How's it going guys I currently have the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and in 15 days I'll be able to jump to a new phone. I have a question for you guys... What are some pros and cons on the s5? I'm huge into flashing roms don't want to be stuck with another phone where the development is kind of dead.(Not knocking on the devs for the T-Mobile note 2 but development was pretty much non extent)
I recently made the jump both to T-Mobile from Verizon and the Galaxy S5 from the S3. I really liked the LG G3, but development there seemed to move at a snail's pace and there's still not much happening. For me it helped that I always ran Beanstown (Alliance) ROMS on my Verizon Galaxy S3 and seeing that team move to T-Mobile was a huge incentive. I like to tinker and maybe somewhere out there people are cooking up some good stuff for the LG, but the T-Mobile Galaxy was both familiar and easy to root, put a recovery on and flash new "available" ROMS. The phone it's self gets the job done and there are even some nice surprises once you plow through all the features. So long story short, if development is important to you, I don't think you can wrong with the Galaxy.
Yes. Absolutely. I've had the g2 and the 5s. The s5 was a huge upgrade from those phones
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
roote223 said:
Yes. Absolutely. I've had the g2 and the 5s. The s5 was a huge upgrade from those phones
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im extremely happy with this phone even more so after putting alliance on it . I had a Att GS4 for 2 months and it had to go..It had a locked bootloader so there was no kernel flashing what so ever . Only custom roms based off stock . I also was thinking about the G3 until i took a look in the development thread and under original development it said NEVER. Everything meets my standards . Very VERY happy with my purchase
i have always loved stock android for its speed and customization , but with the s5 and xposed it just works very well and the battery life is awesome getting like 3 days on a charge on stock rom .
Also another happy user. When the S5 was announced I was disappointed but later down the line decided to try it again. I love the speed, camera, screen and feel of it. It really makes the s4 seem like a cheap toy in comparison. Used to be a nexus only guy, but will continue to support the galaxy s line.
Thanks guys looks like this will be the phone I'll be upgrading to.
I miss my note 3 and still like the LG g2 over my crapsung s5
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
the device is very powerful and im mostly happy. the one thing that really bugs me is the phone doesnt work very well as a phone. dropped calls when i use wifi calling the person on the other end doesnt hear me sometimes. volte is screwy sound goes in and out during calls. maybe t mobile network is not developed enough,? idk i came from att with galaxy s3 the international one without lte and i had much less problems.
this morning i tried 5 times to make a call finally after reboot i was able to.
again not sure if its the phone, tmobile or my settings or a combination of all. but im not happy
Wait for the Note4, the s5 is a real disappointment.
Especially the childish looking OS, what a real drag!
AxAtAx said:
Wait for the Note4, the s5 is a real disappointment.
Especially the childish looking OS, what a real drag!
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Click to collapse
Note 4 is too big. S5 LTE-A as the base flagship device would have been nice though. Otherwise, i came from the S4 and i love my S5. Overall its smoother, battery lasts forever even when downloading all day. Only down side of the phone is i had to pay for it ha.
had good battery life at first then the update killed that, still better than most.
the stock rom has tons of problems glitches errors all that, touchwiz is amazingly bad at everything, the camera is SO bad at focusing and actually taking pictures is a pain, every menu is just a huge wall of choices, no planning or thought went into streamlining TW
music playback skips (still)
tethering will not connect unless using a custom rom
phone slides out of my pocket like it was designed to do it
pixels visible on certain colors because its still a stupid pentile
msg to samsung; please copy the sense 6 msg app exactly, its lightyears ahead of yours
so other than halfway decent battery this phone is disappointing
on my 3rd replacement because data stops working all the time and calls are just pure static but the update fixed that
aburgthing said:
I recently made the jump both to T-Mobile from Verizon and the Galaxy S5 from the S3.
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Click to collapse
I did the same thing for all 5 of our lines (ETF pay off was the draw). The S5 is a great device. My mother has an S3 and the screen now looks small compared to the S5. The S5 has fantastic battery life and is very responsive in everything it does.
Very happy with the S5.
Also very happy with T-Mobile.
Overall I'm happy and would do it again.
I have to agree about the camera focus issue.....esp. closeups. I kind of think the the s4 camera was a bit better.
And I've had the s3, s4 and s5 and have always disliked the side button. The s5 is worst of all. I constantly look down at my pocket and my phone is doing things, like I pulled it out one time and it had brought itself into the playstore(!!!).....It has made multiple pocket calls on it's own. No kidding. I think I'm pressing the side button while slipping it into my pocket.
I ended up going with the Note 4 so far so good maybe I'll pick up an s5 to play with the roms in a few months
I was not happy with my AT&T S5 due to the locked bootloader. I am very happy with the TMO S5. Very customizable not toooo big, not too small. Doesn't lag, but gets a couple days of battery with medium use. Got a nice case and glass screen protector so it's pretty safe. Very dependable with Omega rom. What's not to love?
Very Pleased!
I am VERY pleased with my T-Mobile S5. It's my favorite phone I've owned thus far. I had the S3 before this and really liked that phone and also the Vibrant prior to that (which I was also pleased with). This is actually the 1st Galaxy phone that I've kept the TouchWiz base on though. I really enjoy the customization options on AOSP as well as the appearance, but I also enjoy the stability of KitKat TouchWiz base on this one (using XtreStoLite ROM by Edgar).
I like the Note 4 Specs, but it's just too big for me it wouldn't be comfortable in my pocket, and it's not like I wear skinny jeans either. Another nice luxury is the water resistance that the S5 offers, and the Note 4 does not. I hope that you enjoy your Note 4 though, best of luck!
JDM Civic EG8 said:
How's it going guys I currently have the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and in 15 days I'll be able to jump to a new phone. I have a question for you guys... What are some pros and cons on the s5? I'm huge into flashing roms don't want to be stuck with another phone where the development is kind of dead.(Not knocking on the devs for the T-Mobile note 2 but development was pretty much non extent)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even at the end of the year, I still very much like my Galaxy S5. The reasons I purchased it are still completely valid for me, even with the release of the Note 4 as well as several competitor's phones. Part of the criteria is that while I have a larger display, it shouldn't be too much larger in overall footprint than my prior phone. This put it over the Note 3 as the Note 4 was not available at that time.
Couple feature notes:
1. Screen size/quality. Prior to the Note 4, the S5 was also Display mates "best display ever" report winner. The Super AMOLED display at 5.1" also had phenomenal color matching when the display settings are set to Cinema.
2. Camera. 16 megapixel ISO cell outperformed in daylight conditions and in my opinion eliminated the low light issues I had with the Galaxy S3. Note 4 has optical stabilization, so it's a better camera if this is your number one feature.
3. micro SD card. Important feature, I use it extensively to get the most out of my phone. Pictures, Music, Movies do not consume storage on the phone and some applications support installation to SD card.
4. Environmental protection. The S5 is IP67 against dust and water. While it's not water proof, I've started YouTube and thrown it into pitchers of water for 15 minutes or so for the brag factor. So the feared toilet dunk is not as much a concern as you can wash it with soap and water after retrieval.
5. Fingerprint reader. Yeah, it's not perfect but when properly trained, you'll find it works pretty well. I use it not only to unlock my phone, but in combination with Last Pass (has support for S5 fingerprint reader) and Pay Pal applications (fingerprint to pay). There are more on the way. Would be nice if Google adopted the API as a standard so that Google Wallet used it as well.
Pros:
Moving from one Samsung phone to another is extremely easy, especially with the use of the Kies software to backup your content/settings.
Excellent display quality over Galaxy Note 2.
Greatly improved camera.
USB transfers are faster at USB 3.0
Pretty close to waterproof.
Great audio with headphones.
Solid Bluetooth functionality.
Touch Wiz UI has been greatly reduced in footprint and is actually useful.
Great battery life and the ability to go Ultra for days of power.
Fingerprint reader is supported by several third party developers besides just Samsung apps.
Official Samsung Qi wireless charging options are available (charging back or S View wireless cover).
Numerous case options
Cons:
USB cover must be closed for IP67 waterproofing.
Wireless Qi Charging Back from Samsung makes the phone FAT.
Touch Wiz UI as memory/performance impact.
KNOX security has a "electronic fuse" that once tripped voids warranty. Flashing ROMs may trip that fuse if proper methods are not followed.
Fingerprint reader is not as accurate as desired.
Plastic build (low on issue meter as case hides this, other premium build phones have their metal hidden by cases so it's no big deal)
Even well over 8 months after release you'll find that the Galaxy S5 is a great challenger to even the latest released phones. Processor and Video performance are still incredible.
That said, there is rumors of the S6 coming sooner, depending on if you are willing to wait until March you may find the newer product has specs worth waiting for. But if you have to upgrade now, I believe the S5 will continue to be a solid workhorse for a few more years. Which is good, at $600 it's expensive to get every single generation point release. I skipped the S4 for example when waiting to upgrade from my S3.
New to the s5, maybe 2 mths. I had one a few mths ago but the lack of dev made me sell it and stay with my s4 for a few more mths. Then I came across another s5 and decided the best way to fall in love with it was to donate one to my fav developer. So if you want to fall in love with your s5 check out my man @The Sickness and his sick and twisted rom....trust me you will be in love with it as i am. Support on the rom is far one of the best in my opinion, all due respect to all other threads.
OK but moving to note 4 in a couple months when I can jump
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app
Related
Please use this thread to discuss devices other than and any comparisons with other devices on or about the Note III in this thread and any other off-topic issues that are not needing a new thread.
Post with respect, this is a helpful community, hope we all learn from this stuff in here.
I would like to see peoples opinion's on the note 3 compared to the LG G2. I am on the fence on the two. Im coming from the S3 so the note will be quite large. Being on Verizon we dont have the Nexus 5 option so it seems it is up to these two devices. My main hesitation on the Note is how locked down it is. We might not get customs roms on it at all. The LG G2 has Loki so we are good to go on that one. Both of the build qualities are lacking so thats a wash.
Joey, have you ever been in a... in a comaprison?
sorry title made me think of Airplane movie :fingers-crossed:
fletch33 said:
Joey, have you ever been in a... in a comaprison?
sorry title made me think of Airplane movie :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, THAT was one funny movie......
I'm on the fence about mine. I got in on the Verizon unlimited data glitch and have a Note 3 coming.
I have a Note 2 and if not for the glitch wouldn't have considered upgrading. The Note 3 just didn't excite me enough to spend the money. I HATE pentile matrix screens and I felt like the move to 5.7" wasn't enough. I want something in the 5.9" to 6.1" range.
With California taxes I'm in for about $385, and I figure I could sell the Note III for $700ish. Then in a couple months I could sell my Note II for around $300 and have a nice little fund for a new device. What I really want is the HTC One Max, but who knows if Verizon will ever get it?
I don't know what to do.
---------- Post added at 04:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:09 PM ----------
eddie33081 said:
I would like to see peoples opinion's on the note 3 compared to the LG G2. I am on the fence on the two. Im coming from the S3 so the note will be quite large. Being on Verizon we dont have the Nexus 5 option so it seems it is up to these two devices. My main hesitation on the Note is how locked down it is. We might not get customs roms on it at all. The LG G2 has Loki so we are good to go on that one. Both of the build qualities are lacking so thats a wash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The G2 is a really nice device. I hate the buttons on the back, but everything else about the physical form factor is great.
The screen is really nice, it's fast, excellent camera and battery life. I hate LG's skin, but with Nova you can cover up a lot, and now that it's Loki'd I figure it's only a matter of time before AOSP roms are available.
SeanPlunk said:
I'm on the fence about mine. I got in on the Verizon unlimited data glitch and have a Note 3 coming.
I have a Note 2 and if not for the glitch wouldn't have considered upgrading. The Note 3 just didn't excite me enough to spend the money. I HATE pentile matrix screens and I felt like the move to 5.7" wasn't enough. I want something in the 5.9" to 6.1" range.
With California taxes I'm in for about $385, and I figure I could sell the Note III for $700ish. Then in a couple months I could sell my Note II for around $300 and have a nice little fund for a new device. What I really want is the HTC One Max, but who knows if Verizon will ever get it?
I don't know what to do.
---------- Post added at 04:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:09 PM ----------
The G2 is a really nice device. I hate the buttons on the back, but everything else about the physical form factor is great.
The screen is really nice, it's fast, excellent camera and battery life. I hate LG's skin, but with Nova you can cover up a lot, and now that it's Loki'd I figure it's only a matter of time before AOSP roms are available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the LG spectrum and it's a great phone except for cheap sensors. Before I ever buy lg again I will install android sensors or sensor box on the store demo first. Cheap sensors have a lower range and/or operate erratically. I.e. Magnetic sensor: og Droid 0-2000, gs3 0-20000 and LG Spectrum 0-200!
What's it mean? Compass apps not reliable or accurate, Google sky map to jittery to use, auto brightness works poorly, when on call screen takes longer to turn on for the keypad, etc. At first I thought I had a lemon but LG insisted it was the applications.
Sent from LG Spectrum using XDA app
contract up !!!! What to buy next?
My contract will be up soon. I am looking to replace Verizon samsung Galaxy Nexus which I loved. I was looking at the Note 3. I like the big screen.
I have a rooted phone and want to root this new phone. The main reason I root is for the hotspot feature. Anyone have any suggestions on what phone I should look at. I am using MIUI Android Rom right now. I would be open to even staying with original OS if it had everything I wanted.
Would also like a phone with a longer lasting battery.
Has the Note 2 had any problems I should be aware of?
Any help is appreciated.
I have time so I am willing to wait if there is a good recommendation. I also don't want a bigger screen. The note 3 size seems to be perfect.
susieq29 said:
My contract will be up soon. I am looking to replace Verizon samsung Galaxy Nexus which I loved. I was looking at the Note 3. I like the big screen.
I have a rooted phone and want to root this new phone. The main reason I root is for the hotspot feature. Anyone have any suggestions on what phone I should look at. I am using MIUI Android Rom right now. I would be open to even staying with original OS if it had everything I wanted.
Would also like a phone with a longer lasting battery.
Has the Note 2 had any problems I should be aware of?
Any help is appreciated.
I have time so I am willing to wait if there is a good recommendation. I also don't want a bigger screen. The note 3 size seems to be perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note 2, frankly... is incredible. I've had the verizon note 2 for a year now and i'm dying for the note 3. my note 2 is practically my best friend at this point. I know i sound like such a fanboy but i literally just smile when my friends complain about their phones, mine never has any of their stupid issues.
SeanPlunk said:
I HATE pentile matrix screens and I felt like the move to 5.7" wasn't enough..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I challenge you to take 2 1080p screens smaller than 6" and, without prior knowledge, tell anyone which is pentile and which is any other matrix with your naked eye.
susieq29 said:
Has the Note 2 had any problems I should be aware of?
Any help is appreciated.
I have time so I am willing to wait if there is a good recommendation. I also don't want a bigger screen. The note 3 size seems to be perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had the Note2 for about six months... it is easily the best phone I've ever owned. Seriously, it absolutely blows the doors off the Galaxy Nexus, in performance, build quality, screen quality, battery, phone call quality... I wouldn't have upgraded to the Note3 if it wasn't for the Verizon glitch. ...that and my wife wanting my Note2!
Dan76 said:
I've had the Note2 for about six months... it is easily the best phone I've ever owned. Seriously, it absolutely blows the doors off the Galaxy Nexus, in performance, build quality, screen quality, battery, phone call quality... I wouldn't have upgraded to the Note3 if it wasn't for the Verizon glitch. ...that and my wife wanting my Note2!
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Click to collapse
I agree 100 %.
The Note 2 is BY FAR the best phone I've ever owned and I have basically owned every high end phone ever made.
The N2 is the first phone I have ever owned that I was 100% totally satisfied with and haven't been impatiently waiting for the next phone to come out for an upgrade.
I will still probably buy the Note 3 at some point (I have a line I can use for an upgrade and keep my unlimited data), although I will wait and make sure it is at least rootable first as I just know I would never be totally happy with a 100% stock phone.
I'm intrigued by the HTC One Max. I don't use the s-pen or multi-window much and I do use the external speaker daily. I'm hoping for more information about the Max this week. Also, my eyes aren't what they used to be so the large screen may work. Then again the Note 3 is calling to me since I have loved my Note 2 since it's release.....we'll see
Oh_wow said:
I'm intrigued by the HTC One Max. I don't use the s-pen or multi-window much and I do use the external speaker daily. I'm hoping for more information about the Max this week. Also, my eyes aren't what they used to be so the large screen may work. Then again the Note 3 is calling to me since I have loved my Note 2 since it's release.....we'll see
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/07/verizon-htc-one-mac-fingerprint-scanner-removable-back/
Looks like an AWESOME phone to me, but I use the s-pen quite a bit.
This obviously is a question I can only answer myself but wanted some input from some people that have bathed themselves in note 3 info... lol and some likely coming from an s3.... I'm not eligible for a new phone until march 2014... however I'm sure I could call and call and eventually get an upgrade to edge anyway (done this before... it works.. just keep calling) edge obviously a bit of a rip off.. but i could kill a few other accounts i don't really use often to make up for the cost.... and obviously if i wanted to flip a phone i could do so in 12 months or so..... with that being said..
I do love the size.. and the bigger screen is preferable to me when it comes to videos.. and other things. The speed is obviously sweet and so is the size... however..
I use my phone to play general games.. not a huge gaming on phone person.. (less you could get league of legends on there lol)... i use my phone as a basic camera..... as well to surf the web... 75% of the time i have access to a desktop in which time i could use my phone as well... i do enjoy surfing whatever sitting on the couch obviously..... I'm really on the fence... I always get super hyped over a new phone (got s3 right away and it took several calls to Verizon to get it done) in which yes, its a nice phone with nice camera options... with that being said.. its still a phone... using it to call people is its basic purpose... i've started to utilize google calandar more and more as i have a disability that the meds hinders my short term memory..so that would be one nice thing.. the s pen is sweet.. looks so awesome.. but i don't see me using it much except to jot down phone numbers or addresses on the fly (which wouldn't be often.. i'm not a people person type of guy and my job doesn't require any use of cellphones) So i'm thinking a faster processor.. better camera..the faster processor and screen size would be the main reasons..... but do i really want to go for it? do i really want to get it now and go on the verizon edge program? I just feel like I may be jumping in and after a month regretting my decision... anyone coming from an S3 have an early opinion? ( i also am in an area where voice calling isn't that great... and i would hope it would be better with the s3 (its better on my wifes older galaxy nexus)... that would be something i suppose i would have to find out after the fact.. and use the 30day policy... to go or not to go..... been thinking about it A LOT for the past week.
Be careful... if you're on Sprint or Vzw, it's only a 14 day policy
loopers said:
This obviously is a question I can only answer myself but wanted some input from some people that have bathed themselves in note 3 info... lol and some likely coming from an s3.... I'm not eligible for a new phone until march 2014... however I'm sure I could call and call and eventually get an upgrade to edge anyway (done this before... it works.. just keep calling) edge obviously a bit of a rip off.. but i could kill a few other accounts i don't really use often to make up for the cost.... and obviously if i wanted to flip a phone i could do so in 12 months or so..... with that being said..
I do love the size.. and the bigger screen is preferable to me when it comes to videos.. and other things. The speed is obviously sweet and so is the size... however..
I use my phone to play general games.. not a huge gaming on phone person.. (less you could get league of legends on there lol)... i use my phone as a basic camera..... as well to surf the web... 75% of the time i have access to a desktop in which time i could use my phone as well... i do enjoy surfing whatever sitting on the couch obviously..... I'm really on the fence... I always get super hyped over a new phone (got s3 right away and it took several calls to Verizon to get it done) in which yes, its a nice phone with nice camera options... with that being said.. its still a phone... using it to call people is its basic purpose... i've started to utilize google calandar more and more as i have a disability that the meds hinders my short term memory..so that would be one nice thing.. the s pen is sweet.. looks so awesome.. but i don't see me using it much except to jot down phone numbers or addresses on the fly (which wouldn't be often.. i'm not a people person type of guy and my job doesn't require any use of cellphones) So i'm thinking a faster processor.. better camera..the faster processor and screen size would be the main reasons..... but do i really want to go for it? do i really want to get it now and go on the verizon edge program? I just feel like I may be jumping in and after a month regretting my decision... anyone coming from an S3 have an early opinion? ( i also am in an area where voice calling isn't that great... and i would hope it would be better with the s3 (its better on my wifes older galaxy nexus)... that would be something i suppose i would have to find out after the fact.. and use the 30day policy... to go or not to go..... been thinking about it A LOT for the past week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whether or not you consider Edge to be a rip off, I prefer it to dropping $300 on the phone, plus paying my ETF for my old line. That is a total of roughly $310 +$50 for last bill + $300 + taxes for Note 3 = $660 on the lean side. With Edge I spent $102 with Priority Overnight shipping, screen protectors, first month of Edge, and taxes. Now when I sell my HTC One, I sell for around $400 after shipping and paypal fees, that leaves me with just enough to justify upgrading to Note 3. Now in 12 months, I will have paid $300 or so, and I can upgrade to the next Note 4 by then. I find this better.
Okay now on to your question: S3 is a good phone, but no Quad Core Processor, 2GB RAM is okay low compared to Note 3, but 1080p screen is a nice addition, makes watching 1080p movies so much better (based on my experience with 1080p on HTC One). No more scaling, or downsizing. Honestly if you can get the Note 3 at $299 or Edge it then do it. I recommend it.
N3 > LG2 because it has a micro sd slot and no annoying fixed nav bar taking up display space. What is the point of the bigger display if you end up having about the same space as a 5" display (if no nav bar)?
S3 and N3 seem IMO two different devices. I have medium hands and find the phablets too big for one hand operation and awkward (too big) to carry in a belt case compared to my S4. That said, if I did not have several tablets, I would choose the N3 as a true all-in-one device.
this. the htc one max has my attention but the biggest question is when will it come to verizon? remember the htc one? and if htc one max has removable sdcard i may have to buy it and have my note 3 and then decide which i like better. i love sense when it comes to htc phones but cant stand nonremovable battery and expandable storage so we will see. and i really like having an s pen if i dont use a whole lot when you need it, it comes in very handy but if the ppi is much higher and screen is better on one max i will be sure of that so it will be an interesting few weeks
oneandroidnut said:
this. the htc one max has my attention but the biggest question is when will it come to verizon? remember the htc one? and if htc one max has removable sdcard i may have to buy it and have my note 3 and then decide which i like better. i love sense when it comes to htc phones but cant stand nonremovable battery and expandable storage so we will see. and i really like having an s pen if i dont use a whole lot when you need it, it comes in very handy but if the ppi is much higher and screen is better on one max i will be sure of that so it will be an interesting few weeks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on this. Your signature shows that you have used several HTC devices. What's you overall opinion of them? thanx
oneandroidnut said:
this. the htc one max has my attention but the biggest question is when will it come to verizon? remember the htc one? and if htc one max has removable sdcard i may have to buy it and have my note 3 and then decide which i like better. i love sense when it comes to htc phones but cant stand nonremovable battery and expandable storage so we will see. and i really like having an s pen if i dont use a whole lot when you need it, it comes in very handy but if the ppi is much higher and screen is better on one max i will be sure of that so it will be an interesting few weeks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything I've read/seen shows a removable battery and 16-64GB on-board storage + Micro SD slot. Add this to the front speakers, S-Off having been developed for the VZ One variant, and the only shortcoming is the S-pen features that you won't get vs the N3. I've asked around recently to find out if any of that gets ported to ROMs, so if that's not available I think I finally know what I'm going to buy. I need a new phone immediately if not sooner, but just want to feel like I'm getting my money's worth.
Let me say this first, I have used the iPhone 3GS, 4, before I hopped on the Android bandwagon. I have been very happy using samsung phones since then (S II, HTC One X, S III, HTC One), but the S4 and the Note 3 made me want to switch back to the iPhone because of it's unbearable lag. So when the S5 was announced, I had already made up my mind about going back to the Apple ecosystem. Then I tried my wife's Galaxy S5 and let me tell you, this is THE smoothest Android phone I have ever used (not including nexus of course, because I imagine it to run smooth because it runs stock android). The new touch wiz skin on this phone is SEXY. I'm glad I didn't jump the ship so soon!!!
JoJo2211 said:
Let me say this first, I have used the iPhone 3GS, 4, before I hopped on the Android bandwagon. I have been very happy using samsung phones since then (S II, HTC One X, S III, HTC One), but the S4 and the Note 3 made me want to switch back to the iPhone because of it's unbearable lag. So when the S5 was announced, I had already made up my mind about going back to the Apple ecosystem. Then I tried my wife's Galaxy S5 and let me tell you, this is THE smoothest Android phone I have ever used (not including nexus of course, because I imagine it to run smooth because it runs stock android). The new touch wiz skin on this phone is SEXY. I'm glad I didn't jump the ship so soon!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol the s4 had lag, i know cause i had it, but the note 3 has ZERO lag on stock out of the box and I've read on the 4 major carriers the there is still lag on the s5 out of the box. Interesting assessment on your part.
Eric214 said:
Lol the s4 had lag, i know cause i had it, but the note 3 has ZERO lag on stock out of the box and I've read on the 4 major carriers the there is still lag on the s5 out of the box. Interesting assessment on your part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both device have lag bumps here and there out of the box lol
Some carriers worse then others , It really comes down to bloat.
My Bro picked up GN3 last week its a great device but my GS5 shows slightly smoother performance....at least in are side by side testing.
Could it be snap801 adding the edge hmm maybe. we can rule out ram being the reason lol
Also,
Radio is stronger in GS5
sling said:
Both device have lag bumps here and there out of the box lol
Some carriers worse then others , It really comes down to bloat.
My Bro picked up GN3 last week its a great device but my GS5 shows slightly smoother performance....at least in are side by side testing.
Could it be snap801 adding the edge hmm maybe. we can rule out ram being the reason lol
Also,
Radio is stronger in GS5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the sd 801 is basically an overclocked 800. Every other device the 801 is clocked at 2.3ghz same as all the 800's. And you then must be the rare bird because everyone has said the note 3 was the first Galaxy phone with TW that launched with no lag. And you do hear a lot of people complaining about lag on the S5. I mean if it's working for you then great, it's just about everyone else sees it the opposite way.
Eric214 said:
the sd 801 is basically an overclocked 800. Every other device the 801 is clocked at 2.3ghz same as all the 800's. And you then must be the rare bird because everyone has said the note 3 was the first Galaxy phone with TW that launched with no lag. And you do hear a lot of people complaining about lag on the S5. I mean if it's working for you then great, it's just about everyone else sees it the opposite way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh my a rar bird lol
All new device release get lag complaints my friend.
I mean come on love your Note3 but don't be blind - https://www.google.com/search?q=Gal...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Both device are grade A equal in my book....hmm Well GS5 has better radio & less wake lag , other then that pretty equal.
Also adding:
I'm a big Note fan!
I got hooked on GN2 loved it to death finding GN3 not to be worthy upgrade for a couple reasons.....one of them being build quality so I took the chance on LG G2.
LG G2 was....was at top of the mountain before 4.4 kitkat update.
After update battery life & performance took a dump so it was time for new device
GN3 or GS5.
I choose GS5 because of water resistance lol
When GN4 becomes available I will own one
sling said:
Oh my a rar bird lol
All new device release get lag complaints my friend.
I mean come on love your Note3 but don't be blind - https://www.google.com/search?q=Gal...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Both device are grade A equal in my book....hmm Well GS5 has better radio & less wake lag , other then that pretty equal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not talking kk I'm talking original release 4.3 since kk isn't really worth the update. But each has there lag? Didn't you say the s5 was lag free?
Eric214 said:
I'm not talking kk I'm talking original release 4.3 since kk isn't really worth the update. But each has there lag? Didn't you say the s5 was lag free?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buddy I was a hardcore Note 2 owner that backed away from GN3 upgrade due to build quality,,,,that darn loose home button scared me away lol
Anyway while GN2 user I came across many lag postings in GN3 land during its release, Its the norm for all devices.
No never said GS5 is lag free , This is what I said,
"Both device have lag bumps here and there out of the box "
sling said:
Buddy I was a hardcore Note 2 owner that backed away from GN3 upgrade due to build quality,,,,that darn loose home button scared me away lol
Anyway while GN2 user I came across many lag postings in GN3 land during its release, Its the norm for all devices.
No never said GS5 is lag free , This is what I said,
"Both device have lag bumps here and there out of the box "
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my bad it was the other guy who mentioned s5 was lag free or hinted that way. About the home button, I think that was the initial stock, because I know 7 people with note 3 and all of us have no button issues. Buttons are rock solid, no wiggle at all. Haven't heard the button issues since launch. To bad you skipped the note3, it's the best phone I've ever owned and the best I've ever used. I've played around with the LG g2, htc one, s3, note 2, LG g flex plus the ones I've owned.
To see Lag on note 3 & S4:
1. Open Phone app:
2. Press the top right contacts buttons
3. Press the top left keypad button
4. swtich back and fourth. you will see the lag.
Compare the same on a GS5. Smooth as butter.
Yes the best
LOVE MY S5:good::good::good::good::good:
I'm actually selling mine after owning for only 3 days (rooted, SIM unlocked, and bootloader switched to TWRP).
Why? On alliancerom, I have had to do so much work to get it close to the CM experience I had on the S2, S3, and S4. Nothing can come close For example, I need a fast camera...and although the stock rom camera is fast, in the custom roms I tried, the camera in my experience was slow (tried 4 different cameras).
The S4 is actually quite respectable compared to the S5, especially if running CM or other rom.
Don't get me wrong about TouchWiz, on my Note 10.1 2014, I updated to latest KitKat update, which is Touchwiz, however in phone implementation, there just isn't enough customization. Yes I tried GravityBox, Xposed, and the lot, but it just wasn't the same.
Maybe I'll be back for the S5 Prime if it comes out...but my next might end up being the Asus PadFone X...we will see!
cyanprinter said:
I'm actually selling mine after owning for only 3 days (rooted, SIM unlocked, and bootloader switched to TWRP).
Why? On alliancerom, I have had to do so much work to get it close to the CM experience I had on the S2, S3, and S4. Nothing can come close For example, I need a fast camera...and although the stock rom camera is fast, in the custom roms I tried, the camera in my experience was slow (tried 4 different cameras).
The S4 is actually quite respectable compared to the S5, especially if running CM or other rom.
Don't get me wrong about TouchWiz, on my Note 10.1 2014, I updated to latest KitKat update, which is Touchwiz, however in phone implementation, there just isn't enough customization. Yes I tried GravityBox, Xposed, and the lot, but it just wasn't the same.
Maybe I'll be back for the S5 Prime if it comes out...but my next might end up being the Asus PadFone X...we will see!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
phone's been out for only a couple weeks...obviously all the major ROMs are yet to be released..not sure how you made your decision on a phone based on some preliminary ROMS
devoidx said:
phone's been out for only a couple weeks...obviously all the major ROMs are yet to be released..not sure how you made your decision on a phone based on some preliminary ROMS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Issue being people are basing their previous androids experience on how quick roms came etcc.. Times have changed, there's more security added which we all know by know. Year by year manufacturers and carriers will make it harder to root
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app
daxecutioner24 said:
Issue being people are basing their previous androids experience on how quick roms came etcc.. Times have changed, there's more security added which we all know by know. Year by year manufacturers and carriers will make it harder to root
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im going to have to say that Samsung is the reason behind the bad and slow complicated development on the Galaxy S devices. If you take a loot at the HTC One development threads there plenty going on over there. Everything from plenty of custom roms to GPE roms to CM.
I just traded my HTC One M8 today for the Galaxy S5 due to me being disappointed in the camera on the HTC One M8.
Performance wise, I get hicups and lag every now and then when swping home screens and backing out of apps ecetra. With me having 2 kids and I take pictures allot so switching to the S5 was a plus on my end.
After being on S4 - M7 - Note 2 and Note 3, the S5 seems to have more lag then other devices.
If you want a "Smooth" "Lag Free" android experience then I recommend the HTC One M8. That phone had almost 0 lag at all. Samsung Touchwiz seems to always lag down for some reason.
JoJo2211 said:
To see Lag on note 3 & S4:
1. Open Phone app:
2. Press the top right contacts buttons
3. Press the top left keypad button
4. swtich back and fourth. you will see the lag.
Compare the same on a GS5. Smooth as butter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Phone app on the S4 & the contacts app are two separate apps. The Contact button is a hyperlink between the two. If you'll notice, the buttons change at the top also, except for the one which brings back the actual phone keypad. If you go looking through the complete app list in something like TiBu, you'll find both of them. One is like Phone.apk and the other is Dialer.apk or something.
On the S5, the two are one and the same. This way the S5 doesn't have to call a new app into memory just to access the contacts.
That all being aside, I have to say that this version of TW is probably the best looking TW I have ever seen. I love the flat color and the simple flat UI design. Apple started it, but Samsung definitely outdid themselves this time around. I think the only thing I'll be doing this go-round is rooting the phone.. although T-Mobile doesn't like giving out OTAs to rooted devices... might need a way around that in the future. Everything else is great.
What Samsung (or any phone, really) did you upgrade from? What do you miss? What did you find better?
IMHO the design of the g3 was better for the white color, two-tone and not like a purse like the s5. Also was disappointed for another 1080p Samsung..
Anyone?
Design, UI, sexy. Came from S5 M8. And Moto x
I came from a note 3, I also owned a s5 for almost two weeks. Hated the s5 other than the water resistance, at the time there wasn't a root method. Loved my note 3 but had to deal with ROM problems to get as far from TouchWiz as possible.
Only thing I miss about my note 3 is the battery. Though the battery on the G3 gets the job done.
Beautiful phone. No problems so far.
Came from s5, had the m8 a couple weeks, g2, note 3, m7, etc etc
I miss a lot from the s5, although it's a lot of little things. Flashlight, call reject, all play store apps working (hell even my Amazon is a New version with a white icon on my s5) battery life (g3 is pretty bad) Milk (music streaming app that's actually really good), miss the option to have a text message preview on the lock screen vs "New message". I think the Samsung message app UI is better, the keyboard is better. Screen is brighter.
I am liking my g3 more and more, but it's likely I'll sell it and go back to my s5
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Came from a Razr Maxx HD. Battery was failing. Don't miss much about it performance was pretty bad period.
Coming from S3. After rooting and debloating it a bit (freezing from Titanium), I'm fairly happy with the purchase (bought unsubsidized to keep unlimited data, not in the mood to play the transfer game). The screen itself is a big improvement of course in all aspects (color, size, brightness etc), phone is very quick without lag overall when cleaned up and runs better than my S3 on CM11, and battery so far has been nice as well. Can't wait till we get some roms going....just got my wife a G2 to upgrade her as well and she has been extremely happy with the rom I flashed....and I must say, the G2 battery is just amazing with that rom....maybe G3 will get close when the roms roll around we'll see. Happy for now!
Came from a Note II, but owned the One Max for a few weeks, and hated it.
FWIW, you can long-press the recent apps button to pull up the legacy menu button.
Rippley05 said:
Came from s5, had the m8 a couple weeks, g2, note 3, m7, etc etc
I miss a lot from the s5, although it's a lot of little things. Flashlight, call reject, all play store apps working (hell even my Amazon is a New version with a white icon on my s5) battery life (g3 is pretty bad) Milk (music streaming app that's actually really good), miss the option to have a text message preview on the lock screen vs "New message". I think the Samsung message app UI is better, the keyboard is better. Screen is brighter.
I am liking my g3 more and more, but it's likely I'll sell it and go back to my s5
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are some good lounges that I miss from my samsung also, I do miss the milk out the most. Has anyone gotten the weather on the lockscreen to work yet?
Went from a Galaxy S3 to this. I liked my S3 for the most part (though it did hard brick at the very end a month or so ago), so I mainly just wanted to experience something different by going with LG. I'm very pleased with the decision so far. Again, nothing against Samsung or the S-series, I did enjoy my time with them and the device, I was just ready for a change.
Had the S5 for a month until the G3 came out. I love the G3 and have no complaints. The S5 was an okay phone, but it stuttered way more than the G3 IMO, even with Nova Launcher. I rooted both and had a custom rom on the S5 as well. The only gimmick I miss is the fingerprint scanner for Lastpass.
Battery on the G3 is way better for my uses, the camera is way better and the phone just fits in my hand. The boxiness (I have no idea if that's a word) of the S5 really bothered me, but I liked the feeling of the back plate.
goodwidp said:
Went from a Galaxy S3 to this. I liked my S3 for the most part (though it did hard brick at the very end a month or so ago), so I mainly just wanted to experience something different by going with LG. I'm very pleased with the decision so far. Again, nothing against Samsung or the S-series, I did enjoy my time with them and the device, I was just ready for a change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the same boat. Loved my s3 but really wanted something new. So far not much I miss. The g3 has what my s3 had plus some. I really like the IR blaster. Can control my TV and Xbox from my phone its really cool.
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
I upgraded from an S3 and am extremely happy. The G3 has all the same features as the S3 and more. I can't speak for any other phone, but the only other phone I was thinking about getting was the Note 3 because i wanted something with a larger display. I might switch this phone out for the Note 4 if it has some of the same features as the S5.
jam.i.s0n said:
What Samsung (or any phone, really) did you upgrade from? What do you miss? What did you find better?
IMHO the design of the g3 was better for the white color, two-tone and not like a purse like the s5. Also was disappointed for another 1080p Samsung..
Anyone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Came from a GS3.. G3 blows it out of the water. IU is a hell of a lot better then TouchWiz. I always had an AOSP ROM on it.
Im coming from a GS3, was running some oooooold version of MOAR. Wasnt too bad except the battery was going to **** and it would die at ~40%, would also lose 10%/10 mins under heavy drain because reasons. Only complaint is the god awful dpi of everything with this beautiful screen. I need to root, toss xposed on there and get everything looking nice. Also this battery, uummfff its nice. 13 hrs off charger still at 70% with light use and about 20 mins of messing around with a game.
Galaxy S3, upgraded today!
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Free mobile app
Never tried an LG android came from gs4, m7, gs5, m8 then back to gs5 and that's what I've been using picking up the g3 later today hope I like it. I got use to the no hardware keys and the double tap to wake off the m8. And if I'm not mistaken the lg does both of those.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
kameleongt said:
Never tried an LG android came from gs4, m7, gs5, m8 then back to gs5 and that's what I've been using picking up the g3 later today hope I like it. I got use to the no hardware keys and the double tap to wake off the m8. And if I'm not mistaken the lg does both of those.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct
coming from most currently de note 3 but have had m7, m8, s3, s4 and note 2. I like the change so far but I still love my note and isn't going anywhere yet lol
Personal preference I find the G3 a great light/medium use device, but runs as warm/hot as my S4 with heavy use and just as bad battery life. The Note 3 seems a much better device for heavy use, but most people are not heavy users so 100% get why the G3 is appealing. Perhaps it is me being used to AMOLED (Razr, S3, S4, Note 3) is why I find the G3 display not as good as the S4 or Note 3. Contrast is the key for me and even adjusting the settings documented on the forums does not do much.
The one thing the G3 does have over the G3 for me is easier to manage with one hand than the Note 3. I find video, web and gaming though far better on the Note 3. Must admit I am surprised folks bailed from the Note 3, since Nova is an easy fix for the gosh awful atrocity known as Touch Wiz.
As far as the S5, I would choose the G3 over it due to storage space. A 16GB device now, especially with ART sucking 25% more storage and needing 1GB more floor to operate is NUTS. The battery life and performance are not far enough off to want to sacrifice twice the storage space.
Rippley05 said:
Came from s5, had the m8 a couple weeks, g2, note 3, m7, etc etc
I miss a lot from the s5, although it's a lot of little things. Flashlight, call reject, all play store apps working (hell even my Amazon is a New version with a white icon on my s5) battery life (g3 is pretty bad) Milk (music streaming app that's actually really good), miss the option to have a text message preview on the lock screen vs "New message". I think the Samsung message app UI is better, the keyboard is better. Screen is brighter.
I am liking my g3 more and more, but it's likely I'll sell it and go back to my s5
Sent from my VS985 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For milk, If you're rooted, you can download the apk from androidpolice (they wrote an article about running milk on non Samsung devices) but if you run xposed and the chocolate milk module.. Good to go. Enjoy
Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
I am on the fence here..Had Note 3 love Amoled but hate Tw and the plastic...I did have the M7 loved it, but camera was bad....Did not like the G3 ...thinking of the M8 or Note 4 ...I don't use the spen and want a premium phone!! Help!!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
I loved my S3 but the M8 is light years ahead of samsung in my opinion. It's fast and just works like it's supposed to. Keep in mind that Samsung is locking all bootloaders and I don't know about you but waiting on safestrap only to flash modded stock roms doesn't do it for me. My only complaint is that it works too well and I don't find myself looking for mods and flashing new things, which is good, but bad if you like that diversion.
I am also comparing the g3 and the m8. Att is swapping out my s5 for another phone of my choice. Both phones seem nice. I guess I need to hit the store and play with them both.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium HD app
Intub8 said:
I am also comparing the g3 and the m8. Att is swapping out my s5 for another phone of my choice. Both phones seem nice. I guess I need to hit the store and play with them both.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the G 3 for three days ..did not like it....It's very laggy, heats up quickly..I rooted mine , debloated with xposed and still was slow. Another issue was wireless charging .Att&t only uses pma chargers and they make you buy their charging cover and base....no thanks.....m8 is light years better than the g3.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
A few things
1. I'm going on 2 days without charging and I'm still at 20% - Amazing
2. Just look at the back of the "new" iPhone. Look familiar? Ya, that's what I thought. The design of the M8 is revolutionary.
3. What other cell phone has 2 forward facing speakers? And they sound better that anything out there.
4. Sense 6 is probably the best Android OEM skin ever. I'm with others that say while flashing ROM's is fun and the developers are great and make amazing ROM's but I've not had a reason to unlock and flash.
5. Just go hold one in your hand. Compare it to the plastic feel of other phones. No contest.
GalaxyNotesTx said:
I am on the fence here..Had Note 3 love Amoled but hate Tw and the plastic...I did have the M7 loved it, but camera was bad....Did not like the G3 ...thinking of the M8 or Note 4 ...I don't use the spen and want a premium phone!! Help!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought a Samsung S 5 Active and an HTC One M8 at the same time, the S5 for my wife as we have different needs.
The S5 camera is better, is more waterproof and I prefer the hard-buttons (home, back, menu/windows.) In every other way, the M8 is better. Even though the S5 has a faster processor, the M8 seems faster. M8 feels slimmer and nicer (than either S5 model), battery lasts nearly double the time. And I happen to really like Dot View (and the ease of turning the display off by closing it. )
And iPhone wielding coworkers fondle the M8 in ways they wouldn't touch an S5.
In most ways, though, it's just different. I really don't like the Samsung interface, and replaced it on my Tab Pro, so it's no surprise that I don't like how the S5 menus and screens are laid out. Sense/Blink is okay, but I don't need either kind of live-feed so I put Nova on it anyhow.
I think the M8 is better. Like an Audi is better than a Honda - it doesn't get you from point A to B better, but the ride is more enjoyable. But you can be happy with either one.
I hope no one minds me adding a small question to this thread, as I'm also about to buy an M8:
I've read in many places that the finish on it makes it very slippery. How true is it? Do owners usually use a case or not? It would be a shame to put a case on such a nice looking phone!
if no case - is the back cover replaceable? If after a year mine gets all scratched, can I just replace it with a new one like I do on my S3?
thanks!
Well just tried to buy m8 two different stores and lte would not light up..says no apn settings. I'm in Houston...huge lte here..Never had this problem with any other phones before..looks to be HTC issue?
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Slartibartfast_ said:
I hope no one minds me adding a small question to this thread, as I'm also about to buy an M8:
I've read in many places that the finish on it makes it very slippery. How true is it? Do owners usually use a case or not? It would be a shame to put a case on such a nice looking phone!
if no case - is the back cover replaceable? If after a year mine gets all scratched, can I just replace it with a new one like I do on my S3?
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the problem with such a beautiful device. You don't want to cover it up with a case but want to protect it from everyday use. I use a thin TPU clear case at work and when I'm out but take it off when I'm home just to feel the quality of the M8. As far as slippery, yes it's a little slippery but not too bad. The back is not replacable like on a phone with a removable battery if that's what your thinking. E-bay (and I'm sure other places) have backs for sale but you'll have to take the phone apart to change it out since the phone is 90% one piece metal. Check out ifixit.com for the teardown and see if you can do it. Personally I don't think it is as bad as they say it is but I'm a mechanic and field service engineer so taking stuff apart and fixing them is what I do for a living.
---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 PM ----------
GalaxyNotesTx said:
Well just tried to buy m8 two different stores and lte would not light up..says no apn settings. I'm in Houston...huge lte here..Never had this problem with any other phones before..looks to be HTC issue?
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe but I don't have that problem where I live (Washington DC area).
GalaxyNotesTx said:
I am on the fence here..Had Note 3 love Amoled but hate Tw and the plastic...I did have the M7 loved it, but camera was bad....Did not like the G3 ...thinking of the M8 or Note 4 ...I don't use the spen and want a premium phone!! Help!!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had an m8 and "please don't bash me for this m8 owners" the camera is absolutely horrible. Huge letdown with the m7 then again with the m8. I had the m8 and tried to convince myself that I loved it. As far as root and s-off, the m8 is awesome. The camera is horrible and the phone is too tall. I switched to the s5 once I heard they had root and couldn't be happier. These are just my opinions.
an0ther said:
I had an m8 and "please don't bash me for this m8 owners" the camera is absolutely horrible. Huge letdown with the m7 then again with the m8. I had the m8 and tried to convince myself that I loved it. As far as root and s-off, the m8 is awesome. The camera is horrible and the phone is too tall. I switched to the s5 once I heard they had root and couldn't be happier. These are just my opinions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree the camera could be better out of the box but if you play with the setting in manual mode you will get amazing results. Most users are just casual photogs so they need point and shoot and never mess with the other features. I only use my phones camera as a conveiance because when I go to events etc. I take my point and shoot and my HD camcorder. I too thought the form factor of this phone would be too big but after having it for a month or so it's really not that big feeling. It actually feels smaller than my Vivid in my pocket. We won't take your comments as a bash, at least you didn't go with the iPhone Plus.
S5 or M8?
I'm trying to decide between the S5 and the M8 also.
Sounds like everybody is generally in love with the M8 because of the look and feel. Personally, I have trouble understanding why people complain about the plastic on the Samsung phones. If you plan to use the phone naked, then the look would make a difference. I never feel comfortable using these flimsy phones without a TPU case, and once you put a case on it, you rarely see the back of the phone. To me that makes all of that lovely metal a waste.
Otherwise, the waterproof qualities of the Samsung are a plus and most people seem to think the camera is better. Also, the lack of an easily replaceable battery on the M8 is a concern for me.
It seems that Sense UI, the speakers, and the general experience of using it is the big advantage for the M8. Also unlocked bootloaders and the availability of multiple stock roms is a plus. I'm not sure which phone wins out on battery life, but the Samsung has the bigger battery.
All in all, I'm leaning toward the S5, but it's a very close call.
Do you use a case on your M8? If so, what's the advantage of the pretty back?
Just got the M8 love it...very fast , very clean ui..no junk touchwiz here.... no complaints....This phone is very nice...only second generation...M9 will be even better....S5 feels and looks like my 9 year old niece designed ...good luck!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
I too was in a position to choose between the M8 and S5 when my Galaxy Note II decided to finally give up the ghost only after 18 months of use. Despite a full restore it just kept freezing up and corrupted not only my 64 GB SD card, but also the internal memory. Because my phone is my lifeline, I couldn't afford to take any more time to try to fix it, and bought a replacement - the M8.
I have never had as many issues or physically destroyed a phone as quickly as the Note II. While I enjoyed the plastic at the beginning due to making the weight of the phone lighter, it was also more prone to scratches, cracks, abrasion marks, etc. Although I liked the Touchwiz features, I hated the FischerPrice design. Why are all of the icons huge on the screen? Nova launcher quickly became my friend.
I temporarily reverted to my Iphone 4 while shopping for a new phone. While I also hate IOS7, i did realize that I missed the feel and sturdiness of the metal chassis design. This swayed me to look at the M8 after I found out that the new model was almost all metal, unlike the M7.
I viewed the reviews and specs of both the M8 and S5. While the better camera on the S5 was definitely important, these were the factors that made me choose the M8:
1) Metal iPhone like build. I'm not too rough on my phones, but the even more plastic flimsy build of the S5 didn't seem like it would hold up any better than my Note 2 did. i also hated the new Band-Aid like design. The S5 looks like a toy.
2) Dual stereo speakers. I am a musician and DJ. Music is my life. While the volume of the Note 2 and S5 were "ok', there is no doubt that the M8 was not only superior in sound quality, but offered the rare stereo experience.
3) Camera - the M8 is adequate, but not up to par with other phones, especially the S5 and new LG. However, I weighed this against my use of the device for music. I rarely take photos or videos with my phone. Yeah, every once in a while as a spur of the moment keepsake, or to send to someone, but never to save and print, etc. I realized that the camera was the least important feature to me, so even though the S5 would win in this category, the M8 was sufficient for my needs. That being said, some of the camera features are very nice, and if you use manual mode, you can get some pretty decent shots.
4) Size - Although I liked the bigger screen on the S5, and prefer the technology, I found my Note 2 to be just a tad too big every once in a while. The slightly smaller M8 seemed to still give me the larger real estate that I wanted (compared to the minuscule iPhone 4, which I found unusable for non mobile web browsing). I was not mistaken.
5) Interface. I was very surprised with how clean the Sense 6 interface was. Although I don't use BlinkFeed (not customizable enough for me) it seems like so much more a native android experience. I don't feel like it gets in the way like TW did. I don't even use Nova anymore, simply because I love the weather clock widget. It was designed with simplicity in mind, but not to a point of making it toy like. If anything, it is elegant.
6) Internal memory. The S5 only has 16 GB of internal memory. The M8 has 32. Let's face it, there's a lot that can not be stored on an external SD card.
Other factors -
I really like the dot view case. While I thought it was gimmicky at first, I really find it helpful. The scrolling caller ID, the tap to view time/weather, the quick voice call feature, auto on/off when opening/closing the cover. Actually all very useful.
I do miss having a full RGB led notification indicator. However I'm finding it less important than I did on the Note 2.
I actually like the stock music player. I used Google Play Music on the Note, but now only use it for cloud based stuff (21K songs LOL). Otherwise I've been using the native player. I like the Music Channel feature with the scrolling lyrics.
One thing that almost made me overlook the M8 was that the M7 did not have a removable battery or SD slot. The M8 now features a micro SD slot (up to 128 GB!) so that's no longer an issue. While the M8 still does not have a removable battery, I find the battery life of the phone to be amazing. I do tend to have it on a charger most days, but yesterday I spent 14 hours at the casino. Even with constantly checking my phone, using it for several calls, texts, etc., I still had 20% at the end of the day without using power saver mode. My note would have been dead in 6-8 hours.
Even with the announcement of the New iPhone 6, I do not regret my choice of the M8. I really enjoy using this phone. YMMV, but the best thing to do would be to evaluate the features and how they fit your needs.
Both the M8 and G3 are badass phones. I have both and keep switching. Converted M8 to Dev and of course updates are like they are supposed to be. G3 no unlocked bootloader, can be a problem for some. The lag that those complain about on the G3 is virtually non-existent but sometimes can be seen. I think once LG issues an update, and they will, it won't even be a conversation anymore. I think LG is going straight to L, and will address everything at that point. Of course HTC will issue the same updates, probably faster too, but in the end, if LG fixes some of the "nagging" issues, it will be so much better.
---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 PM ----------
GalaxyNotesTx said:
Just got the M8 love it...very fast , very clean ui..no junk touchwiz here.... no complaints....This phone is very nice...only second generation...M9 will be even better....S5 feels and looks like my 9 year old niece designed ...good luck!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
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Now that's funny. I say the same about my wifes Note 3, so cartoonish.
theandies said:
I agree the camera could be better out of the box but if you play with the setting in manual mode you will get amazing results. Most users are just casual photogs so they need point and shoot and never mess with the other features. I only use my phones camera as a conveiance because when I go to events etc. I take my point and shoot and my HD camcorder. I too thought the form factor of this phone would be too big but after having it for a month or so it's really not that big feeling. It actually feels smaller than my Vivid in my pocket. We won't take your comments as a bash, at least you didn't go with the iPhone Plus.
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I haven't had any trouble with camera and I prefer the luxury finish that gives the M8 over the S5.
I was gonna open a new thread but this is what I was looking for
Used iPhone 3G > Captivate > S3 > Note 2 ----> Got bored of Android, and more so with constant rooting and roms, and a times frustrating lag and crashing. So I bought into the hype and paid 1K for an iphone 6 64GB ( was waiting from Carrier too and then sell t but wait was 6 weeks ) , used for 3 days and realized I miss the Android control and usage. I sold the iPhone for 940, lost money and ordered an M8 from my Carrier - since I know its premium finish and I simply want to root it
I have been reading about GPE but most people say the stock is best itself
Have I picked the right phone as I want to stay away from the same Rom game and needs a smooth phone
inningsdefeat500 said:
Have I picked the right phone as I want to stay away from the same Rom game and needs a smooth phone
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Only you can answer if its the right phone for you.
But what I can say, is the stock experience is smooth, snappy and won't disappoint. To be honest, I've felt like HTC has gotten very close to having a great stock ROM experience for some time now. And that is pretty much realized with Sense 6, especially combined with the hardware on the M8. I mean, there is always tweaking that can be done with custom ROMs, and whether you want a custom ROM or not completely depends on your own preferences and usage. But I really feel that we are at a point where the stock software is stable, fast and smooth, and a custom ROM is not needed to get basic functionality or to overcome lag caused by Sense (as has been the case for older devices).
That being said, I went to a custom ROM early on (second day I owned the M8) because I can't stand AT&T's bloatware and limitations (blocked tethering if not on a tethering plan). But that is really another matter. Lag and performance are not an issue on the stock software.
Also, you can't really compare the M8 with Samsung devices. I have a current Samsung tablet (Tab Pro 8.4) and it lagged and crashed on TouchWiz, and all but forced me to go AOSP (which made it much faster and more stable). So don't take the Samsung experience as being indicative of all Android devices. The M8 is simply snappy in comparison.
redpoint73 said:
Only you can answer if its the right phone for you.
But what I can say, is the stock experience is smooth, snappy and won't disappoint. To be honest, I've felt like HTC has gotten very close to having a great stock ROM experience for some time now. And that is pretty much realized with Sense 6, especially combined with the hardware on the M8. I mean, there is always tweaking that can be done with custom ROMs, and whether you want a custom ROM or not completely depends on your own preferences and usage. But I really feel that we are at a point where the stock software is stable, fast and smooth, and a custom ROM is not needed to get basic functionality or to overcome lag caused by Sense (as has been the case for older devices).
That being said, I went to a custom ROM early on (second day I owned the M8) because I can't stand AT&T's bloatware and limitations (blocked tethering if not on a tethering plan). But that is really another matter. Lag and performance are not an issue on the stock software.
Also, you can't really compare the M8 with Samsung devices. I have a current Samsung tablet (Tab Pro 8.4) and it lagged and crashed on TouchWiz, and all but forced me to go AOSP (which made it much faster and more stable). So don't take the Samsung experience as being indicative of all Android devices. The M8 is simply snappy in comparison.
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tx man, I have 8.4 Tab Pro too. Lot of the comments on this thread are so similar to my past usage with Samsung - man it feels good to be back with Android. I was SO missing the back button the iphone and unlocking with fingerprint was a bore, had to wait till it opens, keep eye on the phone to swap channels on Tune in radio whereas in droid, u can simply swipe w/o looking. Lot of other small things make the difference
I was deeply torn between an S5 and the M8. My wife actually poked fun at me for not being able to decide. They are both solid phones, but ultimately I wasn't able to give up the freedom to tinker. The S5 is locked down hard on AT&T, and while it has root, at some point it's going to be totally closed - or at least developers are going to be stuck on the last officially supported kernel until people get tired of it. There is safestrap, and I looked into it, but it sounds like people are already getting weary of development on the locked versions. Thus, there will likely never be a non-TW ROM for it. The T-mobile version isn't locked, but apparently doesn't perform as well on AT&T networks, and you would have to find a way to get one without switching carriers.
The M8, on the other hand, has a future. Even once HTC gets tired of supporting it, being able to unlock the bootloader (either officially or unofficially) and S-off means that people will be creating new ROMs for it until it, like my old Skyrocket, just get so old that no one has them anymore. That was the deciding factor for me, especially in light of the fact that I switched to Cyanogenmod a long time ago on my Skyrocket, and never looked back. So, in a way, firewater (and ultimately Sunshine) sold me on the M8.
Now, the fact is that I have come to really like Sense. Sure, it doesn't have every option I'm used to in CM, but it's a solid skin that doesn't get in the way. I opted for a full (including CID) conversion to the Developer Edition, and have stuck with it for now. Thus, the ultimate irony is that I have the ability to do whatever I like to my phone, and I'm so happy with stock that I've not installed a single alternate ROM. However, I am also happy knowing that one day I will be able to.
I'm about to get a new phone and I'd like it to be Note device because I like stylus and quality in one package which is rare. Note II is very cheap now after 2.5 years but I'm not sure will it last for next 2 years of rom changing and not so hardcore gaming ? I need your opinion about this and if you think this is not good idea please recommend me any other phone up to 300€.
P.S. I also thought of Ara as a second option. Is it worth waiting for and how much could it be ?
P.P.S. I saw Note III Neo so I wanted to know is it worth of those 100€ more than Note II and is there and will there be good roms for it ?
P.P.P.S. The phone I own now is S3 Mini GT-I8190(no N or L) and I own it since May 2013. It was a good phone and did the job very well but it starts to be buggy now. Even with slimest roms.
I've had a note 2 since start of 2014 (lost my S3, got this 2nd hand for $250 with an extra battery and external charger + 64gb sd). It's a fantastic phone imo. Unless you are drawing or using samsung software, there isn't very much use for the stylus (that I've found). I'd say use it stock for a while and see how often you use the stylus, then you could look at getting a Touchwiz based rom (like DN4) or an AOSP rom. I'm currently running lollipop on it and I prefer using this to my friend's S5's and HTC M8's. You get a good batterly life and decent size display. It isn't as bright as I'd ideally want it but I'm indoors most of the day so it doesn't make the biggest difference. Only fault I can put on it is the camera is a bit lacking, but that's comparing it to current flagship devices so take it with a grain of salt. Overall I'd say it's a great device, you might look at getting a Motorola G2 which is a bit cheaper and similar spec for camera/procesors just don't get removable battery, stylus and a bit smaller screen.
Elanis said:
I've had a note 2 since start of 2014 (lost my S3, got this 2nd hand for $250 with an extra battery and external charger + 64gb sd). It's a fantastic phone imo. Unless you are drawing or using samsung software, there isn't very much use for the stylus (that I've found). I'd say use it stock for a while and see how often you use the stylus, then you could look at getting a Touchwiz based rom (like DN4) or an AOSP rom. I'm currently running lollipop on it and I prefer using this to my friend's S5's and HTC M8's. You get a good batterly life and decent size display. It isn't as bright as I'd ideally want it but I'm indoors most of the day so it doesn't make the biggest difference. Only fault I can put on it is the camera is a bit lacking, but that's comparing it to current flagship devices so take it with a grain of salt. Overall I'd say it's a great device, you might look at getting a Motorola G2 which is a bit cheaper and similar spec for camera/procesors just don't get removable battery, stylus and a bit smaller screen.
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I can find the phone very cheap even new. I know there isn't much use for S Pen even on TouchWiz roms but it's something I like to use. I will use both TouchWiz and AOSP roms because I like to change look frequently. I just need confirmation that It is capable of running latest games (not uber games like San Andreas etc.) without lag. I don't need great battery life. I'm ok with 12 hours a day (not even that much) because I'm home all day. I need it to be fast, smooth and to be capable of changing rom every 20-30 days. Just should I take N7100 or N7105 ? I don't have 4G in my country.
CerealKiller00 said:
I can find the phone very cheap even new. I know there isn't much use for S Pen even on TouchWiz roms but it's something I like to use. I will use both TouchWiz and AOSP roms because I like to change look frequently. I just need confirmation that It is capable of running latest games (not uber games like San Andreas etc.) without lag. I don't need great battery life. I'm ok with 12 hours a day (not even that much) because I'm home all day. I need it to be fast, smooth and to be capable of changing rom every 20-30 days. Just should I take N7100 or N7105 ? I don't have 4G in my country.
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You don't need the LTE one imo. There's different roms available to the different models so check that out before you decide on one. Also, I don't know if it will be a good idea buying a phone that's already been superseded several times. The fast/smooth is a bit iffy, it's normally pretty good but especially with lollipop it hasn't been as smooth as when I was on kitkat but all the roms I've been using are posted as unstable. I haven't had issues with any games not running.
Note 2 is still a competent device.
LG G2 might be a better option. Higher res screen, newer hardware.
I wouldn't bother with the Note 3 Neo, but a Note 3 is definitely worthy of owning if you can find one for what you can afford.
The LG G Pro (and G Pro 2) are nice big phones, as is the Flex. No idea about availability/compatibility wherever it is you might be.
Don't forget the OnePlus One.
But if the stylus is what's most important to you, pick up a Note 3. The Note 2 is a good phone for the money, but it's not all that "future proof", whereas the Note 3 has a good year or three where its hardware will be considered unable to run apps and most games.