Battery life vs Galaxy S4 - Sony Xperia Z Ultra

I'm currently deciding between the ultra and the note 3, and am leaning towards the ultra cos of the colour tints that seem to affect all the amoleds I've seen.
Anyway the one thing that worries me is how most reviews say battery life when web browsing is poor. Gsmarena's test was depressing reading with the ultra's result putting it right down the table level with some pretty old phones.
I'm not expecting miracles with the large screen but it would be good to know if the ultra can get close to the s4's battery life, once the battery has been run in, as I currently have an s4.
Could someone who has come from an s4 comment on how the battery life compares, especially with web browsing?
Thanks
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

toadsurfer said:
I'm currently deciding between the ultra and the note 3, and am leaning towards the ultra cos of the colour tints that seem to affect all the amoleds I've seen.
Anyway the one thing that worries me is how most reviews say battery life when web browsing is poor. Gsmarena's test was depressing reading with the ultra's result putting it right down the table level with some pretty old phones.
I'm not expecting miracles with the large screen but it would be good to know if the ultra can get close to the s4's battery life, once the battery has been run in, as I currently have an s4.
Could someone who has come from an s4 comment on how the battery life compares, especially with web browsing?
Thanks
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had an S4 that I sold recently. The Ultra stacks up pretty well against it. The battery doesn't last as long...
So for an average day I would have 30-40 % at the end of a day using the S4
For an average day on the Ultra I have 20-30%
This is a day of 10 or so phone calls. Wifi on all day, bluetooth on all day. Mobile data on all day, but only used for about an hour for the entire day. (as wifi at work and home) Many emails (40-50) and a few txts...
The ultra will get your through the day. But don't expect it to last 2 days unless your usage is less than what mine is.
NB: I had a play with the Note 3. I'm glad I didnt go with it. just an over sized S4. And I couldn't get used to that small screen! :laugh: I know that sounds funny.. but the note 3 is too small for me now
Hope that helps.

Remeber that you can replace the battery in the sgs 4. So if the battery gets bad after some month change it. If you want good battery life get the g2 you will not regret it. The x1 should have a good battery life too although my boss has it and said it is not that great.(batterylife wise)
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk 4

Thanks for the replies.
My main priority is to get the biggest and best display for movies and reading magazines. Getting the longest battery life phone is not important but I had just worried when I read z ultra reviews such as the gsmarena web browsing time of just 5 hours.
Good to know it actually seems OK though.
Thanks again.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

i have my z ultra and for the most part love it but battery life is nowhere near as good as the galaxy note 2 i had prev even though it was the same size battery (of course the ultra has a much higher res screen to deal with). tis why i've ordered a case with a 5000mah battery built in

gbohm said:
Remeber that you can replace the battery in the sgs 4. So if the battery gets bad after some month change it. If you want good battery life get the g2 you will not regret it. The x1 should have a good battery life too although my boss has it and said it is not that great.(batterylife wise)
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sony is acknowledge as one of the best battery manufacturer. If the battery would be damaged after just a couple of months on any smartphone I would be mad and sale the phone off.
the XZU is certainly not the best at battery, but really impressive for battery efficiency. Huge screen and impressive hardware and it keep easily a full day with heavy use. I use to play some games, have wifi and 3g always on and do a lot of Web browsing and xda. Also hear music and got always over 5h30 of screen on with over 14h.
Envoyé depuis mon C6802 avec xda premium 4

Sent from my Z Ultra, using XDA Premium 4

LordManhattan said:
Sent from my Z Ultra, using XDA Premium 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Boom!

@ lordmanhattan.
Im seeing similar results.
Used it extensively with wireless recently and it lasted at least 9 hrs with the screen mostly on. Was very impressed.
Sent from my C6833 using xda app-developers app

Yeah, as long as you don't do very CPU intensive tasks, such as gaming and stuff like that, the battery will last a long time.
Sent from my Z Ultra, using XDA Premium 4

I switched from Samsung Galaxy S4 to Z Ultra and I can say, battery life of the Z Ultra when screen on is much better than the GS4... I have got the Battery Monitor Widget on both phones and can see the S4 consistently consumes over 40% battery per hour when screen on, while the Z Ultra normally only consumes 15-20% per hour when screen on =) :silly:

Thanks for all the replies guys.
Just one question for those who have cone from the s4, how do you find the screen quality of the ultra for watching movies compared to the amoled?
I do love the blacks of the s4 screen but mine already has burn in which sucks so am keen to go LCD next time, but those blacks.....
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

toadsurfer said:
Thanks for all the replies guys.
Just one question for those who have cone from the s4, how do you find the screen quality of the ultra for watching movies compared to the amoled?
I do love the blacks of the s4 screen but mine already has burn in which sucks so am keen to go LCD next time, but those blacks.....
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the Z Ultra display quality is at least on par with S4, if not better. Both screens are extremely sharp. I don't really feel Z Ultra's black level is an issue to me. I think the Z Ultra has more natural color tone than the S4. In particular, I have always found the S4 to be having a slight "green tint" especially when not looking at the screen straight on. The Z Ultra simply has excellent viewing angle and great color even when viewed sideways. :good::good:

toadsurfer said:
Thanks for all the replies guys.
Just one question for those who have cone from the s4, how do you find the screen quality of the ultra for watching movies compared to the amoled?
I do love the blacks of the s4 screen but mine already has burn in which sucks so am keen to go LCD next time, but those blacks.....
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed that my Galaxy Note (almost 3 years old now) had some burning. There were some pixels that didn't shine as clear. Mostly around the middle. Ran a LCD test and it look really bad on red and green.
The S4 was still ok, and I'm pretty sure the lines i saw on it were because of the screen protector.
So amoLED screen do burn out faster. They have richer colours, over saturated so not realistic. Compared to the Sony Ultra that has more realistic colours but if you compare that to a samsung device it will look dull.
- So if you want saturated colours then the Note 3 will look great. If you want realistic colours the Ultra will be better.
It comes down to preference. I used to love the amoLED screens, but now I like the Ultra display better.

hamdogg said:
I noticed that my Galaxy Note (almost 3 years old now) had some burning. There were some pixels that didn't shine as clear. Mostly around the middle. Ran a LCD test and it look really bad on red and green.
The S4 was still ok, and I'm pretty sure the lines i saw on it were because of the screen protector.
So amoLED screen do burn out faster. They have richer colours, over saturated so not realistic. Compared to the Sony Ultra that has more realistic colours but if you compare that to a samsung device it will look dull.
- So if you want saturated colours then the Note 3 will look great. If you want realistic colours the Ultra will be better.
It comes down to preference. I used to love the amoLED screens, but now I like the Ultra display better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I currently love amoleds for watching movies, the blacks and vibrant colours are so nice to me. However my s4 is only 5 months old and has noticeable burn in on the status bar and so I'm not confident in amoled being able to last me the 2 years I want a phone for, but just unsure movie watching will have the same wow factor on ultra that amoled has. Will try and find somewhere that has both in stock to compare.
Out of interest where did you buy your ultra? I'm in NZ too.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

toadsurfer said:
Yeah, I currently love amoleds for watching movies, the blacks and vibrant colours are so nice to me. However my s4 is only 5 months old and has noticeable burn in on the status bar and so I'm not confident in amoled being able to last me the 2 years I want a phone for, but just unsure movie watching will have the same wow factor on ultra that amoled has. Will try and find somewhere that has both in stock to compare.
Out of interest where did you buy your ultra? I'm in NZ too.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
eBay
cost me $720 NZD (saving about $100).. however you'll have to ask the seller to mark it as a gift, or customs will sting you about 150-200$
I'm a movie junkie... Literally thousands of 1080p movies. each flight i watch one on my Ultra, and its perfect. Looks great!!

Related

[Q] ¿should I exchange my Xperia S with a Galaxy Nexus?

Hi, first of all I've to say sorry because my English is very poor
Since april I've had a simfree Xperia S, with bootloader unlock allowed (I haven't done it yet, including root or any mod)
There are two things that I don't like from the XPS:
-ICS is very laggy
-The battery isn't removable.
I usually stay away from my house the entire day, and I like watching films or series in the phone, so by the end of the day I always run out of battery and I need to carry with a USB portable battery and keep it connected for hours to recharge the phone.
With the galaxy nexus, I can buy the extended battery and carry with the stock one so when the extended is empty I can swap the batteries and begin at 100% again
The other thing I like from the Galaxy Nexus is the amoled screen, because of the better viewing angles than XPS and the bigger size when playing video
The two things I don't like from the Galaxy are the too low 16gb of storage and the GPS (I don't know if it is bad, but sure it isn't as good as the XPS)
And at the other hand, Nexus will be always up to dated with android version, and we don't know if XPS will be updated to 4.1
If you want a Nexus, wait for the new one(s) released this fall.
K900 said:
If you want a Nexus, wait for the new one(s) released this fall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't want to pay a lot for it and this fall the new nexus will be very expensive and I will have to wait for about 6 months more.
I don't have to pay anything for trading my xperia s with a galaxy nexus.
Use a different launcher and the battery is removable if you really need to remove or replace it.
But not for regular use as anthon needs !
anthon said:
I don't want to pay a lot for it and this fall the new nexus will be very expensive and I will have to wait for about 6 months more.
I don't have to pay anything for trading my xperia s with a galaxy nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is likely to be a series of Nexii, so you should be able to find something that suits you.
Please take note that galaxy nexus has on screen time of about 3hour plus only, while Xperia has higher on screen time.
Charging portable battery is easier than charging additional battery?
Xperia has a better rear camera while nexus has better front camera. Lol
Both phone are using outdated hardware, does it even matters?
At least in my country, Singapore, xperia s is certified for nfc payment while nexus isn't. (only xperia s, p, s3 and Samsung advance plus)
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2
I have both GN on JB and XS on GB (forget about ICS, too many problems for me)
Although GN is extremely smooth and battery last much longer under normal use ( 2 days vs 1 day max) the AMOLED is really suck.
Yes, the view angle is incredible, the black level is top notch, but the image quality is very disappointing, color is not accurate, pen tile makes image blurry/ not sharp.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
Finally I think that I'm going to keep my XPS until the new nexus
I will try the MIUI and Cyanogen Roms
Thanks to all for your help
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2
maxboy said:
I have both GN on JB and XS on GB (forget about ICS, too many problems for me)
Although GN is extremely smooth and battery last much longer under normal use ( 2 days vs 1 day max) the AMOLED is really suck.
Yes, the view angle is incredible, the black level is top notch, but the image quality is very disappointing, color is not accurate, pen tile makes image blurry/ not sharp.
Sent from my LT26i using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you have a defective unit chief, my fone also has the pentile s-amoled screen but images are CRYSTAL CLEAR, no blurry images & Hd video is a joy to view.
Sent from My Omega powered beast, using Xparent ICS
anthon said:
Hi, first of all I've to say sorry because my English is very poor
Since april I've had a simfree Xperia S, with bootloader unlock allowed (I haven't done it yet, including root or any mod)
There are two things that I don't like from the XPS:
-ICS is very laggy
-The battery isn't removable.
I usually stay away from my house the entire day, and I like watching films or series in the phone, so by the end of the day I always run out of battery and I need to carry with a USB portable battery and keep it connected for hours to recharge the phone.
With the galaxy nexus, I can buy the extended battery and carry with the stock one so when the extended is empty I can swap the batteries and begin at 100% again
The other thing I like from the Galaxy Nexus is the amoled screen, because of the better viewing angles than XPS and the bigger size when playing video
The two things I don't like from the Galaxy are the too low 16gb of storage and the GPS (I don't know if it is bad, but sure it isn't as good as the XPS)
And at the other hand, Nexus will be always up to dated with android version, and we don't know if XPS will be updated to 4.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen on the Galaxy Nexus is not that great. Sure you get better viewing angles but lower ppi, crappy whites, pentile, and image ghosting. I bought both phones and ended up sending the Nexus back. I just can't stand Samsung.
---------- Post added at 03:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:36 PM ----------
blade30p said:
I think you have a defective unit chief, my fone also has the pentile s-amoled screen but images are CRYSTAL CLEAR, no blurry images & Hd video is a joy to view.
Sent from My Omega powered beast, using Xparent ICS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pentile sucks man, I am sorry. My buddy has a Nexus and compared to my Xperia S the screen is not nearly as clear. Viewing the web on the Nexus is not very good as text isn't crisp unless zoomed in.
Also battery isn't that great on the Nexus either, if you view alot of internet it will drain much faster than the Xperia S.
I thought the same thing when coming from a galaxy nexus. Now that I'm running CM9 FXP132 I live this phone! Performance is incredible and my battery life doubled!
Sent from my Xperia S using xda app-developers app
Keep the Xperia S
First of all....the XS display is absolutely brilliant...even better than S3 display.Look at the 2 screens in the same time and you will notice the difference.Xperia S display colors are more real and the black is really really black.And is also the ppi intensity.Is better on Xperia S!The CPU on Nexus is significantly poorly than Xperia`s S!Even overclocked the score at megaflops doesn`t equal the score obtained by Xperia S CPU.And we have for the Xperia S a kernel oc-ed to 1,9Mhz!The camera on Xperia S makes perfect pictures!12 mpx > 5 mpx on Nexus.I don`t know about the GPU`s on both of the devices but the games on xperia s runs very well.The only advantage on Nexus is the removable battery and better technical support!overall except the lack of technical support the Xperia S is a better(technical and look)phone!
You're asking this in an Xperia forum lol bias is everywhere. Each device has its pros and cons. Personally if I had the option, I'd go for the Nexus, but if you can hold off until later this year as K900 said, you'll be in for a big improvement.
GN vs XS on xperia forum doesn't mean bias, if you got no comparison, GN is brilliant, i came from GN (now my GF is using it), switched to XS.
i had no complaint about GN before switch, i got lots of complaint after making the switch for both.
XS = laggy UI, laggy UI and laggy UI, man the spec is better but why laggy?
GN = wow the screen sucks big time, colour, sharpness (not due to ppi but pentile) and burning (ghost and shadow and stupid burn and much more)
if you use it everyday, the screen is where you are looking at everyday when using the phone. although XS LCD is a tad old fashion (why not IPS like iphone), switch from XS to GN will be your biggest mistake. if you are coming to a decision which phone you should buy then it depends
(smoothness and update = GN , design, camera and screen = XS)
maxboy said:
GN vs XS on xperia forum doesn't mean bias, if you got no comparison, GN is brilliant, i came from GN (now my GF is using it), switched to XS.
i had no complaint about GN before switch, i got lots of complaint after making the switch for both.
XS = laggy UI, laggy UI and laggy UI, man the spec is better but why laggy?
GN = wow the screen sucks big time, colour, sharpness (not due to ppi but pentile) and burning (ghost and shadow and stupid burn and much more)
if you use it everyday, the screen is where you are looking at everyday when using the phone. although XS LCD is a tad old fashion (why not IPS like iphone), switch from XS to GN will be your biggest mistake. if you are coming to a decision which phone you should buy then it depends
(smoothness and update = GN , design, camera and screen = XS)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I agree completely, my buddy who love is Galaxy Nexus has been complaining about the screen ghosting lately. Also the Xperia S is not laggy if you install a custom rom for it. Mine does good work.
YES you should.
If you're not satisfied with the phone you have now, then let it go. Questioning whether to replace it or not will just make u see more and more bad things about it. So why keeping it? And chances are, you will not be satisfied with Nexus either. You see people here are the kind to get any phone they want, stick to it and make the most of it.
You must remember, Reality Display color is more natural than Super Amoled (overcolour)
if you are to replace your sxs, do it with a newer gen s4 processor. otherwise, you wouldn't feel much difference.
Sent from my LT26i using xda premium
You seemed more suitable for iphone though
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2

Just got the Galaxy S4 - I prefer the LGOG

Just received the new Galaxy S4 yesterday. After playing around with it for a day, I must say that I'm quite indifferent about it. I don't consider it a huge upgrade from the LGOG at all... Here's some initial thoughts:
Display - I kept reading all the hype about the 1080p Super AMOLED display on the S4 and had very high expectations. It's OK at best. A pentile-matrix display is still no match for full RGB LCD pixels like on the OG, even at 720p. The S4's autobrightness is also set much too dim, and I find myself having to manually slide the brightness level up and down to fit the surrounding lighting.
Build Quality/Appearance - The LGOG definitely feels like a higher quality handset than the S4 when you compare the two. The button layout and location of the ports are pretty much identical (which are some of the things that kept me from getting the HTC One instead). However, the glass back and diamond pattern of the LG just looks better, plain and simple.
OS Skin - I find that LG's Android skin is much more customizable than Samsung's Touchwiz. Using the LGOG stock out of the box feels like you're using a custom ROM from the XDA forums, there are so many customization options.
Performance - This is where the LGOG really shines. I have yet to find anything that makes the LGOG lag. Every animation and action done on the phone looks like it's running at 60fps. Switching between apps is instantaneous and the user experience is a pleasure. With all the beefed up internals of the S4 (higher processor and GPU clock speeds), I still saw some lagginess when performing certain actions. This was something I was not expecting on the S4, but I am pretty sure it has to do with all the new bells and whistles Samsung tried to cram into the phone (Air View, Air Gesture, Smart Stay, Smart Scroll, etc). Bottom line, the S4 benchmarks might be higher, but in daily use the LGOG is a smoother user experience.
Battery Life - This is the only thing that is still up in the air, as I have only had the S4 for one day. I expect the S4 to be better in this category though since it has a higher capacity battery, and judging from existing reviews.
Hope this post helps anyone that is on the fence between these 2 phones! I'd be happy to answer questions.
It would be awesome if you can do some sort of video comparison. (Don’t have to be really professional one… Just a simple video) If you have some time to kill.
I don't expect the S4 to last longer. Why? There's too much extra crap in there and a bigger screen, hence the bigger battery. Its probably going to be the same, if not worse.
I thought about getting that phone, but after previewing it and the HTC one, I had to stay with my LGOG and my Nexus 4.
I hate my S3 now since I got the Nexus and then LG.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Jammol said:
I don't expect the S4 to last longer. Why? There's too much extra crap in there and a bigger screen, hence the bigger battery. Its probably going to be the same, if not worse.
I thought about getting that phone, but after previewing it and the HTC one, I had to stay with my LGOG and my Nexus 4.
I hate my S3 now since I got the Nexus and then LG.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to have a Nexus 4 also, and like the OG much better (capacitive buttons, LTE, SD card slot). Especially now that the OG has fully functioning AOSP roms. The only thing I don't like is how HOT the phone gets during heavy use or internet browsing using mobile network data. I'm sure the high temps negatively affect battery life.
It still stands that I am largely unimpressed by the Galaxy S4 when compared to the OG. Even their cameras are comparable in normal outdoor daylight. I have not tested low light yet, but pretty much all phone cameras suck in low light except for a few (Nokia 808, HTC One, Lumia 920).
I got my S4 last weekend and have to say I agree with OP, after couple days of using the S4 couldn't wait to get back to my LGOG with CM10.1. The S4 display was disappointing to me and it was extremely laggy, much more then my S3.
A guy at my local best buy just got one and it just doesn't seem up to par with my LGOG like I thought it would and my display looks better too
Sent from my LG-E970 using xda premium
You guys are comparing the s4 with the LGOG!! This phone has been out for a long time now. And not that many roms.. I understand it took awhile to unlock the bootloader. And its crappy LG.. Bad support. I was just gifted this phone but i guess i just have to sale it or convert it into a N4
Are you talking about Quad or Eight Core SIV? I have the Quad one and I still prefer the DNA or the LGOG. Yes it is an LG so rarely gets updates but aside from that LGOG is much better.
Sell the SIV and use your LGOG
Sent from my HTC Droid DNA using XDA Premium HD
gypsy214 said:
You guys are comparing the s4 with the LGOG!! This phone has been out for a long time now. And not that many roms.. I understand it took awhile to unlock the bootloader. And its crappy LG.. Bad support. I was just gifted this phone but i guess i just have to sale it or convert it into a N4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol misinformed. There are tons of roms and not to mention the option to convert is just plain awesome to have.
Sent from my Nexus G LTE
My neighbor just got the s4 and I couldn't help my self. I had to play with it. I think the lgog is the better device IMHO.
Now I just need to play with the HTC one. So far I'm happy with purchasing the lgog n not waiting for the s4
Sent from my LG-E970 using Tapatalk 2
IPS displays offer awesome viewing angles, colors, saturation, more light viewing, and battery life. That Super AMOLED is an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) that gives you truer blacks than any LCD technology could hope to (even plasma isn't up to par). It offers great colors,viewing angles, brightness, saturation, etc and better battery life in a screen tech vs screen tech heads up. LG is great with their phones and has really stepped up since my last ATT Phone, the Shine (man I loved that phone). Their support is there and have stepped it up with updates for all their products across the board. Kind of hard to compare technology of a phone seven to nine months old to a newer phone. I actually lag my LGOG using LG's own keyboard on games like RoB, MWOH, and FFAB. Of course many SGS2 would freeze before I even rooted and ROM'd, my LGOG isn't freezing though it can lag and stutter (not rooted on my new one or anything yet).
LG doesn't give us a removable battery here but that's not a killer to me. The screen also is too easy to break (mine, on a brand new one only two weeks old that was rooyed and freegee'd actually had a crack go across the bottom of my screen and it was never dropped or anything.) My SGS2 was dropped and barely had a chip in it and that was on the side.
The SGS4 is thin and plasticky to me. I don't mind thinness (the LGOG is about the same as my SGS2) but it's about as slippery as my LGOG and costs way more.
The screen on the SGS4 uses a diamond tile matrix overlay on top of the OLED (AMOLED) LED backing. It's not terrible and is actually better than the SGS3 version. However the ppi is greatly enhanced but Samsung really doesn't need that type of overlay.
In all the LGOG feels better and responds better than the SGS4 in my opinion. To me it seems LG did better at optimizing their software for the LGOG than Samsung did with their phone, hence the lag.
Sent from my LG-E970 using xda app-developers app

exchange note 2 for z ultra

Hi guys,
I am about to exchange my note 2 with z ultra amd some added cash ? Should I go forward ? Comparing the battery life after 4.3 update is it better, a little better or a ton better ?
Hard to tell what your needs are but I came from Note 1 to Note 2 then Xperia Z Ultra and aside from some things the spen can do, I couldnt be happier!
This thing is a beast but I wanted the extra large display so that made it a great option for me.
So it all depends on your needs..like for example why are you not considering the Note 3? Think is too small of a jump display wise?
shaolin95 said:
Hard to tell what your needs are but I came from Note 1 to Note 2 then Xperia Z Ultra and aside from some things the spen can do, I couldnt be happier!
This thing is a beast but I wanted the extra large display so that made it a great option for me.
So it all depends on your needs..like for example why are you not considering the Note 3? Think is too small of a jump display wise?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yuo I kinda like to draw and I like added pixel. m very picky on display. I just never thought of note 3 as it didnt have the 'wow' factor for me. plus somehow the pixel are still visible to me. I love big working space but the only thing thats keeping me from buying it is the battery life. how good is it afer 4.3 update ?
Honestly, for battery life I cannot really help as I am most of the time connected to power and the few times I let it run a bit low on power, I didnt pay attention to how long it lasted but of course, I will never feel as confident as when I had my Note 2 and 4 extra batteries
Still, the Stamina mode is very nice in my opinion but hopefully someone else will provide feedback on battery life.
Battery life it's excellent in my experience: I use 2x Battery (search it into the Play Store), and I get two full days of usage. In line with my previous Galaxy Note. But for the rest, believe me, there is no comparison: the Ultra is totally in another league.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Pannam said:
yuo I kinda like to draw and I like added pixel. m very picky on display. I just never thought of note 3 as it didnt have the 'wow' factor for me. plus somehow the pixel are still visible to me. I love big working space but the only thing thats keeping me from buying it is the battery life. how good is it afer 4.3 update ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if you don't mind the absence of pressure sensitve stylus, the z ultra will still cater you fine with its pencil sensitive screen. But better prepare it with screen protector (the anti glare one) so those shallow scratches won't bother you too much. Or if you have some extra dough you could buy the z ultra stylus or the adonit stylus.
The battery life for a non intense internet will have you around 6-7.5 hours of screen time. I have tried it by taking a note in evernote and the battery reaches 50% with 4 hours of screen time which can be calculated to be around 8 hours tops if i continue doing the same thing, plus i was using bluetooh mouse and keyboard too. So if you really focused while you're drawing, then the battery will not be a concern most of the time. Just don't try to browse with mobile data too often. It will drain the battery in 5 hours tops.
Plus the only concern with non removable battery is only after you use the phone for more than 2 years, but if you can take care of your battery (i.e don't charge it while it's hot or don't charge after its fully depleted), 3 years of lifetime is not impossible. In the mean time those slim sony powerbank will certainly help you to extend battery life should you want it.
So yeah nothing to worry i guess.
Sent from my C6802 using xda app-developers app
I would do it. I just came from the note 2 and not going to go back. Everything the Samsung has the Sony has way better. Sony quality is awesome.
Sent from my C6806 using XDA Premium HD app
Oh and the Sony stock ROM is the best I have ever tried stock. I dont feel the need to keep looking for Custom Roms as It was with my Note 2..then again, this thing is a beast so nothing can make it seem laggy lol
Go for it mate!
The following is just my own personal opinion and my experience using the z ultra...originally i had a note 2 and the moved over to the z ultra...after 3 months i sold the z ultra and bought a note 3 which iam very happy with. The main reasons why i decided to switch to the note 3 are as follows;
1) At first i didn't really mind the size, in fact the main reason i bought the phone in the first place was due to size. My main use of a smartphone are media consumption first and communication second. although the z ultra is a lot more portable than some 7 inch tablets, its still pretty big for a phone. often times i found my self getting frustrated due to not being able to fit it properly in some of my pockets. Unless i went out with a bag, i had to think carefully about the types of clothes i had to wear just so i can carry the z ultra. The note 3 seems to provide a big enough screen while not compromising portability, now i don't have to dress for the phone anymore.
2) the screen is not as good as i had thought. Now i have to reiterate this is my own opinion: after using the z ultra i found that the screen had some flaws which i just couldn't get over. The black levels are poor compared to other LCD like the htc one and LG G pro. When looking at the screen in bright ambient lighting you wont notice how poor the black levels are, its only in dimly lit light that it becomes evident, now i use my phone a lot in a dimly lit bedroom so it becomes an issue. The blacks also wash out becoming milky white if you view the phone off angle, the color does not shift, only the color of the blacks...this issue is not as apparent as like the xperia z. but its still far worse compared to other flagships out there.
The screen is very bright even at the lowest setting, i had to use a screen adjuster app just to get the screen to be comfortable to use at night.
X-reality is pure garbage, sony replaced bravia engine with x reality, why they did this i will never understand as x-reality brings along image sharpening and grain which makes videos look unwatchable. But turning it off makes the screen look washed out. I compared every phone i had to the z ultra without x-reality and the z ultra was the worse of the bunch. One color the z ultra the z ultra seemed to have trouble producing accurately was green, compared to other high end phones, any green that's not dark green always appeared to look yellowish green.
One issue i found annoying when viewing pictures and videos was that the screen had poor gamma levels. skin tones appear too bright for what they should be and shadows appear too dark. watching dark scenes was just unbearable as all the shadowy areas would loose all detail and look all black, while the faces especially for light skinned people would look pale white. other phones would show details in the shadows and skin tones would be full of color.
3) sound quality is pretty bad, coming from the note 2 i thought the speaker sound wouldn't bother me, after a few weeks it become annoying as the z ultra has the worst external speaker on any smartphone i have used.
4)The camera is complete utter crap...now i dont take photos much, and i didnt think it would be an issue, but the few times i did take pictures always thought of the note 2 which i had sold off to buy the z ultra. If you like taking picture, do not buy the z ultra.
5) the sony UI is very beautiful and snappy, but after using lg pro, htc one x and note 2 and 3 i found it the least functional especially when it comes to calling and messaging. don't have time to elaborate on this one.
6) The font and icons are so tiny, this for some people wont be an issue but it was for me. even though you can view more content on the z ultra screen, everything is so shrunk down that reading on the thing becomes straining on the eyes. even when you increase the font size in the settings menu, some apps still show font too small.
After a few months i just could not stand these flaws and sold the phone to buy note 3. So far i couldn't be happier. I can carry the phone with no issue, the screen is vibrant and clear with multiple modes to choose from. skin tones look better and shadows are represented accurately. sound quality is vastly improved, the list could keep going on.
trellva25 said:
The following is just my own personal opinion and my experience using the z ultra...originally i had a note 2 and the moved over to the z ultra...after 3 months i sold the z ultra and bought a note 3 which iam very happy with. The main reasons why i decided to switch to the note 3 are as follows;
1) At first i didn't really mind the size, in fact the main reason i bought the phone in the first place was due to size. My main use of a smartphone are media consumption first and communication second. although the z ultra is a lot more portable than some 7 inch tablets, its still pretty big for a phone. often times i found my self getting frustrated due to not being able to fit it properly in some of my pockets. Unless i went out with a bag, i had to think carefully about the types of clothes i had to wear just so i can carry the z ultra. The note 3 seems to provide a big enough screen while not compromising portability, now i don't have to dress for the phone anymore.
2) the screen is not as good as i had thought. Now i have to reiterate this is my own opinion: after using the z ultra i found that the screen had some flaws which i just couldn't get over. The black levels are poor compared to other LCD like the htc one and LG G pro. When looking at the screen in bright ambient lighting you wont notice how poor the black levels are, its only in dimly lit light that it becomes evident, now i use my phone a lot in a dimly lit bedroom so it becomes an issue. The blacks also wash out becoming milky white if you view the phone off angle, the color does not shift, only the color of the blacks...this issue is not as apparent as like the xperia z. but its still far worse compared to other flagships out there.
The screen is very bright even at the lowest setting, i had to use a screen adjuster app just to get the screen to be comfortable to use at night.
X-reality is pure garbage, sony replaced bravia engine with x reality, why they did this i will never understand as x-reality brings along image sharpening and grain which makes videos look unwatchable. But turning it off makes the screen look washed out. I compared every phone i had to the z ultra without x-reality and the z ultra was the worse of the bunch. One color the z ultra the z ultra seemed to have trouble producing accurately was green, compared to other high end phones, any green that's not dark green always appeared to look yellowish green.
One issue i found annoying when viewing pictures and videos was that the screen had poor gamma levels. skin tones appear too bright for what they should be and shadows appear too dark. watching dark scenes was just unbearable as all the shadowy areas would loose all detail and look all black, while the faces especially for light skinned people would look pale white. other phones would show details in the shadows and skin tones would be full of color.
3) sound quality is pretty bad, coming from the note 2 i thought the speaker sound wouldn't bother me, after a few weeks it become annoying as the z ultra has the worst external speaker on any smartphone i have used.
4)The camera is complete utter crap...now i dont take photos much, and i didnt think it would be an issue, but the few times i did take pictures always thought of the note 2 which i had sold off to buy the z ultra. If you like taking picture, do not buy the z ultra.
5) the sony UI is very beautiful and snappy, but after using lg pro, htc one x and note 2 and 3 i found it the least functional especially when it comes to calling and messaging. don't have time to elaborate on this one.
6) The font and icons are so tiny, this for some people wont be an issue but it was for me. even though you can view more content on the z ultra screen, everything is so shrunk down that reading on the thing becomes straining on the eyes. even when you increase the font size in the settings menu, some apps still show font too small.
After a few months i just could not stand these flaws and sold the phone to buy note 3. So far i couldn't be happier. I can carry the phone with no issue, the screen is vibrant and clear with multiple modes to choose from. skin tones look better and shadows are represented accurately. sound quality is vastly improved, the list could keep going on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) I dont dress for my phone...never have. The Notes are not small enough to fit that good with what I wear anyway so i always carry them so no big deal for me.
2) To me the screen was the biggest surprise on how beautiful it looks. I was afraid of black levels coming from a long line of Samsung phones but the Pros far outweight the cons.
For someone so picky about the display its odd how you seem to "not see" the issues with the note 3 screen...
Yes x-reality creates too many issues for some media. Would be better to have options for it but all the stuff you mention I just dont buy it. Your opinion it may be and I disagree totally.
3) Really..comparing phone speaker qualities....oh boy. In any case, the less clarify of the speaker is of course due to the water proof nature of the phone. You cant get something for nothing in real life.
4) The camera is utter crap...mhm...actually is not. In low light it is pretty lame, which goes for most many phones but for me to call a phone camera utter crap means I am into photography (which I am) so I use a real camera for my photos so the phone camera is good enough for what I will use it.
To correct your statement "If you like taking pictures, do not buy a phone, buy a real CAMERA!"
But I am sure the Note A7R with FF sensor is much better...
5) Of course you wont ellaborate...I wanted to see what exactly you were going to claim here is as the issue since the Sony ROM has been one of the most impressive things I have found after moving from Samsung. Just clean and smooth without needing Custom Roms.
6) Straining on the eyes? Really...you got some eye problems, go to an eye doctor, dont blame the phone.
So lets see by your logic, you want a phone with a BIG screen to resize the Icons to fit the same lame quantity of Icons and things that will fit if the screen was smaller thus not really taking advantage of the bigger screen?
That is actually one of the greatest things about the Sony Rom even compared to Googles version of the Xperia.
So after a few months you sold the phone and yet you hang around the Xperia Z Ultra forum? Interesting behavior indeed...
To each its own..but the Note 4 would have to be DAMN good for me to leave the Xperia Z Ultra...that is how GOOD and impressive this phone is.
The following is just my own personal opinion and my experience using the z ultra...originally i had a note 2 and the moved over to the z ultra...after 3 months i sold the z ultra and bought a note 3 which iam very happy with. The main reasons why i decided to switch to the note 3 are as follows;
1) At first i didn't really mind the size, in fact the main reason i bought the phone in the first place was due to size. My main use of a smartphone are media consumption first and communication second. although the z ultra is a lot more portable than some 7 inch tablets, its still pretty big for a phone. often times i found my self getting frustrated due to not being able to fit it properly in some of my pockets. Unless i went out with a bag, i had to think carefully about the types of clothes i had to wear just so i can carry the z ultra. The note 3 seems to provide a big enough screen while not compromising portability, now i don't have to dress for the phone anymore.
2) the screen is not as good as i had thought. Now i have to reiterate this is my own opinion: after using the z ultra i found that the screen had some flaws which i just couldn't get over. The black levels are poor compared to other LCD like the htc one and LG G pro. When looking at the screen in bright ambient lighting you wont notice how poor the black levels are, its only in dimly lit light that it becomes evident, now i use my phone a lot in a dimly lit bedroom so it becomes an issue. The blacks also wash out becoming milky white if you view the phone off angle, the color does not shift, only the color of the blacks...this issue is not as apparent as like the xperia z. but its still far worse compared to other flagships out there.
The screen is very bright even at the lowest setting, i had to use a screen adjuster app just to get the screen to be comfortable to use at night.
X-reality is pure garbage, sony replaced bravia engine with x reality, why they did this i will never understand as x-reality brings along image sharpening and grain which makes videos look unwatchable. But turning it off makes the screen look washed out. I compared every phone i had to the z ultra without x-reality and the z ultra was the worse of the bunch. One color the z ultra the z ultra seemed to have trouble producing accurately was green, compared to other high end phones, any green that's not dark green always appeared to look yellowish green.
One issue i found annoying when viewing pictures and videos was that the screen had poor gamma levels. skin tones appear too bright for what they should be and shadows appear too dark. watching dark scenes was just unbearable as all the shadowy areas would loose all detail and look all black, while the faces especially for light skinned people would look pale white. other phones would show details in the shadows and skin tones would be full of color.
3) sound quality is pretty bad, coming from the note 2 i thought the speaker sound wouldn't bother me, after a few weeks it become annoying as the z ultra has the worst external speaker on any smartphone i have used.
4)The camera is complete utter crap...now i dont take photos much, and i didnt think it would be an issue, but the few times i did take pictures always thought of the note 2 which i had sold off to buy the z ultra. If you like taking picture, do not buy the z ultra.
5) the sony UI is very beautiful and snappy, but after using lg pro, htc one x and note 2 and 3 i found it the least functional especially when it comes to calling and messaging. don't have time to elaborate on this one.
6) The font and icons are so tiny, this for some people wont be an issue but it was for me. even though you can view more content on the z ultra screen, everything is so shrunk down that reading on the thing becomes straining on the eyes. even when you increase the font size in the settings menu, some apps still show font too small.
After a few months i just could not stand these flaws and sold the phone to buy note 3. So far i couldn't be happier. I can carry the phone with no issue, the screen is vibrant and clear with multiple modes to choose from. skin tones look better and shadows are represented accurately. sound quality is vastly improved, the list could keep going on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I fit it into my front chest pocket and never have any problem with it. in fact Sony engineers stated that it is the max that a pocket can be fitted because it is designed with a passport width in mind. So I'm not sure why can't you.
2. Blacks will never be a true black even with AMOLED one. Yeah the contrast is good when you push the brightness, but when you're reducing it you'll know that their blacks are not as black as you thought. I have had using razr Maxx fyi so there's that. If you don't like x reality then just turn it off simple. It's like you need to change color temperature mode first to get more accurate color in GS4 and Note 3. Plus those oversaturated colors.. I don't know but my eyes bleed when i saw my friend's Note 2 after using the Z Ultra. There's a reason why professional monitor doesn't use AMOLED.
3. Nothing beats HTC one in that regard i admit, but frankly all other smartphones can only produce so much sound too plus it is water proof so like shaolin said. You don't get something for nothing
4. Just switch to manual and reduce ISO to max 200. Boom done. Or better yet the qx100..
5. To each other's preferences then. But if we have to be honest, people loves to flash CM ROM on their Samsung/LG because of the bloated skin. Whereas with sony sometimes people regret doing that and came back to stock Sony ROM because the beautiful factor and simplicity is damn near AOSP one.
6. I have pity for you then. You are wasting all that ppi provided by the phone these days just for a bigger font. Granted if you have eye problem but if you do, better make it with some low end galaxy grand I suppose?
But i do understand that Note 3 has advantages over Z Ultra. S-pen and slighlty longer lasting battery, but none of the above you mentioned I'd consider as the disadvantages of the Z Ultra.
Sent from my C6802 using xda app-developers app
I clearly stated multiple times that everything i stated was based on my personal experience for the very reason that this is a z ultra forum, most people who frequent this forum will be z ultra owners of which there will be many people that do like the z ultra.
All the negatives i wrote about are based on my experiences and my uses of the phone, they wont be the same nor should they be the same as everyone's else...as of now i find the note 3 suits my needs better than the z ultra, does that mean i find the note 3 perfect....NO...does that mean the z ultra is a bad phone....NO
I use most of my phones stock, i seldom root much less use custom ROMS...if a phone does do or perform the way i want out the box then iam less likely to keep it...
The OP asked if its worth switching from the note 2 to z ultra....now since i used the note 2 for over a year before switching i felt my input could be of help, its up to the OP to look into the issues i stated and see for him/herself if 1) he can actually see the same issues stated in the phone 2) if he does see the issues are they a deal breaker for him
One thing i do know for sure is that iam not the only one who feels the way i do, each point i made has already been made by different forum members,
For example the font being too small, there is already a thread made about it in the forum, the screen issues i mentioned forum member angelofmusic has stated my experience with actual measurements made
Iam sure the z ultra is a good phone for some, but its just not for me
I have been using many phones before the Z.U. Honestly I only like Samsung phone for the Galaxy S1,S2. Since s3, the quality is, sorry for all Samsung users, never be able to beat Sony.
If you compare between the screen of Z.U and Samsung phone. Indeed the samsung will have brighter, more vivid colors, but not as real as the Z.U. I am an Z.U users and I am giving my personal opinion.
To the OP, I do NOT think it is worth to switch to the Note2. When you buy the Z.U, you know that the size is large and at some points, it may cause inconvenience. For the Note 2, it might be smaller, but I think you will miss the badass screen of Z.U soon.
With me, there is no reason to swith from Z.U to Note2, only if it is because of the battery. However, using a Phablet like the Z.U, you should prepare that the battery will not last all day long like smaller ones. Why? besides the badass screen, you have the Snap 800 inside, which is far too strong for any usual tasks.
justsomebody said:
I have been using many phones before the Z.U. Honestly I only like Samsung phone for the Galaxy S1,S2. Since s3, the quality is, sorry for all Samsung users, never be able to beat Sony.
If you compare between the screen of Z.U and Samsung phone. Indeed the samsung will have brighter, more vivid colors, but not as real as the Z.U. I am an Z.U users and I am giving my personal opinion.
To the OP, I do NOT think it is worth to switch to the Note2. When you buy the Z.U, you know that the size is large and at some points, it may cause inconvenience. For the Note 2, it might be smaller, but I think you will miss the badass screen of Z.U soon.
With me, there is no reason to swith from Z.U to Note2, only if it is because of the battery. However, using a Phablet like the Z.U, you should prepare that the battery will not last all day long like smaller ones. Why? besides the badass screen, you have the Snap 800 inside, which is far too strong for any usual tasks.
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Click to collapse
Seems like OP wants to switch from note 2 to z ultra not the other way around
Sent from my C6802 using xda app-developers app
thanx guys for ur input ,much appreciated. I have until tomorrow to make the deal so I am trying to consider all the facts. the pros and cons.very strong points from both end. I just met the guy. the screen looked washed out to me while the note 2 looked unnecessarily colorful him. the funny thing is now my note 2 looks so small and I cant get over it. wow! the screen size and all those extra space to work with but I just cant say abt the battery life if it suits my need.
lasts thank you for your time and all those long reviews. I hope I make the right choice.
Also, Z Ultra will survive a toilet dip , that's something to be bragged about.
trellva25 said:
I clearly stated multiple times that everything i stated was based on my personal experience for the very reason that this is a z ultra forum, most people who frequent this forum will be z ultra owners of which there will be many people that do like the z ultra.
All the negatives i wrote about are based on my experiences and my uses of the phone, they wont be the same nor should they be the same as everyone's else...as of now i find the note 3 suits my needs better than the z ultra, does that mean i find the note 3 perfect....NO...does that mean the z ultra is a bad phone....NO
I use most of my phones stock, i seldom root much less use custom ROMS...if a phone does do or perform the way i want out the box then iam less likely to keep it...
The OP asked if its worth switching from the note 2 to z ultra....now since i used the note 2 for over a year before switching i felt my input could be of help, its up to the OP to look into the issues i stated and see for him/herself if 1) he can actually see the same issues stated in the phone 2) if he does see the issues are they a deal breaker for him
One thing i do know for sure is that iam not the only one who feels the way i do, each point i made has already been made by different forum members,
For example the font being too small, there is already a thread made about it in the forum, the screen issues i mentioned forum member angelofmusic has stated my experience with actual measurements made
Iam sure the z ultra is a good phone for some, but its just not for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good so like after I sold a phone, I dont keep hanging around the old forums to post stuff like you just did. Just does not make sense to hang around a forum for a device I only had for a few months and did not like...I move on with my life to the new phone I got and the corresponding forums...
I already replied to all your points before so I wont rehash that. I do not mean the Note 3 is a bad phone nor that the Ultra is perfect, it sure is not. But your post really blows things out of proportions. Your opinion it is and I totally disagree with most of it as I said...so that is MY opinion too.
The OP will decide at the end.
Pannam said:
thanx guys for ur input ,much appreciated. I have until tomorrow to make the deal so I am trying to consider all the facts. the pros and cons.very strong points from both end. I just met the guy. the screen looked washed out to me while the note 2 looked unnecessarily colorful him. the funny thing is now my note 2 looks so small and I cant get over it. wow! the screen size and all those extra space to work with but I just cant say abt the battery life if it suits my need.
lasts thank you for your time and all those long reviews. I hope I make the right choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always had to tame down the colors on my Note phones using a kernel feature or at least changing to movie mode or something like that. The sony just looks perfect to me but I am used to working on a calibrated monitor for photo editing so give it a bit of time for your eyes to adjust maybe.
In any case, good luck with your decision!
I wont deny I was afraid of changing from Samsung after so many phones and being a Note 1 and Note 2 fan but now I cannot see myself without my Ultra! :good:
Pannam said:
Hi guys,
I am about to exchange my note 2 with z ultra amd some added cash ? Should I go forward ? Comparing the battery life after 4.3 update is it better, a little better or a ton better ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from the note 2 myself... The battery on The Z Ultra is just fine, it actually got considerably better after a few weeks use. I was paranoid at first worrying when I got down to 50% etc, but honestly one the initial setup and benchmarking frenzy was over it easily lasts me a day now. I normally charge between 5 and 7 when I get home after work, and thats the only time I do charge, its left unplugged overnight. When I come to charge it the next day I've usually got 40%+ left in the tank. To summarise I don't worry about battery whatsoever with this device. :good:
People keep complaining about the black levels on the ZU's screen - but they don't seem to realize what accurate colours truly are.
If you are the type of person who sets their TV to 'vivid' or 'dynamic' or one of those other fake settings that artificially enhance the hues and saturation of colours to make them pop - then by all means, please go the Samsung route; to your eyes, the colours are most likely going to seem more vibrant and thus imply that the screen quality is actually better.
If you want colours that are as close to those you will get from a professionally calibrated television set or monitor - the Sony is hands down the way to go.
Even comparing the Sony ZU side by side with my first generation Galaxy Note, the colours on the Note can in some cases strike out a little more - but when I put them up against my 55" professionally calibrated Samsung TV - the Sony's colours are most in line with the calibrated display - the Samsung looks skewed.
In short, if you think skin tones actually are supposed to be orange - stick with a Samsung.
If you want accurate, realistic depiction of your media - go Sony.
hassanmahmood said:
People keep complaining about the black levels on the ZU's screen - but they don't seem to realize what accurate colours truly are.
If you are the type of person who sets their TV to 'vivid' or 'dynamic' or one of those other fake settings that artificially enhance the hues and saturation of colours to make them pop - then by all means, please go the Samsung route; to your eyes, the colours are most likely going to seem more vibrant and thus imply that the screen quality is actually better.
If you want colours that are as close to those you will get from a professionally calibrated television set or monitor - the Sony is hands down the way to go.
Even comparing the Sony ZU side by side with my first generation Galaxy Note, the colours on the Note can in some cases strike out a little more - but when I put them up against my 55" professionally calibrated Samsung TV - the Sony's colours are most in line with the calibrated display - the Samsung looks skewed.
In short, if you think skin tones actually are supposed to be orange - stick with a Samsung.
If you want accurate, realistic depiction of your media - go Sony.
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Click to collapse
well, cannot agree more on that

[Q] Note 3 user heavily considering Z Ultra

Hey guys,
I was an iPhone user for years and jumped ship to android in 2012; best mobile decision I ever made. I began with the S3, then moved to Note 2, then Note 3. So my android experience has strictly been with Samsung. I like their phones and actually don't mind TouchWiz, but I keep looking at the Z Ultra. I love the size (main reason I'm considering it) and think I would really enjoy the phone. In my eyes it would truly be a 2 in 1 device. If I get it, I will sell the Nexus 7 I installed in my truck as a head unit and rig up a mount to slide the Z Ultra in to. That way I won't have to tether everytime which seems to be spotty at best (a lot of the times everything's connected with full signal but the internet doesn't work), and I can simply have one device.
Enough rambling, I have a few questions for all you Z Ultra owners:
Have any of you swithced from a Note 2/Note 3 to a Z Ultra?
What do you think is better about the Z Ultra than Note 3 (other than size)?
If I should keep the Note 3, why do you think that?
I'm a T12/L1 paraplegic from a skydiving accident resulting in a Spinal Cord Injury, so I roll around in a wheelchair all day. The Z Ultra will store nicely in a little pocket on the front of my cushion, so I don't think I'll have to deal with the typical "pocket" issues. Only thing I'll miss is the removable battery, but I could get over it. I always have two spare Note 3 batteries charged so I can swap out a dead one on the fly.
Thanks everyone!
I got my z ultra two days ago, best decision ive ever made
Its more fluid and smoother then my 2013 nexus 7 and I get asked about it all the time
I also get up to 15mbps on 3G but with my s3 I got 4 so I dont know if it made it faster
You can get one where I did at www.tiptopelectronics.Co.UK or. Com
£309 free delivery and 1year warranty
Sent from my C6833 using xda app-developers app
1. I am Sony user basically (just a one timer with Motorola) so no
2. Well:
The Screen estate is bigger (1080p with 320dpi, compared with 1080p with 480dpi in Note 3), Yeah the icon is smaller but you got a lot more room.
really slim and sexy compared to Note 3
no TouchWiz ugly UI (but that's just me )
NFC connectivity feature is a lot more pronounced and all the Sony NFC enabled accessories are the bomb too
waterproof of course (The cleanest of device i have ever used because when it's dirty, just wash it on the drain)
able to use any pencil as an input device (even if you don't have one, soaked wooden chopstick is perfect for XZU)
3. Note 3 is good because:
S-Pen (if you're an artist though)
Not really as ugly as the predecessor (more boxy i guess so more love i give)
Removable Battery (Not that XZU is bad in battery life but might be a niggling problem for some, but those Sony slim powerbank is the solution)
Camera (13MP + Flash + Samsung algorithm)
More dev support @ XDA
Well i'd say you'd better wait for the Xperia Z2 Ultra, because that Note 3 is quite sufficient for you imho and you won't gain too much with XZU (plus if you ever want to have a big screen, that N7 is probably enough for now). But if you really want to save some space right now, then XZU is the perfect answer bro..
If your goal is to replace your 7" tablet and your phone by a single device, then the Ultra is definitely your choice. I come from a Note+ Tablet combination, and haven't regretted one single day my new Z Ultra Only limitation imho is the camera in poor light conditions. For the rest, the phone rocks.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Enough rambling, I have a few questions for all you Z Ultra owners:
Have any of you swithced from a Note 2/Note 3 to a Z Ultra?
What do you think is better about the Z Ultra than Note 3 (other than size)?
If I should keep the Note 3, why do you think that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
#1 Yes came from a long line of Samsung phones, including Note 1, Note 2 and a test of Note 3 which made me skip it as I was still upset with Samsung about changing from the rumored 6" display to a whopping .18" increase :/
#2 Well, I was afraid of changing from Samsung where I knew pretty much everything..to a new system...but today, I can say....it is the BEST change I have done. As much as I enjoyed my Note 2, the Ultra is just another thing!
Smooth as butter...this stock ROM is just amazingly fast, clean and the fact that it is customized to actually use the bigger screen and fit more stuff in it, that is just sweet!
So what I like more than Note 2 is the way it is designed with the bigger size in mind and how smooth it is. Fast like crazy and just the screen size makes it an awesome experience.
Another thing I love is how easy it connects to a PS3 controller if that matters to you. Basically if yuo have bluetooth one, press the button on your PS3 controller and that is it...ready to rock.
It even tells you what charge level your controller has and lets you turn it off from the phone too. :good:
Another thing I love..the display quality..yes it does not have the deep blacks of the Notes but the colors look much more accurate..I do photo editing so finally I dont feel like having to tweak the "Punky Brewster like" Note 2 and 3 colors
#3 well if drawing on the phone is important to you, the Note 3 clearly has the advantage there. Yes the Ultra works with pretty much anything to draw but the precision of the Note 3 is clearly on a different level.
The Camera on the Note 3 is also better (not that phone cameras really matter to me) but one trick on the Ultra is to manually set your ISO then the quality looks a LOT better.
Overall, I would go with the Ultra...I just love mine! :good:
Another Samsung ex-user here. I came from note1, got fed up with touchwizz and poor batteries. I know they've improved on that, but even so, despite a few niggles with Sony roms, I much prefer the interface, much more stock android. No bells and whistles that you find in touchwizz but you can find an alternative app for pretty much anything.
Media wise it really is awesome, the screen is wonderbra. Obviously I'm biased, but get one and update to 290 for best results.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I have own both the note 3, xperia z ultra and the Google play edition z ullra. My only complaint is the camera is absolutely garbage and no led flash to boot, so low lit area camera shots are especially horrible. Other than that the z ultra is a better phone in EVERY way.
Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk 2
Also switched from Note 3. Note 3 has way more features packed in. But, well, I find myself not using any of them.
What I do miss are flashlight and TV remote.
Z Ultra is a beast - no, even BEAST. It`s fast and smooth, has great battery life (with stamina mod It uses 1% over night for me)
Also you have to understand that this phone is people magnet - everyone starts looking on you and asking questions. Also you will have to take it out of the pocket each time you sit down. So you will get alot of attention even if it will just lay on the table
Another minus I have noticed - Z Ultra has somewhat low sound volume. Sound quality is great but I often find myself missing a call while phone is in my pocket (never happened with my s3 or Note 3 with same soundtrack)
venorme said:
Also switched from Note 3. Note 3 has way more features packed in. But, well, I find myself not using any of them.
What I do miss are flashlight and TV remote.
Z Ultra is a beast - no, even BEAST. It`s fast and smooth, has great battery life (with stamina mod It uses 1% over night for me)
Also you have to understand that this phone is people magnet - everyone starts looking on you and asking questions. Also you will have to take it out of the pocket each time you sit down. So you will get alot of attention even if it will just lay on the table
Another minus I have noticed - Z Ultra has somewhat low sound volume. Sound quality is great but I often find myself missing a call while phone is in my pocket (never happened with my s3 or Note 3 with same soundtrack)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Enable "xLOUD" if you haven't already.
LordManhattan said:
Enable "xLOUD" if you haven't already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It requires Root and I am not willing to unlock bootloader (290) - will wait for 4.4.
venorme said:
It requires Root and I am not willing to unlock bootloader (290) - will wait for 4.4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it doesn't. xLOUD is a stock feature. Just open the equalizer.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Sent from my C6833_GPe using Tapatalk
Thank you - haven`t noticed these.
I have a N3 and a ZU (GPe). I use my ZU as a portable tablet. My Z tablet, I only use for flights and I find my Nexus 7 a little too big to carry around for every day use. For me, the ZU and Nexus 5 combo are great for various tasks throughout the day.
chefdave12118 said:
I have own both the note 3, xperia z ultra and the Google play edition z ullra. My only complaint is the camera is absolutely garbage and no led flash to boot, so low lit area camera shots are especially horrible. Other than that the z ultra is a better phone in EVERY way.
Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said, change it to manual ISO 50 or 100 and it looks a LOT cleaner.
If we are going to say garbage then I can say that from pretty much any camera phone compared to my real cameras so its all in the eye of the beholder
shaolin95 said:
As I said, change it to manual ISO 50 or 100 and it looks a LOT cleaner.
If we are going to say garbage then I can say that from pretty much any camera phone compared to my real cameras so its all in the eye of the beholder
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can play with the settings all you'd like, but in low light situations picture results are less than to be desired (garbage may have been a little harsh ). I would have kept the Z Ultra Google Play Edition, but having kids and owning a restaurant, having a better camera than the Z Ultra was a must for me. Z Ultra is my all time favorite phone, but that camera made me mental. If taking pictures isn't a priority for you the the Z Ultra is pure win. If you count on good pics or an LED flash daily then you're S.O.L with the Ultra. Just saying.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
chefdave12118 said:
You can play with the settings all you'd like, but in low light situations picture results are less than to be desired (garbage may have been a little harsh ). I would have kept the Z Ultra Google Play Edition, but having kids and owning a restaurant, having a better camera than the Z Ultra was a must for me. Z Ultra is my all time favorite phone, but that camera made me mental. If taking pictures isn't a priority for you the the Z Ultra is pure win. If you count on good pics or an LED flash daily then you're S.O.L with the Ultra. Just saying.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Problem is to me, if taking picture is a priority then you get a REAL camera..so for me picture taking priority and phone camera are not terms that go together.
Also, a tiny flash for low light photography is for me as crappy as a grainy low quality image. Both suck big time..that why we have real cameras with big sensors if photography is really that important.
Just my 2 cents
And like I said, test them..I did MANY times with many apps...manual ISO on .290 roms is a LOT cleaner. But yeah neither can touch a real camera as should be expected.
Regards
shaolin95 said:
Problem is to me, if taking picture is a priority then you get a REAL camera..so for me picture taking priority and phone camera are not terms that go together.
Also, a tiny flash for low light photography is for me as crappy as a grainy low quality image. Both suck big time..that why we have real cameras with big sensors if photography is really that important.
Just my 2 cents
And like I said, test them..I did MANY times with many apps...manual ISO on .290 roms is a LOT cleaner. But yeah neither can touch a real camera as should be expected.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe I'll get a galaxy zoom lol. Idk. The Note 3 and LG G2 take really nice pics. I don't need professional quality, but decent pics to share and what not. Now stop arguing with me lol j/k
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
chefdave12118 said:
Maybe I'll get a galaxy zoom lol. Idk. The Note 3 and LG G2 take really nice pics. I don't need professional quality, but decent pics to share and what not. Now stop arguing with me lol j/k
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okok I get carried away when it comes to photography
Sent from the Mighty Xperia Z Ultra using XDA Premium HD app.
shaolin95 said:
Okok I get carried away when it comes to photography
Sent from the Mighty Xperia Z Ultra using XDA Premium HD app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lmao
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
shaolin95 said:
Okok I get carried away when it comes to photography
Sent from the Mighty Xperia Z Ultra using XDA Premium HD app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Traded my Note 3 for Z Ultra impressions

Well i just done it and traded my Note 3 for this beautiful phone and here are my first day impressions
Build Quality : Solid, sleek, beautiful and classy.. Kinda like the White Iphone 4 i got when it was just released and not many people had it yet... i pulled this thing out in the public and people were either in awe or thought i was stupid.. im not sure yet but i notice people tend to look over. I saw alot of reviews saying because it was really thin it's hard to pick up, i tried and really found out they were being nit picky about that kinda stuff (like phones that rock when you touch them).. who cares its easy to pick up its not going to make your life harder.
Cons : As nice as it is, Samsung won me over with the removal back cover and replacement battery. One time i had no idea what was wrong with my phone, i called my friend up and asked him to swap batteries.. turns out my battery died from wiping my phone down with too much water lol. i would of wasted alot of money sending it in if i didn't swap batteries with my friend to see the problem. $15 to replace the battery. On the plus side the Z Ultra is waterproof so i can wipe it down as much as i want now.
Battery Life : Decent, compared to my Note 3 i surfed the net for an hr and a half and ended up with about %70 battery life on max brightness, if i did the same with the Note i would be around %80 and not need to set brightness that high and have even more battery saved.
Screen and Size : When i first saw the screen it didn't blow me away initially because i was used to the over saturated display of the amoled but non the less the more i looked at it the more i realized it was a Beautiful display panel, unsaturated colours bigger and better with better colour accuracy over the Note. It wasn't until i decided to see how good the blacks were was where it was a let down. I loaded up the movie Aliens and tried watching a few dark scenes, the colour skin tones and everything was nice and way better then the Note but the blacks in the dark scenes were not deep enough.. it made the movie feel washed out and faded and was not enjoyable as seeing the dark corners clearly takes away from the movie experience.. This is coming from someone who loves watching movies on projector i can't but notice that flaw..from my eye test it seems to have a 1000:1 contrast ratio which is not good. To the average user i would say the blacks are definitely sufficient for movies but to the trained eye it totally sucks and i was expecting more from sony on the display as i bought this phone only for media purposes. That being said it seems like a big trade off for me since the amoled has the best blacks of any phone and i'm sure their over saturated colours can be corrected with proper tools but can the blacks be fixed on the Sony Xperia Z Ultra? i'll have to see if there are tools for it but the limitations are likely within the panels itself.
Note 3 Display (Amoled) = Deep blacks really good for watching movies,
Cons = Over saturated inaccurate colours
Sony Xperia Z Ulta = Accurate colours,better tones, sharper better to look at
Cons = Blacks are a little washed out and faded (average users may not care or notice)
Games = I have yet to play a game on this but i can tell its going to kick some butt because the screen is so nice and large
Sound = The Speakers on this thing blows.. it sounds like my old Iphone 4 just louder.. and vs modern phones its far too quiet.. don't expect anything more
Pocket test, i'm 5'10 and a half wore skinny jeans with it, to my surprise it didn't stick out of my pocket like everyone. Pocketable for me
Camera = I don't take pictures not a deal for me
Speed = Although the Note 3 has 3 gigs of ram and faster mhz, the Sony felt snappier the moment i used it. Everything felt zippier and just faster overall. Likely due to Samsung touchwiz
Am i going to return/sell this for a Note 3? Probably not, i'll need a week or 2 to decide if i watch that many dark movies for the blacks to bother me enough. Everything about the screen is better except for the blacks as long as you don't mind then go for the SXU. I love big screens and if i could get the Mediapad X1 when it releases i'll buy that but for now the Sony Xperia Z Ultra seems like a fine phone to me.
anonapersons said:
Well i just done it and traded my Note 3 for this beautiful phone and here are my first day impressions
Build Quality : Solid, sleek, beautiful and classy.. Kinda like the White Iphone 4 i got when it was just released and not many people had it yet... i pulled this thing out in the public and people were either in awe or thought i was stupid.. im not sure yet but i notice people tend to look over. I saw alot of reviews saying because it was really thin it's hard to pick up, i tried and really found out they were being nit picky about that kinda stuff (like phones that rock when you touch them).. who cares its easy to pick up its not going to make your life harder.
Cons : As nice as it is, Samsung won me over with the removal back cover and replacement battery. One time i had no idea what was wrong with my phone, i called my friend up and asked him to swap batteries.. turns out my battery died from wiping my phone down with too much water lol. i would of wasted alot of money sending it in if i didn't swap batteries with my friend to see the problem. $15 to replace the battery. On the plus side the Z Ultra is waterproof so i can wipe it down as much as i want now.
Battery Life : Decent, compared to my Note 3 i surfed the net for an hr and a half and ended up with about %70 battery life on max brightness, if i did the same with the Note i would be around %80 and not need to set brightness that high and have even more battery saved.
Screen and Size : When i first saw the screen it didn't blow me away initially because i was used to the over saturated display of the amoled but non the less the more i looked at it the more i realized it was a Beautiful display panel, unsaturated colours bigger and better with better colour accuracy over the Note. It wasn't until i decided to see how good the blacks were was where it was a let down. I loaded up the movie Aliens and tried watching a few dark scenes, the colour skin tones and everything was nice and way better then the Note but the blacks in the dark scenes were not deep enough.. it made the movie feel washed out and faded and was not enjoyable as seeing the dark corners clearly takes away from the movie experience.. This is coming from someone who loves watching movies on projector i can't but notice that flaw..from my eye test it seems to have a 1000:1 contrast ratio which is not good. To the average user i would say the blacks are definitely sufficient for movies but to the trained eye it totally sucks and i was expecting more from sony on the display as i bought this phone only for media purposes. That being said it seems like a big trade off for me since the amoled has the best blacks of any phone and i'm sure their over saturated colours can be corrected with proper tools but can the blacks be fixed on the Sony Xperia Z Ultra? i'll have to see if there are tools for it but the limitations are likely within the panels itself.
Note 3 Display (Amoled) = Deep blacks really good for watching movies,
Cons = Over saturated inaccurate colours
Sony Xperia Z Ulta = Accurate colours,better tones, sharper better to look at
Cons = Blacks are a little washed out and faded (average users may not care or notice)
Games = I have yet to play a game on this but i can tell its going to kick some butt because the screen is so nice and large
Sound = The Speakers on this thing blows.. it sounds like my old Iphone 4 just louder.. and vs modern phones its far too quiet.. don't expect anything more
Pocket test, i'm 5'10 and a half wore skinny jeans with it, to my surprise it didn't stick out of my pocket like everyone. Pocketable for me
Camera = I don't take pictures not a deal for me
Speed = Although the Note 3 has 3 gigs of ram and faster mhz, the Sony felt snappier the moment i used it. Everything felt zippier and just faster overall. Likely due to Samsung touchwiz
Am i going to return/sell this for a Note 3? Probably not, i'll need a week or 2 to decide if i watch that many dark movies for the blacks to bother me enough. Everything about the screen is better except for the blacks as long as you don't mind then go for the SXU. I love big screens and if i could get the Mediapad X1 when it releases i'll buy that but for now the Sony Xperia Z Ultra seems like a fine phone to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your expectations were too high in regard to the black value on the ZXU. The Notes all have amoled, thus the pixels are nearly off when displaying black. Mind you, this is the only screen tech that offers that. Super LCD, IPS, Triluminos don't have that. It's a well known trade off. What you get back in return is better color reproduction, better sharpness, etc. The black value is by no means bad, not different from most televisions actually. A lot of reviewers call the ZXU a mini Sony Bravia TV and that is exactly what it is.
I reckon your eyes really need to get used to the ZXU display, which requires extensive time and movie watching. This makes sense if your eyes have been accustomed to the Note line for a long time now. I have the Note 2 as well and I find the greys/black not that good to be honest, as the contrast doesn't seem to work that well. A lot of times scenes are too dark compared to reference material.
The ZXU remains a marvel, I suggest you spend some more time with it and report back in a while :good:
anonapersons said:
Well i just done it and traded my Note 3 for this beautiful phone and here are my first day impressions
Build Quality : Solid, sleek, beautiful and classy.. Kinda like the White Iphone 4 i got when it was just released and not many people had it yet... i pulled this thing out in the public and people were either in awe or thought i was stupid.. im not sure yet but i notice people tend to look over. I saw alot of reviews saying because it was really thin it's hard to pick up, i tried and really found out they were being nit picky about that kinda stuff (like phones that rock when you touch them).. who cares its easy to pick up its not going to make your life harder.
Cons : As nice as it is, Samsung won me over with the removal back cover and replacement battery. One time i had no idea what was wrong with my phone, i called my friend up and asked him to swap batteries.. turns out my battery died from wiping my phone down with too much water lol. i would of wasted alot of money sending it in if i didn't swap batteries with my friend to see the problem. $15 to replace the battery. On the plus side the Z Ultra is waterproof so i can wipe it down as much as i want now.
Battery Life : Decent, compared to my Note 3 i surfed the net for an hr and a half and ended up with about %70 battery life on max brightness, if i did the same with the Note i would be around %80 and not need to set brightness that high and have even more battery saved.
Screen and Size : When i first saw the screen it didn't blow me away initially because i was used to the over saturated display of the amoled but non the less the more i looked at it the more i realized it was a Beautiful display panel, unsaturated colours bigger and better with better colour accuracy over the Note. It wasn't until i decided to see how good the blacks were was where it was a let down. I loaded up the movie Aliens and tried watching a few dark scenes, the colour skin tones and everything was nice and way better then the Note but the blacks in the dark scenes were not deep enough.. it made the movie feel washed out and faded and was not enjoyable as seeing the dark corners clearly takes away from the movie experience.. This is coming from someone who loves watching movies on projector i can't but notice that flaw..from my eye test it seems to have a 1000:1 contrast ratio which is not good. To the average user i would say the blacks are definitely sufficient for movies but to the trained eye it totally sucks and i was expecting more from sony on the display as i bought this phone only for media purposes. That being said it seems like a big trade off for me since the amoled has the best blacks of any phone and i'm sure their over saturated colours can be corrected with proper tools but can the blacks be fixed on the Sony Xperia Z Ultra? i'll have to see if there are tools for it but the limitations are likely within the panels itself.
Note 3 Display (Amoled) = Deep blacks really good for watching movies,
Cons = Over saturated inaccurate colours
Sony Xperia Z Ulta = Accurate colours,better tones, sharper better to look at
Cons = Blacks are a little washed out and faded (average users may not care or notice)
Games = I have yet to play a game on this but i can tell its going to kick some butt because the screen is so nice and large
Sound = The Speakers on this thing blows.. it sounds like my old Iphone 4 just louder.. and vs modern phones its far too quiet.. don't expect anything more
Pocket test, i'm 5'10 and a half wore skinny jeans with it, to my surprise it didn't stick out of my pocket like everyone. Pocketable for me
Camera = I don't take pictures not a deal for me
Speed = Although the Note 3 has 3 gigs of ram and faster mhz, the Sony felt snappier the moment i used it. Everything felt zippier and just faster overall. Likely due to Samsung touchwiz
Am i going to return/sell this for a Note 3? Probably not, i'll need a week or 2 to decide if i watch that many dark movies for the blacks to bother me enough. Everything about the screen is better except for the blacks as long as you don't mind then go for the SXU. I love big screens and if i could get the Mediapad X1 when it releases i'll buy that but for now the Sony Xperia Z Ultra seems like a fine phone to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, Gideon is pretty much straight on here. I came from a Galaxy Note so I was used to an AMOLED panel, and let me tell you that I was quite shocked. Deep blacks (in the dark)? Nope. Aaand that's pretty much it. The Note display was darker and more saturated, and I was pretty much surprised when I got the Ultra, except I wasn't.
AMOLED displays do not have a backlight, so black will actually be black. Black will be turned off.
LCD panels do have backlights, so black will still have a backlight, only the light will be dimmed. It's the same thing as your TV. The Ultra uses LED. So yeah, the Ultra is pretty much a Bravia TV.
Audio, yeah... It's not very good. Don't forget that the Ultra is waterproof so the speakers have a membrane that makes it waterproof.
Camera: No flash so it won't take great photos in the dark or even inside your home, bit it's not that bad once you're outside in the daylight.
Overall, the Note 3 is a more "all arounder", but you're paying a lot for a luxury item that doesn't feel like it's what it is. It feels like a plasticy...thing. The Sony is a luxury item that does a lot, but it also feels like a luxury item. It's incredible big, but you also feel that you've paid for a quality glass and aluminium product.
- Note 3: Big plastic phablet
- Z Ultra: Huge glass and metal phablet
Sent from my Z Ultra
I just sold my note 3 and ordered zu gpe I loved the phone but locked bootloader killed it for me cant wait to try this phone!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
gtshiftin6 said:
I just sold my note 3 and ordered zu gpe I loved the phone but locked bootloader killed it for me cant wait to try this phone!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just dumped my day one note2 and ordered stock sony version last night Samsung was driving me crazy with the knox crap lol.
bryce850 said:
Just dumped my day one note2 and ordered stock sony version last night Samsung was driving me crazy with the knox crap lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here... Love the big screen on this beast.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
I, too, traded in a Note 3 for a Z Ultra, but I bought the Google Play Edition (and of course I bought it a little over a month before they dropped the price to $449). I couldn't be happier with this thing. My only real gripes are:
1. The camera sucks in low light.
2. The headphone jack is on the side. That placement makes it awkward sometimes when I put the phone in my pocket while going out for a walk.
3. I absolutely HATE that anti-shatter film that's on the front and back glass. For starters, it scratches if you look at it (just like any screen protector does), and the oleophobic coating that they put on the front rubs off within the first 3 or so weeks. I would remove it, but I don't really care enough to waste the time, plus you need a razorblade to do it and I don't like getting razorblades anywhere near my phone. This also says nothing of the fact that removing the film also voids your warranty.
These are all pretty minor complaints in the grand scheme of things, at least when I consider my own needs in a phone. When it comes to the important stuff, this phone excels. The hardware is top shelf, it's fast, stock Android runs amazingly well on it, the screen is gorgeous, and it's really the perfect size for me. :good:
oldblue910 said:
I, too, traded in a Note 3 for a Z Ultra, but I bought the Google Play Edition (and of course I bought it a little over a month before they dropped the price to $449). I couldn't be happier with this thing. My only real gripes are:
1. The camera sucks in low light.
2. The headphone jack is on the side. That placement makes it awkward sometimes when I put the phone in my pocket while going out for a walk.
3. I absolutely HATE that anti-shatter film that's on the front and back glass. For starters, it scratches if you look at it (just like any screen protector does), and the oleophobic coating that they put on the front rubs off within the first 3 or so weeks. I would remove it, but I don't really care enough to waste the time, plus you need a razorblade to do it and I don't like getting razorblades anywhere near my phone. This also says nothing of the fact that removing the film also voids your warranty.
These are all pretty minor complaints in the grand scheme of things, at least when I consider my own needs in a phone. When it comes to the important stuff, this phone excels. The hardware is top shelf, it's fast, stock Android runs amazingly well on it, the screen is gorgeous, and it's really the perfect size for me. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If Z2 Ultra is indeed an oversized Z2, all your complaint will be gone (except maybe the camera, but 13mp one would not hurt just like T2U) then that would really ring my bell..
about headset placement, actually i think i like it on the side. Because the device itself is longer than any general pocket available, so when the jack comes in, it might very well be outside the pocket. Plus when you play it landscape, nothing protrude from the side, hence easier handling. Plus some Bluetooth Companion wouldn't hurt (in fact such device is promoted from the start to be used with XZU)
I came from a Note 1 (GT-N7000) and at the time it was basically price between note 3 and z ultra. The ultra was $100 cheaper and I had a buyer for my N7000 so I went ahead and got the Z.
I agree with the following:
1. Amoled is a superior display, no doubt. However, the 6.4" vs 5.7 makes up for it.
2. Unlocked - I have changed carriers twice since owning this phone. If I bought the t-mobile Note 3, i'd be out of luck (the model I was previously leaning toward), or at the least, had to pay a fee to unlock it.
3. Camera is an absolute joke. I don't take many pictures like the OP, but the ones I do take are just horrid in low light.
4. There are issues with sony software. I get crackle in my text messages, and the phantom touch issue is there sometimes. However, i'd rather have these issues than be faced with KNOX. Plus, I know sony will address the issues eventually.
In the end, i'm glad I got the z ultra over note 3.
Z Ultra
Well, I also just bought the Xperia Z Ultra and as soon as I finished updating and arranging most things, I came here for some extra search for extra work that needs to be done with this device! I am also an owner of the Xperia Z (yuga/C6603) for more than a year and since I had enough to complain issues with it, I was a little bit puzzled about how the big brother Ultra was going to perform! As it has been mentioned, and that's the reason I am posting in this thread, I was between 3 devices including Samsung's Note 3 and LG's G Flex! The reason I didn't go with the Note 3, despite the perfect screen and the faster and bigger RAM, and among the 4K camera capabilities, was that as soon as I hold it in my hand I knew it wouldn't even compare to the Z's quality I've been using for quite long! The plastic leather-alike back cover was quite a lot slippery after you have used the device enough to sweat your hand! Also a drawback I could also see was that its 5.7" display looked tiny next to the G Flex and the Ultra for me, so as to be consider a phablet! It actually felt more like a normal phone like anything else with a little bit oversized screen. And then came G Flex which also astonished me with its design and curved build but I could spot a huge difference in the 720p display next to the Note 3 and the Ultra! I adored though the design and the 32gb built in storage but those couldn't be enough for me to purchase it! I also didn't like so much the coating on the back cover, which also feels and is slippy straight out of the box, although I think it is supposed to be some kind of self healing coating to help with shallow and/or light scratches. After some minor tests I was able to make in a store that had them all for customers to see and play with, when I reached the Ultra and hold it in my hand I knew it was the device I would after all buy since its build quality and its exceptional slim design made me looking around like a retard :laugh: !! So, to end up with, after experiencing these three phabs the weight up of pros and cons for each had come and despite all the camera capabilities both G Flex and Note 3 had over the Ultra the price tags pointed which deserved to be bought, considering what it offered and it could't be anything else than the Ultra! For the records, I bought it in purple(cuz i couldn't find yuga back in 2013 in purple and i was craving for it ) in the awesome price of 325 euros with the G Flex costing 425 euros and the Note 3 being at the price of 460 euros! As it is obvious, I could't even a second think for a reason to spend over 100 euros forone of the other two! After 4 days of heavy usage and insanely lots of recharges I am extraordinarily amazed to find out that Sony has done everything that hasn't for the yuga! No more lags, no more UI glitches, no more stuttering animations and no more scrolling problems within every day apps like Chrome! The only cons I was able to notice that do disappoint me are:
1. Sound quality or at least one more speaker like the one it is already on device would be perfect! (I am searching for sound mods now, hope to find sth good)
2. The camera sensor could have been the same with the Xperia Z (13MP) with a LED (though I wont be taking any pictures with any phablet for now)
3. I would expect a bigger battery, although it has convinced me to be fair enough despite its small, for the screen's size, capacity
4. The phantom touch issue is a bit annoying from times to times
5. The screen should be a a little more dimmer for outdoors use
To conclude with, I'll always find it a lovely device, with great network speed, excellent performance, excellent build quality and excessively excellent and gorgeous design! I hope I made a good choice to choose the Ultra over the other two, but even if I didn't I am still more than a hundred euros richer to consume on accessories!
PS: I was amazed to find out the time I was unboxing that the magnetic dock DK30 was included in the box for free! I really didn't expect that and I was really pleased to find out that Sony saved me about 25 euros for spending on sth else!
I came from the Note 3 and the Note 2 I had before that.
I agree with the removable battery thing, but honestly, battery life is able to last me throughout the day unless I'm heavily using it, so I haven't really been in a bind yet in that regard.
I also agree with the speaker. Flash the sound boost mod, it's mandatory IMO. I've attached it for you. It's like night and day, honestly, but I've found it's a louder boost on 4.3 than it is on 4.4, which is one reason I haven't updated to KitKat. But, if you are using the ZU mainly for media consumption, what are you doing not using a bluetooth speaker!?!? I waited a long time to get one and shouldn't have waited. I researched a lot, pick up an Arctic S113BT off Amazon. It's aptx, got NFC, louder than the Jambox, and 3x less expensive ($40). Only thing that's annoying is the BT audio/video syncing that's always a bit off 90% of the time you first turn it on. Needs some closing of programs and going back to the homescreen to get it to sync up sometimes. I just have the speaker next to me when I'm watching my shows now, it's made everything more enjoyable.
Your gripes and analysis pretty much echoed mine, you'll really get to love the device after a little more time (I should be a rapper, mad rhymes).
SonyMan7 said:
Well, I also just bought the Xperia Z Ultra and as soon as I finished updating and arranging most things, I came here for some extra search for extra work that needs to be done with this device! I am also an owner of the Xperia Z (yuga/C6603) for more than a year and since I had enough to complain issues with it, I was a little bit puzzled about how the big brother Ultra was going to perform! As it has been mentioned, and that's the reason I am posting in this thread, I was between 3 devices including Samsung's Note 3 and LG's G Flex! The reason I didn't go with the Note 3, despite the perfect screen and the faster and bigger RAM, and among the 4K camera capabilities, was that as soon as I hold it in my hand I knew it wouldn't even compare to the Z's quality I've been using for quite long! The plastic leather-alike back cover was quite a lot slippery after you have used the device enough to sweat your hand! Also a drawback I could also see was that its 5.7" display looked tiny next to the G Flex and the Ultra for me, so as to be consider a phablet! It actually felt more like a normal phone like anything else with a little bit oversized screen. And then came G Flex which also astonished me with its design and curved build but I could spot a huge difference in the 720p display next to the Note 3 and the Ultra! I adored though the design and the 32gb built in storage but those couldn't be enough for me to purchase it! I also didn't like so much the coating on the back cover, which also feels and is slippy straight out of the box, although I think it is supposed to be some kind of self healing coating to help with shallow and/or light scratches. After some minor tests I was able to make in a store that had them all for customers to see and play with, when I reached the Ultra and hold it in my hand I knew it was the device I would after all buy since its build quality and its exceptional slim design made me looking around like a retard :laugh: !! So, to end up with, after experiencing these three phabs the weight up of pros and cons for each had come and despite all the camera capabilities both G Flex and Note 3 had over the Ultra the price tags pointed which deserved to be bought, considering what it offered and it could't be anything else than the Ultra! For the records, I bought it in purple(cuz i couldn't find yuga back in 2013 in purple and i was craving for it ) in the awesome price of 325 euros with the G Flex costing 425 euros and the Note 3 being at the price of 460 euros! As it is obvious, I could't even a second think for a reason to spend over 100 euros forone of the other two! After 4 days of heavy usage and insanely lots of recharges I am extraordinarily amazed to find out that Sony has done everything that hasn't for the yuga! No more lags, no more UI glitches, no more stuttering animations and no more scrolling problems within every day apps like Chrome! The only cons I was able to notice that do disappoint me are:
1. Sound quality or at least one more speaker like the one it is already on device would be perfect! (I am searching for sound mods now, hope to find sth good)
2. The camera sensor could have been the same with the Xperia Z (13MP) with a LED (though I wont be taking any pictures with any phablet for now)
3. I would expect a bigger battery, although it has convinced me to be fair enough despite its small, for the screen's size, capacity
4. The phantom touch issue is a bit annoying from times to times
5. The screen should be a a little more dimmer for outdoors use
To conclude with, I'll always find it a lovely device, with great network speed, excellent performance, excellent build quality and excessively excellent and gorgeous design! I hope I made a good choice to choose the Ultra over the other two, but even if I didn't I am still more than a hundred euros richer to consume on accessories!
PS: I was amazed to find out the time I was unboxing that the magnetic dock DK30 was included in the box for free! I really didn't expect that and I was really pleased to find out that Sony saved me about 25 euros for spending on sth else!
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Very nice post, and welcome!
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Thanks
LordManhattan said:
Very nice post, and welcome!
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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Thank you a lot my friend! Nice to be in such a community, although I am not quite new as of time concerned! On the contrary, it is such a complete this community I really hadn't to create an account to participate! Everything I ever searched for from the times of galaxy ace back to the '06s! Awesome work from anyone here! ??
SonyMan7 said:
Thank you a lot my friend! Nice to be in such a community, although I am not quite new as of time concerned! On the contrary, it is such a complete this community I really hadn't to create an account to participate! Everything I ever searched for from the times of galaxy ace back to the '06s! Awesome work from anyone here! ??
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So you're a lurker becoming a poster. Good stuff!
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
LordManhattan said:
So you're a lurker becoming a poster. Good stuff!
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
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I'll try!

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