Database Users

Is N6P worth it in today's time.?

Hello there,
I am thinking of purchasing a new Nexus 6P. I just want a phone with a bigger screen, great camera and sound and especially a great development support that can last for around the next 4 years..
Can anyone help me in knowing the battery life and the overall experience of using a Nexus 6P..
Price is USD 460 (Brand new)
Would be of great help..!
Thanks,
A fellow Android user.
PS - My main reason of considering a N6P is a great community support.
If you wish, you can recommend me any phone running Pure Android , that would be worth the purchase.

@pulkit said:
Hello there,
I am thinking of purchasing a new Nexus 6P. I just want a phone with a bigger screen, great camera and sound and especially a great development support that can last for around the next 4 years..
Can anyone help me in knowing the battery life and the overall experience of using a Nexus 6P..
Price is USD 460 (Brand new)
Would be of great help..!
Thanks,
A fellow Android user.
PS - My main reason of considering a N6P is a great community support.
If you wish, you can recommend me any phone running Pure Android , that would be worth the purchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a great phone, but I though I've heard that a new 6P could be had for around $350 or so. $460 is very close to what it was at launch. but even still at what the Pixel and they new S8 and G6 will cost, that will still be a a very good price comparatively speaking. I personally wouldn't pay more then say $350-$400 for one now at almost 18 months old.

Worth it
@pulkit said:
Hello there,
I am thinking of purchasing a new Nexus 6P. I just want a phone with a bigger screen, great camera and sound and especially a great development support that can last for around the next 4 years..
Can anyone help me in knowing the battery life and the overall experience of using a Nexus 6P..
Price is USD 460 (Brand new)
Would be of great help..!
Thanks,
A fellow Android user.
PS - My main reason of considering a N6P is a great community support.
If you wish, you can recommend me any phone running Pure Android , that would be worth the purchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just bought a used Nexus 6p to replace a failing Moto X Pure Edition (2015) and I am extremely pleased with it so far. For longevity it's very hard to tell when you're talking about 4 years out but there is very little out there with the pure experience that is going to match the support the 6p will have. Battery life has been acceptable though not amazing. Charges very fast so that helps offset. Standby time has been excellent though screen on time is what really drains it. The camera takes great photos though the HDR+ processing is slower than I thought it would be (as is processing of the Blur effect when used).
The experience has been the best of any phone I've used. Everything is snappy and I don't get occasionaly slowdowns I used to get on every other phone I've used (Moto X, Note 4, HTC One, G2, S4). It's a bit heavier than I like and I keep a case on it because it is a bit slick with nothing on it but otherwise comfortable. I love finally having a phone with a fingerprint sensor and this one works great. I never have issues with it. Connectivity has been great with Wifi, 4G, bluetooth and GPS. No issues with any. Speakers are very good. Very similar quality to my Moto X Pure. Nice and loud and front facing.
I wish the camera sensor was a 16:9 ratio since I prefer taking all my photos that way. When you crop down to 16:9 on the 6p you're down to 8.3Mp which is a bit low for preserving detail. If you prefer 4:3 you won't have any complaints.
I run mine stock, rooted with google assistant enabled and my only complaint is that the stock launcher won't let you change the home screen grid size. I normally use Nova Launcher but I'm liking using the new icon quick shortcuts in Nougat (similar to the force touch actions on the iphone). Nova does this also but for some reason it doesn't work on the 6p (might have something to do with changing the model to a Pixel to enable google assistant).
By the way, I picked mine up used for $310 (64Gb).

read about the battery and boot loop issues. the 6p has issues. either the batteries are sub-par or there are software issues. many people have significant problems. hauwei will repair, but we have no real idea what is wrong and if there
if a real fix coming in the future.
i will be receiving a free placement from google--my phone was purchased from google. i will buy extra batteries planning on getting 6 to 12 months on a battery. if i was buying new now, i am not sure what i would do. i personally loved my 6p when it was working well. now that is shuts off early without warning, it is problematic.

I love my 6P but if I could do it over I would probably spend the money on a different phone. I feel like the 6P is a time bomb with the boot loop of death and battery issues. Some people can't even get replacements for their RMA'd phones since the 6P is no longer being made or they are getting back badly dinged up ones that show significant signs of use and abuse. There are serious issues with this phone. Google blames the hardware and Huawei blames Google. If you get 4 years out of one of these it will probably be a miracle.

Look at the oneplus 3

Need To Move On

Battery on my Release Day N6 is dying. Only charges on the Turbo Charge and drains way to fast.
I can move on and the Pixel XL looks like my best option, (I'm not in love wit the Pixel) because the Moto Z Force will never have root and that's a great phone.
OR
My buddy does phone repair and has the heat gun, tools etc and I can swap batteries with another N6 I have that the screen is shattered on. But It'd be a week before I can get to his house :/
Truth is, I'm ready for a new phone. What do YOU guys think, is there one I'm missing that I can love as much as the N6, or just fix mine and hope VZW gets the Zenfone AR if it ever gets released?

I just got oneplus 3t just for the time being. Honestly, it is one of the best phone for the price. Had honor 8 briefly, but I'm not a fan of EMUI 5.0. plus honor U.S.A is pretty slow rolling out the software update.
Oneplus is pretty fast on updating their software. I mean at the end of the day, Its kinda ridiculous to spend $650 and up for a smartphone nowadays.
Oh and I still have my nexus 6 as my back up, the phone is still getting the job done for my usage.

fnudaniel83 said:
I just got oneplus 3t just for the time being. Honestly, it is one of the best phone for the price. Had honor 8 briefly, but I'm not a fan of EMUI 5.0. plus honor U.S.A is pretty slow rolling out the software update.
Oneplus is pretty fast on updating their software. I mean at the end of the day, Its kinda ridiculous to spend $650 and up for a smartphone nowadays.
Oh and I still have my nexus 6 as my back up, the phone is still getting the job done for my usage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OnePlus is not an option on Verizon

Nexus 6 batteries are between $12 & $20 on Amazon. That's pretty cheap. I think it's worth the trouble. There's some YouTube videos on changing that battery and it doesn't look too difficult. Plus you have an extra Nexus 6 to practice on if I'm reading the OP correctly.

bigbaluka said:
Nexus 6 batteries are between $12 & $20 on Amazon. That's pretty cheap. I think it's worth the trouble. There's some YouTube videos on changing that battery and it doesn't look too difficult. Plus you have an extra Nexus 6 to practice on if I'm reading the OP correctly.
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Click to collapse
That's the way I'm gonna go. I really don't want a Pixel, unless someone finds root for the Droid Z Force or that Asus comes to Verizon

Nexus 6p or buy another Nexus 6

HipKat said:
That's the way I'm gonna go. I really don't want a Pixel, unless someone finds root for the Droid Z Force or that Asus comes to Verizon
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Click to collapse
I still love my shamu 64GB I plan on changing my battery whenever it stops holding a charge. All rechargeable batteries have a finite number of times they can be charged before they start acting the way yours is now. Once your battery is replaced with a quality replacement you'll likely be good for a couple of years and shamu is still an awesome device in my opinion. I'm a little apprehensive about changing my own Nexus 6 battery but when the time comes I'm gonna give it a try. Let us know how it goes.

@HipKat don't go for Nexus 5x or 6p as both suffers from some hardware related bootloop issue. Just go to their respective forums and anyone can have a look at the Q&A section. Not worth the trouble as the phone is bound to randomly die at some point.
If those are your only option and you won't change carrier to get a OnePlus 3T, then I would go for one of the Pixels as they at least has good custom ROM support. If you don't care about custom ROM support then it's up to your preference.

Arju said:
@HipKat don't go for Nexus 5x or 6p as both suffers from some hardware related bootloop issue. Just go to their respective forums and anyone can have a look at the Q&A section. Not worth the trouble as the phone is bound to randomly die at some point.
If those are your only option and you won't change carrier to get a OnePlus 3T, then I would go for one of the Pixels as they at least has good custom ROM support. If you don't care about custom ROM support then it's up to your preference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe me, custom development is a HUGE factor and I wouldn't go for an old phone.
@bigbaluka I watched a few vids and it seems decent. Like I posted, my buddy has all the tools. We work for Dish Network and he's one of the guys that does screen repair and battery replacement for iPhone and Samsung devices. (Don'tr ask me WHY Dish is doing this....)

HipKat said:
Believe me, custom development is a HUGE factor and I wouldn't go for an old phone.
@bigbaluka I watched a few vids and it seems decent. Like I posted, my buddy has all the tools. We work for Dish Network and he's one of the guys that does screen repair and battery replacement for iPhone and Samsung devices. (Don'tr ask me WHY Dish is doing this....)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure I'd replace the 6 for a 6p or a 5X. I got a 5X and it was more for the size, but I can't say it overperforms the 6 plus there are the potential bootloop issues. The Pixel is OK, but you'll be paying up big time and esp if you are not really keen about it, it's a decent chunk of money to drop down. Sounds like you like your 6, I'd just try and replace the battery since it sounds like that's the only issue. It were different if it was a broken screen or something else, but battery I'd just do that.

mikeprius said:
I'm not sure I'd replace the 6 for a 6p or a 5X. I got a 5X and it was more for the size, but I can't say it overperforms the 6 plus there are the potential bootloop issues. The Pixel is OK, but you'll be paying up big time and esp if you are not really keen about it, it's a decent chunk of money to drop down. Sounds like you like your 6, I'd just try and replace the battery since it sounds like that's the only issue. It were different if it was a broken screen or something else, but battery I'd just do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, agreed. I did 2 things, found a different USB cable, which looks like it solved the charging problem and switched to Dark Rom which seems to have amazing battery life. I think it'll still drain faster until I get the battery switched, so I must have had a few problems going on; bad cable, deteriorating ROM and battery that doesn't hold a charge like It used to

While my N6 isn't quick as old as yours, I have definitely noticed a lag of late. Taking pictures especially.
And while it might be nowhere near the same class as the N6, I think the Moto G5 Plus might be a good replacement. Sure, the screen size is considerably smaller, it lacks dual front-facing speakers, NFC, etc. but that price! I like the design, and as the kernel source code has already been released, my hope is that the dev community will build some nice roms for this little guy.
We'll see what Motorola does with the true Moto X replacement (not the "Is it a Moto X or is it a Moto E" we are seeing). But that Moto G5 Plus price is hard to ignore.
I just think the Pixel is too expensive. They might solve all of the issues with the release of the Pixel 2, but who wants to spend $1k on a phone?

@Fvolfrine and others:
Lag when starting the camera is a feature of Android from around KitKat or so. The ram that the camera needs is made available for other use, and then the camera has to wait for it to be released.
It makes other apps faster, but the start of the camera significantly shower. You may agree or disagree with that trade-off, but as far as I know, it's the same on all recent phones. Though of course, it matters less if the phone has a lot of ram.
From what I read, the Moto G5 plus has hardware that is approximately as powerful as the N6. So the only way it can have less lag is if its rom is better optimized - and while that may be the case for the stock roms, the N6 has a large community of devs that provide greatly optimized roms.

@runekock - my lag isn't so much when starting the camera as it is when taking a picture. Even with HDR+ turned off, it takes 4-5 seconds for the picture to take. I've had this same experience on stock, and now on PureNexus, which I flashed about five days ago.

Fvolfrine said:
@runekock - my lag isn't so much when starting the camera as it is when taking a picture. Even with HDR+ turned off, it takes 4-5 seconds for the picture to take. I've had this same experience on stock, and now on PureNexus, which I flashed about five days ago.
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Click to collapse
There is no lag when using a custom kernel. Try using a kernel different from stock.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Few weeks ago I wasn't able to turn on wifi any more. After factory reset and cache wipe I got it to turn on few times then it died again. I'm suspecting a hw problem. Now that Dark Rom is available for our phone, I might try my luck with that, but I'm not very optimistic.
I really liked this phone a lot. Now I have the option of getting new motherboard for 50€ or new phone (looking at iPhone 6s Plus or 7 Plus cause of that mega battery and brightness, but that price tho.. Was also looking at Pixel but I read it has too many problems + warranty outside my country).
Is Nexus 6 worth fixing (for 50€ + risk of messing something up during repair)?

For 50€ i would take the risk.

Used Nexus 6s still went for over US$100 last time I looked at ebay. If fixing one is $20, that seems a decent investment to me. My battery is about worn out so I will be doing just that soon.
If there are ever charging issues or USB cords falling out, check for lint in the USB port. My first N6 had that issue.

I started having charging issues with my 2 year old shamu a few months ago, getting a new oem charger fixed the problem for me and it's still going strong. I've got a 5x as well, but it doesn't get used much, shamu is a better device.

gonna add my own experience to the mix hoping it would be helpful to some, My N6's battery also started showing signs of a problem few month back after maybe more than a year of usage and it got worse over time. the problem is i cannot get my hand on a new battery anytime soon and i cannot use my N6 as a daily driver as it just dies randomly so i thought i go for the Galaxy S7 since the price was dropped prior to S8 launch and i did, but oh my, going from a heavily developed phone like N6 to S7 is really boring and no fun, might have just got an iphone and it would be just as dull.
so, if you gonna give up your N6 i suggest replace it with another nexus/pixel phone. but if you gonna keep it as a second phone (for whatever reason) then its up to you and your desires and needs, and ofc you cannot forget about the price tag.

Long term Pixel opinion?

What's your opinion of this phone now that it's been out for more than six months?
Build quality, development, etc.
Compared to previous phones or compared to whatever your expectations might have been.
Me?
I'm sorry to say that I wish I never left my Moto X Pure with BrokenOS' MarshMallow ROM.
Pixel is great though, in many ways.

It was a much needed update from my aging Nexus 6.
Was briefly contemplating iPhone, but stuck with the Pixel.
Overall, I love the camera, the battery is a champ, and so far I feel no need or want to modify the device.
I think google did well with this one.
Let's hope LG doesn't botch the next one.
LoopLoopLoopLoop

CZ Eddie said:
What's your opinion of this phone now that it's been out for more than six months?
Build quality, development, etc.
Compared to previous phones or compared to whatever your expectations might have been.
Me?
I'm sorry to say that I wish I never left my Moto X Pure with BrokenOS' MarshMallow ROM.
Pixel is great though, in many ways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the cherry ? bomb. Like all my Google phones.
Unprecedented battery life.
Fast as Lightning (Especially w/sdcardfs)
No cracks or damage.
Best reception I have ever had.
Extremely challenging to hack. Very easy once you have the slots and Google stops playing games. Lol
Speaker sucks. But I can live with it.
Never have and never will buy anything but a Google phone.
I can go on and on.....
BTW Moto Rocks!

I came from an S5 so anything would have been an upgrade for me. So this thing is screaming fast to me

I bought the phone after I had to send my Note 7 back. I liked it, but didn't keep it long. I've been through a few different phones in the meantime, but finally came back. It's faster than any phone I've used, and still feels really solid, and good in the hand

I came from a N6 as well. I miss the stereo speakers and the bigger screen size of the N6.
The positives of Pixel are the speed, battery life and the general smoothness of the phone.
The cons are pathetic speakers (What was google thinking?), huge bezels (which I find hard to digest coming from a lesser bezel N6) and the lack of development. On my N6 I had flashed almost 10 custom ROMs at different times.
There is hardly much choice for Pixel XL other than a handful ROMs. Perhaps the high price of the phone and the slot rigmarole turns off developers here.
I'm happy with the Pixel , but it was close to $900 and I just feel that I did not get my money's worth. That said, I can't deal with non-Google phones. Was thinking about a One Plus 5, but that's about it. Hopefully Google does something nicer with Pixel XL2.

I love stock Android and EAS is the best thing to happen to Android but..
Just can't justify the price for what you get. I'm a big Audio guy and the speaker is worst I've heard along with 3.5mm jack just sounds awful..
have to run an External DAC to make up for the poor quality
Video recording seems a bit meh blury/grainy no matter what I can't take a clear video unless it's in direct sunlight and then have to deal with the *Lense Flare* another pain in the ass
Rest of the phone is good
Development it's pretty much none existent seems like if you want roms/kernel's either stick with a 6P or OnePlus/Other China device
But I feel like it should of been priced at same as the 6P $440 we only got minor improvements nothing "WOW" to make up for the $300 extra..
I guess we paid for that "Made By Google" bs marketing. Also was never in stock anywhere + the hardware issues drove people away lets hope HTC isn't making again so we can have a great launch and hopefully bring people back :good:

liam_davenport said:
I love stock Android and EAS is the best thing to happen to Android but..
Just can't justify the price for what you get. I'm a big Audio guy and the speaker is worst I've heard along with 3.5mm jack just sounds awful..
have to run an External DAC to make up for the poor quality
Video recording seems a bit meh blury/grainy no matter what I can't take a clear video unless it's in direct sunlight and then have to deal with the *Lense Flare* another pain in the ass
Rest of the phone is good
Development it's pretty much none existent seems like if you want roms/kernel's either stick with a 6P or OnePlus/Other China device
But I feel like it should of been priced at same as the 6P $440 we only got minor improvements nothing "WOW" to make up for the $300 extra..
I guess we paid for that "Made By Google" bs marketing. Also was never in stock anywhere + the hardware issues drove people away lets hope HTC isn't making again so we can have a great launch and hopefully bring people back :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do miss the value days of the Nexus program. Minus Shamu of course. That was expensive. When I bought those Nexus, I felt like I was getting an incredible value for a smartphone.
Here is something I truly value and want everyone to think about.
How much is it worth to us for,
Monthly security updates
Major OS upgrades for two years
Bugfixes along the way

I'll tell you by saying what I've chosen as my daily driver and where my SIM card is and what's in my pocket right now. I've had marlin since Nov '16 and iPhone 7 plus since Jan '17. The marlin is in my pocket right now. The iPhone 7 plus is a great device (iMessages, waterproof) but the reason I love android is the ability to modify (stock or ROM-root-kernel) and access to that SD Card. Otherwise the 2 are pretty much equal as to camera, battery, speed, smoothness, response to touches, etc. at least in my perception. So, obviously I'm very pleased with marlin since I prefer it to a very popular alternative. Had a Samsung Galaxy S7 in early 2016 but sold it after 2 months, Pixel much better device to me.

iamjimmy said:
I came from a N6 as well. I miss the stereo speakers and the bigger screen size of the N6.
The positives of Pixel are the speed, battery life and the general smoothness of the phone.
The cons are pathetic speakers (What was google thinking?), huge bezels (which I find hard to digest coming from a lesser bezel N6) and the lack of development. On my N6 I had flashed almost 10 custom ROMs at different times.
There is hardly much choice for Pixel XL other than a handful ROMs. Perhaps the high price of the phone and the slot rigmarole turns off developers here.
I'm happy with the Pixel , but it was close to $900 and I just feel that I did not get my money's worth. That said, I can't deal with non-Google phones. Was thinking about a One Plus 5, but that's about it. Hopefully Google does something nicer with Pixel XL2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed 100%. Thats why i skipped this one looking forward to the next one. For the price it must have stereo speaker, better audio, water resist, better design and quality. Oh and wireless charging. Then i will jump right in.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Six month user here. And my main complaint for the Pixel remains exactly same as it was back when I bought it. The sudden freezing problem. Just out of nowhere the screen freezes for a second or two, if I am playing a game, then its done, simply over, have to restart, and I can't express how much I hate that. Of course its most noticeable/affecting while gaming, but it happens basically everywhere too, but just less frustrating in other places.
I was advised to format the phone, not root it and blah blah but exact same happened there too, without installing any apps at all! Ridiculous problem and IMHO the most annoying issue Pixels have.
Other than this, I don't know, sometimes the low light photos come with a really weird greenish cast, completely off coloured and way too much noise (yeah with HDR+ On, that's the only one I use anyway) etc.
But other than these two, I have no complaints. Tremendous call quality, more than acceptable display (though still no Apple!), excellent GPS (though Google Maps says to calibrate compass every now and then), buttery smooth interface all around most times, at max volume the loudspeaker is excellent (though at half volume it can't be heard and equally ****e!), really low SAR value etc., I am contemplating the U11 now, just for the sound and camera, but if I don't go that route I am gonna keep this phone for at least two years, and the maximum I have ever used a mobile phone was for 15 months, the Galaxy S2 back in the days, should suffice what I think about this phone.
I also have the OnePlus 3 in office, and I know some people compare it and I can say its basically Guava vs Apples comparison.
PS: Sorry didn't comment about development, but I honestly don't care much about it at all. I bought the Pixel so that I won't be needing the optimise it, let Google optimise it for me, and they did a fairly decent job, but after using Franco kernel I can say Google could have done a much better job. So that's all I need, a custom kernel.

coming from Samsung and LG devices, this phone has been a breath of fresh air even with this new partition scheme. Phone does well, battery life holds up for two days. I just have an issue with bluetooth not consistently sending music info to my radio. Some days it works, other days it's like what music info...

It's great and definitely a worthy upgrade from my Nexus 6. The only thing I miss is the front facing speakers but I didn't use them much anyways, well that and I guess it's way more slippery than my Nexus 6 because I don't use cases at all.

Couldn't be happier. Presently have a 7 Plus and the XL that I swap my sim between. IPhone is great in many ways but I just keep coming back to the Pixel XL....something about the experience I get using it that I really enjoy.
As for the other characteristics of the device others have already commented. I purchased mine at launch and received it later October.

I currently have the Nexus 6P. Damn that is a nice phone! I'm seriously doubting anything will "crush" this phones performance. But I decided I wanted to move up to the Pixel XL. I'm a decent Android gamer, so the updated GPU was nice. Plus, the camera is supposedly just that much better. Among other things, like 4GB RAM instead of the 6P's 3GB.
I don't receive the Pixel XL until Monday, so I'm wearing a path through my foyer, pacing back and forth, waiting for it to arrive.
I've spent at LEAST 30 hours this week doing research on the Pixel, its partition layout, how to get root to work, TWRP limitations, etc. This is certainly more complicated than the 6P.
Part of the reason I decided to plop down for the Pixel, was because I didn't see a lot of development going for it, as there is for the 6P. And since people seem to like my ROMs, I figured I'd toss something out there that I made, and see what kind of life it can breathe into the Pixel.
I think I'll like it. Tried it out in-hand at BestBuy yesterday. Solid device, great screen, color accuracy is actually better than the 6P, and for the first time, I kind of like the phone WITHOUT a case! Never though I'd say that.

I've used iPhones since the 3GS up until the 6S Plus (all jailbroken). I decided to try out the Nexus 6P (first ever Android phone) and fell in love with it! Custom ROMs, kernels, tweaks, Xposed, etc. were all new to me and I loved every bit of it!
However, for some reason, I decided to sell it and pick up an iPhone 7 Plus when it released. As iOS matured, security got tighter, and jailbreaking became more difficult. I got tired of waiting for a jailbreak to release and realized how locked down the OS is (when not jailbroken) compared to Android.
I sold my 7 Plus and bought this Pixel XL. I wasn't a huge fan at first, just because of the confusion with the slots and the lack of development​ compared to the 6P.
Now that there is more development and that I understand the slots better, I'm really enjoying this phone!
Overall, if I had the choice, I would still probably pick the 6P over this; that thing was just a beauty in basically every aspect, and it was the phone that first introduced me into the Android world.
Not a huge fan of the single downfiring speaker or the bottom chin, but otherwise it's a great phone, especially the camera!
I'm going to see what the OnePlus 5 has to offer, and may switch to that - but I'll definitely keep this XL around until the 2nd gen Pixels release. I'll be purchasing the second gen Pixels only if Google allows them to be development friendly like how the Nexus line was. If not, I may make a permanent switch over to the OnePlus line.

CZ Eddie said:
What's your opinion of this phone now that it's been out for more than six months?
Build quality, development, etc.
Compared to previous phones or compared to whatever your expectations might have been.
Me?
I'm sorry to say that I wish I never left my Moto X Pure with BrokenOS' MarshMallow ROM.
Pixel is great though, in many ways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I had the LG G6, S8+, and I sent the G6 back and sold the S8+. The pixel was snappier than both, better camera than both which is a great feature having and outstanding camera, and more reliable than both. I like stock Android, clean, fast, stable. I like being able to unlock and do what I want with my phone when I want and still have the same snappiness, camera quality, and reliability on custom ROMs. Most times you sacrifice things to go custom. Not with Google devices, Nexus, Pixel, etc. I still have it since released and can't see getting rid of it any time soon. Ya, maybe people thinking of OnePlus 5, but I also had the 3 and 3T and one thing I hated about that is when using anything custom, the camera was horrible, BT for me had issues, and other little nags. All in all, this is definitely my go to device and I've had many.

I give it a C+
After having the Pixel XL since I returned the Note 7 (Best phone I've ever owned IMO), There are issues with it that really bug me.
- For one, Youtube stutters and desyncs the audio from the video almost every video I watch, and I watch a lot of YT.
- Second, the bluetooth does not sync right in my Audi, and every 15 minutes it sounds like a modem for like 20 seconds and reconnects. It also doesn't know what to do on voice calls and frequently bounce back and forth between car speakers, and phone speaker mode, so I just turn it off for voice or Hangouts/Meet calls in the car.
- Third, the battery life has been dwindling over time, so I charge twice a day now. Yes, I'm a power user and need at least 6-8 hours of screen on time per day. That being said the phone charging speed is ridiculously fast. I can charge at least 50% in 30 minutes.
- The speakers are crap, and the audio jack doesn't give me enough volume. The setting between say 60-65% volume is way too loud, so the volume curve is not good.
-As a pro, the Camera is excellent, even in low light if you know what you're doing. The video, if you use the auto stability is crap so just don't use it.
The phone does stutter, and take a while sometimes. I am using the stock ROM, and have made no modifications to the file system or home screen at all. As is, this phone is average, so for the price, not worth it. I do have the Verizon version, and not sure if that makes a difference. Can't wait for the Note 8 to come out.

I've had mine since November and still love it. I came from the G7 edge which I was quite fond of as well. The following are the good things that keep me on the Pixel.
- Camera, for stills easily the best available. Wish the EIS didn't cause the jello effect when panning while video recording, but nonetheless I've been quite pleased with the camcorder as well.
- Software, clean, simple, fluid and robust. I am on stock unrooted. I reboot my phone once a month for updates and the phone never lags, gets janky or develops issues requiring a reboot. Additionally, the speed of updates means I'm always up to date with the most secure version​ of Android available.

I've had my Pixel XL 128gb since launch. I came from a Note 7, so was very challenging to get used to having a very lean software base which didn't offer many features in comparison to the Samsung series. I missed many software features from the Note 7.
The thing that gets me the most, is that I was already bored of the device 6 months in. I usually hold onto a phone for 12-24 months. The Note 4 I held onto for the longest time (24months). I enjoyed it as there were both android OS updates, and touchwiz updates, so it constantly got a new lease to life looking fresh or having new features. 8 months on and the Pixel looks exactly the same, with no updates.
I also feel that the design looked dated when I bought it, but it now is really showing it's age with the HUGE bezels. I have also struggled to find any good screen protectors (I've tried them all) as they don't sit properly. The phone is huge with a smaller screen than most phones this price/size.
It's got the worst bluetooth of any phone I have every owned, partly down to Android but also to the Pixel.
Had a lot more ROM options for Samsung, being that you can go Note 4 roms, Note 5 roms, Note 7 roms, AOSP builds, CM, MIUI. I feel like the Pixel has AOSP, stock. That's it really. They are all the same with very minor changes.
Otherwise it's mostly buttery smooth - although i'm constantly keeping my eye out for a new phone, so could be the shortest period I have owned a phone for.

those who have the phone

So you will have all had the phone for a month or so now .
Still waiting here for the UK release ,but is it worth waiting for ,love the design of it
What's all your views on it .
my choices are
Wait for essential in the UK
Pixel 2 XL
HTC U11 + if it comes es to the UK
LG V30

I've grown to love this phone. Out of the phones you mention, the only one I would consider would be the P2XL. However, since Essential is starting to release source files, I'll be perfectly happy to stick with the PH-1 if we start seeing some development.

If I had the choice now, I'd probably go for the Pixel 2 XL. Having owned the PH-1 for a month now, I realize that it is still pretty much unfinished product. The hardware is no doubt, beautiful but the software still feels incomplete. Although Essential has sent out a few updates and the software had improved markedly, it is still not up to par with other phones in the market (e.g. phone lags when scrolling, it freezes every now and then and the camera software is still not that great).
Although we haven't seen how the Pixel 2 XL really works, I'd assume it's in better shape than the Essential software. In short, I'd ask whether you'd want to be a beta tester for Essential or go with a more established player like Google. In my case, I am getting the Pixel 2 XL and will sell the PH-1 (or may keep it as a backup) when it arrives.

I was waiting for the Pixel 2, not XL (850+ dlls for me is too much), but then the full desing leaked and the Pixel 2 ended up horrible. For me it was 650 + taxes for the pixel 2, with 64 gb and outdated design. On the other hand Essential is 700 for 128gb an much better looking, also I had the oportunity to saw one at a local best buy and it was amazing on the hand, great build quality.
If you have no problem with spending 850+ dlls for a phone and you really need the fastest Android updates then go for the Pixel XL 2, but I think the essential is at a reallly good point right know and it looks like things are going to be better

combat goofwing said:
So you will have all had the phone for a month or so now .
Still waiting here for the UK release ,but is it worth waiting for ,love the design of it
What's all your views on it .
my choices are
Wait for essential in the UK
Pixel 2 XL
HTC U11 + if it comes es to the UK
LG V30
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I currently own both the HTC U11 and Essential with the pixel 2 XL on order, so if you are familiar with the U11, i can give you a fairly good idea of what you'l be getting with the essential. Between the two I have, they are very different and you get different value for your money. With the essential you get 128GB, great build and materials. I love the look and design. The edge to edge display is really something you have to see in person to appreciate. Having had the s8+, the Essentials bezel less design is better in my opinion. Battery size is ok at 3040mAh. It's also getting update pretty frequently so there's hope all bugs will be ironed out soon. So far nothing I can't live with.
I think you can get the U11 for $550 and $650 for the 64gb and 128GB respectively. I'm guessing the U11+ will be similar to the U11 in terms of specs, but with hopefully a larger, less bezel. So with the U11 as reference you get a more traditional, possibly outdated design. You either love it or hate it for it's "classic" look. Aside from that you get a solidly built phone as well. It feels good in the hand, it runs great with probably one of the only android skins I actually like. It has a really good camera, once having had the highest DxO score for a bit until it was overtaken by the iphone and now pixels. Still a great camera none the less, miles ahead better than the essential, so I expect the U11+ to have the same if not slightly better. Still nothing wrong if it's the same camera in my opinion. The U11 has a 3000mAh battery, so I expect the U11+ to have at least that much, hopefully more. The edge sense is actually pretty cool and useful too once you setup custom actions per app.
Then's there' s cost. The essential is $700 US dollars for 128GB. If the U11 is $750 normally for 128GB, I can only assume the U11+ will be more if a 128 option exists. The U11+ will most likely have sd card support. That's still cheaper than the pixel 2xl that starts at $850 for 64gb and $950 for 128gb with the exact same internals, with a much better camera. but pixel does have bigger screen but s8 like bezels on top and bottom. At least there's speakers there but if you want edge to edge, the essential is a nicer looking option.
I actually prefer the Essential over my U11. The camera isn't that important to me on a smart phone. It works, takes decent pictures if needed. I'm no professional and I don't pretend to be. But the look, feels and size is what makes the essential my daily driver now. I am totally happy with my essential, and I'll be critical with the pixel 2 given all the good the essential has. I don't regret my purchase and even got one for the wife

Personally I love the essential phone. My favorite this is the size of the phone. It's pretty much identical to size of the Galaxy S5 and it's all screen. As far as software, I don't really have any issues at all anymore, the occasional things creeps up from time to time. Every phone has those random little on offs. There isn't a software on Earth that hasn't frozen hasn't lagged hasn't bugged out at one time or another. Essential has done a really great job of keeping consistent updates coming. Through both the monthly security updates and via essential services and resources app on the play store.
I could honestly careless about the camera, it has never been a selling point for me on a phone ever. That being said, I don't have any issues taking pictures and they turn just fine for me. If you want to shoot a movie on your phone(like all the reviewers expect a phone camera to clearly do) maybe look towards the pixel. I have no interest in pixel xl 2 because it's to dam big for my hands and those size phones are hard for me to use. After using this phone, I have no interest in using a phone that has bezels as big as the regular pixel 2.
You can't go wrong with either phone, and unless you pre-order the pixel 2 xl it's going to be a wait for that device as well.

swagglepuff said:
Personally I love the essential phone. My favorite this is the size of the phone. It's pretty much identical to size of the Galaxy S5 and it's all screen. As far as software, I don't really have any issues at all anymore, the occasional things creeps up from time to time. Every phone has those random little on offs. There isn't a software on Earth that hasn't frozen hasn't lagged hasn't bugged out at one time or another. Essential has done a really great job of keeping consistent updates coming. Through both the monthly security updates and via essential services and resources app on the play store.
I could honestly careless about the camera, it has never been a selling point for me on a phone ever. That being said, I don't have any issues taking pictures and they turn just fine for me. If you want to shoot a movie on your phone(like all the reviewers expect a phone camera to clearly do) maybe look towards the pixel. I have no interest in pixel xl 2 because it's to dam big for my hands and those size phones are hard for me to use. After using this phone, I have no interest in using a phone that has bezels as big as the regular pixel 2.
You can't go wrong with either phone, and unless you pre-order the pixel 2 xl it's going to be a wait for that device as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that I have used for a while, the reviews were really hard. Saying that this phone is bad and telling people not to buy it only because the camare is not good makes me wonder what kind of "reviews" and "tech journalism" we have today

TheDethEgineer said:
Now that I have used for a while, the reviews were really hard. Saying that this phone is bad and telling people not to buy it only because the camare is not good makes me wonder what kind of "reviews" and "tech journalism" we have today
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, I have been waging a war on Android central recently and their over bias bull**** reviews. Sites like those only care about flagship devices, infact the only phones they don't say bad things about are Samsung. That same attitude has rolled over to the forums, just a bunch of people who have never even seen one in person saying it's a horrible device. Yet I come to the good ol' XDA it's full of people actually trying to help other users.
That's why I don't buy phones based on reviews, if I listened to Android central, I would have never owned the HTC 10, the Honor 8 or the axon 7. All of which are fantastic devices, but because they don't do things like Samsung they all got ****ty reviews and recommendations.
---------- Post added at 11:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 PM ----------
QD2DC said:
I currently own both the HTC U11 and Essential with the pixel 2 XL on order, so if you are familiar with the U11, i can give you a fairly good idea of what you'l be getting with the essential. Between the two I have, they are very different and you get different value for your money. With the essential you get 128GB, great build and materials. I love the look and design. The edge to edge display is really something you have to see in person to appreciate. Having had the s8+, the Essentials bezel less design is better in my opinion. Battery size is ok at 3040mAh. It's also getting update pretty frequently so there's hope all bugs will be ironed out soon. So far nothing I can't live with.
I think you can get the U11 for $550 and $650 for the 64gb and 128GB respectively. I'm guessing the U11+ will be similar to the U11 in terms of specs, but with hopefully a larger, less bezel. So with the U11 as reference you get a more traditional, possibly outdated design. You either love it or hate it for it's "classic" look. Aside from that you get a solidly built phone as well. It feels good in the hand, it runs great with probably one of the only android skins I actually like. It has a really good camera, once having had the highest DxO score for a bit until it was overtaken by the iphone and now pixels. Still a great camera none the less, miles ahead better than the essential, so I expect the U11+ to have the same if not slightly better. Still nothing wrong if it's the same camera in my opinion. The U11 has a 3000mAh battery, so I expect the U11+ to have at least that much, hopefully more. The edge sense is actually pretty cool and useful too once you setup custom actions per app.
Then's there' s cost. The essential is $700 US dollars for 128GB. If the U11 is $750 normally for 128GB, I can only assume the U11+ will be more if a 128 option exists. The U11+ will most likely have sd card support. That's still cheaper than the pixel 2xl that starts at $850 for 64gb and $950 for 128gb with the exact same internals, with a much better camera. but pixel does have bigger screen but s8 like bezels on top and bottom. At least there's speakers there but if you want edge to edge, the essential is a nicer looking option.
I actually prefer the Essential over my U11. The camera isn't that important to me on a smart phone. It works, takes decent pictures if needed. I'm no professional and I don't pretend to be. But the look, feels and size is what makes the essential my daily driver now. I am totally happy with my essential, and I'll be critical with the pixel 2 given all the good the essential has. I don't regret my purchase and even got one for the wife
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't go saying better camera just yet. The HTC U11 and the first pixel are tied at a dxo mark of 90. While google unofficially claims a score of 98 for the new pixels we will see. I am sure HTC has plans to continue it's stellar camera software.

UK owner
I bought mine from a seller in the US as I was willing to take a chance that the early reviews were off the mark.
I've had the phone for almost 4 weeks now, and it's a great phone as far as I'm concerned.
Battery life is excellent, I get a minimum of 5 hours + SOT regularly for my usage, which I have never managed with previous phones., Even managed almost 7 hours a couple of times with lighter usage.
Latest updates from Essential have made real progress in stability.
Yes, the camera is average, but not as bad as many have said.
It takes decent photographs as far as I'm concerned, and I use it occasionally for work purposes with no problems in quality.
It does feel very nice in the hand, and the screen coverage looks great.
Hope this helps.
Something I need to mention that I initially forgot. The screen brightness when outside in sunlight. I think some of the early reviews said it was little under lit, but I think they may have adaptive brightness on, because I've used it often when out and about. I've noticed if you toggle off adaptive and adjust it manually if it's sunny, it's fine.

I would pick the PH-1 over any of those devices, the design is different in a good way, the lack of accessories (cases mainly) makes it more like a acquired taste. hey all use the same Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 and 4GB of RAM so it's based on your style. The Essential has been great to me and it turns heads. If you decide on the others - I would say Pixel 2 XL so you are ensured support

swagglepuff said:
Exactly, I have been waging a war on Android central recently and their over bias bull**** reviews. Sites like those only care about flagship devices, infact the only phones they don't say bad things about are Samsung. That same attitude has rolled over to the forums, just a bunch of people who have never even seen one in person saying it's a horrible device. Yet I come to the good ol' XDA it's full of people actually trying to help other users.
That's why I don't buy phones based on reviews, if I listened to Android central, I would have never owned the HTC 10, the Honor 8 or the axon 7. All of which are fantastic devices, but because they don't do things like Samsung they all got ****ty reviews and recommendations.
---------- Post added at 11:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 PM ----------
Don't go saying better camera just yet. The HTC U11 and the first pixel are tied at a dxo mark of 90. While google unofficially claims a score of 98 for the new pixels we will see. I am sure HTC has plans to continue it's stellar camera software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well yes and no. The score is official. But what that number equates to in real world performance is relative. To say the u11 isn't "as good" as the pixel 2 does not mean the u11 camera isn't great, although the phrase does imply that. I think a score in the 90s will result in excellent camera performance to some degree. I have no reason to believe HTC won't improve on what they've built so far. Regardless as an android user we have some quality and exciting phones to choose from.

QD2DC said:
Well yes and no. The score is official. But what that number equates to in real world performance is relative. To say the u11 isn't "as good" as the pixel 2 does not mean the u11 camera isn't great, although the phrase does imply that. I think a score in the 90s will result in excellent camera performance to some degree. I have no reason to believe HTC won't improve on what they've built so far. Regardless as an android user we have some quality and exciting phones to choose from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did not know they made it official, well in that case. Let's see what HTC brings with the U11+. I have always loved HTC and their simple user interface. If the rumors are correct it will be a thin bezel design as well, which makes me excited. I honestly wouldn't have given the U11 back had it had a higher screen to body ratio. It was a little too big for my liking.

I loved the look and feel of the phone, substantial in the hand, good button feel and I liked where the buttons were.
NIce looking screen too.
Software and camera were OK,
I *hatehatehate* stock android ! First thing I have always done is root and Rom .
I returned it, very late actually like just last week as I was holding out hope of kernel and Factory image release but not soon enough. I resurrected my 6P and am still using that because I **really* love the 6P.
I would absolutely buy the PH-1 again when my 6P dies and Essential gets some ROMs.
The PH-1 is a fabulous device. Now that Xposed is live for Nougat, using Xposed on the PH-1 would greatly enhance the experience, for me. Where else are you going to get that kind of hardware and 128GB storage for under 700? I did keep the camera JIC lol
Zo0

swagglepuff said:
I did not know they made it official, well in that case. Let's see what HTC brings with the U11+. I have always loved HTC and their simple user interface. If the rumors are correct it will be a thin bezel design as well, which makes me excited. I honestly wouldn't have given the U11 back had it had a higher screen to body ratio. It was a little too big for my liking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know how you feel. Been an HTC fan since the windows mobile days and loved HTC manilla/rosie/sense and whatever else it was called in between lol. I miss developing for the those older phones. Sense is the only android skin I truly love. Hopefully I'll be apart of the user trials for the u11+ as well. But the essential will be a hard phone to beat design wise.

Still like my PH1. Not sure I want the Pixel 2 xl. I've got a 6p to trade on it also but it's not really a great looking device in my opinion. Haven't ruled it out though as a backup device. Honestly I really want to see if I can get the Xperia XZ1 to run on Verizon as it has all the lte bands. Plus it's got aptx for my home Bluetooth setup. Sony hates the US so it's been an impossible task so far.
Sent from my PH-1 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Thanks guys ,some great responses and information,still using my trusty N6P ,if I could gather a UK release date on the PH-1 it would help ,but essential seem reluctant to commit to one so far .Had the early shut down issues in the N6P ,but I changed the battery for lots more life in it just yet .

combat goofwing said:
Thanks guys ,some great responses and information,still using my trusty N6P ,if I could gather a UK release date on the PH-1 it would help ,but essential seem reluctant to commit to one so far .Had the early shut down issues in the N6P ,but I changed the battery for lots more life in it just yet .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if www.swappa.com is an option for you but they have some on sale, from used to mint. I buy and sell and on there all the time. Extremely reliable, PayPal verified and secure. One in mint condition at $620 isn't bad.

Essential PH-1 now $500. OP5 owner thoughts?

As titles says, this phone is now $500.
Any thoughts from current OP5 owners? Cheaper than 5 at list price, likely cheaper than 5T when it comes out. Only 4GB of RAM, though, and no headphone jack. Reports say camera isn't great, but improving.
I personally love the build of it, though.
The phone definitely has its limitations, but at $500, It's going to give OnePlus a run for its money I think.
Thoughts?

Love the hardware, but then again I'm not a huge fan of bezeless devices, it just doesn't matter to me that much. You'll get a lot of development for OP5 tho and almost none on the PH1. Both get regular updates, both have camera struggles. I haven't seen any battery stats for the PH1, but the my OP5 is doing great, I'm really satisfied. Also heard there are still software issues with the Essential PH1, like lag, stutters app crashes and app not being optimized to take advantage of the screen. I don't care about headphone jacks, it was always the first thing to break on any of my devices, I switched to BT 2 years ago and never looked back.
I'd keep my OP5 though, I'm really satisfied with it. The PH1 has too many compromises that it shouldn't be considered even for $500 dollars. That's the thing with 1st gen products, handful of companies get it right on the first try.

Clean Android, I think the camera blobs are available (unlike OP5) and solid construction got my attention. And the screen is flat. It looks like a great deal to me.

I'd still just wait to see what Essential 2nd gen has to offer. Their first go at it was good, but not good enough for me to pull the trigger on

wow...$499 is a good price. probably would have bought it if they changed the price 3 weeks earlier..

If the ph-1 gets some software development, it would make it a great phone and deal at 499. Hopefully at that price it will

No root yet... Also on Verizon its horrible
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

My thoughts are that I'll never buy a phone on launch day again.

Nah, I think it's pretty ugly with that friggin camera notch at the top. There is a reason it's price dropped already.