Buy the Xperia Z Ultra or Wait for Z4 Ultra? - Sony Xperia Z Ultra

I am in a dilemma deciding if I should buy the current version or wait for the Xperia Z4 Ultra (E6833) which has been speculated in online reports.
Some people say though that it will only release in Japan only.
What you guys think?

Buy the current version, if it comes with a Snapdragon 810 performance will be about the same and heat and battery life disappointing. Also the current version was $675 USD at launch. With the noises Sony is making about high end devices it will be the same or more probably, and you'll have to wait a year again before it's cheap.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 07:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:39 PM ----------
On the other hand, maybe they'll fix some people's screen sensitivity issues in the new one....
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk

I would buy the current version and no, it is not because of the "foul word" called "throttling" (to me, it is perfectly normal that 100% power isn't sustainable 100% of the time). I must admit that I grin when I read moaning about "throttling". To me, it has always been perfectly normal that "maximum power" and "maximum continuous power" is two different settings. It is like with jet engines, you "throttle" them after 90 seconds approximately since prolonged use of take-off power means abnormal wear and tear - it is downright inappropriate.
Same with a CPU: 2.5 GHz max clock, for prolonged use, 1.8 GHz or so. Intel "throttles" their CPUs with their "Turbo Boost" - don't see anything wrong.
I rather have 2.5 GHz available than doing the "Apple Way" and underclock to 1.3 GHz just in order to call it "max" and then brag about "my CPU is better than yours because (it is underclocked, don't tell anyone) it can run at 100% speed for 24 hours (because it is underclocked, don't tell anyone).
The reason for buying the current version is:
1. It is an excellent device with Android 5.1 available and great ROM development.
2. The performance, display and so on is more than satisfactorily. I must admit that I don't feel any situations where I would ask for more CPU power. Despite its age, Snapdragon 800 has been such a great CPU that it really moved everything up to a level where it is possible to say "fast enough".
3. The prices are excellent, buy one and then sell it if the Z4 or Y Ultra is interesting.
4. The Z4/Y Ultra E6833 isn't even released and is probably not available until fall so it is the question of waiting all those months or not.
I think the Ultra is an excellent device and with the prices it has, it is a "steal". I paid $349 for my C6833 five months ago or so and nothing else comes close - it is less than half of what I paid for my C6802 in August 2013.
The only drawback is the camera but I have a DSC-QX10 for that and the internal one is "enough" for those "quickie shoots" if need be.

I agree that throttling itself is not a problem, it's *excessive* throttling that's the issue, which is occurring because it's overheating easily. Snapdragon 800 throttles also, but not to the point that performance is suboptimal.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 PM ----------
I paid $269 for mine, the international LTE model on Expansys.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk

I treat current Z Ultra as a better choice, if the new one will not release until Sept 2015 or it comes with 810. The only thing you might suffer is the camera: )

More information on the Snapdragon 810: In-depth with the Snapdragon 810’s heat problems
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/in-depth-with-the-snapdragon-810s-heat-problems/
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk

There are other choices available also
1. Huawei P8 Max
2. LeTV Max
Both slated to be released in the next 1 or 2 months or so.

Leechoonhwee said:
There are other choices available also
1. Huawei P8 Max
2. LeTV Max
Both slated to be released in the next 1 or 2 months or so.
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I endorse this reply. Don't count out the Mediapad X2 either.

Hey guys, thanks so much for the feedback, I decided to go for the Z Ultra, its the Perfect size for a phone IMO....I think the 7" one is a little too big to carry in your pocket for everyday use, but still really nice.
I also found the Huawei P8 Max a little too thick, and then you have to factor in the case which makes it even bigger... I also personally love Sony's interface, its so clean and easy to use.

Related

[Discussion] Does a Snapdragon 600 processor really a deal Breaker for this phone?

The title says it all, is having a Snapdragon 600 processor really a deal breaker?
Share your thoughts! Please no bashing, or rude languages. Respect everyones opinion. This is a discussion thread.
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Absolutely not a deal breaker for me.
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Not me but there are other reasons why I might not get the ONE Max
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I'm glad the One Max will have the Snap 600. I'm on Verizon and *hope* that we can break what I'm sure will be a locked bootloader with the same unlock method beaups created for the Verizon One.
It depends on the on upgrade price for me here on Sprint. I've narrowed it down to G2 and the One Max. I'm on EPRP, so I cannot take advantage of any 3rd party deals
Geronimo.USMC said:
It depends on the on upgrade price for me here on Sprint. I've narrowed it down to G2 and the One Max. I'm on EPRP, so I cannot take advantage of any 3rd party deals
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Wow you going from one extreme to another. The One Max which is a over size overweight phablet with probably a upgrade price of $299 to a slim lightweight phone with a 5.2 screen with a upgrade price of $0.
With that said see you over at the G2 side of things.
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shook187 said:
Wow you going from one extreme to another. The One Max which is a over size overweight phablet with probably a upgrade price of $299 to a slim lightweight phone with a 5.2 screen with a upgrade price of $0.
With that said see you over at the G2 side of things.
Sent from my LG-D801 using xda app-developers app
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I can't get the BestBuy discount. I'm on EPRP plan. G2 looks like $200 on upgrade price via Sprint.......
It will be $249.99 on Sprint with contract.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Good temperature control
溫度控制的不錯。
Sent from my HTC_One_max using xda app-developers app
The 600 is not slow by any means and the phone feels amazing. Even the size is OK, initially OK it does feel massive but like all phones you get past that and it just feels normal, the 600 is still going to be fast in 2 years time so not the end of the world.
Also contracts in the UK are free to get, it appears that its only in the states were u have to pay stupid money just to get a contract.
Im due two upgrades, one this month and one in November, plus I've already got the HTC one, so might even hold fire for something better.
Only problem for me is that HTC will probably release an 800 version and call it the one max XE. Which will just be a massive sucker punch to anyone who bought the original.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
htc wont bring out a snapdragon 800 version
they said the one line is the 600er line this year ... thats it ... next year it will be the next line of products .... htc two or something
and then they will use another soc
Yes that's one of the deal breakers for me and i am guessing that's the same for most of the tech crowd around. i am not saying that SD 600 is slow and old, but the competing phones just win so easily.
I am not happy to put my money on a phone that's running an old processor. If it was like computers that i can swap out the CPU later after 1 year i would happily get this phone.
800 has improvements in GPU and power utilization that will be easily seen in such a phone, it could have been the most brilliant thing if an 800 was used and under-clocked to 1.7 Ghz
not to mention, in a few months even the 800 will be thrown away from the top spot.
It was for me plus the 4MP camera and a few other things. I held out for this phone hoping for something great but HTC failed to deliver. As soon as Max launched I went out and bought a Note 3 - totally awesome phone. Now just one failing HTC phone (Sensation) in the family soon to be replaced by an S4.
I watch HTC's demise with sadness.
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paulrh said:
It was for me plus the 4MP camera and a few other things. I held out for this phone hoping for something great but HTC failed to deliver. As soon as Max launched I went out and bought a Note 3 - totally awesome phone. Now just one failing HTC phone (Sensation) in the family soon to be replaced by an S4.
I watch HTC's demise with sadness.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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I just ordered my One MAX. i have used the HTC One and from my experience i know that this 4MP camera is amazing and more practically usable than the other phone camera. There is with a reason that HTC One was crowned the best mobile phone of the year.
It came very close to being a deal breaker, but I'm not a big gaming enthusiast or a Samsung fan (GS3). Additionally I found enough articles saying the One Max's performance -- benchmark scores not withstanding -- felt on par or just as good as the Note 3. Personally the lack of a specialized stylus was a bigger potential deal breaker than the Snapdragon 600.
With that being said, I have a Note 3 Developer Edition on backorder with the Samsung site. If Samsung ever delivers on the backorder, I'll know more then as to whether the 800 really makes that much of a difference.
I couldnt care less what kind of processor is in ANY phone I buy. If it is smooth, quick, no lag, and handles everything I throw at it, THATS all that matters in the real world.
I came from a Note 2, which had the same processor and ram, and, frankly, this phone is smoother than the note 2 ever was, even with the custom roms and AOSP that I had on it...I'm sure its because TouchWiz sucks the life out of any phone, and Sense 5.5 doesnt seem to.
Hopefully, development picks up for the one max, so we can see how it handles ASOP roms, but, no matter what, this phone is super smooth, handles anything you ask it to do effortlessly, so stop getting hung up on processor names, and model numbers, and just pay attention to how a phone works for YOU..
Geronimo.USMC said:
It depends on the on upgrade price for me here on Sprint. I've narrowed it down to G2 and the One Max. I'm on EPRP, so I cannot take advantage of any 3rd party deals
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One up promotion, $10 Employee referral discount. This is what I have. I gave them an 8 y/o phone to start it up, and I only paid tax.
wase4711 said:
I couldnt care less what kind of processor is in ANY phone I buy. If it is smooth, quick, no lag, and handles everything I throw at it, THATS all that matters in the real world.
I came from a Note 2, which had the same processor and ram, and, frankly, this phone is smoother than the note 2 ever was, even with the custom roms and AOSP that I had on it...I'm sure its because TouchWiz sucks the life out of any phone, and Sense 5.5 doesnt seem to.
Hopefully, development picks up for the one max, so we can see how it handles ASOP roms, but, no matter what, this phone is super smooth, handles anything you ask it to do effortlessly, so stop getting hung up on processor names, and model numbers, and just pay attention to how a phone works for YOU..
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i wish HTC releases a Google play edition for the MAX.i wonder how difficult it will be for dev's to port the GE version of One to the MAX.
---------- Post added at 03:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:04 PM ----------
i was really worried about the processor, however i do take back my words, SD 600 is good enough for me.
Having come from a Galaxy Note 2 to the One Max, I would say the One Max would have definitely benefited from the SD800. While the Note 2 did have a 720p screen as opposed to the 1080p, it was snappier due to less strain on the gfx processing. I can feel lag in gaming due to the increased resolution on the One Max. When I used my friends Note 3, I saw none of the same lag I was getting on the One Max.
Now, do I regret choosing the One Max over the Note 3? Not really. I kept flip flopping back and forth between them for my upgrade. I really like the bigger size of the One Max, the front speakers, and aluminum body (minus the horrid choice of white plastic in between the sheets). One the Note 3, the faster processor was nice, but overall, that's all it had to offer. There was one game that I really enjoyed that made use of the Note stylus, but I already beat it and hardly ever took the stylus out for anything else. Plus the upgrade only cost me $109 through Amazon as opposed to $199 for the Note 3 only made it even sweeter.
Ryououki said:
Having come from a Galaxy Note 2 to the One Max, I would say the One Max would have definitely benefited from the SD800. While the Note 2 did have a 720p screen as opposed to the 1080p, it was snappier due to less strain on the gfx processing. I can feel lag in gaming due to the increased resolution on the One Max. When I used my friends Note 3, I saw none of the same lag I was getting on the One Max.
Now, do I regret choosing the One Max over the Note 3? Not really. I kept flip flopping back and forth between them for my upgrade. I really like the bigger size of the One Max, the front speakers, and aluminum body (minus the horrid choice of white plastic in between the sheets). One the Note 3, the faster processor was nice, but overall, that's all it had to offer. There was one game that I really enjoyed that made use of the Note stylus, but I already beat it and hardly ever took the stylus out for anything else. Plus the upgrade only cost me $109 through Amazon as opposed to $199 for the Note 3 only made it even sweeter.
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if you are gamer, do follow the gaming thread from the original HTC one. we have scripts which would making your gaming lag free and last long without thermals. I believe these scripts should work for the One MAX as well.
---------- Post added at 09:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------
And once we get the kernel sources, the dev's will be able to unleash the GFX power of SD 600. From what i know gaming (atleast with help of devs) on SD 600 is highly smooth and long lasting - It seems like SD 800 is very power hungry and makes your battery drain faster compare to SD 600. I know SD 800 is supposed to be better at battery usage, however this is specifically for gaming and SD 800 also seems to heat faster which also will contribute to battery drain.

An honest reply, please: How good is this phone?

I recently got to try one out. I loved its look and build. UI's pretty smooth. Display's really good, a major improvement from previous Z iterations. However, 5-10 minutes of tinkering isn't sufficient enough to get a good idea. So, do tell me: How good is this phone? In particular, how's the battery life? Are there any issues with overheating? I look forward to an honest reply.
I love it. My biggest issue is that the touch screen is too sensitive to sweat, and on a hot day the phone can make my hands sweat pretty bad! Battery life is totally amazing. I came from the Nexus 5 (which had better battery life then the N4)
MarcSinger said:
I recently got to try one out. I loved its look and build. UI's pretty smooth. Display's really good, a major improvement from previous Z iterations. However, 5-10 minutes of tinkering isn't sufficient enough to get a good idea. So, do tell me: How good is this phone? In particular, how's the battery life? Are there any issues with overheating? I look forward to an honest reply.
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This year I've owned the Nexus5, LG G3, M8 and the Z2. I would say for best all round performance and features the Z2 is the best flagship. The M8 is a close second but it has a poor camera. The Z2 is smooth and fast, has a good large long lasting battery, a good camera and a great adjustable crisp display.There is overheating when using the 4k video recording after around 10-20min but not in normal use for me. Its not perfect but its the best I've used this year.
---------- Post added at 08:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:32 PM ----------
blackalice said:
I love it. My biggest issue is that the touch screen is too sensitive to sweat, and on a hot day the phone can make my hands sweat pretty bad! Battery life is totally amazing. I came from the Nexus 5 (which had better battery life then the N4)
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The sensitive touch screen bug is sorted in the new firmware.
Batfink33 said:
This year I've owned the Nexus5, LG G3, M8 and the Z2. I would say for best all round performance and features the Z2 is the best flagship. The M8 is a close second but it has a poor camera. The Z2 is smooth and fast, has a good large long lasting battery, a good camera and a great adjustable crisp display.There is overheating when using the 4k video recording after around 10-20min but not in normal use for me. Its not perfect but its the best I've used this year.
---------- Post added at 08:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:32 PM ----------
The sensitive touch screen bug is sorted in the new firmware.
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Well i am using LG G3 right now. But kinda attracting towards the design of xperia z2. Since u have used both phones..can u please explain that on which areas the z2 is better and on which areas lg g3 is better? Thanks
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zainqaiser said:
Well i am using LG G3 right now. But kinda attracting towards the design of xperia z2. Since u have used both phones..can u please explain that on which areas the z2 is better and on which areas lg g3 is better? Thanks
Sent from my LG-D851 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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I prefer the design of the G3 to the Z2.
Its only my personal opinion but I find the G3 to be laggy and the frame rate during animations to be low. My G3 also overheated and I had to get a replacement. I think the software and hardware is buggy. I believe the S801 is not up to producing the QHD display and it needs the power of an S805. After 2 weeks of use I returned my G3.
The Z2 uses almost the same GPU and CPU as the G3 (2.3Ghz Vs 2.5Ghz CPU same GPU) but only has to render 1080 so is faster and smoother. The G3 also thermal throttled a lot in my experience which made the performance worse.Battery life is also better on the Z2.
I should say ive only been using the Z2 for a week so problems may come later.
Batfink33 said:
I prefer the design of the G3 to the Z2.
Its only my personal opinion but I find the G3 to be laggy and the frame rate during animations to be low. My G3 also overheated and I had to get a replacement. I think the software and hardware is buggy. I believe the S801 is not up to producing the QHD display and it needs the power of an S805. After 2 weeks of use I returned my G3.
The Z2 uses almost the same GPU and CPU as the G3 (2.3Ghz Vs 2.5Ghz CPU same GPU) but only has to render 1080 so is faster and smoother. The G3 also thermal throttled a lot in my experience which made the performance worse.Battery life is also better on the Z2.
I should say ive only been using the Z2 for a week so problems may come later.
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Thanks a lot for a detailed reply. I have heard that xperia z3 is also just around the corner. So what do u think..wait for the z3 or go with the z2? Or just keep lg g3?
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zainqaiser said:
Thanks a lot for a detailed reply. I have heard that xperia z3 is also just around the corner. So what do u think..wait for the z3 or go with the z2? Or just keep lg g3?
Sent from my LG-D851 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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In the end its personal choice, the phone I might love you might hate.
The G3 might get great software updates, it might not. The Note 4 and Nexus 6 will probably be released in a few months also and I'm sure they will be great also.Its really up to you.
Batfink33 said:
In the end its personal choice, the phone I might love you might hate.
The G3 might get great software updates, it might not. The Note 4 and Nexus 6 will probably be released in a few months also and I'm sure they will be great also.Its really up to you.
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Thanks a lot man. I guess I'll wait another couple of months to see what's new in stores.
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Read my full review here, then decide - https://www.dropbox.com/s/mpxhmrbqc7dy6nk/Xperia Z2 FULL Review.txt
stanley08 said:
Read my full review here, then decide - https://www.dropbox.com/s/mpxhmrbqc7dy6nk/Xperia Z2 FULL Review.txt
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I have very similar RGB values to yours and everyday I look at the display and think WOW its so crisp and white. Love it!
Batfink33 said:
I have very similar RGB values to yours and everyday I look at the display and think WOW its so crisp and white. Love it!
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Lol. Yes. Works good! I'm on CM now tho. And everything is smooth sailing.
(Hot) & Sexy Phone
Hello,
Its been around 2 Months with this phone,
I am a die hard fan of Sony.
My feedback on this phone is....
-> Its amazingly Fast
-> Battery lasts for around 1.5 days of very heavy usage.
-> Sound Quality from Speakers - Not much loud - Not much low. - 50% 50%
-> Camera - Most of the time it produces great images, but sometimes I fail to understand what went wrong.
-> Screen is gorgeous, can't take my eyes away.
-> Overall design of the phone is - as usual - Fantastic, very sexy look.
I have only 2 problem with this phone.
-> Outside in the sun, Camera shuts off even while taking normal snaps - Heating Problem
-> Extra sensitive screen, it records touch of almost everything, although its nice but sometimes it creates problems.
Do any one compare Sony Xperia Z2 & Samsung Galaxy S5 G900F ?
My last 3 phones were the Note 3, Find7a, and Z2. I gave the Note3 to the wife, sold the Find7a, and rock the Z2. I am a fan of >5.5" screens so I'm sacrificing a little with the Z2 there but it has enough of the "complete package" for me. There is no perfect phone on the market imo currently. I'd like a 5.7" waterproof Nexus with a microSD card but they don't make those soo...
You want a honest reply ?
Okay. The phone is great indeed!
Although the speakerphone is low. Microphone is low too. I have to shout when I send voice messages thru WhatsApp.
Just buy
An Honest reply : this phone is cursed! always stuck at my hand wherever i go. I cant seem to let it go. It's a curse! save yourself! I cant divert my eyes! Help Me!... arggghhhh!!
seriously, this phone is amazing, battery life? I'm not constantly worries about charging anymore. I can play ingress for 3-4 hours and still got juice left. RECOMMENDED
Batfink33 said:
This year I've owned the Nexus5, LG G3, M8 and the Z2. I would say for best all round performance and features the Z2 is the best flagship. The M8 is a close second but it has a poor camera. The Z2 is smooth and fast, has a good large long lasting battery, a good camera and a great adjustable crisp display.There is overheating when using the 4k video recording after around 10-20min but not in normal use for me. Its not perfect but its the best I've used this year.
---------- Post added at 08:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:32 PM ----------
The sensitive touch screen bug is sorted in the new firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As an HTC Fanboy who has also been able to use all of these mention phones, as well as the OnePlus One, iPhone 5S and Galaxy S5 (I work in telecommunications so i didn't own all of these phones, but I did get to use them all for at least 3 weeks) i have to agree with this statement.
Here's what Ive discovered about both the Z2 and M8: Both phones can be argued to be the best phones. Having 2 kids and taking most my pictures both in doors and poor lighting, I actually prefer the faster shutter speed of the HTC M8. I don't take macro shots of flowers, however I know many people do this as well as landscapes. (also in HTCs favor is the much much bigger development communitry) But that's beside the point. The M8 and Z2 are the 2 best phones available at the moment and then there is a HUGE, disparaging drop off between these 2 phones and the 3rd and 4th best phones (the OnePlus and LG G3).
So what sets these 2 phones apart from the rest of the 800 class snapdragon phones? Software. Sony, HTC and Motorola (but they don't count because technically their flagship is midrange) are so far a head of the competition that i have to say i have never seen such a disparity between what I consider tier 1 and tier 2 phones.
But I think the Z2 is the phone of the year over the M8 by just a hair, because despite the M8 having the better software of the 2, Sony's is good enough that most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Actually most people wouldn't appreciate the snappiness of the M8. So the Z2 wins out in my opinion due to the superior hardware with the extra RAM, MPs, dedicated camera button, etc. The first 2 devices I tried this year were the Z2 and M8. And now at the end of the Spring releases, here I am back with the Z2 as my personal phone and the M8 as my work phone. And I couldn't be happier. I can tell you I definitely appreciate the Z2 and M8 so very much more now that I've used the S5, 5s, OnePlus, and G3.
You'd be crazy not to take either of these phones. But if you have a choice, grab the Z2. It's the more exciting of the 2.
Really want to get this phone but camera overheat issue in sunlight is worrying me a little.
If it overheats only while recording 4K videos then i don't care, but if it does so while taking Auto mode 8MP snaps as well then it is a big turn off.
nkgangew said:
As an HTC Fanboy who has also been able to use all of these mention phones, as well as the OnePlus One, iPhone 5S and Galaxy S5 (I work in telecommunications so i didn't own all of these phones, but I did get to use them all for at least 3 weeks) i have to agree with this statement.
Here's what Ive discovered about both the Z2 and M8: Both phones can be argued to be the best phones. Having 2 kids and taking most my pictures both in doors and poor lighting, I actually prefer the faster shutter speed of the HTC M8. I don't take macro shots of flowers, however I know many people do this as well as landscapes. (also in HTCs favor is the much much bigger development communitry) But that's beside the point. The M8 and Z2 are the 2 best phones available at the moment and then there is a HUGE, disparaging drop off between these 2 phones and the 3rd and 4th best phones (the OnePlus and LG G3).
So what sets these 2 phones apart from the rest of the 800 class snapdragon phones? Software. Sony, HTC and Motorola (but they don't count because technically their flagship is midrange) are so far a head of the competition that i have to say i have never seen such a disparity between what I consider tier 1 and tier 2 phones.
But I think the Z2 is the phone of the year over the M8 by just a hair, because despite the M8 having the better software of the 2, Sony's is good enough that most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Actually most people wouldn't appreciate the snappiness of the M8. So the Z2 wins out in my opinion due to the superior hardware with the extra RAM, MPs, dedicated camera button, etc. The first 2 devices I tried this year were the Z2 and M8. And now at the end of the Spring releases, here I am back with the Z2 as my personal phone and the M8 as my work phone. And I couldn't be happier. I can tell you I definitely appreciate the Z2 and M8 so very much more now that I've used the S5, 5s, OnePlus, and G3.
You'd be crazy not to take either of these phones. But if you have a choice, grab the Z2. It's the more exciting of the 2.
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Agreed, the Z2 and M8 aren't perfect but they're the best phones of the year so far by quite a long way.
As not fanboy but realist I can say after many sony phones (j70, z5, z7, xperia: S, Z, Z1, Z Ultra) z2 is really good phone with premium finish and ultra stability ...stereo speakers, lovely display, amazing headphone hole and pretty good camera make this phone almost perfect ...paired with smartwatch sw2 and few other things (sbh20 sbh80 mbh10 qed uplay and kef m200) and connected to smart house system z2 can become part of you ...not as before with other phones I can't say nothing bad about it

Is the Snapdragon 801 still worth it?

Hello,
As XDA is the place where there's people who's more well-informed about phones.. I thought I'll come here to ask:
"How long do you guys think before a 32bit powered phone gets outdated?"
Or is 64bit the choice to go for "futureproof"?
I'm expecting the phone to last me at least 2-3yrs.. And I'm in doubt if the Snapdragon 801 is still a solid choice for that long..
The OnePlus X is inevitably one of the best and most enticing smartphones out there, but I'm just worried whether the phone could last me a good 2-3years with that CPU.
What do you think?
Thanks.
You might be need to checkout some SD 650 Soc devices, heard it's on par with SD 808 Soc's performance
AndyPhoenix9879 said:
Hello,
As XDA is the place where there's people who's more well-informed about phones.. I thought I'll come here to ask:
"How long do you guys think before a 32bit powered phone gets outdated?"
Or is 64bit the choice to go for "futureproof"?
I'm expecting the phone to last me at least 2-3yrs.. And I'm in doubt if the Snapdragon 801 is still a solid choice for that long..
The OnePlus X is inevitably one of the best and most enticing smartphones out there, but I'm just worried whether the phone could last me a good 2-3years with that CPU.
What do you think?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think of it this way- Snapdragon 801 was the flagship chipset of 2014 and till today, it runs as smooth as it did in 2014.
Support for 32bit processors will be stopped only when probably 80% or more of all active Android devices are running 64bit processors. This isn't going to happen very soon since 64bit Android phones started rolling out less than a year ago.
iPhone 5S was the first 64bit phone that released in 2013. It's been 3 years now and Apple's 32bit devices have still got support. Neither have they missed out on any extra features only due to their processor being 32bit.
There was once a time when you needed to upgrade your phone in order to meet the requirements for running the latest Android version smoothly though this isn't the case anymore.
The only problem you may face with the 801 is when gaming. The Adreno 330 GPU can run most, but not all heavy games on max settings without lag and in the future you may require to play games on low settings, if at all they are still playable.
As for normal usage, I'm pretty sure it'll last you a good 2-3 years with full support and without any lags.
I was having the same doubt before buying my OPX. I thought about it, and now I'm glad that I bought it. It's an amazing phone!
Hope this helps
---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:10 PM ----------
prarun2030 said:
You might be need to checkout some SD 650 Soc devices, heard it's on par with SD 808 Soc's performance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're saying based on the Redmi Note 3 event, I don't think it's true. They claim that the 650 beats even the 810 in the Nexus 6P and the OP2!
The people at Qualcomm aren't stupid. Surely they wouldn't launch a mid range chipset that's better than their flagship?
After all, benchmarks aren't everything
EDIT : According to AnandTech, the SD 618 has been renamed to 650.
@ashwinpilgaonkar Wow, wonderful post! Thanks! Confidence in the Snapdragon 801 is assured now.. Again thanks so much!

[DISCUSSION] Does it make sense to sell the Mi5 to buy OnePlus 3?

In light of OnePlus 3's release coupled with some less than desirable things about our phone, I want to know what you guys think about it. When I say less desirable I mean the build quality, poor developer support due to kernel source being held back by Xiaomi, smaller screen.
I have the 64GB Black version.
I'm doing exactly this. I purchased a OP3 straight away and I am so much happier with it than the Mi5.
It feels much more premium in the hand! The screen looks great compared to the Mi5. I don't like the haptic feedback on the Mi5 either, it's like getting a small electric shock, the OP3 is really soft.
I found MIUI quite irritating and wound up going with unofficial CM on the Mi5. Security features in MIUI annoyed the hell out of me and as for unlocking the bootloader, well. On the OP3, instant. Mi5, requests and waiting.
Oxygen OS is near stock with a few nice enhancements. Android Pay works out the box. I don't even feel the need to root this device, but lets just say I did - developer support is already excellent. Before the devices even hit, CM and TWRP were available for it. Oneplus encourage you to develop and test new ROMS. Doesn't void the warranty.
In essence, yes, selling on my Mi5. Feel much happier with the OP3. (despite the apparent memory issues, but it works well for me).
i would stay with my mi5, even though its underclocked 820, i expect kernel sources to be released soon and we can then over clock it a little bit also battery life is great and i love the light weight and smaller screen because i have used rn3 before and 5.5" screeb us too big for my taste.
well i keep mi 5.nothing much to upgrade to OP3.specially battery life that is more important to me.and i cant handle 5.5" screen.
It's up to you, at first I wanted to jump at OP3, mostly because of software/kernel sources.
But for me, these things are issues:
- AMOLED screen+pentile (Mi5 is IPS)
- Phone size
- DASH charging instead of Qualcomm QuickCharge
So as much as I want Xiaomi to release kernel sources so that we can have proper fully functional ROMs without bugs or missing features, I'm sticking with Mi5.
Both are budget phones the Mi5 is a bit more budget then the OP3 but that's it.
If I sell the Mi5 it's for a true-premium phone and not another budget SD 820 device.
Both phones have pros and cons.
It's very subjective to give the right (but still subjective) weight to them.
SavageDamage said:
- No water resistance IP67 as far as I know (Mi5 has it)
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Click to collapse
Mi 5 ain't IP67. No dust/water resistance for Mi 5.
it's fine if you want to opt for OP3, because comparing it to Mi5 i'd say it's better. You get to unlock boot loader, and root out of the box. developer support is superb and i can't imaging the amazing things u will do with custom roms or even official rom with xposed framework installed.
Also u get a whopping 6gb of ram on the Oneplus 3 and mi 5 doesn't give you that even if you buy the most high end premium one, it only offers 4gb max of ram variant. battery life on both devices are great. camera is on par, both devices has gorillla glass 4. but things will get a lot easier and fun for you on Oneplus 3 because you will never get fed up of trying everything software that will enable you customize. so yeah go for oneplus. i hate it when u will have to wait for sooo many months for sources and software updates. Oneplus doesn't have such experience. it's far better. opt for op3. it's the best.
Steps Parku said:
it's fine if you want to opt for OP3, because comparing it to Mi5 i'd say it's better. You get to unlock boot loader, and root out of the box. developer support is superb and i can't imaging the amazing things u will do with custom roms or even official rom with xposed framework installed.
Also u get a whopping 6gb of ram on the Oneplus 3 and mi 5 doesn't give you that even if you buy the most high end premium one, it only offers 4gb max of ram variant. battery life on both devices are great. camera is on par, both devices has gorillla glass 4. but things will get a lot easier and fun for you on Oneplus 3 because you will never get fed up of trying everything software that will enable you customize. so yeah go for oneplus. i hate it when u will have to wait for sooo many months for sources and software updates. Oneplus doesn't have such experience. it's far better. opt for op3. it's the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You won't need 6GB, that's useless 100% useless. It's only advertising.
And as you pointed out, you do get more in the OP3, but you don't get premium, you still get budget.
Steps Parku said:
it's fine if you want to opt for OP3, because comparing it to Mi5 i'd say it's better. You get to unlock boot loader, and root out of the box. developer support is superb and i can't imaging the amazing things u will do with custom roms or even official rom with xposed framework installed.
Also u get a whopping 6gb of ram on the Oneplus 3 and mi 5 doesn't give you that even if you buy the most high end premium one, it only offers 4gb max of ram variant. battery life on both devices are great. camera is on par, both devices has gorillla glass 4. but things will get a lot easier and fun for you on Oneplus 3 because you will never get fed up of trying everything software that will enable you customize. so yeah go for oneplus. i hate it when u will have to wait for sooo many months for sources and software updates. Oneplus doesn't have such experience. it's far better. opt for op3. it's the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You also get an inferior pentile amoled with horrible color reproduction and low brightness, and the size is way to large.
TheUltrametricSpace said:
You won't need 6GB, that's useless 100% useless. It's only advertising.
And as you pointed out, you do get more in the OP3, but you don't get premium, you still get budget.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
6gb is future prove. You get to do a lot more with multi tasking. throw anything at it and it's fluid and smooth without any hustle. and if you are not willing to upgrade in the coming years, it will still be up to the mark. and you will not have to thirst for future flagships that are yet to offer that much of a ram. pentile amoled is not a big deal as long as it's still got the best viewing experience compared to LCD. it might not be the best, yet better than LCD and what's offered on the Mi5. because amoled displays typically offers better displays compared to lcd.
it might not be premium, because why would u expect to have the jack of all specs at 399? hell no. but at least it does feel premium and got killer specs at it's price range. so yeah, it's still a premium in it's budgeted group. you cannot compare Op3 to the galaxy s7 and the big dogs out there, but one thing, is performance is on par and comparing Oneplus to the Mi 5 as we are suggesting here, i would say ONEPLUS 3 is a big go over Mi 5.
---------- Post added at 12:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------
NisseGurra said:
You also get an inferior pentile amoled with horrible color reproduction and low brightness, and the size is way to large.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even galaxy s7 is 5.5 and people are way happy with it. The LG G5 is 5.3 and it's a big hit, Apple bumped the iphone to 5.5 and it's gaining it's market grounds. HTC 10 opted for 5.2 and it's great anyway. FYI, the standard screen size now gotta be 5.5 or 5.2 min, anything less wouldn't really do much of a viewing experience. you might like the small display but 5.5's got huge fan and it's becoming the standard display now. Get familiar.
Both sides have valid points. In my particular case I know I have to make the phone last as much as possible if all goes well. Good software development support was thus really necessary. So I ended up selling my Mi5 and ordered OnePlus 3. I had to bear some loss but hopefully it will end up to be a good decision.
Steps Parku said:
6gb is future prove. You get to do a lot more with multi tasking. throw anything at it and it's fluid and smooth without any hustle. and if you are not willing to upgrade in the coming years, it will still be up to the mark. and you will not have to thirst for future flagships that are yet to offer that much of a ram. pentile amoled is not a big deal as long as it's still got the best viewing experience compared to LCD. it might not be the best, yet better than LCD and what's offered on the Mi5. because amoled displays typically offers better displays compared to lcd.
it might not be premium, because why would u expect to have the jack of all specs at 399? hell no. but at least it does feel premium and got killer specs at it's price range. so yeah, it's still a premium in it's budgeted group. you cannot compare Op3 to the galaxy s7 and the big dogs out there, but one thing, is performance is on par and comparing Oneplus to the Mi 5 as we are suggesting here, i would say ONEPLUS 3 is a big go over Mi 5.
---------- Post added at 12:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------
Even galaxy s7 is 5.5 and people are way happy with it. The LG G5 is 5.3 and it's a big hit, Apple bumped the iphone to 5.5 and it's gaining it's market grounds. HTC 10 opted for 5.2 and it's great anyway. FYI, the standard screen size now gotta be 5.5 or 5.2 min, anything less wouldn't really do much of a viewing experience. you might like the small display but 5.5's got huge fan and it's becoming the standard display now. Get familiar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No 6GB is retarted! You don't have a phone for 5 years.
The lifetime of phones is 2 Years, according to Apple, what's the most expensive devices.
6GB is absolut useless you will never use it.
Edit:
Nah the OP3 does not improve upon the Mi5.
The Mi5 is the better budget phone with a SD 820.
For a bit more money you get better phones then the OP3 and for a lot less money you get the Mi5.
SO either it's: GO premium and not buy the OP3 or go budget and not buy the Op3
Steps Parku said:
6gb is future prove. You get to do a lot more with multi tasking. throw anything at it and it's fluid and smooth without any hustle. and if you are not willing to upgrade in the coming years, it will still be up to the mark. and you will not have to thirst for future flagships that are yet to offer that much of a ram. pentile amoled is not a big deal as long as it's still got the best viewing experience compared to LCD. it might not be the best, yet better than LCD and what's offered on the Mi5. because amoled displays typically offers better displays compared to lcd.
it might not be premium, because why would u expect to have the jack of all specs at 399? hell no. but at least it does feel premium and got killer specs at it's price range. so yeah, it's still a premium in it's budgeted group. you cannot compare Op3 to the galaxy s7 and the big dogs out there, but one thing, is performance is on par and comparing Oneplus to the Mi 5 as we are suggesting here, i would say ONEPLUS 3 is a big go over Mi 5.
---------- Post added at 12:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------
Even galaxy s7 is 5.5 and people are way happy with it. The LG G5 is 5.3 and it's a big hit, Apple bumped the iphone to 5.5 and it's gaining it's market grounds. HTC 10 opted for 5.2 and it's great anyway. FYI, the standard screen size now gotta be 5.5 or 5.2 min, anything less wouldn't really do much of a viewing experience. you might like the small display but 5.5's got huge fan and it's becoming the standard display now. Get familiar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should check facts:
S7
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s7-7821.php
Display Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 5.1 inches (~72.1% screen-to-body ratio)
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10411/the-oneplus-3-review/4
"It’s evident that OnePlus didn’t learn from the issues I demonstrated with the OnePlus 2’s display. It was a serious regression from the OnePlus One, and with the OnePlus 3 they’ve somehow found a way to regress even further. Of all the aspects of a phone to mess up, the display is the absolute worst. There’s basically no use case where you use a phone without looking at the screen, and right from the very first moment I turned on the OnePlus 3 I could tell that the colors are completely wrong. It’s just a huge disappointment."
TheUltrametricSpace said:
No 6GB is retarted! You don't have a phone for 5 years.
The lifetime of phones is 2 Years, according to Apple, what's the most expensive devices.
6GB is absolut useless you will never use it.
Edit:
Nah the OP3 does not improve upon the Mi5.
The Mi5 is the better budget phone with a SD 820.
For a bit more money you get better phones then the OP3 and for a lot less money you get the Mi5.
SO either it's: GO premium and not buy the OP3 or go budget and not buy the Op3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
6gb is useless for people like you who don't really have much to do on your devices, people like your total app takes about 2gb space on your device. yes!! if you are this type of people, then it's even better you get samsung galllaxy pocket. but u have all the power ever you could use, yet u will waste it.
apple only said that phones may last for 2 years because that's based on the hardware limitation and ram limitation couple with software support from official oems. with Oneplus 3 and it's 6gb ram and 64 storage and top of the notch developer's support, you can still keep up even after 6 years and you will not feel like it's about time to upgrade. because it's built for the future. and that's what you are failing to understand. Software upgrades is amazingly on time, u get the latest android with over 50 customize roms to enjoy. tell me Mi5 hasn't even released sources yet for developers. this is a great let down, limiting users to stick to the same old ui everyday. it's boring and a great let down.
and for the records Oneplus 3 sports the Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 as well and it's the same thing on the higher end Mi5. meaning the lower end version doesn't even have it. and like i said. even the higher end mi5 doesn't sport 6gb ram instead it's 4, that's something on the Oneplus 2. so yeah Mi5 is nothing compared to Oneplus 3. and it's what it is.
---------- Post added at 10:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 AM ----------
NisseGurra said:
You should check facts:
S7
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s7-7821.php
Display Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 5.1 inches (~72.1% screen-to-body ratio)
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10411/the-oneplus-3-review/4
"It’s evident that OnePlus didn’t learn from the issues I demonstrated with the OnePlus 2’s display. It was a serious regression from the OnePlus One, and with the OnePlus 3 they’ve somehow found a way to regress even further. Of all the aspects of a phone to mess up, the display is the absolute worst. There’s basically no use case where you use a phone without looking at the screen, and right from the very first moment I turned on the OnePlus 3 I could tell that the colors are completely wrong. It’s just a huge disappointment."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
s7 is 5.1 and it's edged version which the higher end version is 5.5 that's what i meant. and Oneplus 3 optic amoled is still great out there, vivid and punchy display. everyone's happy except you. and i don't know what's issue with it. you can check GSM arena and compare the hits and fans to that of Mi5 you will realize that oneplus 3 is loved by all, no matter what u think is the issue, it's still fine with others as long as it will save them few bucks and yet do the same thing that every other phone does with advanced futuristic specs.
Chill!! i gotta order you one. :laugh:
Steps Parku said:
6gb is useless for people like you who don't really have much to do on your devices, people like your total app takes about 2gb space on your device. yes!! if you are this type of people, then it's even better you get samsung galllaxy pocket. but u have all the power ever you could use, yet u will waste it.
apple only said that phones may last for 2 years because that's based on the hardware limitation and ram limitation couple with software support from official oems. with Oneplus 3 and it's 6gb ram and 64 storage and top of the notch developer's support, you can still keep up even after 6 years and you will not feel like it's about time to upgrade. because it's built for the future. and that's what you are failing to understand. Software upgrades is amazingly on time, u get the latest android with over 50 customize roms to enjoy. tell me Mi5 hasn't even released sources yet for developers. this is a great let down, limiting users to stick to the same old ui everyday. it's boring and a great let down.
and for the records Oneplus 3 sports the Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 as well and it's the same thing on the higher end Mi5. meaning the lower end version doesn't even have it. and like i said. even the higher end mi5 doesn't sport 6gb ram instead it's 4, that's something on the Oneplus 2. so yeah Mi5 is nothing compared to Oneplus 3. and it's what it is.
---------- Post added at 10:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 AM ----------
s7 is 5.1 and it's edged version which the higher end version is 5.5 that's what i meant. and Oneplus 3 optic amoled is still great out there, vivid and punchy display. everyone's happy except you. and i don't know what's issue with it. you can check GSM arena and compare the hits and fans to that of Mi5 you will realize that oneplus 3 is loved by all, no matter what u think is the issue, it's still fine with others as long as it will save them few bucks and yet do the same thing that every other phone does with advanced futuristic specs.
Chill!! i gotta order you one. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an mi5 pro and an OP3 so i know what i talking about. op3 screens sucks, pentile low res shows text poorly, low brightness and strange colours.
Here for you to read:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10411/the-oneplus-3-review/7
"Unfortunately, the display really kills the phone for me. Based on every other aspect I think it would be a no-brainer to replace the Nexus 5X with the OnePlus 3 as my daily driver, even if it is bigger than I'd like. I simply can't though, because I just feel unpleasant whenever I look at the OnePlus 3's display. I don't think it's a stretch to say it's the worst display I've examined during my time at AnandTech, as despite the Nexus 6's faults it didn't have the ghastly blue appearance of the OnePlus 3."
Steps Parku said:
6gb is useless for people like you who don't really have much to do on your devices, people like your total app takes about 2gb space on your device. yes!! if you are this type of people, then it's even better you get samsung galllaxy pocket. but u have all the power ever you could use, yet u will waste it.
apple only said that phones may last for 2 years because that's based on the hardware limitation and ram limitation couple with software support from official oems. with Oneplus 3 and it's 6gb ram and 64 storage and top of the notch developer's support, you can still keep up even after 6 years and you will not feel like it's about time to upgrade. because it's built for the future. and that's what you are failing to understand. Software upgrades is amazingly on time, u get the latest android with over 50 customize roms to enjoy. tell me Mi5 hasn't even released sources yet for developers. this is a great let down, limiting users to stick to the same old ui everyday. it's boring and a great let down.
and for the records Oneplus 3 sports the Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 as well and it's the same thing on the higher end Mi5. meaning the lower end version doesn't even have it. and like i said. even the higher end mi5 doesn't sport 6gb ram instead it's 4, that's something on the Oneplus 2. so yeah Mi5 is nothing compared to Oneplus 3. and it's what it is.
---------- Post added at 10:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 AM ----------
s7 is 5.1 and it's edged version which the higher end version is 5.5 that's what i meant. and Oneplus 3 optic amoled is still great out there, vivid and punchy display. everyone's happy except you. and i don't know what's issue with it. you can check GSM arena and compare the hits and fans to that of Mi5 you will realize that oneplus 3 is loved by all, no matter what u think is the issue, it's still fine with others as long as it will save them few bucks and yet do the same thing that every other phone does with advanced futuristic specs.
Chill!! i gotta order you one. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Proof your point and have the phone for six years.
The claim that a phone needs 6GB Ram to be future proof is just retarted.
The huge majority of OP3 customers will update the device long long before the 6GB RAM are required.
Future proofing on a PC is retarted but it's even more stupid on a Phone. Yet please proof me wrong and get an OP3 as main driver for the coming six years.
Challenge accepted.
Edit found this nice read on xda: The RAM Conundrum: How Much RAM Do We Really Need?
It's a good read for all who are able to read and think.
6GB of RAM feels as necessary as, say... 16-32GB on a computer. Sure, you're "future-proofing" your device for the few uses that may pop up occasionally in the future, but for most usage scenarios, it'll be unnecessary.
The real decision-makers are probably the (screen) size, price difference and software.
Some prefer a 129g 5.1-inch phone, while others a 158g, 5.5-inch phone. Colour accuracy is definitely an issue on the OP3 at the moment, but it seems like a fix is incoming to reverse OnePlus' "Optic AMOLED" tweaks. Not to mention the LCD/AMOLED differences, which further splits the fields between preferences. Additionally, the $50 difference at the 64GB models (Mi5 2299RMB (~346USD) to OP3 400USD) may also be a deal breaker. And yes, some prefer a more stock Android experience.
But in the end, it's all about personal preference. Make your own decisions based on your own judgement, but you shouldn't force that decision upon others. Even if 6GB of RAM on a phone right now really is slightly silly.
...But to address the OP: I'm sticking with what I've got, and I'm content with my Mi 5 Pro. If you like it, keep it. If you don't, go ahead and test new waters.
SavageDamage said:
It's up to you, at first I wanted to jump at OP3, mostly because of software/kernel sources.
But for me, these things are issues:
- AMOLED screen+pentile (Mi5 is IPS)
- Phone size
- No water resistance IP67 as far as I know (Mi5 has it)
- DASH charging instead of Qualcomm QuickCharge
So as much as I want Xiaomi to release kernel sources so that we can have proper fully functional ROMs without bugs or missing features, I'm sticking with Mi5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MI5 doesent have water resistance !!!
http://en.miui.com/thread-231030-1-1.html
n33raj18 said:
Both sides have valid points. In my particular case I know I have to make the phone last as much as possible if all goes well. Good software development support was thus really necessary. So I ended up selling my Mi5 and ordered OnePlus 3. I had to bear some loss but hopefully it will end up to be a good decision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OnePlus with their software support is crap. I am user of OPO and for me it is very clear - never again! Build quality of OP3? Look at all images done by iFixit and make your judgment. This is not top quality for sure. Screen? Better than MI5? If you think so you are probably color blind, I am sorry for hursh statement but it is true. Want more? Battery life, non-standard quick charge, unimpressive design, average cameras and so on ... and it is more expensive. So go ahead, buy one and in few months I feel very much like me - disappointed at best.

Tragedy followed by the Xperia XA Ultra

My beloved Z Ultra died two weeks ago and I’m still inconsolable. So I looked at what Sony has to offer presently and the XA Ultra with its 6.0” screen seemed like the closest thing to it. Well, let’s just say the XA Ultra has done little to alleviate my pain and sorrow.
If any Z Ultra owner is considering the XA Ultra, I poster a review here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xa-ultra/how-to/xa-ultra-impressions-t3468894
Interesting review. It verifies what I suspected and essentially knew when the XA Ultra came out: It just can't replace a Z Ultra.
Anyone looking for a replacement should consider the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra, Huawei/Honor Note 8, Lenovo Phab2 Pro or the Xiaomi Mi Max. They are proper 'Ultra replacements' and should be on the shortlist.
It won't ever give anymore a Sony Phone which can replace a Z Ultra fully
The Z Ultra idea came from Sony to do something very revolutionary, this wasn't 100% perfect executed by Sony on Z Ultra like the just 3000mAh battery or the bad cam so it became a flop
So it's understandable that Sony does do these Ultras for the special people but that's not their main target phone
Your PDesire
Interesting some people who haven't used an XA Ultra writing it off, having never tried it... XA Ultra is what it is, a midrange 6" phone, so will never compete with what the Z Ultra was at release. But for today, with the options available, if you want worldwide LTE, it's one of the best options and presents many improvements over the Z Ultra. The alternatives mentioned above are so far either not delivered or don't deliver usable LTE for large parts of the world.
I really wonder when 'LTE' became the most important aspect of a device, more important than anything else such as hardware etc?
It sounds like 'LTE' is so important that it makes up for a MediaTek Helio P10 with Snapdragon 800 level performance and hardware that isn't a too much of an 'upgrade' from the Ultra, beside the camera.
The XA Ultra is very easy to dismiss just by looking at what it offers:
1. Smaller display size than the Ultra (itself a dealbreaker).
2. Similar CPU performance (i.e. no step forward since 2013...).
3. MediaTek (forget about ROMs and the Open Devices program).
4. Lower build quality than the Ultra.
5. Low storage and RAM for a 2016 device.
6. Price is similar to more powerful devices from other brands.
Pluses would be 'official Marshmallow' (I don't consider that too much of a benefit in a world of ROMs) and far better camera than the Ultra. The rest? So-so.
A device such as the Xiaomi Mi Max or Huawei/Honor Note 8 or Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra and the Lenovo Phab2 Pro offer substantial improvements on all areas in comparison with the Ultra and is the natural choice for anyone looking for a replacement.
Getting the XA Ultra over any of those, using the 'LTE argument' is downright silly actually. Even if another device would only get EDGE data I would take it over the XA Ultra as long as the rest is top-notch and then solve the connectivity in a different way.
I just can't see how LTE can 'compensate' the MediaTek Helio P10, smaller screen, lesser build quality, low amount of storage and RAM etc and the pricetag.... If LTE is that critical I rather buy the Xperia XZ. Far more powerful than the XA Ultra and the screen size doesn't matter, it is a downgrade anyway. I would also rather pick up the Z3TC SGP621 over the XA Ultra.
E90 Commie said:
I really wonder when 'LTE' became the most important aspect of a device, more important than anything else such as hardware etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yet again, you assume that just because a feature is less important to you, it's less important to everyone else. Fast data is the most important feature of a phone to me. I also want a big screen. Would prefer 6.4, and would prefer latest Snapdragon, but of course those things aren't all available right now on one phone.
It's patently clear you haven't used the phone if you don't think the hardware is an upgrade, perhaps you should try one out first? Note that camera isn't the only clear upgrade for XA over Z.
I also love the fact that your "Getting the XA Ultra over any of those" argument includes two phones that aren't available yet.
I have fast HSPA+ here and haven't noticed any problems with HD streaming (YouTube etc) due to any particular 'slowness' of the connection. I typically reach around 15-16 Mbit/s HSPA+ and that is also why I can accept some 'compromise' on the LTE side of things in exchange for a better device.
The optimum device has 20-40 LTE bands, obviously (it would be the best solution since it would cover everything) but the reality is different. Just skipping devices due to LTE bands when no other options are available (I don't consider 'keep using the Ultra' as the best option anymore).
I fully agree that the best solution is a lot of LTE bands, Snapdragon 8xx and a 6.44-7" display with a lot of RAM and storage. As it is now, those things aren't available (yet) and compromises has to be made.
My key priorities are certainly powerful hardware, 6.44-7" display and excellent battery life (8-13 hours SOT as an upgrade from the Ultra 5-6 hours SOT). The XA Ultra is just not even close to be an interesting 'upgrade' and this Amazon link says it all:
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Xperia-...id=1466713400&sr=8-6&keywords=xperia+xa+ultra
For $329 I can buy the XA Ultra with 3GB RAM (same as the Z3TC in 2014), 16GB storage (same as the Ultra in 2013), 2700 mAh battery (smaller than the 3000 mAh in the Ultra) and a MediaTek Helio P10 offering similar performance as the Snapdragon 800. Yes, the XA Ultra has seriously improved cameras and it can also be argued that it has Marshmallow out of the box (an improvement over 5.1.1 in the Ultra).
It doesn't participate in the Open Devices Program, though (thanks, MediaTek) and even if its stock ROM is 'faster' than the Ultra 5.1.1 - the Ultra has no problem keeping up using something like PAC, Sony Concept ROM or one of the MM or Nougat builds. So buying the XA Ultra because the stock ROM is 'faster' isn't a too good idea.
For approximately $330-344 I can buy a Xiaomi Mi Max offering substantial upgrades in comparison with the XA Ultra and the Ultra:
4GB RAM (3GB in the XA Ultra, 2GB Ultra), 128GB storage (16GB XA Ultra and Ultra), Snapdragon 652 (80K AnTuTu in comparison with the 40-45K of the XA Ultra and Ultra), same display size as the XZU and 0.44" bigger than the XA Ultra and so forth. Its battery is 4850 mAh compared to 2700 (XA Ultra) and 3000 (Ultra).
The only thing the XA Ultra has to offer is.... LTE and a camera that seems to be good. 'It runs Marshmallow' or 'the Sony ROM has a lot of improvements over Ultra 5.1.1' doesn't sound like compelling reasons to buy it.
Buying the XA Ultra as an 'upgrade' from the Ultra, citing 'LTE frequencies' as a reason why it becomes 'better' than a device with way more powerful hardware isn't a particularly good idea.
I just don't see how the XA Ultra can be something worth buying when comparing with the competitors. If we accept downgrading the display size, then a lot of options are available around the price point of $330 and they are way more powerful (a Snapdragon 820 can be fitted if the budget is stretched a couple of tens).
Making a statement such as 'the XA Ultra beats the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra, Huawei/Honor Note 8, Lenovo Phab2 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Max because it has LTE bands x, y and z' sounds really... backwards. It is like arguing that 'this computer with Intel Celeron and Intel HD4000 beats this powerful gaming rig because it is connected to a 100 Mbit/s broadband line while the gaming rig has a 10 Mbit/s line....
I always compare with competitors and I am just unable to see any reason to buy the XA Ultra in comparison with the other options. Buying it because.... it is a Sony Xperia and it has LTE frequency x, y and z just doesn't feel particularly logical.
If Sony give as a proper XZU successor (Snapdragon 821 or faster, 4-8GB RAM, 64-128GB storage, 4500-500 mAh battery, 2K 6.44" display, XZ camera, microSD or UFS card slot and so on I will be all over it. But getting the XA Ultra 'instead' because of LTE and 'it is what Sony offers' rather than switching brands (until Sony get their acts together) isn't logical either, I am afraid.
Hell, how many words do you need to say you don't really like that phone (the one that you've never used)? A full page of mostly nonsense, basically: happy to step back 5 years on data speeds, not happy to lose 0.4" of screen; but if you are losing 0.4", you may as well lose 1.2". Laughable. I hope you're happy with your cheap phone, it works for you and the trade-offs you're happy to make, but there's no need for lengthy tedious diatribes on why everyone else is wrong.
Making a statement such as 'the XA Ultra beats the Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra, Huawei/Honor Note 8, Lenovo Phab2 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Max because it has LTE bands x, y and z'
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No-one apart from you has spouted this idiocy. We all have preferences.
Edit: and no-one knows what would beat the Asus or Lenovo, because so far they are imaginary.
Buying the XA Ultra as an 'upgrade' from the Ultra, citing 'LTE frequencies' as a reason why it becomes 'better' than a device with way more powerful hardware
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You want to tell me where the Z Ultra has "way more powerful hardware?" Again, as a non-user of the XA Ultra? It has a slightly bigger screen and a slightly bigger battery. Way more powerful?
The Xiaomi Mi Max is a serious upgrade from the Ultra - especially the 4/128 version. It is simply a better choice than the XA Ultra for those looking for a replacement.
Double the amount of RAM (in comparison with the Ultra).
Decent CPU upgrade (from 40-46K AnTuTu to 80K AnTuTu).
Same display size (wider brightness range).
Way more storage (128GB instead of 16GB).
Excellent battery life (12-13 hours SOT in comparison with 5-6 hours SOT).
So in what way is the XA Ultra a 'better' upgrade path for an Ultra owner than the Mi Max and the other options?
Asus has started deliveries of the Zenfone 3 Ultra and it is another interesting upgrade.
The XA Ultra is simply a disappointing device from Sony and they could do way better. Making a 'XZ Ultra' - i.e. a 6" version of the XZ would be a way better approach.
It is also interesting with attempts to defend the XA Ultra, especially in comparison with a device such as the Mi Max considering the MediaTek CPU and everything. There are absolutely nothing 'premium' about it and trying to use arguments such as 'enjoy your cheap phone' when defending the XA Ultra doesn't sound particularly right.
Edit: The statement of 'way more powerful hardware' referred to the Mi Max and the other new phablets.
I would like to ask you this simple question:
In what ways are the Mi Max (and the other options) NOT a good upgrade from the XZU - while the XA Ultra is?
My Mi Max is doing everything my Ultra does, it has all strong points of the XZU and it improves on the weak ones (RAM, storage, camera, adds fingerprint scanner and provide a decent CPU speed boost). What 'trade-offs' do you see with the Mi Max?
Yep, sure, those phones are way better for running Antutu, knock yourself out with that. What you can't seem to get through your head (I suspect you never will), is that this is a phone and mobile data device. The fact that it gets better scores doesn't matter at all. The fact that it doesn't have decent data speeds does. To me. Yeah, you're impressed by different brands of chips and scores, enjoy. I won't hamstring myself with crap data on a mobile device. That's why it's better. For me and others.
You appear unable to grasp that not everyone wants the same thing from their phone that you do. It's like conversing with an infant.
Asus has started deliveries of the Zenfone 3 Ultra
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Where? Not the US or the UK. I've only had one Asus phone, it was awful and only lasted a few months, but maybe they've improved.
A phablet should fulfill the following requirements in order to be a worthwhile upgrade from the XZU:
1. Faster CPU/GPU
2. Increased RAM (4GB or more)
3. Increased storage (32GB or more)
4. Similar screen size (or slightly bigger - up to 7")
5. Run a newer Android version out of the box (6.x, 7.x)
6. Decent developer support and ROMs such as AICP, RR or the Sony Concept ROM etc.
7. Adequate cellular connectivity (HSPA+ minimum, LTE good to have)
8. Improved battery life (8 hours or more SOT, heavy use)
9. MicroSD or UFS for expandable storage
10. Adequate camera (i.e. better than the XZU pretty atrocious unit)
I.e: An 'Ultra II' simply put - offering the same basic properties as the XZU while improving the weaknesses (especially RAM and storage).
The Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra, Huawei/Honor Note 8, Lenovo Phab2 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Max fulfill those requirements - albeit with some question marks surrounding ROM development for the Kirin (Huawei).
All four are decent upgrades from the XZU, offering the same basic properties, while improving on the weaknesses.
I have never experienced a 'speed problem' with my C6802 - it typically provide stable 15-16 Mbit/s download speeds and even if my C6833 is faster I have no problem with downloading files, doing HD streaming etc on such a speed. When I use data plans with 2GB caps, speed doesn't exactly matter for the simple reason that you don't do heavy use on such a limited plan anyway. When I have my unlimited data SIM in, getting a stable 15-16 Mbit/s over HSPA+ is.... good enough even for HD streaming.
Having a fast CPU, more RAM, more storage and so on brings tangible benefits and especially the storage part was an issue on the Ultra. Hardware when paired with a decent ROM is simply the key aspects of a device - LTE just can't make up for 16GB of storage or a MediaTek Helio P10.
I buy devices as 'mobile computers' and prioritize hardware and software (the latter is a matter of custom ROMs, I just don't care for stock ROMs). The XZU is an excellent mobile computer and the Xiaomi Mi Max is even better because it keeps all strengths of the Ultra down to the RR ROM and pairs them with improvement of the weaknesses.
The XA Ultra has some extra LTE bands, yes - but is a weak performer in all other areas, especially storage and CPU. And those two areas matters - not because of AnTuTu but because of more demanding apps and games coming out. It is reasonable to expect serious improvements in performance on a device three years newer than the one being replaced.
Even better would be Snapdragon 820, 821 or the upcoming '830'. Less than a 650? Not good enough simply put. Same with the storage - 16GB has been small on the XZU, buying a new device with the same internal storage makes no sense - my storage problem would continue. Using the microSD as a 'solution' (i.e. moving appdata) isn't optimum in 2016 when there are several devices with 32-256GB internal PLUS microSD.
The Xiaomi Mi Max is simply an excellent Ultra replacement.
I give up. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it think.
I just wanted to say that unfortunately my screen broke and it became unresponsive to touch so I was contemplating on other phones but I couldn't find a z ultra replacement I thought of the Asus Zen 3 ultra but it is too extensive so I bought me another z ultra to replace my broken z ultra there's no other like it
rickgillyon said:
I give up. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it think.
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It's not necessary to think too much in order to realize this simple fact: XA Ultra isn't a proper XZU replacement compared to other alternatives including the XZU itself.
You would need to develop that capability first.
jaime4272 said:
I just wanted to say that unfortunately my screen broke and it became unresponsive to touch so I was contemplating on other phones but I couldn't find a z ultra replacement I thought of the Asus Zen 3 ultra but it is too extensive so I bought me another z ultra to replace my broken z ultra there's no other like it
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The XZU is still a beast so great choice. It seems like Asus is starting to drop prices for the Zenfone 3 Ultra in comparison with some of the sky high ones listed before ($699).
Let's hope there will be a 8xx based 6.44-7" phablet next year - preferably sharing hardware with a flagship as well (lower development cost).
---------- Post added at 06:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 PM ----------
rickgillyon said:
You would need to develop that capability first.
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Perhaps you could describe the thought process leading up to the conclusion that the XA Ultra is a 'better' XZU replacement than other options... I still see a 16GB MediaTek device there.
Edit: Or is the XA Ultra a better device because of:
1. It's a Sony
2. It has LTE 800/900 etc
3. It runs Sony stock Marshmallow
4. The camera is better than [insert device]
It is a bit hard to claim that the XA Ultra has great hardware or performance paired with excellent storage - thus making it a great upgrade path for XZU owners....
Well I did think hard on that asus zen 3 ultra, but the quality, brand and looks of the z ultra it's what brought me back to it. I know that's it's getting old on it's hardware but still capable for the most task at hand besides that price it's also affordable compare to the zen 3 ultra, may be some day there will be a xperia z ultra replacement. I was hopping on the xa ultra but what a dissepiment from Sony their loss my z ultra.
I've hung around for ages waiting for a decent z ultra from Sony,but it seems unlikely now that it will ever happen.So I took a deep breath and looked at the competition,and it seemed to come down to the mi max or the honour note 8.Went with the honour note 8 mainly because of the better specs and also the superior screen.Was pondering waiting for the lenovo phab pro,but I'm glad I went for the note 8,the Kenobi looks a bit chunky width wise.Aesthetically the old Sony wins out.And I lose waterproofing/NFC and 4g on my particular network 02,apart from that,the note 8 really is a huge upgrade on the Sony.Camera,2k amoled screen,ram,storage,fast charging etc etc.So far-so happy!
Sent from my EDI-AL10 using XDA-Developers mobile app
jaime4272 said:
I just wanted to say that unfortunately my screen broke and it became unresponsive to touch so I was contemplating on other phones but I couldn't find a z ultra replacement I thought of the Asus Zen 3 ultra but it is too extensive so I bought me another z ultra to replace my broken z ultra there's no other like it
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Click to collapse
I have a 6806 and a 6833, both with broken displays. I decided to buy a display assemly which cost 45€ and another 45€ to have it fitted. With less than 100€ I now have the c6806 working again which I will use in the americas for the LTE bands used on that side of the world. I was sad to see handset like the ZU setting in a box not working. I do love this phone and I'm very happy to have invested on a new dispaly . You certainly are not going to get a phone for less than 100€ with those specs...:good:
The Zenfone 3 Ultra would be a worthy replacement for the Sony XZU. Looking at the xda forum for it, but there's currently no bootloader unlock, and not even root. The honor note 8 has root and bootloader unlock, but you do need to put some effort in to tweak and tune it to make it work well.
The Xiaomi mi max has a fairly active hacking community, so I think that's the best choice to replace our much loved Sony
I didn't mention the Lenovo, because supplies dried up and was only on sale in USA.

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