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How's it going guys I currently have the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and in 15 days I'll be able to jump to a new phone. I have a question for you guys... What are some pros and cons on the s5? I'm huge into flashing roms don't want to be stuck with another phone where the development is kind of dead.(Not knocking on the devs for the T-Mobile note 2 but development was pretty much non extent)
I recently made the jump both to T-Mobile from Verizon and the Galaxy S5 from the S3. I really liked the LG G3, but development there seemed to move at a snail's pace and there's still not much happening. For me it helped that I always ran Beanstown (Alliance) ROMS on my Verizon Galaxy S3 and seeing that team move to T-Mobile was a huge incentive. I like to tinker and maybe somewhere out there people are cooking up some good stuff for the LG, but the T-Mobile Galaxy was both familiar and easy to root, put a recovery on and flash new "available" ROMS. The phone it's self gets the job done and there are even some nice surprises once you plow through all the features. So long story short, if development is important to you, I don't think you can wrong with the Galaxy.
Yes. Absolutely. I've had the g2 and the 5s. The s5 was a huge upgrade from those phones
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roote223 said:
Yes. Absolutely. I've had the g2 and the 5s. The s5 was a huge upgrade from those phones
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
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Im extremely happy with this phone even more so after putting alliance on it . I had a Att GS4 for 2 months and it had to go..It had a locked bootloader so there was no kernel flashing what so ever . Only custom roms based off stock . I also was thinking about the G3 until i took a look in the development thread and under original development it said NEVER. Everything meets my standards . Very VERY happy with my purchase
i have always loved stock android for its speed and customization , but with the s5 and xposed it just works very well and the battery life is awesome getting like 3 days on a charge on stock rom .
Also another happy user. When the S5 was announced I was disappointed but later down the line decided to try it again. I love the speed, camera, screen and feel of it. It really makes the s4 seem like a cheap toy in comparison. Used to be a nexus only guy, but will continue to support the galaxy s line.
Thanks guys looks like this will be the phone I'll be upgrading to.
I miss my note 3 and still like the LG g2 over my crapsung s5
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the device is very powerful and im mostly happy. the one thing that really bugs me is the phone doesnt work very well as a phone. dropped calls when i use wifi calling the person on the other end doesnt hear me sometimes. volte is screwy sound goes in and out during calls. maybe t mobile network is not developed enough,? idk i came from att with galaxy s3 the international one without lte and i had much less problems.
this morning i tried 5 times to make a call finally after reboot i was able to.
again not sure if its the phone, tmobile or my settings or a combination of all. but im not happy
Wait for the Note4, the s5 is a real disappointment.
Especially the childish looking OS, what a real drag!
AxAtAx said:
Wait for the Note4, the s5 is a real disappointment.
Especially the childish looking OS, what a real drag!
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Note 4 is too big. S5 LTE-A as the base flagship device would have been nice though. Otherwise, i came from the S4 and i love my S5. Overall its smoother, battery lasts forever even when downloading all day. Only down side of the phone is i had to pay for it ha.
had good battery life at first then the update killed that, still better than most.
the stock rom has tons of problems glitches errors all that, touchwiz is amazingly bad at everything, the camera is SO bad at focusing and actually taking pictures is a pain, every menu is just a huge wall of choices, no planning or thought went into streamlining TW
music playback skips (still)
tethering will not connect unless using a custom rom
phone slides out of my pocket like it was designed to do it
pixels visible on certain colors because its still a stupid pentile
msg to samsung; please copy the sense 6 msg app exactly, its lightyears ahead of yours
so other than halfway decent battery this phone is disappointing
on my 3rd replacement because data stops working all the time and calls are just pure static but the update fixed that
aburgthing said:
I recently made the jump both to T-Mobile from Verizon and the Galaxy S5 from the S3.
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I did the same thing for all 5 of our lines (ETF pay off was the draw). The S5 is a great device. My mother has an S3 and the screen now looks small compared to the S5. The S5 has fantastic battery life and is very responsive in everything it does.
Very happy with the S5.
Also very happy with T-Mobile.
Overall I'm happy and would do it again.
I have to agree about the camera focus issue.....esp. closeups. I kind of think the the s4 camera was a bit better.
And I've had the s3, s4 and s5 and have always disliked the side button. The s5 is worst of all. I constantly look down at my pocket and my phone is doing things, like I pulled it out one time and it had brought itself into the playstore(!!!).....It has made multiple pocket calls on it's own. No kidding. I think I'm pressing the side button while slipping it into my pocket.
I ended up going with the Note 4 so far so good maybe I'll pick up an s5 to play with the roms in a few months
I was not happy with my AT&T S5 due to the locked bootloader. I am very happy with the TMO S5. Very customizable not toooo big, not too small. Doesn't lag, but gets a couple days of battery with medium use. Got a nice case and glass screen protector so it's pretty safe. Very dependable with Omega rom. What's not to love?
Very Pleased!
I am VERY pleased with my T-Mobile S5. It's my favorite phone I've owned thus far. I had the S3 before this and really liked that phone and also the Vibrant prior to that (which I was also pleased with). This is actually the 1st Galaxy phone that I've kept the TouchWiz base on though. I really enjoy the customization options on AOSP as well as the appearance, but I also enjoy the stability of KitKat TouchWiz base on this one (using XtreStoLite ROM by Edgar).
I like the Note 4 Specs, but it's just too big for me it wouldn't be comfortable in my pocket, and it's not like I wear skinny jeans either. Another nice luxury is the water resistance that the S5 offers, and the Note 4 does not. I hope that you enjoy your Note 4 though, best of luck!
JDM Civic EG8 said:
How's it going guys I currently have the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and in 15 days I'll be able to jump to a new phone. I have a question for you guys... What are some pros and cons on the s5? I'm huge into flashing roms don't want to be stuck with another phone where the development is kind of dead.(Not knocking on the devs for the T-Mobile note 2 but development was pretty much non extent)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even at the end of the year, I still very much like my Galaxy S5. The reasons I purchased it are still completely valid for me, even with the release of the Note 4 as well as several competitor's phones. Part of the criteria is that while I have a larger display, it shouldn't be too much larger in overall footprint than my prior phone. This put it over the Note 3 as the Note 4 was not available at that time.
Couple feature notes:
1. Screen size/quality. Prior to the Note 4, the S5 was also Display mates "best display ever" report winner. The Super AMOLED display at 5.1" also had phenomenal color matching when the display settings are set to Cinema.
2. Camera. 16 megapixel ISO cell outperformed in daylight conditions and in my opinion eliminated the low light issues I had with the Galaxy S3. Note 4 has optical stabilization, so it's a better camera if this is your number one feature.
3. micro SD card. Important feature, I use it extensively to get the most out of my phone. Pictures, Music, Movies do not consume storage on the phone and some applications support installation to SD card.
4. Environmental protection. The S5 is IP67 against dust and water. While it's not water proof, I've started YouTube and thrown it into pitchers of water for 15 minutes or so for the brag factor. So the feared toilet dunk is not as much a concern as you can wash it with soap and water after retrieval.
5. Fingerprint reader. Yeah, it's not perfect but when properly trained, you'll find it works pretty well. I use it not only to unlock my phone, but in combination with Last Pass (has support for S5 fingerprint reader) and Pay Pal applications (fingerprint to pay). There are more on the way. Would be nice if Google adopted the API as a standard so that Google Wallet used it as well.
Pros:
Moving from one Samsung phone to another is extremely easy, especially with the use of the Kies software to backup your content/settings.
Excellent display quality over Galaxy Note 2.
Greatly improved camera.
USB transfers are faster at USB 3.0
Pretty close to waterproof.
Great audio with headphones.
Solid Bluetooth functionality.
Touch Wiz UI has been greatly reduced in footprint and is actually useful.
Great battery life and the ability to go Ultra for days of power.
Fingerprint reader is supported by several third party developers besides just Samsung apps.
Official Samsung Qi wireless charging options are available (charging back or S View wireless cover).
Numerous case options
Cons:
USB cover must be closed for IP67 waterproofing.
Wireless Qi Charging Back from Samsung makes the phone FAT.
Touch Wiz UI as memory/performance impact.
KNOX security has a "electronic fuse" that once tripped voids warranty. Flashing ROMs may trip that fuse if proper methods are not followed.
Fingerprint reader is not as accurate as desired.
Plastic build (low on issue meter as case hides this, other premium build phones have their metal hidden by cases so it's no big deal)
Even well over 8 months after release you'll find that the Galaxy S5 is a great challenger to even the latest released phones. Processor and Video performance are still incredible.
That said, there is rumors of the S6 coming sooner, depending on if you are willing to wait until March you may find the newer product has specs worth waiting for. But if you have to upgrade now, I believe the S5 will continue to be a solid workhorse for a few more years. Which is good, at $600 it's expensive to get every single generation point release. I skipped the S4 for example when waiting to upgrade from my S3.
New to the s5, maybe 2 mths. I had one a few mths ago but the lack of dev made me sell it and stay with my s4 for a few more mths. Then I came across another s5 and decided the best way to fall in love with it was to donate one to my fav developer. So if you want to fall in love with your s5 check out my man @The Sickness and his sick and twisted rom....trust me you will be in love with it as i am. Support on the rom is far one of the best in my opinion, all due respect to all other threads.
OK but moving to note 4 in a couple months when I can jump
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like the title says
mostly iPhone user, but love the alpha design and feel.
Was wondering if I should jump shipps
The only downside from my own experience is that the reception is a lot worse than other phones. Mine often gets no signal in places where other phones can still get by with a few bars. After all, it is Samsung's first phone with metal frame.
foxbat121 said:
The only downside from my own experience is that the reception is a lot worse than other phones. Mine often gets no signal in places where other phones can still get by with a few bars. After all, it is Samsung's first phone with metal frame.
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Thanks for that! That's actually a big deal breaker.
I've never had issues with signal. ialso switched from 5s to alpha. honestly the only downside is the software updates. i still haven't received the lollipop update.
but still an amazing and beautifull phone
Thanks. I thought lollipop has been out for a while now....
s5 sukssss alpha is the king
Care to elaborate?
benyben123 said:
Thanks. I thought lollipop has been out for a while now....
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As far as design and functionality. The Alpha and the 5S is very similar. The alpha has a bigger screen (4.7 inches) and battery (1850 mah) but it "feels" the same as a 5S.
Some could care less about the lollipop update because of some lag issues and battery drainage. So if you have an international version kit kat 4.4.4 will be the latest OS for you until Samsung releases the lollipop update. The att version "may" update automatically upon boot but you can always skip the download part and stick with kit kat until you're ready.
If the alpha is your first Android phone there will be a learning curve going from ios to Android. Specially with the Samsung touchwiz skin. Some playing with the phone should remedy that.
Good luck!!
Sent from a Locked Bootloader
Thanks for that informative response!
I like small phones, can't understand the monsters which people use these days... Held the alpha was amazed by is portability.
Also, ergonomics is really under-rated these days. Surprised the alpha didn't get more traction.
Moving to galaxy alpha is a good decision.
Compact phone + better performance + better camera (better than iP6)
Regarding the battery.. I already countered it just bought spare battery and spare battery charger from online store.
The good thing about having a spare battery and spare battery charger is avoiding charging thru phone which is resulting to being a wall hugger and limited movements of course you can't just move anywhere while having usb cord connected to ac to your phone.
Charging thru spare battery charger is approximately 2 hours but you can use the battery for 12 hours or more, just plug it and forget it well atleast for 2 hours
Or If you have a power bank just put it in your bag.
According to gsmarena.com the galaxy alpha's battery test
click
52hours, so having 2 batteries then just doble the result
Really good looking phone, extremly economic battery saver electronic, better camera than most of the phones, really fast cpu and gpu.
Sent from my SM-G850F
Thank you all, this has been helpful.
Anyone knows where I can pick one of these (must be the international F model) online for a good price (any condition, any color)?
Thanks!
benyben123 said:
Thank you all, this has been helpful.
Anyone knows where I can pick one of these (must be the international F model) online for a good price (any condition, any color)?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amazon has them but still expensive (around $400) you can try
Ebay or even swappa.
Word of warning, if youre planning to use the g850f, it does not support 4g lte on att or t-mobile only 3g or h+ I believe double Check the specs to be sure.
Sent from a Locked Bootloader
I have both alpha and 5s. 5s still more smooth & responsive than alpha. I dont think there are any android phones that are as responsive as ios devices yet considering the alpha is one of quickest android phone ive tried.
Sent from my SM-G850L using XDA Free mobile app
mykeldg said:
I have both alpha and 5s. 5s still more smooth & responsive than alpha. I dont think there are any android phones that are as responsive as ios devices yet considering the alpha is one of quickest android phone ive tried.
Sent from my SM-G850L using XDA Free mobile app
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Thanks for that! I can imagine. Honestly, iOS is faultless. I don't think I have ever seen a piece of software so honed together like iOS.
That being said, I am tired of the small display, not willing to shed 500 on the 6, and so the Alpha came to mind.
Yup. I'd still pick the alpha over the 5s anyday. Youll love the versatility of android and possibly also the amoled screen. The screen size of the alpha is perfect. I came from lg g2 and did not like the 5" at all.
On antutu the alpha scores higher(53k) than the 5s(40k). But real world usage iphone still flawless.
For aesthetics i prefer the alpha as well. I think it looks better than the s6.
Sent from my SM-G850L using XDA Free mobile app
If you can find the Exynos International Version it is faster with better Audio.
Alpha is excellent, rugged little Phone.
I use 850M International on Metro PCS/ Tmobile and I notice low signal often but call quality and stability is good even with low signal in Stores and even elevators.
Your carrier may differ.
Solid performance on Android 4.4.
You should be able to get new Factory Unlocked at $250 to $300. now.
Make sure the Bands are correct for your Carrier.
Hi guys,
I'm a long term Android user, but I'm trying to convince my gf to make the switch from Apple to Android.
She currently has an Iphone 4s and is very happy with it except it has ground to a halt as the apple updates have taken up all the storage space.
So she loves the looks of the s6 edge but i've seen really mixed results about the battery life, I don't want her to have a bad experience and then brand android with this issue.
Is the battery really bad?
Many thanks,
Andy
andypa1 said:
Hi guys,
I'm a long term Android user, but I'm trying to convince my gf to make the switch from Apple to Android.
She currently has an Iphone 4s and is very happy with it except it has ground to a halt as the apple updates have taken up all the storage space.
So she loves the looks of the s6 edge but i've seen really mixed results about the battery life, I don't want her to have a bad experience and then brand android with this issue.
Is the battery really bad?
Many thanks,
Andy
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Click to collapse
I would wait from marshmallow to roll out from the galaxy s6 because there are several problems such as bad ram management and poor battery life. There are ways to get around these issues; ex. Package disabler pro. The app allows you to disable bloat and increase the battery but these issues shouldn't be here in the first place. I would wait the I'll marshmallow so you can see if the issues are resolved and then buy it. I am using package disabler pro and I average 4:30-5:30 screen on time.
Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk
Hi Andy, the battery is not bad! I have since one month a galaxy s6 edge and the battery lasts me so 24 to 36 hours! Lg Markus
Thanks guys, we're really impressed with the phone but the screen on battery life is shocking. Which apps should I disable with the package disabler?
Is it just stock Samsung ones?
Hello,
I have S8+ (exynos) currently, but going for vacations next month and was thinking to replace my current phone with new S9+ (exynos) , mostly due to better camera (zoom etc.) but also for more ram and cpu performance. I was about to buy it when I encountered review on youtube showing that battery life on s9+ is much worse than s8+. This is bad info for having 2h shorter SoT than s8+ is meh..... So my question is, do I really have to worry about that when it comes to s9+ (exynos) or it's the same. if it's the same then it's fine to me, I can live it but worse .... not really.
Mine is worst. The only thing that makes a bit of difference for me is put it in mid porwer save mode.
It's not much of a upgrade from s8 plus I'll say wait for note 9 or s10 before upgrading. U'll loose money and won't feel any difference whatsoever. If u want to buy right now look for other options. But better is to wait and keep using s8+
Don't buy bruh. Very minimal upgrades and battery is poorer than note 8. I purchased it and went bk to note 8 aftr 7 weeks.
I have an exynos s9+ and i don't have any battery issues whatsoever
My average is between 5 and 6hrs of sot, but when i charge it to 100%, the average is between 6 and 7 hours
My max was 8 hrs, and that's pretty good
If you have the money, i wouldn't hesitate to buy it if i were you
itstock said:
Don't buy bruh. Very minimal upgrades and battery is poorer than note 8. I purchased it and went bk to note 8 aftr 7 weeks.
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To each their own. I just switched to the S9+ from the Note 8 and I'm loving the dual speakers, better/brighter screen and better camera. I only used the S-Pen a few times since launch so it was a no brainer.
If money is no issue, then go ahead. S9+ is a great phone, but the upgrades are minimal from the S8+.
Sierra76 said:
Hello,
I have S8+ (exynos) currently, but going for vacations next month and was thinking to replace my current phone with new S9+ (exynos) , mostly due to better camera (zoom etc.) but also for more ram and cpu performance. I was about to buy it when I encountered review on youtube showing that battery life on s9+ is much worse than s8+. This is bad info for having 2h shorter SoT than s8+ is meh..... So my question is, do I really have to worry about that when it comes to s9+ (exynos) or it's the same. if it's the same then it's fine to me, I can live it but worse .... not really.
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Click to collapse
I find that my S9+ has much better battery than my S8+. That S8+ was horrible battery wise.
S8+ was lucky to get 24 hours uptime. s9+ can get 36 hours uptime. That's huge for me!
People say the upgrade is small. I don't feel the same way. Sure the outside of the phone looks very similar but the inside is way diff. More memory, better processor, better screen, better fingerprint reader, etc. How are these components not a better upgrade or worthwhile upgrade? If your main concern is the outer shell of the phone, no, don't get new phone. If your main concern is performance, yes, get new phone!
Hold your ground nd wait for Note 9's release in early August with a big battery. My experience with d exynos gs9+ isn't that gr8 comparing to the snapdragon.
Thank you guys, so smart move would be to wait for Note9 release, the only issue with that phone will be the money it will be priced high for at least few months, while S9+ is in acceptable price currently.
Sierra76 said:
Thank you guys, so smart move would be to wait for Note9 release, the only issue with that phone will be the money it will be priced high for at least few months, while S9+ is in acceptable price currently.
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There's always going to be a brand new phone right around the corner. If you wait for the Note9 might as well wait for the S10+, and if you wait for the S10+ you might as well wait for the Note 10 and so on and so on.
Sierra76 said:
Thank you guys, so smart move would be to wait for Note9 release, the only issue with that phone will be the money it will be priced high for at least few months, while S9+ is in acceptable price currently.
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Yes, and the cost of the Note 9 should drive down the cost of S9+
Sierra76 said:
Thank you guys, so smart move would be to wait for Note9 release, the only issue with that phone will be the money it will be priced high for at least few months, while S9+ is in acceptable price currently.
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May be worth looking into if Samsung has an offer for part-exchanging your S8+ for an S9+ in your country. I did this here in the UK since they offer a £300 discount on the S9+ if I return the S8+, bringing the price of the S9+ 256GB down to £629.
Sierra76 said:
Hello,
I have S8+ (exynos) currently, but going for vacations next month and was thinking to replace my current phone with new S9+ (exynos) , mostly due to better camera (zoom etc.) but also for more ram and cpu performance. I was about to buy it when I encountered review on youtube showing that battery life on s9+ is much worse than s8+. This is bad info for having 2h shorter SoT than s8+ is meh..... So my question is, do I really have to worry about that when it comes to s9+ (exynos) or it's the same. if it's the same then it's fine to me, I can live it but worse .... not really.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The battery lasts longer on my S9 Plus than my S8+, both Snapdragon. SOT is 6 to 8 hours. Based on what's been posted in this forum the Exynos variants are getting more negative feedback over battery performance. As far as the S9 being worth upgrading over an S8? Combine hardware, features and processing, it's a bigger improvement during usage than spec comparisons indicate. At first the S9 Plus seemed pretty much like the S8+ but since it's been my daily driver for a few months I'm more impressed and comfortable with the upgrade. For me the Note 8 and 9 (rumored) to have a 6.3 inch display are just too big especially when one considers the S9 Plus is so close at 6.2 inch. I guess S Pen has some merit but I doubt I'd use it. I won't upgrade to the S10 based on what's leaking but more than likely I will when the Galaxy X arrives early next year.
Im debating upgrading to tabs7+. My tab s5e is just too sluggish. I played around with the s7+ in bestbiy, and it really is speedy. 120hz is nice too. My concern though is it might be oo heavy/big. Anyone upgrade from a s5e? Thoughts??
EDIT...Just picked one up. This thing is a beast. I love it!
bs3pro said:
Im debating upgrading to tabs7+. My tab s5e is just too sluggish. I played around with the s7+ in bestbiy, and it really is speedy. 120hz is nice too. My concern though is it might be oo heavy/big. Anyone upgrade from a s5e? Thoughts??
EDIT...Just picked one up. This thing is a beast. I love it!
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Click to collapse
Hehe, I upgraded from a Tab S2 which was even a bigger difference in the performance.
And beside the heavy weight of the TabS7+ in all other categories it outperforms MUCH my good old TabS2.
I made some speed tests with the internal memory and I see awesome 680 Mbyte write speed and 1 GByte/second read speed!
The Tab S7+ is truly a beast regarding the performance!
I went from the s6 to the s7+, returning the one I got to take advantage of the best buy pricing right now to get the 8g 256gb version, but otherwise I'm loving it.
I went from S5e to S7 and loving it!
Was concerned about the lack of AMOLED screen but its not really noticeable and I prefer a more portable and lighter tablet.
I have my S20 Ultra alongside and the screens aren't much different at all. Actually like the natural colours of the Tab S7