 was not, what that means ?
basically means that you was not able to root any western device , but only exynos variant can... and root a device is crucial to open a lot of possibilitys like overclock
and responding to the question of this guy, basically in every latin country on america you can find the exynos variant, which is kind a weird cosidering that allways all america used the qualcomm variant in the past , and because a lot of mexicans carriers dont have the culture of wait until the oficial release of the smartphone i will expect some people to buyit long before
samteeee said:
Greetings from Canada,
Would anyone know which "soc" goes in the Canadian variant?
Thank you.
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Canada is getting the snapdragon like the USA unfortunately.
Handtech and Clove are both reputable UK shops that many on this forum have used and recommend. Be aware if you're a first time buyer at either you may have to jump extra hoops to clear your credit card. This is normal and due to the high degree of fraud in international cell phone sales.
mocsab said:
I got my Galaxy S7 Edge (G935F) on Amazon and was going to get the NOTE 7 EXYNOS from https://www.bhphotovideo.com/
They are a good retailer - I am hoping we can get preorder from them - (they did offer a preorder for the NOTE but it never happened because batteries started exploding before the NOTE 7 Was released.
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BH has it listed now, but just to notify when available. It has it listed as SM-G955. It doesn't say whether or not it is SD or exynos though.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._sm_g955_64gb_gry_galaxy_s8_sm_g955_64gb.html
I know with the international S7, Samsung Pay would not work in the US. Not too worried about that, but are there any other drawbacks? Will it work on all the LTE bands for AT&T?
I think for those that really want the international version, you'll have to find overseas sites that ship to the US or get them from a reputable seller on eBay such as never-msrp. The downside, as always, to importing is a higher price and generally, no warranty. I generally get quarterly trade where if anything happens and no one fixes the phone, they'll just give a full refund of the phone price. Anyways, just make sure it says SM 950F or SM 955F. The F are the true international unlocked models. Samsung pay may now work in the US. Check out the S7 threads to see how they got pay to work in the US
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 09:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 AM ----------
PuffinNugz said:
BH has it listed now, but just to notify when available. It has it listed as SM-G955. It doesn't say whether or not it is SD or exynos though.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._sm_g955_64gb_gry_galaxy_s8_sm_g955_64gb.html
I know with the international S7, Samsung Pay would not work in the US. Not too worried about that, but are there any other drawbacks? Will it work on all the LTE bands for AT&T?
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The s7 had all AT&T and tmobile bands. Volte didn't work and wifi calling also didn't work on tmobile tho even though the s7 had band 12. It just would not connect. I now have att so that's no longer a concern with me
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
Ordered from SamsungUK, they didnt reject my US address, so we will see what happens.
morbidz said:
So I pre-ordered a sim unlocked s8+ through samsung's UK site. not sure if they will ship to US though
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I contacted the UK samsung web page and the sim free version still need to make a 5 minut call in the uk first to be truly unlocked, as it has region locked.
Check out clove UK. They have the cheapest pricing for the S8 and the s8+ and you get the international model. Picking mine up Soon
Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
morbidz said:
So I pre-ordered a sim unlocked s8+ through samsung's UK site. not sure if they will ship to US though
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You don't want them to ship it. The EU phones have region lock. To use a SIM from a country different from the phone's selling country you have to make a 5 minute call on a SIM native to the selling country on a network native to the selling country. That's why all the grey market phones on eBay are mostly from Asia.
Here's an article on it.
http://www.androidcentral.com/your-...8e43&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
PuffinNugz said:
BH has it listed now, but just to notify when available. It has it listed as SM-G955. It doesn't say whether or not it is SD or exynos though.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod..._sm_g955_64gb_gry_galaxy_s8_sm_g955_64gb.html
I know with the international S7, Samsung Pay would not work in the US. Not too worried about that, but are there any other drawbacks? Will it work on all the LTE bands for AT&T?
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LTE on ATT works fine on the International Varients - the only thing missing is WIFI Calling and VOLTE - if those are big deals for you, yoiu need to stick with an ATT Phone. I haven't missed them - LTE speeds for me have always been great - I don't need WIFI Calling - and HD VOICE, well, I am not so sure it is everythign it is cracked up to be - call quality for me has been very good - so I personally am not missing anything.
I have wondered for a while if the snapdragon model in the US isn't something paid for by the NSA to be a the only US variant offered. Like more backdoors, etc built in to the Snapdragon variant. Unless there is some other obvious reason why the US gets only the Snapdragon variant.
It really doesn't matter for daily usable or noticeable performance however. Bet you'd never be able to tell which variant you were using if they were set up the same and you didn't check in the settings to cheat to see which variant it was.
Hi folks, I browsed this forum a few times and finally decided to make an account after all the wonderful information I've read here.
I realize there's probably no simple way to answer this question. But I'd like to buy the "best of the best" S8 I possibly can. I'm interested in the S8 specifically and not the S8 Plus. It's a phone I intend on keeping for a while, so long as nothing catastrophic happens. As such, I'm open to all possibilities.
I'm based in the USA but I would like to have the one with the most available bands to get the maximum availability on networks while traveling. I read on another thread that so far there are ways to unlock the bands in the firmware after flashing the Canadian firmware to the device. (I think this was referring to the Snapdragon North American version). But features such as Wifi Calling on T-Mobile won't work after that.
Because of carrier locks, it appears that certain models of phones only have certain bands enabled depending on which provider they were released for (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc). This is a bit of a problem, if for example, I wanted to use an AT&T phone on T-Mobile, or wanted to pop in a local SIM while traveling.
I'm presently on Verizon, but I'm not under contract and so I'm willing to switch to perhaps T-Mobile, AT&T, or whatever other GSM carriers are available. As such, CDMA capabilities aren't really a major issue for me. It would be nice, but not a deal breaker. I also get conflicting info where some sellers say their unlocked phones won't work for CDMA carriers; while others claim that the unlocked phones have all the CDMA capabilities unlocked as well.
I'm wondering also, if the Snapdragon or Exynos is preferable? The general consensus among developers seems to be that Exynos is preferable to Snapdragon when it comes to future mods, rootability, etc. What is the downside to Exynos?
Lastly, what do you think of the DUAL SIM version? My main reason for holding off on my purchase is debating whether I should get the dual SIM version or not. It would be a nice feature to have, for a phone I intended on setting up and keeping for a while. The only hesitation as far as this goes, is warranty coverage issues.
Would the international version have all the bands enabled? I've also read the Chinese and South Korean versions have 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which is pretty sweet.
Thanks!
TurboSloth said:
Hi folks, I browsed this forum a few times and finally decided to make an account after all the wonderful information I've read here.
I realize there's probably no simple way to answer this question. But I'd like to buy the "best of the best" S8 I possibly can. I'm interested in the S8 specifically and not the S8 Plus. It's a phone I intend on keeping for a while, so long as nothing catastrophic happens. As such, I'm open to all possibilities.
I'm based in the USA but I would like to have the one with the most available bands to get the maximum availability on networks while traveling. I read on another thread that so far there are ways to unlock the bands in the firmware after flashing the Canadian firmware to the device. (I think this was referring to the Snapdragon North American version). But features such as Wifi Calling on T-Mobile won't work after that.
Because of carrier locks, it appears that certain models of phones only have certain bands enabled depending on which provider they were released for (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc). This is a bit of a problem, if for example, I wanted to use an AT&T phone on T-Mobile, or wanted to pop in a local SIM while traveling.
I'm presently on Verizon, but I'm not under contract and so I'm willing to switch to perhaps T-Mobile, AT&T, or whatever other GSM carriers are available. As such, CDMA capabilities aren't really a major issue for me. It would be nice, but not a deal breaker. I also get conflicting info where some sellers say their unlocked phones won't work for CDMA carriers; while others claim that the unlocked phones have all the CDMA capabilities unlocked as well.
I'm wondering also, if the Snapdragon or Exynos is preferable? The general consensus among developers seems to be that Exynos is preferable to Snapdragon when it comes to future mods, rootability, etc. What is the downside to Exynos?
Lastly, what do you think of the DUAL SIM version? My main reason for holding off on my purchase is debating whether I should get the dual SIM version or not. It would be a nice feature to have, for a phone I intended on setting up and keeping for a while. The only hesitation as far as this goes, is warranty coverage issues.
Would the international version have all the bands enabled? I've also read the Chinese and South Korean versions have 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which is pretty sweet.
Thanks!
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Did you get your answers? I have same don't like doubts, specially related to processor and dual chip tech.
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
The only "downside" to the exynos version is the lack of CDMA support. It is superior in pretty much every other regard.
If you're considering a G950U.. I believe the AT&T model covers the most LTE bands. The Verizon version lists TDD LTE bands if those are useful to you. (But lacks other important bands)
To your question, the G950F/FD is likely your best bet.
Where do I found a list of models? I saw that in Brazil we have SM-G950, but what I see is here is only SM-G950F
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
I guess if you go with the exynos variant you will miss near fully playable gamecube/wii emulation. The exynos does other stuff better tho.
For the dual SIM variant, they have also just released a 6gb/128gb version, model number is SM-G9550. That's the best one you can get for the dual SIM variant: http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/business/business-products/mobile-device/smartphones/SM-G9550ZKGTGY.
Only downside is no Band 66 support though if you are planning to be on T-Mobile.
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk
Hi, where can i buy the S8 Plus SM-G9550 (128GB, Snapdragon, 6GB Ram)?
thx in advance
Hi mate iv always preferred going for a G9xxF/FD version since They are Exynos in-case of Root or mods Exynos gets them first and if u get a FD added advantage of the dual sim. Good Luck
Hi codex1998, i don't need root and mods. My opinion is that the SM-G9550 is the better and most powerful phone.
Hi everyone, how about official firmware updates for different models ?
Is there any difference which models receives updates, which not ?
Some of my friends use different models and here is my statistic based on their phones:
s7 edge FD (dual sim): Android 7.0, last update August 2017,
note 8 (I believe its F model): 7.1 - August 2017,
s8 FD (dual sim) - 7.0 - Oct 2017,
2x s8+ FD (dual sim) - 7.0 Oct 2017.
I see this BOGO offer direct on Samsung's website for Galaxy S8's. In the past, all Galaxy S phones were SM-G920T (T for T-Mobile) SM-G920V (V for Verizon, etc) and then Best Buy sold that piece of crap SIM unlocked SM-G920U that was bootloader LOCKED and couldn't do anything with it.
I'm trying to find out here if the Bootloader is locked on any variant of the Snapdragon 835 S8's, and which version I should get. T-Mobile has the same BOGO offer on the S8 in the form of a rebate as well, but I can't confirm anywhere the specific model number. I'm so jaded by the fact that T-Mobile left the bootloader locked on their S7 that I can't imagine them leaving it unlocked.
The G6 is also BOGO right now as well, but I don't know if that bootloader is unlocked like all my previous LG phones from T-Mo we're.
I'd really appreciate any kind of confirmed answers you might have!
Cheers!
joesee said:
I see this BOGO offer direct on Samsung's website for Galaxy S8's. In the past, all Galaxy S phones were SM-G920T (T for T-Mobile) SM-G920V (V for Verizon, etc) and then Best Buy sold that piece of crap SIM unlocked SM-G920U that was bootloader LOCKED and couldn't do anything with it.
I'm trying to find out here if the Bootloader is locked on any variant of the Snapdragon 835 S8's, and which version I should get. T-Mobile has the same BOGO offer on the S8 in the form of a rebate as well, but I can't confirm anywhere the specific model number. I'm so jaded by the fact that T-Mobile left the bootloader locked on their S7 that I can't imagine them leaving it unlocked.
The G6 is also BOGO right now as well, but I don't know if that bootloader is unlocked like all my previous LG phones from T-Mo we're.
I'd really appreciate any kind of confirmed answers you might have!
Cheers!
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All the carriers have "U" devices in the U.S. this year. The SIM you initialize the phone with is what carrier's features are added. A "U" from Samsung apparently doesn't take on the carrier whose SIM is used features and remains virgin. So "U" could be considered "universal" or "U.S." It's still a S-835 device which means "U" definitely doesn't mean unlocked bootloader.
I'm not an expert at all but I really doubt that ANY Samsung bootloader will ever be unlocked again. Pretty much after 2013 all bootloaders were locked [AFAIK] at least for the Galaxy series. I really like Samsung devices but my Galaxy Tab S (late 2014) isn't even going to get the Nougat upgrade - this actually pisses me off greatly.
When you see 'unlocked' concerning a phone/device it means CARRIER unlocked, not the bootloader. The 'unlocked' means that you can use it with any carrier that the device supports - so just about most of the carriers/providers in the entire world. Still not sure about this concerning CDMA (Verizon/Sprint) as some things may not work (different bands). Tried using GSM phones on CDMA a few years back and wasn't able to use 4G/LTE & also MMS.
Good luck.
EDIT:
Was typing this as BarryH_GEG replied to your question. Yes the letter following the model corresponds to the various carriers (Verizon, Cricket, Sprint, etc) and are also different for international versions.
EDIT2:
On another note I own a Galaxy S7 Edge (international) that has the Exynos processor that is unlocked. At the same time this is the only device I've never rooted because it works so well for me, no carrier bloatware. Also the only device I've ever purchased without a removable battery. Until the latest updates I was able to go 2 days without charging (not anymore unfortunately). The international S8/S8+ also use the Exynos processor so you might consider this option. However the cost will be high as it was for me when I purchased my GS7edge as you'll need to purchase it directly without any US discounts or such. I paid out just over $700 for my GS7edge directly, though at the same time my AT&T bill is much lower because of this.
I've researched the GS8+ international and it's looking to be around $800. Compared to trading in my GS7edge international for an unlocked US version I can get for $375 (with trade-in) if I do this within a month or so... I can probably get $400 for my GS7edge (since it's international) but how long will this take? If I only get $300 for it for a quick sale I'll still spend $500 for the new 8+ so is this worth it?
Only stating these issues so that you understand my thinking concerning an unlocked bootloader. These are [mostly, still SS stuff] bloatware free, have incredible power, etc, etc. I miss rooting my device but is it really worth it for the cost? I really want the international/Exynos S8+ but still not sure.
Let me know your thoughts, later.
Recently i wanted to buy a S5 second hand or refurbished. But wasn't sure which model was the best to buy.
Also which model of the S5 has the most XDA Developer Support right now?
That's hard to answer. I'll make a note so short summary of all the S5 for you, so you can choose one instead
Start with the ordinary Galaxy S5 model (G900F). The most popular variant, with tons of development support, has the standard SD801 and 2GB RAM. Do note that, since the G900F itself has many carrier variant, you might want to avoid the Verizon/AT&T model (G900V/A), due to locked bootloader. Any other variant falls under the klte category will be fine. Also get the FD model if you want dual SIM support. Fun fact: Sprint has an all blue variant (not just blue cover with black front)
Next is the Exynos model (G900H). Only released in Asian countries, this variant had a lot of potential, if it wasn't for the lack of LTE (which makes it the #1 contender for the worst S5 ever) Development is surprisingly good for an Exynos phone, probably only behind the international S3. Also has a dual SIM variant.
Also available is the S5 Broadband LTE-A aka G906S/K/L (whoever named it like this must be drunk) which is the S5 everyone dreamt for. Quad HD screen, Snapdragon 805, 3GB RAM LTE-A support, blah blah blah. Even the Sony IMX240 sensor, the same one on the Note 5 is here too (don't expect picture quality to be the same though due to different aperture and software and whatnot) Only released in Korea through Koreans' Big Three Carrier thought (no, not your Korea, GTFO Kim Jong-Un). Which is the reason why development sucks big time (since it is some of the rarest S5 available), only behind the S5 Sport/Active model. Without @cvxda and @bjnmonkey77, this device would've been on the same club as the LG V10. Rest in peace.
*Also, Samsung did release another LTE-A (called LTE+) capable variant of the S5 in Singapore and Europe. This one only has the SD805 though, everything else is the same as the klte variant. Development is a bit better, but not much.*
Can't forget the Neo model though. Basically the refreshed S5 without the water flap (yay!), better selfie camera, a new front camera and the brand new (for the era) Exynos 7580. Although lacking the removable battery and the development support of the klte S5 (boo!), the newer TouchWiz UI and a planned Nougat update more than makes up for it. Even if Samsung says "**** you" the device, porting Nougat from the A5 2016 should be easy, since both has the same Exynos SoC.
Last is the S5 Active/Sport model. The Active is exclusive to AT&T, while the Sport is Sprint's answer to AT&T's Active (the irony). Both are some of the hardest-hitting S5 available, while are also even rarer than the LTE-A variant. Development is pretty much non-existent, not even sure whether root is available or notz can't check sorry
I guess that's it lol. What a long answer (silly me). Sorry if you find it confusing, since my S5 only have like 3% left, and it was 11PM here. And enjoy I guess. XD.
Also XDA, swap your font plox. Looks like it's from 2010 ;;
phamanhvu01 said:
That's hard to answer. I'll make a note so short summary of all the S5 for you, so you can choose one instead
Start with the ordinary Galaxy S5 model (G900F). The most popular variant, with tons of development support, has the standard SD801 and 2GB RAM. Do note that, since the G900F itself has many carrier variant, you might want to avoid the Verizon/AT&T model (G900V/A), due to locked bootloader. Any other variant falls under the klte category will be fine. Also get the FD model if you want dual SIM support. Fun fact: Sprint has an all blue variant (not just blue cover with black front)
Next is the Exynos model (G900H). Only released in Asian countries, this variant had a lot of potential, if it wasn't for the lack of LTE (which makes it the #1 contender for the worst S5 ever) Development is surprisingly good for an Exynos phone, probably only behind the international S3. Also has a dual SIM variant.
Also available is the S5 Broadband LTE-A aka G906S/K/L (whoever named it like this must be drunk) which is the S5 everyone dreamt for. Quad HD screen, Snapdragon 805, 3GB RAM LTE-A support, blah blah blah. Even the Sony IMX240 sensor, the same one on the Note 5 is here too (don't expect picture quality to be the same though due to different aperture and software and whatnot) Only released in Korea through Koreans' Big Three Carrier thought (no, not your Korea, GTFO Kim Jong-Un). Which is the reason why development sucks big time (since it is some of the rarest S5 available), only behind the S5 Sport/Active model. Without @cvxda and @bjnmonkey77, this device would've been on the same club as the LG V10. Rest in peace.
*Also, Samsung did release another LTE-A (called LTE+) capable variant of the S5 in Singapore and Europe. This one only has the SD805 though, everything else is the same as the klte variant. Development is a bit better, but not much.*
Can't forget the Neo model though. Basically the refreshed S5 without the water flap (yay!), better selfie camera, a new front camera and the brand new (for the era) Exynos 7580. Although lacking the removable battery and the development support of the klte S5 (boo!), the newer TouchWiz UI and a planned Nougat update more than makes up for it. Even if Samsung says "**** you" the device, porting Nougat from the A5 2016 should be easy, since both has the same Exynos SoC.
Last is the S5 Active/Sport model. The Active is exclusive to AT&T, while the Sport is Sprint's answer to AT&T's Active (the irony). Both are some of the hardest-hitting S5 available, while are also even rarer than the LTE-A variant. Development is pretty much non-existent, not even sure whether root is available or notz can't check sorry
I guess that's it lol. What a long answer (silly me). Sorry if you find it confusing, since my S5 only have like 3% left, and it was 11PM here. And enjoy I guess. XD.
Also XDA, swap your font plox. Looks like it's from 2010 ;;
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Woah. Didn't expect such a long anwser tbh. So the G900F is the best one to get for development support. Thanks. I will check if it is a carrier variant or internation. Can't really get the G900H, im in UK.
I knew the S5 had a lot of models but didn't it had this many tbh.
It's Samsung dude. Also glad to help you ^^
DroidFlow said:
Recently i wanted to buy a S5 second hand or refurbished. But wasn't sure which model was the best to buy.
Also which model of the S5 has the most XDA Developer Support right now?
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Weird question. What's the best S5 ever?
The following parameters are needed for the answer:
- in which network you're going to use it,
- if you really need LTE,
- if you really need root,
- how much money you're going to spend.
Generally, "F" variant is the best for UK because it supports B3, B7, B20 LTE bands, but it's the most expensive. I'd say, 3-5 times more expensive than "V", for example.
bbsc said:
Weird question. What's the best S5 ever?
The following parameters are needed for the answer:
- in which network you're going to use it,
- if you really need LTE,
- if you really need root,
- how much money you're going to spend.
Generally, "F" variant is the best for UK because it supports B3, B7, B20 LTE bands, but it's the most expensive. I'd say, 3-5 times more expensive than "V", for example.
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I got the G900F model second hand. I got it for £120. Unlocked but i didnt know it was a vodafone version at first.
The vodafone g900f is rootable and bootloader unlockable right?
FfsWally said:
I got the G900F model second hand. I got it for £120. Unlocked but i didnt know it was a vodafone version at first.
The vodafone g900f is rootable and bootloader unlockable right?
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G900F variant supposes unlocked bootloader.
Vodafone version may mean a branded firmware (can be replaced with unbranded for the same variant) and network lock, probably.
Root should definitely be possible.
bbsc said:
G900F variant supposes unlocked bootloader.
Vodafone version may mean a branded firmware (can be replaced with unbranded for the same variant) and network lock, probably.
Root should definitely be possible.
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Oh thanks. Yeah, I think the firmware is the Vodafone version.
FfsWally said:
Oh thanks. Yeah, I think the firmware is the Vodafone version.
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You're welcome.
I've just bought yet another G900V for $36...
They are so good and cheap that I simply cannot stop buying them
bbsc said:
You're welcome.
I've just bought yet another G900V for $36...
They are so good and cheap that I simply cannot stop buying them
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Woah. How the hell did you find it for that cheap. WTF.
FfsWally said:
Woah. How the hell did you find it for that cheap. WTF.
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/122639589867
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322533862995
...
The matter is that I can repair something.
That's why the latest 4 G900Vs were bought for $25-$65.
The problem is to find device with good LCD.
bbsc said:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/122639589867
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322533862995
...
The matter is that I can repair something.
That's why the latest 4 G900Vs were bought for $25-$65.
The problem is to find device with good LCD.
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Click to collapse
Oh i see. You buy it for the parts. Now it makes sense.
S5 Mini or S5 Neo
Hi,
I currently own a Samsung Galaxy S (yes no trailing number)!!!!
I am looking to replace it with either a Galaxy S5 Mini or a Galaxy S5 Neo, I'm not really sure which one to go for and I hope someone here can give me some advice as to which one is the best phone, from a reliability / performance / ease of use / battery life perspective.
Thanks in advance!!!