[Q] Galaxy s2 worth it? - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I am looking for a new phone , its time to move one form my old xperia x8 ,, many people suggested me galaxy s2,, i wanted to know is it worth it? is it the best choice? i should also add i like to mod and tweak my phone a lot,,

Yes.
You can tweek and mod to your heart's content too.
One caveat - there's always something shiny and new around the corner, you may want to wait for the SG3.

B3311 said:
Yes.
You can tweek and mod to your heart's content too.
One caveat - there's always something shiny and new around the corner, you may want to wait for the SG3.
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Click to collapse
Sgs3? any idea when its gonna be released?

Wont be at WMC.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

Bouncer5 said:
Wont be at WMC.
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Won't be at MWC either.

oinkylicious said:
Won't be at MWC either.
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so im not gonna wait for the gs3,, nexus or gs2 seems to be the choice for now

SGS3 will be released after MWC SGS2 is best at the present

SGS 2 is the best you can find right know..
I move from SGS to HTC Evo but got bored with it in weeks.
My Opinion its the best right know.

Although it's been out for some time, SGS2 is still one of the best phones on the market. Rooted and you can tweak as much as you like

Galaxy S2 vs Nexus? If we look at the hardware, I think that GS2 is superior to the nexus. Although it nexus comes with larger screen and higher resolution. If we look at software, ICS is on a Nexus in full glory. While on sgs2, ICS will come with tw, if I am in right.
But, with root access, you can do many things you like.
So, between this two, my favorite is galaxy s2.

the sgs2 is a really nice device, but samsung is really dragging their feet when it comes to ics updates. if u want a fully working ics rom, might want to buy a galaxy nexus. Also if you are a fan of aosp roms such as cyanogenmod 9, the nexus is the way to go

El mejor y esperando que llegue el S3

galaxy s2 is a great phone. if you want to mod you better find the i9100 international model with the exynos cpu and mali400 gpu and not any other variant of the same phone.
why? because it has far more support for custom roms and kernels than any other i9100 variat (they are many now T,G,P,M,N. maybe others or less. i think this are right).

i am really happy with my sgs2, in fact I use it every day more than my laptop. l totally recommend

It's a great phone.
Love the Super AMOLED Plus screen too, it's awesome.
Though you might want to consider waiting for the SGS3 or getting the Galaxy Nexus?
But the SGS2 is a good choice for a phone.

The phone is a joy. I managed to get my partner to upgrade to one, though I have to convice her that letting me flash a non-stock rom on it is a good idea As someone who had a programming background, but no real smartphone experience, it's been great, because it's eminently configurable, almost impossible to brick, and I can run my own homegrown apps on it. Highly recommended

I shadow most of the comments already made on here. This is surprisingly only my 2nd Android device, DHD was my first, also have a cheap T-Mobile Rapport as a backup.
But this phone rocks, sure like any phone it has it's flaws, so it's better to discuss those than it's pros, my major cons would be - SQ, although acceptable not great, with certain headphones you can hear the frequencies change which has be annoying, don't expect Voodoo sound like the original SGS which had a Wolfson DAC so that sound pretty good (I've got the tab which had Voodoo so clear difference in SQ).
Buggy software, like the stock email app on exchange it has wakelocks which can keep the device awake, this has ben fixed on the CM source but Samsung/Seven seem reluctant to fix this for GB, not sure how the ICS version fares not tried it and wont until we get an official rom.
Notification light, the major thing I miss from the DHD and previous phones like BB, very useful, BLN not as good as it drains battery.
Other than that I'm pretty happy with my device, had it since day 1 after Phones 4 U exclusive finished, an array of custom roms/kernels available to keep you busy for a while.
SGS3 will be announced maybe March 15th but who know's when it's release will be. I say buy it, enjoy it sell it or keep it after new phones from MWC etc are out.
You'll be happy with it.

I went with galaxy s2, rooted it, and absolutely love it! my friend has the nexus but I find it is too big and a little bulky for my liking. the bigger screen is nice but might also drain more battery. You can always go to a local retailer to see them both up close, that's what I did.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

SGS2 really is a great phone. I even consider this phone as a laptop replacement!

Okay Galaxy s2 it is than

Related

Black or White

Hey guys, feels good to be back on i9100 forums, bought an i727, and i must say, i hate that that POS phone, 1.5Ghz feels like 1.0 Ghz single core. Im going back to my old Galaxy S2 after i sell the i727. Really want to get the white one, BUT, checked Gsmarena and it says that the white Galaxy S2 has a different chipset and a different GPU, now, my question is, will i be able to flash ROMs without any problems or incapability issues? And will i see much difference between the two phones? Slower faster, better worse? Im also a gaming fan, and when i used to download games, i remember there a different .apk's for different types of GPU, finding APK's for Mali 400 was never a problem, but what about the PowerVR SGX540? Thanks a lot guys.
Checked out some benchmarks, which i know dont really mean too much, optimus 3d and bionic use same gpu and chipset, but they are worse than exynos sgs2. How significant is this?
Deniska11 said:
Hey guys, feels good to be back on i9100 forums, bought an i727, and i must say, i hate that that POS phone, 1.5Ghz feels like 1.0 Ghz single core. Im going back to my old Galaxy S2 after i sell the i727. Really want to get the white one, BUT, checked Gsmarena and it says that the white Galaxy S2 has a different chipset and a different GPU, now, my question is, will i be able to flash ROMs without any problems or incapability issues? And will i see much difference between the two phones? Slower faster, better worse? Im also a gaming fan, and when i used to download games, i remember there a different .apk's for different types of GPU, finding APK's for Mali 400 was never a problem, but what about the PowerVR SGX540? Thanks a lot guys.
Checked out some benchmarks, which i know dont really mean too much, optimus 3d and bionic use same gpu and chipset, but they are worse than exynos sgs2. How significant is this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In theory, there's no difference between a black GT-I9100 and a white one. What's probably happened is that the site has two different devices (the GSII, and a variant) listed as the same device. Go look up the specs of the international GT-I9100 and pick the one that matches that.
Regarding the question about compatibility, if the device really does have a different chipset and GPU, then no, you'll need ROMs and kernels that are tailored to that device's hardware - so you'd need to figure out which variant of the GSII it is.
On a personal note, I think the black Galaxy S II looks better than the white one
Thanks a lot for the reply bud. Yea i figured the ROMs wouldnt be suitable for different hardware, so thanks for confirming. I went on Bell's website (my provider) to check the specs, but obviously they dont go into such deep details. I guess i will have to ask someone who already has this phone to look up the specs in the manual or something.
I had a black one for four months, just wanna try white, to me the white one looks better
Thanks again
Deniska11 said:
Thanks a lot for the reply bud. Yea i figured the ROMs wouldnt be suitable for different hardware, so thanks for confirming. I went on Bell's website (my provider) to check the specs, but obviously they dont go into such deep details. I guess i will have to ask someone who already has this phone to look up the specs in the manual or something.
I had a black one for four months, just wanna try white, to me the white one looks better
Thanks again
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Could you link me to the page, I might be able to help
screamworks said:
Could you link me to the page, I might be able to help
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http://www.bell.ca/Mobility/Products/Samsung_Galaxy_S_II_4G_White
Saw a Nexus commercial, highly considering, but only because of ICS, but then i figured SGS2 will also get ICS, so i guess ill wait
Black verison FTW hell yeah ..!!!!
Deniska11 said:
http://www.bell.ca/Mobility/Products/Samsung_Galaxy_S_II_4G_White
Saw a Nexus commercial, highly considering, but only because of ICS, but then i figured SGS2 will also get ICS, so i guess ill wait
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So that one there looks fine, minus the fact it has LTE capabilities, which are lacking in the original GSII. I can't shed much light here, unfortunately.
That said, I think you should go with the Galaxy Nexus - the Galaxy S II is a fantastic piece of hardware, but in nearly every aspect the Galaxy Nexus either matches it, or beats it, and, more importantly, not only does the Galaxy Nexus get direct updates from Google immediately (compared to 4+ months from Samsung), but from experience, all the best development happens for Nexus devices. If it's within your means, go the Galaxy Nexus.
Nexus is 600$ here in Toronto, and thats a bit out of my price range, i mean i can definitely buy it, i just dont see/know if its worth the 150$ extra dollars. Im a heavy camera user, and having an 8mp camera is a huge plus for sgs2. Going back to 5mp....naw. My 5 year old nokia n95 8gig has the same camera. Also dont like how it doesnt have a scratch-less glass. But you definitely made me think Is the nexus really that good? And can you please expand on the updates part? Immediate updates?
PS. Cant see where you found that its LTE compatable, maybe took a wrong turn by accident?
Deniska11 said:
Nexus is 600$ here in Toronto, and thats a bit out of my price range, i mean i can definitely buy it, i just dont see/know if its worth the 150$ extra dollars. Im a heavy camera user, and having an 8mp camera is a huge plus for sgs2. Going back to 5mp....naw. My 5 year old nokia n95 8gig has the same camera. Also dont like how it doesnt have a scratch-less glass. But you definitely made me think Is the nexus really that good? And can you please expand on the updates part? Immediate updates?
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Click to collapse
In the long run, it's worth it. Believe me on that.
On the camera, yeah, it's a bit of a step down, but 5MP is by no means a bad camera, and the shutter speed of the Galaxy Nexus is lightyears ahead of the Galaxy S II. Plus, lense technology in smartphones has come a long way since the days of the N95 - so while the sensor might be the same resolution, the picture quality is just amazing.
The glass on the Galaxy Nexus, while not 'Gorilla Glass', which keep in mind is just a marketing term for chemically strengthened glass, is still very scratch resistant. As long as you take care of your device as you would any expensive device, it'll be fine. As a precaution, I'd still apply a screen protector though - but I do that with even my Galaxy S II, no matter how scratch resistant it is. Plus, the curved glass is so much more ergonomic and pleasant to use (and looks downright sexy).
About the updates...
When Google finishes developing updates for Android, i.e. once they've finished the coding and testing, they release it for Nexus devices only, so the Nexus One, the Nexus S, and the Galaxy Nexus - any other phone has to have the code ported to it by it's manufacturer, a process which takes months. So, the Nexus devices always get updates first, months before any other device.
All this, plus the fact that there's no carrier bloatware, and a 720p HD screen, etc. makes it one killer device!
Got too carried aay with the new years. I checked out a loooot of videos on the Nexus, i really like the software, but the speed doesnt impress me, that lag between transition from portrait to landscape...i kid you not, my N95 did it faster and in this one review they were complaining a lot about the camera. Huuge, no no for me. Its quite pricey, and the reason being is, ICS. If other phones start getting ICS, this phone will drop in price like craaazyyy. I found a good S2 for 400, and now the margin increased to 200$ between S2 and the nexus, and to tell you the truth i dont think the nexus is 200$ better.
Deniska11 said:
Got too carried aay with the new years. I checked out a loooot of videos on the Nexus, i really like the software, but the speed doesnt impress me, that lag between transition from portrait to landscape...i kid you not, my N95 did it faster and in this one review they were complaining a lot about the camera. Huuge, no no for me. Its quite pricey, and the reason being is, ICS. If other phones start getting ICS, this phone will drop in price like craaazyyy. I found a good S2 for 400, and now the margin increased to 200$ between S2 and the nexus, and to tell you the truth i dont think the nexus is 200$ better.
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Well hey, it comes down to what suits you
Best of luck with it all!
screamworks.
screamworks said:
Well hey, it comes down to what suits you
Best of luck with it all!
screamworks.
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Click to collapse
Do you approve my logic?
ICS is pretty much made for SGS2, maybe a month or so and it will be ready to use.
Deniska11 said:
Do you approve my logic?
ICS is pretty much made for SGS2, maybe a month or so and it will be ready to use.
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Click to collapse
Now that NITZ is fixed in XXKP8, and the CyanogenMod 9 team have solved a lot of the camera issues, etc., I think you're about right with a month for a decent daily driver - but Samsung won't have an official ICS ROM until around April.
Personally, I'd go the Galaxy Nexus, but the Galaxy S II is still a monster phone, so go with whatever you prefer.
Get a pink SGS2. Stylish
In all seriousness tho, if you're choosing (or not) a phone based on the colour of the handset, you really should be asking yourself what the hell you're doing on XDA in the first place
screamworks said:
Now that NITZ is fixed in XXKP8, and the CyanogenMod 9 team have solved a lot of the camera issues, etc., I think you're about right with a month for a decent daily driver - but Samsung won't have an official ICS ROM until around April.
Personally, I'd go the Galaxy Nexus, but the Galaxy S II is still a monster phone, so go with whatever you prefer.
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I dont mind waiting for an official, but if the one on xda is worthy, ill get that. Speaking of the fix, im quite amazed xda already got roms, i mean...how long ago was the phone released? Thanks a lot for your input anyways man.
MistahBungle said:
Get a pink SGS2. Stylish
In all seriousness tho, if you're choosing (or not) a phone based on the colour of the handset, you really should be asking yourself what the hell you're doing on XDA in the first place
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Lol, the things xda keeps enforcing are: dont spam and read previous posts. Not only are you posting a garbage/useless reply, but you also dont know where i am coming from because you failed to read.....anything from this thread. My question was wether i need a diiferent rom, if the s2 had different internals.
I guess you'd better report me to the mods then.
Edit to add - You were told in the first reply to your OP that you were mistaken re: differences in specs between different coloured handsets. If you'd bothered to do your research properly (even Wikipedia would have given you the differences in hardware between the SGS2 "variants"), you would have known this already :-|
Deniska11 said:
Lol, the things xda keeps enforcing are: dont spam and read previous posts. Not only are you posting a garbage/useless reply, but you also dont know where i am coming from because you failed to read.....anything from this thread.
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on my family there are 3 sgs2, 2 blacks and my sgs2 white, al of them gt-i9100 with same specifications and the same performance, it only changes with the different version like the lte.
Deniska11 said:
I dont mind waiting for an official, but if the one on xda is worthy, ill get that. Speaking of the fix, im quite amazed xda already got roms, i mean...how long ago was the phone released? Thanks a lot for your input anyways man.
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Well, considering that with Gingerbread, I run CyanogenMod 7 instead of Samsung's ROM, I think I'll end up going with the CyanogenMod 9 ROM over Samsung's anyway
The Galaxy S II, at least in Australia, launched in May last year. If you're referring to the Galaxy Nexus, it'd be about a month or so, give or take two weeks. But the source code was out about a week or two before the Galaxy Nexus shipped, and has been out for around two months or so, again give or take a bit
I might be getting one sometime in the next few weeks. I was just wondering, is anyone using an InvisibleShield, or BSE or any other skin on their white Galaxy S II?
I'm curious as to how it looks, if it makes the white look less... white.
Gonna buy mine sometime soon too. I dont think it makes a difference, my friend has a white iphone with a ghost screen protector, it lookes exactly the same. MAYBE just a tiny little bit less...white

S2 vs GNexus?

Hi!
I already asked this question at GNex forums, but I thought I could as well ask you guys too.
So, I'm buying a new phone. I'm not new to Android scene, but I've never actually had a high-end phone(well technically these both are last-era high-ends, but what ever...). So please guys, tell me why should I or why should I not buy S2 instead of Galaxy Nexus!
As far as I know, Nexus has better screen(larger and extreme resolution!), but S2 is more powerful. Though I've heard that Nexus' OMAP4 chipset is better than S2's Exynos. On the other hand Mali-400 is better than PowerVR...
Nexus would cost me 30€ less(GNex=370€ & S2=400€), that ain't a game changer though.
So tell me your opinions! So far I'm kinda gravitated on GNex due to the screen... Also it's the cheaper one of those two.
One thing that is a plus for S2 is larger community in XDA. I bet there are two times more roms for S2!(BUT, Nexus has alot of roms too, including CM9, AOKP, MIUI, Paranoid etc.)
Thanks!
ArmorD said:
Hi!
I already asked this question at GNex forums, but I thought I could as well ask you guys too.
So, I'm buying a new phone. I'm not new to Android scene, but I've never actually had a high-end phone(well technically these both are last-era high-ends, but what ever...). So please guys, tell me why should I or why should I not buy S2 instead of Galaxy Nexus!
As far as I know, Nexus has better screen(larger and extreme resolution!), but S2 is more powerful. Though I've heard that Nexus' OMAP4 chipset is better than S2's Exynos. On the other hand Mali-400 is better than PowerVR...
Nexus would cost me 30€ less(GNex=370€ & S2=400€), that ain't a game changer though.
So tell me your opinions! So far I'm kinda gravitated on GNex due to the screen... Also it's the cheaper one of those two.
One thing that is a plus for S2 is larger community in XDA. I bet there are two times more roms for S2!(BUT, Nexus has alot of roms too, including CM9, AOKP, MIUI, Paranoid etc.)
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think that GNex will always have Google's native support. That's a plus for that one.
They're two beautiful phones. Very powerful.
I probabbly take the GNex, but, here's your choise
Also, you can wait and go for a better phone, like HOX, or SGSIII.
Greetings!
ArmorD said:
Hi!
I already asked this question at GNex forums, but I thought I could as well ask you guys too.
So, I'm buying a new phone. I'm not new to Android scene, but I've never actually had a high-end phone(well technically these both are last-era high-ends, but what ever...). So please guys, tell me why should I or why should I not buy S2 instead of Galaxy Nexus!
As far as I know, Nexus has better screen(larger and extreme resolution!), but S2 is more powerful. Though I've heard that Nexus' OMAP4 chipset is better than S2's Exynos. On the other hand Mali-400 is better than PowerVR...
Nexus would cost me 30€ less(GNex=370€ & S2=400€), that ain't a game changer though.
So tell me your opinions! So far I'm kinda gravitated on GNex due to the screen... Also it's the cheaper one of those two.
One thing that is a plus for S2 is larger community in XDA. I bet there are two times more roms for S2!(BUT, Nexus has alot of roms too, including CM9, AOKP, MIUI, Paranoid etc.)
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my s2. I'd say go with the s2 if it was between those two.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
go with nexus you will get awesome hd screen (300+ppi not bat ! ) official updates from google first hand (no need to flash unofficial roms to get the latest) total google experience (also you will get rid of that awful touch wiz)
and its cheep..
but......
here are some cons
no sd card (it only gonna fell if you going to buy 16 gb version)
ok video recording (in that case s2 is winner)
that's it i won't find any more cons in nexus but lottssss of in s2 that's why i am also going to buy nexus (but i am going to wait for thier next version may be moto nexus ......)
good luck .
Well, i have never used a nexus but i can write some pros for the s2
1.HUUUUGE community for roms and mods
2.Easily rootable
3.Easily modifyable
4.Good hardware
5.Pretty much impossible to brick
6.Probably has the best kernel for any phone ever. The siyah kernel.
But at this point in time , personally if i were getting a high end droid, i would get the S3 or Htc One X
But i personally recommend the s2
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
I'm make it easy for you...
http://www.youtube.com/results?sear....0.0.0.483.1708.2-1j3j1.5.0...0.0.Gm8Af6ooc00
id buy the sgs2 over the nexus any day , no micro sd slot means i couldnt buy it if i wanted too , theres just not enough memory for my needs
also samsung sgs2 has a genuine 2000mah battery avalible
for me the sgs2 is only beaten by the sgs3 , id even rate the sgs2 more then the htc one x due to the one x having no removeable battery and no micro sd slot
horses for courses but sgs2 wins everytime for me
Hi i would go for gnex
Cuz of google support and cuz im pretty sure gnex will get gelly been inshallah
Bigger screen better resolution
And for me i have some problems with my sgs2 like over heat
So i would go for gnex if i had to choose again between them
I'd say go for gnex it got a better future i think
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
Wanted the Gnex but only good thing about it is google support but the sII just pwns it in every other way... sad to say...
I own an s2 but not much experience with the gnex. S2 is good, when it works properly, but I suspect gnexus would be less hassles.
S2 isn't bad on paper but I miss the Nexus experience I enjoyed on my Nexus One.
PS. 2100mah genuine extended batteries exist for gnex, too.
Thanks guys! A s you see, i choose S2. It wad a hard decision, but I'm happy with this! I knew nexus would have been good, but i really think it wouldn't be any better than S2! This phone's performance is just mental! And it's fun to say Mali
And there was a campaign price for S2 due to there newly opened electronics store near me, I paid only 333 euros! Even cheaper than the Nexus!
Thanks for answers!
Edit. Damn You 8 thanks/ day
Edit 2. I hate you SlideIT keyboard!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

Galaxy S II still worth it?

So here's the thing.. I would like the Galaxy S III of course, but it has it's obvious faults, and without a scheduled upgrade from my provider I just don't think it's worth the 700+ dollars I would have to shell out.. So my thought was to buy a used Galaxy S II for around 200-300$ to tide me over until either HTC or Samsung release near perfect devices, or until the next Nexus whenever that is, do you think this would be worth it? Is development slowing down or staying the same and is 200-300$ worth it until and would it last until the next nexus or HTC/Samsung flagship?
Thanks in advanced for your opinions
Of course, S2 is still a great phone.
I will never switch for the S3, not that S3 is not better, just the S2 does everyting that S3 does..maybe S4 will give me a reason to switch.
im the kind of person that only switches cellphone or any other electronics when its really worth it, a big step ahead, or else I don´t think its worth it.
S4 will have 14 nm chipset
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/samsung-20nm-14nm-chip-production/
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
syndragon said:
Of course, S2 is still a great phone.
I will never switch for the S3, not that S3 is not better, just the S2 does everyting that S3 does..maybe S4 will give me a reason to switch.
im the kind of person that only switches cellphone or any other electronics when its really worth it, a big step ahead, or else I don´t think its worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I've got the Desire Z right now so it would be a pretty big jump.. but yeah I'm thinking if I can get this phone for cheap at least it will be a good jump and a nice holder until my carrier gives me a free upgrade next year ?
hikarugo said:
S4 will have 14 nm chipset
http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/samsung-20nm-14nm-chip-production/
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
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Dam that's amazing.. The only thing is I need the rest of it to be worth it too :S The problem with the S3 are the pentile (not a BIG deal obviously, don't care that much) the pink problem, the blacks problem, the screen being easily cracked, etc :/ maybe the S4 will blow me away
I also want a lot of dev community since for some reason the Desire Z had a TON and it would be weird not having it and like stupid amounts of ROMs
S2 is still a strong phone. No other devices offer significant improvements over what it does.
I thinks that there's not so much difference between Galaxy SII and SIII. The big difference to me is the design of the phone. Hardware of SII is actually very strong.
I don't know if the S3 has better battery life... but in other subjects S2 is not that far from S3... And the price now is very accessible as well...
SII is still great! We have a official ics which sucks but cm9 is pretty sick and stable for daily use. Oh and there are some really great roms and kernels out there.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
syndragon said:
Of course, S2 is still a great phone.
I will never switch for the S3, not that S3 is not better, just the S2 does everyting that S3 does..maybe S4 will give me a reason to switch.
im the kind of person that only switches cellphone or any other electronics when its really worth it, a big step ahead, or else I don´t think its worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1.I upgraded from x10 as s2 was worth it.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
You're looking to do exactly what I'm in the middle of doing. About 3 or 4 months ago I bought a relatively new SGSII for $300 due to my Nokia N97 breaking down about half way through my contract. It is an amazing phone and my first which is running Android. I have done lots of mods and flashed lots of roms and have really enjoyed it. At the end of the year my contract expires so the SGSII is going to my fiancée and I am going to upgrade to an SGSIII or a Galaxy Note II or the next Nexus. The SGSII is definitely a great phone with lots of support by all the great themers, modders and rom builders on XDA. Definitely recommend it.
Well I guess it really depends on the use you make of your phone.
SGS II is an excellent device on many aspects, but if you plan on playing the most recent games, for instance, I'd say the SGS III's quad-core will be more... "comfortable"?
As far as I'm concerned, I'll stick with my SGS I as long as possible, the engagement with my carrier goes to Feb 2013... Maybe SGS IV will be announced by then. Argh!!
IF you are out budget the S II is still a strong phone. Another advantage if you choose S II over other phone is community. S II has the biggest market in all Android phones and of course S II / Samsung 3rd party developers are just awesome!
noneabove said:
Well I've got the Desire Z right now so it would be a pretty big jump.. but yeah I'm thinking if I can get this phone for cheap at least it will be a good jump and a nice holder until my carrier gives me a free upgrade next year ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, then its up to you, either S2 and S3 will be a big jump.
So only you know if the aspects that make S3 slightly better than S2 its worth the extra money.
IMO S2 is the best phone out there. Yes, S3 and One X are more powerful, but are the worth 600€? S2 can do exactly all the same things as those two, play HD games like Modern Combat 3 and NOVA 3 without any notable lag!
Currently, I believe S2 has the biggest community in XDA(well, it's separated to many "divisions" here, due to many different models[US Carrier specific and i9100G], but cause it's so popular, why wouldn't it be good?)
Yes, S2 is worth it. Here, it costs two times less than an S3.
last week i played with the SGS3 and the SGS2 ( a updated one ( ICS ) of a friend )
i did not notice any BIG differents between the 2 phone's
so i got myself a SGS2 and saved me 300 euro's.
ArmorD said:
IMO S2 is the best phone out there. Yes, S3 and One X are more powerful, but are the worth 600€? S2 can do exactly all the same things as those two, play HD games like Modern Combat 3 and NOVA 3 without any notable lag!
Currently, I believe S2 has the biggest community in XDA(well, it's separated to many "divisions" here, due to many different models[US Carrier specific and i9100G], but cause it's so popular, why wouldn't it be good?)
Yes, S2 is worth it. Here, it costs two times less than an S3.
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Click to collapse
I agree. The s2 has the best xda family in my opinion. Just look at rr or Rootbox thread. And it is probably going to not be outdated for another year or two
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
Same here buddy...
I wont switch to galaxy s3 from galaxy s2...
But if anyone want to buy a new phone its obvious if u can spend money and get galaxy s3,then buy that otherwise S2 is still a good phone sold more than 28million..
I think the development wont stop just because of S3..
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
Thanks for the advice guys! I will definitely be monitoring kijiji closely looking for one that's at least less than 300$ and maybe even less than 250$! Hope I find one soon!
No. Its display has low life. When people asked Samsung why did they change display in SGS3, they said that its because the samoled+ has low life and faster degradation of image quality.
For instance, some phones already had yellow tint on 30% brightness. Some have started to develop it now.
its display is great. But battery life is poor. With one charge, you will hardly be able to use (total hours of usage) it more than 8 hours given battery is new.
samoled+ is marvelous display but you will find running your phone at low brightness due to battery concerns. Whats use of such a phone then?
No wonder SGS3 has a different display.
Stock rom gave me bs battery life with my usage about 5-6 hrs but go custom with UV and UC i get 8-10 hrs! Use a little less and i get 14 hrs and im using the 1650 mh batt

Is the GS3 still a good deal?

Hi.
I am considering on getting a new phone and one of the hottest options for me is the Galaxy S3.
I currently have an Iphone 4s (Yeah, I regret buying that piece of crap every second of my life) but I've had Android phones earlier too, most noticeably the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Originally I want the Nexus 4, but I can't find any with a good price in my country (they all cost like €400 or so) and buying form the Internet isn't an option because no one delivers online stuff here in this terrible country.
So, I found some SGS3 that cost around €300 and I think the price is OK. I can afford that, but I'd like to ask some questions to the users on XDA before purchasing it.
Since I've used Android before, I know almost everything about it (the stuff like rooting, custom Rom's, and custom recoveries. ODIN and so on) I\d like to know if the S3 is still a good phone. I mean does it still perform well. Im worried about this a bit because my GS2 was a good phone but it was laggy and tended to heat a lot when using it a lot or during high-graphic games.
Is the 1.4 GhZ quad core chip still a good processor that can handle perfectly most of the daily routine stuff.
BTW, I intend on putting stock Android of some form, like CM10.1 or AOKP or PA, on it because I hate TouchWiz.
Would you guys still suggest the Samsung Galaxy S3 even after more than a year since it's release?
if u want cm10 or any aosp Rom dont think of GS3 because of closed drivers the camera is still crap on cm10.1 because of that reason
so ur only option would be living with a themed touchwiz and removed blotware otherwise find your self another phone
dont go for s3
buy any htc or a sony device that u can afford.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
How about nexus 4 ?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
S3 always gave me good performance. i would recommend the same. you have many custom roms other than touchwiz that work perfectly as the stock f/w's. i feel so sad about the people using this phone supporting other brands.
Yeah as mentioned, if you want AOSP, go for something qualcomm based.
Camera IMHO is pretty good if you use the aosp camera mod from xda. Just poor in low light but sammy camera isn't much better in low light anyway
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Get it
It's a good phone in general, but on stock the RAM and CPU shows it's age. It's not exceptional in the graphics department, same GPU as S2
And the battery is kind of short compared to, say, the note II.
Ok, I see your point. It was probably the same thing about the drivers with the Galaxy S2. Always had problems in custom ROM's with the camera and the sound in some ways.
Like I feared, the S3 might be a bit better than the S2 in performance because of the better processor but since it has the same GPU and same amount of RAM, it shouldn't much different overall.
As I said, I want the Nexus 4 but it's hard to find it here in my country for an acceptable price (even then it's still not easy finding one).
Since some of you suggested HTC or Sony, what do you guys think about the One X? I can also find the HTC One X for around €300 which is OK imo.
But one of my friend has it, and he has problems with the Wifi a lot. The reception is very low, and sometimes his phone just won't start, or at times it wont play any kind of media, like music and videos and so on. That's why Im worried about the HTC One X. As for the Sony alternative, they do not have any good phones besides the new Xperia Z and upwards IMO.
I guess I will wait and see if I can find a Nexus4 for a month or so, but I really, REALLY want to move away as far as possible from the Iphone and get back ASAP to Android. At the end of the day, I think I will still be better with a Custom Rom based on Touchwiz than iOS.
May god help me.
i9300 is so much more comfortable to hold than the i9100, a huge improvement there. Right now I would buy the HTC One, but it's expensive
Oh well, I just bought a new sgs3 from my carrier subsidized and it's the best phone I could've bought for the money.
I'm coming from an abused HTC Desire so the upgrade is huge.
Still on stock rom so I'm experiencing some lag when pushing the phone a bit. Will probably root/custom rom in the near future.
Was aiming for the HTC One X + but couldn't find it anymore for sale.
Had my s3 for a year now and i love it. Its big screen is much better for me than iPhone 4s which my partner uses.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using xda app-developers app
Yes, it's still a good deal to buy it and it's still has support from Samsung, so it's means that it's will get latest updates.:good:

Should I buy Galaxy S2?

I had HTC Desire for nearly 3 years, and it is a great phone, but I think it is time to upgrade, because:
- it is annoyingly slow with my regular set of programs installed, even on fastest available roms
- it doesn't have kernel 3.0, and because of that JB roms have shortcomings
- a little bit too small screen for GPS navigation
- really crappy camera
- somewhat short battery life
Some time ago I had a chance to look at Galaxy S2 in person and it looked like a perfect phone (at least for 2 minutes I had it in my hands).
Somewhat bigger screen, more internal storage, kernel 3.0.
I use custom roms, so big development community is important for me. I have been spoiled by Desire as it (still) has a large one.
Galaxy S2 would cost me around 170-200 euro to get it.
Should I take that, or look for something else in this price range?
My requirements:
- larger screen (not necessarily much larger)
- android (duh)
- solid build quality
- large development community
- noticeably faster CPU than Desire (Dual+ core would come in handy)
- microUSB
- good/very good camera
- good battery life
- price up to 200 euro (used)
- would be nice if it had FM transmitter (not receiver) but it is not necessary
- it must by BLACK or therebout
No. Why would you buy a phone that's been out for two yrs ? Get an S3 or S4 if you want a Samsung phone.
Galaxy Nexus may fit your needs..
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
MistahBungle said:
No. Why would you buy a phone that's been out for two yrs ? Get an S3 or S4 if you want a Samsung phone.
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Click to collapse
Because I don't care how long the phone has been out, but how well it suits my needs.
Plus, S3 and S4 are surely more expensive.
Personally, between S2, S3 and S4, I would recommend the S3. (Although it wouldn't fit the budget, unless there are some offers!)
Mainly because it is relatively newer and you can expect new Android upgrades from Samsung (at least KLP) for it. Samsung has already announced that 4.2.2 will be the last update for S2, according to samfirmware. And with so many (mainly, codeworkx) developers not showing much love for Samsung devices of late, I am sure it would take that much longer to get custom ROMs updates.
If you do decide on S2, it is a really good device!! Great build, great design etc. But I suggest you buy the OMAP variants (i9100G), as it has better support from development community. Owing mainly to TI playing nice compared to Samsung (Exynos).
Several developers are not happy with Samsung's support for Exynos devices and Samsung's lack of support for the dev community of late. For me, this is a major concern.
Why are you advising the guy to get the g variant?.There was almost a riot in your country a year ago when suppliers were giving out g variant models instead of the plain gti9100 model.
If you want then buy a Nexus 7
Nexus has a huge development community and is also in ur price range
Press thanks if helped
arnabbiswasalsodeep said:
If you want then buy a Nexus 7
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Click to collapse
Why would I buy a tablet when I need a phone?
Samsung Galaxy S2 is still a powerful device even beat some newest devices (of course not high-end ones) but it's still can go well with mid-range devices.
Get S2 or S4.....I (personally) don't like the S3.The big thing is,that S4 hasn't a big developent support,since it's a new phone.Galaxy S2 has still a big support...I still see new ROMs and updates every day or week.And it is fast,no matter what people say...get the setup as in my sig...my phone was never faster.
So S2 looks interesting, but this is what I have been told about regarding its screen:
I also considered s2 but there's one serious setback to it. Namely, the screen is amoled and without pentile matrix.
What's bad about it you ask? pixels that are frequently used lose color and items that you have on screen for most time are somewhat paler than the rest of the screen, and you can see their shadow for the whole time, ppl reported that with all amoled displays and non pentile of s2 is even more susceptible to that. That happens even to devices 3 months old, depending on how heavily they are used I guess. You can google it to see for yourself, just type galaxy s2 amoled burn in. There are also few good YouTube vids showing that. Items that you usually can see are burned in status bar, soft keys from your most used app, keyboard, alarm icon and "fully charged" sign across the screen as during night charging the phone lights up when battery is full and keeps the screen on until you turn it off or unplug it/on some ROMs at least, stock including/.
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Click to collapse
Do you guys have any comments on that? Is it that bad and common as it sounds? On my 3 year old Desire I see nothing like it happening.
theunderling said:
Why are you advising the guy to get the g variant?
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Click to collapse
Oh, if I wasn't clear: Right now I would prefer to use an S3. But if I had a fixed budget and decided on S2, I would by the G variant. -- This is what I meant.
Honestly, I thought those 'riots' were because Samsung decided to slip in the G variant very slyly. No intimation of any sort to the buyers.
I have read about the lower bechmarks on i9100G etc. Any other difference that goes against the i9100G? (Sorry that I am hijacking the thread, just wanted to know)
RAZR maxx
Sent from my XT910 using xda app-developers app
impactor said:
Do you guys have any comments on that? Is it that bad and common as it sounds? On my 3 year old Desire I see nothing like it happening.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been using my S2 for more than two years now. I haven't noticed this burn in. (And, hopefully I don't. )
I tried looking for it right now, and...nope, nothing like it.
deadmetaphor said:
Oh, if I wasn't clear: Right now I would prefer to use an S3. But if I had a fixed budget and decided on S2, I would by the G variant. -- This is what I meant.
Honestly, I thought those 'riots' were because Samsung decided to slip in the G variant very slyly. No intimation of any sort to the buyers.
I have read about the lower bechmarks on i9100G etc. Any other difference that goes against the i9100G? (Sorry that I am hijacking the thread, just wanted to know)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The g has a lot less development than the plain gti9100,unless something changed on here in the last 2 months.And the models are based on regions(supposedly).
Theres a wiki page that lists the models and explains a bit about them,so he can look at that and see what options are best for France.
I think the lte variant is the best,but maybe its for other regions of the world.
theunderling said:
The g has a lot less development than the plain gti9100,unless something changed on here in the last 2 months.
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Click to collapse
Seeing that the G has a stable CM release and the default perpetually being restricted to only nightlies, I had assumed otherwise.
Thanks!!
Meh, I am stuck.
I read around here that s2 display is horrible when compared to s3.
s3 has even cheaper feel, and is 100-170e more expensive
Sensation is useless to me.
Price of S4 is absurd...
By the way, are there some roms for S2 that allow changing software DPI? I have seen ParanoidAndroid on Desire can do that, but apart from this ROM, I haven't seen it anywhere else.
impactor said:
Meh, I am stuck.
I read around here that s2 display is horrible when compared to s3.
s3 has even cheaper feel, and is 100-170e more expensive
Sensation is useless to me.
Price of S4 is absurd...
By the way, are there some roms for S2 that allow changing software DPI? I have seen ParanoidAndroid on Desire can do that, but apart from this ROM, I haven't seen it anywhere else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i prefer the s2 display to my brother's s3 and my friends' s4 and xperia z personally
as to dpi, yes: slim, and rootbox do, and others may that i don't know of
p.s. i love my s2, so fast, and battery lasts soooo long , however if you're paying more than 200 usd it's not worth it

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