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I know this has probably been posted before, but anyone got suggestions for a good cheap android? I am new to this whole android OS thing, I have a webos phone (pixi) so I am looking to upgrade. Nothing too expensive though. I have looked into the att avail, but it seems as a prepaid only phone. I have att (without a data plan). and I will be using the android os for wifi
I have also looked at the samsung galaxy y but it seems too cheap.
Any suggestions I am looking for a phone that would work on att, and that I could find on amazon for around $150.
Any sugestions?
Galaxy gio , Galaxy ace, HTC wildfire?
Perhaps Xperia mini would fit the bill? I was considering Galaxy Ace but ended up paying exactly the same for mini which is clearly a superior device. It is perfectly capable of running ICS which is a big plus for me. Official update should be released in April/May and some custom ROMs are already available.
Some people have reported overheating issues (soft keys acting strangely) but I haven't had such problems.
Overall, I'm fairly happy with it, and to me it seems like the best choice for the money.
P.S. Live with Walkman is essentially the same device. You get a slightly larger (but worse) display, a secondary camera and longer battery life. Price tag should be the same so I'd say it's a matter of preference.
The Pantech Burst is so underrated that you can find one for that price (in my area I saw 3 between $180 and $125), works on At&t and has a Snapdragon dual-core 1.5ghz CPU, 4" Super Amoled display and a solid if plain design.
You could look into the Meizu MX.
There don't appear to be many of these devices around, and I am curious to try and find out how many.
I love the hardware. If it was just about the specs, I'd have bought one already!
But I'm undecided.
If the bootloader was unlockable, with custom recoveries and custom ROMs, I'd have bought one. However, with Asus not cooperating, and I think too few devices around, I am not sure this will achieve the critical mass to get the attention it deserves.
Sadly, the lack of international availability, and, well, Asus being Asus, means that if this was an experiment to judge the demand for super-sized phablets, then I think it failed. I don't think we'll see another from Asus.
I have one, and will be keeping it for now. However it is not my daily driver, and until AT&T fixes their HSPA+ network in my area, or root becomes available so I can unlock bands, this device will stay just a play around device.
Hi,
I have one since about 2 months and I love its big screen, reviews said that there was no lag, no freezes etc... False, the proc is not that good and I'm really desapointed but that's not why I will change.
I'll change because I cannot accept that an android phone cannot have root or unlockable bootloader, for me it's not an android...
If I wanted an extremly locked phone, I'd choose an iPhone... lol
Oh and... still no Nougat update for other versions than ZF3 5.2 and 5.5 (Stopped because euh... well, because what in fact?)
So, for a 750€ smartphone...
Asus? Never again.
wow, only six people bought one? and one of those is going to sell it. doesn't look too good.
edit: updated the count
Yea I have it and im using it on T-Mobile which is OK with hspa+ but the bootloader unlock not coming out is killing my joy with the phone. Awesome device but I find myself using my OnePlus 3t more because of Asus stupid choices with the bootloader.
Have one & will keep it. The only really irritating thing so far is having both speakers on one side, when you keep the phone in landscape mode; but I'm getting used to tolerate it and can use the headphones anyway.
ptae2000e said:
Have one & will keep it. The only really irritating thing so far is having both speakers on one side, when you keep the phone in landscape mode; but I'm getting used to tolerate it and can use the headphones anyway.
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Click to collapse
the iphone7 has a dummy speaker, one set of grilles are just blind holes!
so I guess even having genuine dual speakers is a win, but yes, would have been better to have them top and bottom, or even on the long edge.
the availability of an official boot loader unlock tool has swung me back to considering this phone again.
I have had my Z3Ultra for a number of months now after I purchased it to replace my nice but also annoying Huawei P8 Max. I totally love this phone. Can't complain with the exception of the lack of Root, which as I write this message, the developer community is working on bringing it to our device. Apart from this, I am looking to keep it until a new device is released with much better spec but at least the same size possibly even a 7.9" (YES it can be as like the Huawei P8 Max, this phone has a lot of wasted space and overall size can still be kept to current size- check Xiaomi Mi Mix) with ultra thin bezels and curved display, stylus pen, keyboard attachment, better cpu, 128GB or 256GB ROM, 6GB+ RAM, dual sim + independent sd slot and finally quad speakers (top, bottom, left, right side with similar quality to the ones already on it (they are awesome, I mean it). Anyway, enough dreaming from me, lets hope someone from Asus is reading my expectations of the next version.
I have one and will keep it, i am coming from a sony z ultra that I've been using for almost 2 years and sony z3 tablet compact 4g 3 months before that and a sony z1 before that, i have only had the asus zenfone 3 ultra for 1 week but have wanted this device since may last year, i bought this for £420 from eglobal and only bought this because my cousin wanted a better device than the Samsung s4 but he wanted to buy the sony z5 because he knew i enjoyed my sony devices but never asked why i didn't have a updated version like the z2 or z3, i sent him the information about the zenfone 3 series and the asus launch videos, he finally bought the deluxe 820 version after 3 months from the same seller but wanted this as soon as i showed these devices to him, i also bought my dad a sony z2 for work and recently upgraded his device to the asus zenfone 3 5.2 inch version. My cousin now wants the ultra version and im going to also buy his deluxe version to use for work. This is the best decision ive made but would buy a xiaomi mi max for less than 200 if i don't get the deluxe from him and stay with my ultra device too. I drive for work and have always had large screen devices for 3-4 years. Lets see what asus has to offer other than the AR version as this is only a small version or normal size lol. I've been recently looking around for root and unlocking bootloader and will wait for asus to release this to all.
Xiaomi Mi Mix? specs? quat speakers?
AWFRONT said:
I have had my Z3Ultra for a number of months now after I purchased it to replace my nice but also annoying Huawei P8 Max. I totally love this phone. Can't complain with the exception of the lack of Root, which as I write this message, the developer community is working on bringing it to our device. Apart from this, I am looking to keep it until a new device is released with much better spec but at least the same size possibly even a 7.9" (YES it can be as like the Huawei P8 Max, this phone has a lot of wasted space and overall size can still be kept to current size- check Xiaomi Mi Mix) with ultra thin bezels and curved display, stylus pen, keyboard attachment, better cpu, 128GB or 256GB ROM, 6GB+ RAM, dual sim + independent sd slot and finally quad speakers (top, bottom, left, right side with similar quality to the ones already on it (they are awesome, I mean it). Anyway, enough dreaming from me, lets hope someone from Asus is reading my expectations of the next version.
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Where did you get this Xiaomi Mi Mix specs? quad speakers? stylus pen? curved display? keyboard attachment? sd slot? Man, what are you smocking, cause I want some!!!
berbecaru said:
Where did you get this Xiaomi Mi Mix specs? quad speakers? stylus pen? curved display? keyboard attachment? sd slot? Man, what are you smocking, cause I want some!!!
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It is nice to dream and imagine good things in life and the spec posted (as stated in my original post) is what I want to see in an ideal device of this size. Oh No. I am definitely not smoking anything. Just dreaming the possibility of a perfect phablet (A mix between ZF3U, Samsung Galaxy S7/S8 type edge display and mi mix type bezelless front with the extras as cherry on top).
BTW. As I discovered very recently ASUS Customer Service for the ZenFone series is rubbish to say the least but more like non-existent. God help us when we need care for our precious ZF3U.
AWFRONT said:
It is nice to dream and imagine good things in life and the spec posted (as stated in my original post) is what I want to see in an ideal device of this size. Oh No. I am definitely not smoking anything. Just dreaming the possibility of a perfect phablet (A mix between ZF3U, Samsung Galaxy S7/S8 type edge display and mi mix type bezelless front with the extras as cherry on top).
BTW. As I discovered very recently ASUS Customer Service for the ZenFone series is rubbish to say the least but more like non-existent. God help us when we need care for our precious ZF3U.
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Click to collapse
You are wright buddy, this is what I want too but no body makes it. :laugh::laugh:
My wife had 1. She dropped it face first on a concrete with flip cover that came with the phone. The screen still shattered. The flip cover is coming covering the screen but still didn't protect it from the impact. I guess that's the gamble when you have a very large screen.
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk
Love it so far
speculatrix said:
wow, only six people bought one? and one of those is going to sell it. doesn't look too good.
edit: updated the count
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Click to collapse
I have one and love it, despite the stuff that is installed there out of the box. Its fast, bright and really useful. One thing that slightly upsets me - need to reboot it every second day to keep at the top of its abilities.
Overall - I'd never hesitate to recommend it.:good:
I had one, then gave it to my daughter while i used other smaller screen phone... Then i realize i got hooked on big screen, so i bought another one for me
speculatrix said:
wow, only six people bought one? and one of those is going to sell it. doesn't look too good.
edit: updated the count
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Click to collapse
Mainly, you CAN'T assume that just because folks don't report stuff here on XDA, that no one has it. Next, many users are Chinese, or from Taiwan. They won't necessarily speak English. Third, since the LTE bands are NOT available in the U.S.A., that kills more of the market. Lastly, the going rate is around $500 USD, if someone here DID want to buy one. Ours is black screen bricked right now, so we're trying to get help with the (WW) international version unbricking.
I should have been more clear, what I was interested in was how many XDA forum members have bought this, so as to gauge the level of interest and likelihood of hackers and developers doing interesting things with it. I don't know enough about custom Asus ROMS in this respect to actually do the work, but would have been willing to help test rooting and custom recoveries, only I ended up buying an LG V20 because it had all the features I wanted and the AZf3U didn't, and also my concerns about Asus's upgrade longevity set in.
hillg001 said:
Mainly, you CAN'T assume that just because folks don't report stuff here on XDA, that no one has it. Next, many users are Chinese, or from Taiwan. They won't necessarily speak English. Third, since the LTE bands are NOT available in the U.S.A., that kills more of the market. Lastly, the going rate is around $500 USD, if someone here DID want to buy one. Ours is black screen bricked right now, so we're trying to get help with the (WW) international version unbricking.
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Click to collapse
I was planning to get zf3 ultra but with almost no rom support, I might get the mi max 2 instead.
I don't think the mi mix is a good idea since it has a fragile ceramic body. I prefer metal body...
*Edit: I gave away my mi max (helium ver) and back to using my 5 years old coolpad 9976a
Note 4 is getting kind of old and G5 seems like the only feasible upgrade since it has sd card slot, ir blaster, unlocked bootloader (H850), removable battery. You think it is worth the upgrade? Seems like these types of phones will not be made again in favor of boring iphone clones (I don't really care how the phone looks since i always put a case on it anyways, even metal and glass will scratch if dropped). If I wanted an iphone clone, I would just buy an iphone. I don't want to the v20 because of locked bootloader and the US996 variant doesn't support all the ATT bands I need.
Note 4 Pros:
- Camera lens doesn't crack like g5 (not sure if overplayed though), no bootloop issues (again I think over exaggerated compared to g4 which I had) but does have emmc issues.
- Larger screen (I can live without, g4 screen was big enough and g5 is similar)
- AMOLED (can be a con also)
- S pen, I hardly ever use it honestly.
- build quality is probably better
- micro usb (g5 has type c which means more cable adapters but is the future honestly)
G5 Pros:
- Faster and newer cpu
- 1GB more of ram
- Supports Andriod 7
- Better camera (plus wide angle camera)
- Better IR Blaster (able to learn codes)
- More LTE band support
Can I expect the same longevity out of the g5 compared to note 4? I have had my note 4 in a case with tempered glass, few drops no issues. Replaced battery once and still going strong. I like to root but run stock rom.
I would get the h850 variant, seems there are actually variants of the h850, how can you tell if it is Europe h850 vs some other? Thanks for any feedback.
+1
I'm actualy thinking the same thing. N4 to G5. My phone before the N4 was a nexus 4 and I've grew to hate the touchwiz interface in favour of a cleaner android experience. How's the G5 regarding this?
I am not going to sugarcoat anything for y'all. Depends. How much you spending? I know it various for place to place. I am waiting for Note 8 myself. I'd say the G5 is the best bang for your buck flagship right now. But be careful this phone has issues.
Bad*
Notorious GPS issues-
Screen ghosting-
Build quality crap-
Few others-
Good*
Great price-
Good Specs-
Great camera-
Pretty good development-
Few others-
If money is not an issue for you wait and go with note 8. If it is then maybe g5 or OnePlus. Don't waste your money on galaxy S8 or G6 overpriced no true upgrade.
Only issue I've had is screen ghosting. If you do buy g5 get a newer issue manufacturer, less issues.
I will be buying used. I paid $200 for note 4 tmobile version a year ago and see the prices of G5 near $300 h850 at least. Harder to find of course. I use ATT towers (cricket and h20 mainly) so looking to get the international version since it has unlocked bootloader. I may be able to get away with tmobile g5 version but I don't like they stripped away the fm radio and added some other things/took other things away. I miss the good ole days of google play edition phones. Andriod 7.0 has almost matched samsung touchwiz now in terms of features with multi-window apps, etc. Back in the day samsung and lg software had a lot more features but now the difference is almost zero with of course andriod vanilla being much smoother.
My note 4 had gps issues, very weak antenna and I had to adjust it a few times. Fails to lock sometimes though, only negative I have to say. Also there are some others note 4 people starting to have memory and motherboard issues so pretty much no different than g5. Do the g5 camera lens really fracture easy, if so best way to protect it? I run a dual layer case on my note 4, hard plastic outer shell with tpu inner and tempered glass on front. The case is really thin, not otterbox thick.
I plan on using the g5 for the next 3 years or so until they start phasing out lte compatible bands and forcing upgrades. I can probably get like $125 for note 4 so g5 would only be like $150-$175.
To answer other guys question about touchwiz vs sense, sense seems less bloated at least it did when I had the g4. I think samsung has optimized touchwiz a lot over the years and is probably pretty fast on the s8 but then again they don't have to add so many custom features like multi-window/etc since andriod 7.0 comes with it now standard.
How do you tell if the phone is newer manufactured and what is the cut-off date to avoid ghosting issues on the g5?
Mr Joegernaut said:
I will be buying used. I paid $200 for note 4 tmobile version a year ago and see the prices of G5 near $300 h850 at least. Harder to find of course. I use ATT towers (cricket and h20 mainly) so looking to get the international version since it has unlocked bootloader. I may be able to get away with tmobile g5 version but I don't like they stripped away the fm radio and added some other things/took other things away. I miss the good ole days of google play edition phones. Andriod 7.0 has almost matched samsung touchwiz now in terms of features with multi-window apps, etc. Back in the day samsung and lg software had a lot more features but now the difference is almost zero with of course andriod vanilla being much smoother.
My note 4 had gps issues, very weak antenna and I had to adjust it a few times. Fails to lock sometimes though, only negative I have to say. Also there are some others note 4 people starting to have memory and motherboard issues so pretty much no different than g5. Do the g5 camera lens really fracture easy, if so best way to protect it? I run a dual layer case on my note 4, hard plastic outer shell with tpu inner and tempered glass on front. The case is really thin, not otterbox thick.
I plan on using the g5 for the next 3 years or so until they start phasing out lte compatible bands and forcing upgrades. I can probably get like $125 for note 4 so g5 would only be like $150-$175.
To answer other guys question about touchwiz vs sense, sense seems less bloated at least it did when I had the g4. I think samsung has optimized touchwiz a lot over the years and is probably pretty fast on the s8 but then again they don't have to add so many custom features like multi-window/etc since andriod 7.0 comes with it now standard.
How do you tell if the phone is newer manufactured and what is the cut-off date to avoid ghosting issues on the g5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get a good case aka outter box, bulky but that thing can take a beating. I've dropped mine a million times and device looks new.
Ghosting issues seem like a guaranteed to happen. There's filter apps that help with it. The newer built issues seem to have less of the other issues GPS and few others. Well because your buying it used might not have original box. But it says it on the box far as manufacturing date. You could also ask the seller, they may know.
Consider LG V20.
Csetoue said:
Consider LG V20.
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Click to collapse
I would of mention that op says he's not interested because of locked bootloader.
Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
totalnoob34 said:
Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price and specs are great. The rom/root community is okay size. Build quality is trash. Don't buy this phone. With a little more money you could buy the One Plus 3T or One Plus 5. Better specs, build quality, rom/root, etc.
My next phone is Note 8 or One plus 3T or 5. I am not trying to bash phone. Just giving you an honest opinion. Look through the threads you will see tons of people with GPS, Backlight Bleed, bootloop issues, etc. I love LG, but will be my last LG phone for a long time.
Sent from my LG-H830 using XDA Labs
I'm looking to get the H850 for my mom since it is only $300CAD if I get my friend to bring it back from Hong Kong. Can't find any another phone in that price range that would be better than the LG G5 H850...
Hardware and price are amazing, especially the model RS988 that covers the most weirdest bands that are available in areas like Canada. Unfortunately, the root/bootloader on the rest of models are bringing tons of problems, if its rootable/unlockable at all. Custom firmware choice is very poor, and they are raw even after 1 year of release. What it means is that you basically can't use NFC on most of custom roms (if not all). The stock firmware on the other hand is very well made and stable. I'm using it with Magisk without issues. So far the only problem is stock kernel doesn't seem to be energy efficient, so battery flies away in a day or two of use. However, battery is replaceable, what is offered in not that many flagship phones nowadays.
I can't agree about bad quality of build. I would say its very good comparing to what else you can meet nowadays.
Other than that, it's one of the best phones available for 250$ on B&H (Titan) if not the only good one.
Yeah not sure about other countries, but in Canada it's hard to beat the LG G5. OnePlus 3T/5 are $600/$650CAD+tax respectively and the G5 can be found for $330-370 all in. Even 2016 mid-range phones like the Axon 7 and Honor 8 are $400-$500+tax.
Build quality isn't up to par with other flagships, but it's not terrible IMO. At least it's better than most mid-range phones.
It is a lottery phone.
damiloveu said:
It is a lottery phone.
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I would have to agree with this statement.
Build quality is pretty bad guys sorry. I've had plenty of low/Mid/High end of phones. I've never seen this many issues as this one. When I see GPS and backlight bleed threads filled with countless complaints. Yeah that's bad build quality.
Damiloveu statement pretty much sums it up right it's a lottery phone. 50/50 hit or miss, be for warned potential new g5 buyers. GREAT phone if no issues. And if it does have problems many headaches await you.
Sent from my LG-H830 using XDA Labs
dimon222 said:
Hardware and price are amazing, especially the model RS988 that covers the most weirdest bands that are available in areas like Canada. Unfortunately, the root/bootloader on the rest of models are bringing tons of problems, if its rootable/unlockable at all. Custom firmware choice is very poor, and they are raw even after 1 year of release. What it means is that you basically can't use NFC on most of custom roms (if not all). The stock firmware on the other hand is very well made and stable. I'm using it with Magisk without issues. So far the only problem is stock kernel doesn't seem to be energy efficient, so battery flies away in a day or two of use. However, battery is replaceable, what is offered in not that many flagship phones nowadays.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would install Fulmics on the LG G5 if I can get it for my mom, so the RS988 is out of the question for me. I just cannot buy phones if I cannot install custom ROMs on it. I hate being at the mercy of manufacturers for software updates.
I'm so confused as to why manufacturers cannot just sell one or two variant of the same phone. Making dozens of variants seems so stupid.
coming from P9.
Maybe my most complain bout this device is the GPS as i always use gps for ingress, second is battery and the rest is the design and build quality though I dont have the screen retentention issues yet.
Thanks a lot, everybody. I think I'll get this phone, it features literally *every* feature I need on a device.
cheeze.keyk said:
coming from P9.
Maybe my most complain bout this device is the GPS as i always use gps for ingress, second is battery and the rest is the design and build quality though I dont have the screen retentention issues yet.
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Click to collapse
I got a used AT&T H820 and it had the GPS issue, especially worse when cloudy and rainy. However, I returned the AT&T one and got an unlocked RS988 and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
totalnoob34 said:
Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you need a hot swappable battery, the G5 is great.
If you game a lot, and want the ability to do so without remaining plugged in and burning up your phone, then the G5 is perfect for you.
As far as performance, no issues whatsoever.
Battery life is average, but with the ability to swap out new batteries and charge dead ones outside the phone in a charging port, you honestly don't have battery downtime. It's just always up.
That's the biggest advantage of this phone.
If you're looking for a better deal, you don't need unlimited battery life, or you're looking for a rich featureset, I would look elsewhere.
The gps is absolute wank and I don't have the time or inclination to do a hardware fix. I did a quick comparison with my friend who owns an OP3 indoors; his had gps lock with 15 seconds but mine was still searching after several minutes. In fact, I have almost missed turnings when driving a few times because of this POS. I never replace my phone until it has had 18 months usage but for the G5, I will make an exception.
I have LG G5 since April 2016 after my Note 3 : no root or anything, LG updates regulary.
I never have problems with it.
-No bootloop, no GPS bugs, a better reception with the same carrier...
-Camera is really good, especially the large wide-angle.
-Battery life: a day with a little use (waze to go work -one hour/day) wifi on, "always on display" always activate, some internet at evening : Facebook, Twitter, insta, mails...
-IR for soundbar, tv is really good !!
But no SPen ? So I will get the Note 8, really great for work, with the camera options easier than LG suit.
And finally, i prefer Samsung environment, even if G5 is really a good phone.
Envoyé de mon LG-H850 en utilisant Tapatalk
It's not worth the broken GPS sensors which are a known hardware defect. They'll fix it for you, but it's never the root of the problem so it will come back. I've sent mine in 3 times, GPS works for a couple days, then ceases to work again. Terrible quality control, by far the worst phone I've owned. My Galaxy S4 was better.
totalnoob34 said:
Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, looks like i'm not the only one who migrate from Galaxy Note 3. let me tell you my short little story
I upgraded since my Note 3 were exynos version which didnt support 4g band. i was looking for cheap second hand devices with LTE support :laugh: ( dont judge me, bussines is low here in indonesia i cant afford phone more than 250$ - on indonesia currency and prices of course)
so i search all available markets, online and offline. some guys recomended 3 phone. LG G5 h860, xperia z5, and HTC m9 ( all cost about 200-250$ here, second handed) so i spent about 3 days on google comparing all 3 phone. i kick z5 out from my list since i had a bad experience with sony devices ( heat issue, poor audio quality, you name it) so it just m9 or g5. m9 is a good phone, its the cheapest one, had official support for lineage and SlimOS. solid built, and dual speaker. the drawback were its photo quality, its much worse than my note 3 even with 20mp camera. but at that time i cant find g5, the only available one were g5 SE version which is downgrade one ( 3gb ram and qualcom 625) and it cost about 299$!! hell no, so i pick the m9. but as i said before, i'm not really satisfied. the main advantages comparing my old note were: better sound, better network 4g, better official OS ( Lollipop vs nougat) and custom, and fast charging. but thats the only option i got that time. after several months some guys here sold his g5 h860 on low prices, i dont need to think twice so today my g5 finally arrived. still looks good for a second hand devices, the ony issue were the screen ghosting when the devices getting hot. but it would dissapear after some minutes, i can live with that. BUT, comparing to my m9 the battery drains faster, no root option, no custom recovery or rom. so for answering your question, IF i moved from note 3 directly to G5 i would be really happy as it has more advantages. but since i got my hand on m9 first i still feel little dissapointed . i cant stop comaring 3 of them. note 3 has bigger display and spen support, m9 has the best custom rom suppot and great battery, while g5 has the most awesome camera and screen resolution :cyclops: .
alldine345 said:
well, looks like i'm not the only one who migrate from Galaxy Note 3. let me tell you my short little story
I upgraded since my Note 3 were exynos version which didnt support 4g band. i was looking for cheap second hand devices with LTE support :laugh: ( dont judge me, bussines is low here in indonesia i cant afford phone more than 250$ - on indonesia currency and prices of course)
so i search all available markets, online and offline. some guys recomended 3 phone. LG G5 h860, xperia z5, and HTC m9 ( all cost about 200-250$ here, second handed) so i spent about 3 days on google comparing all 3 phone. i kick z5 out from my list since i had a bad experience with sony devices ( heat issue, poor audio quality, you name it) so it just m9 or g5. m9 is a good phone, its the cheapest one, had official support for lineage and SlimOS. solid built, and dual speaker. the drawback were its photo quality, its much worse than my note 3 even with 20mp camera. but at that time i cant find g5, the only available one were g5 SE version which is downgrade one ( 3gb ram and qualcom 625) and it cost about 299$!! hell no, so i pick the m9. but as i said before, i'm not really satisfied. the main advantages comparing my old note were: better sound, better network 4g, better official OS ( Lollipop vs nougat) and custom, and fast charging. but thats the only option i got that time. after several months some guys here sold his g5 h860 on low prices, i dont need to think twice so today my g5 finally arrived. still looks good for a second hand devices, the ony issue were the screen ghosting when the devices getting hot. but it would dissapear after some minutes, i can live with that. BUT, comparing to my m9 the battery drains faster, no root option, no custom recovery or rom. so for answering your question, IF i moved from note 3 directly to G5 i would be really happy as it has more advantages. but since i got my hand on m9 first i still feel little dissapointed . i cant stop comaring 3 of them. note 3 has bigger display and spen support, m9 has the best custom rom suppot and great battery, while g5 has the most awesome camera and screen resolution :cyclops: .
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Click to collapse
Ok, first off, thanks a lot for the detailed feedback. I actually appreciate it when people put a little effort in helping others online.
I ultimately settled for a G5, since a replaceable battery is more important to me than a bigger one, and also because I could really use those extra 0.3" on the screen. Moreover, you were unlucky in getting an h860 variant, because the european h850 has some decent support over here.
Lastly, I am not getting another HTC device again, I had an HTC Desire S. Let me tell you something about that phone: you could *not* remove the battery with the device on, risking a total brick. Yup, you heard me right. A flimsy plastic clip was all that kept your precious phone from mayhem and destruction. The best part is that it was a hardware defect, obviously ineligible for warranty replacement, and I don't recall HTC ever acknowledging the issue, let alone provide the user with some kind of compensation. Also, HTC always was a pain in the ass to customize, and the HTCdev program is a joke.
Nonetheless, thanks a lot for the feedback man. Have a good one
totalnoob34 said:
Ok, first off, thanks a lot for the detailed feedback. I actually appreciate it when people put a little effort in helping others online.
I ultimately settled for a G5, since a replaceable battery is more important to me than a bigger one, and also because I could really use those extra 0.3" on the screen. Moreover, you were unlucky in getting an h860 variant, because the european h850 has some decent support over here.
Lastly, I am not getting another HTC device again, I had an HTC Desire S. Let me tell you something about that phone: you could *not* remove the battery with the device on, risking a total brick. Yup, you heard me right. A flimsy plastic clip was all that kept your precious phone from mayhem and destruction. The best part is that it was a hardware defect, obviously ineligible for warranty replacement, and I don't recall HTC ever acknowledging the issue, let alone provide the user with some kind of compensation. Also, HTC always was a pain in the ass to customize, and the HTCdev program is a joke.
Nonetheless, thanks a lot for the feedback man. Have a good one
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yeep, my biggest regret were i didnt read much about lg g5, infact i read too many about it so i skip the most important things. from what i gather around the web, g5 has 2 version. G5 and g5 SE. the g5 has snap820, 4gb ram and single sim, while g5 SE had snap 625, 3GB ram and dualsim. i use 2 simcard one for main use and another for data connection. and h860 has both advantages from 2 g5 version, snap 820/4gb ram and Dualsim support. i didnt bother to check on XDA for root method as i though it just the same as samsung or HTC, even with many varian usually all of them has the same exploit. i never though i would be so wrong on my life . and for the HTC part, well what can i say, here in indonesia we didnt have official HTC service centre so if we had a malfunction devices we just need to fix it on our own . same goes to LG G5 since the only one that they sold here were g5 SE, some friend of mine already bought g5 from singapore last year and when his screen broke he sent it to LG centre but they refuse it, they said the only accept g5 SE. so i'm totally aware when i bought those devices, i cant rely on warranty or official services. and its not the first time, usually lot of devices which sold here were downgraded version comparing to international one. like
note 3 on international version they had snap801 and lte support while official one the had stupid exynoss and 3g only. same goes with Note 5 snapdragon inter vs exynoss local, and also xiaomi devices, huawei, and many other brands which i dont remember anymore. thats why, many people here usually bought new/second hand devices from another country because they want to feel the real experience while also acknowledge they cant bring it to official service centre when it broke later.
Hell no.
My LG G4 is dying.
I need a Verizon based phone to work with the Verizon MVNO I contract air access from.
How does the MotoZ vzw version handle unlocked bootloader? Is it possible?
I'm real keen on custom rom usage, whats the best custom roms available for the moto Z?
Any cons I should be made aware of?
What type of sim card ? ie: nano....................
I am done with the Asian phone manufacturers, unfortunately I have had bad experience with HTC and now LG.
Paid flagship prices for crap, sorry to say. My most favored phone was a motorola flip phone, maybe I return to motorola.
ty
Motorola = Lenovo = Chinese [emoji6]
I've had the MotoZ after the LG G4. Only short time. Since one year on Galaxy S8 and happy. Maybe a LG V30 as alternative?
I cannot say anything about a Verizon phone since I have no clue if they "tainted" the Moto Z too, making it different from global variants.
As for simply being worth it:
If you are paying less than 450$, it's definitely worth it.
The phone is snappy, hysterically thin for a phone ( it's as thick as an iPhone when you put a bulky case on it, otherwise it's only 5.2mm thick ), has a good camera, a great display and you will love the UI if you're a fan of stock Android.
However, if you can pay more than 450$, consider something like a Oneplus 5.
Battery is AWFUL. The phone is mostly smooth but if you use it for prolonged periods, it heats up and then starts lagging due to throttling.
Camera is reasonable at most but the camera lens get scratched easily, so the image quality could degrade over time.
Mods are funny at some point but are extremely expensive and there are chaper alternatives that work on any device, not being necessary to have a Z phone to use them.
Fingerprint scanner works but it's not the fastest and misses sometimes, and it get's really annoying when you have to try 4 or 5 times to unlock it.
Motorola has abandoned this phone, which hasn't received a security update since December and god knows when it'll get Oreo, and even worse, god knows what sort of bugs Lenovo interns will give us when Oreo finally arrives.
Doesn't have a headphone jack.
My particular unit developed severe burn-in after only 7 months of usage, but every display is different, so your mileage may vary.
Phone is so thin that it's unconfortable to hold without a mod attatched or a case, which is a bummer because the phone is good looking without anything on it. Also slippery as hell.
There are not many developers for the Moto Z, so there isn't many custom roms available compared to Samsung or even Sony. There are some unofficial builds from big projects like Lineage but there are some bugs here and there.
So, take it with a grain of salt because this is my experience, but beware because I'm not the only one reporting those issues. Just check out Lenovo forums and see how many battery drain topics are there, which got even worse after the 7.1.1 update.
Forget those awesome flip phones Motorola once built, because that company is dead. Motorola is just a brand name now, everything is Lenovo. When you boot the Moto Z there is a big ass Lenovo logo so you don't forget it. If I were you, I would go for the OnePlus 5 . Your experience may be worse with Motorola.
The phone uses nano sim though.
Moto Z= bored device + screen burn + ugly battery life
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
One plus is an Asian brand too xD
Z2 Play or bust
spyknee said:
maybe I return to motorola.
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Don't. Battery life is awful, and Motorola does not support this device any more.
Mine got broken (bluetooth died), I sent it to Motorola for repair three months ago, and they refuse to fix or refund it, despite still being under warranty.
I see a lot of salty people here.
I've had my Moto Z since October 2017. I upgraded from Nexus 5x, which got bootloop. Is it worth it?
That depends on the price. I've got mine for 350$ and I'm pretty satisfied. The battery is similar to the one I've had in 5x (needs a recharge at the end of the day). However, with Incipio power pack it lasts a full day of heavy use.
No burn-ins whatsoever.
It was lagging a little bit at the beginning, but now its really snappy, miles better than my crap Nexus. I've played Vice City quite a lot and no major throttling issues happened to me (maybe some fps drops once a while, but it's not something drastic).
Motorola still supports this phone. Fast updates are long gone from the Google days, but they're still pretty average.
I really like this phone, but if I were you I would wait a little bit more for the Nokia 7 Plus. 2018 version looks amazing.
And stay away from any LG. They can't fix bootloop problems since G4. G6 and V30 are too young to judge if they're fine. They still may bootloop in the near future.
I forgot to add: Fingerprint sucks. Nexus 5x was better in that term.