Quality feel (use of materials) - Xiaomi Mi A2 / 6X Real Life Review

Quality feel (use of materials) - Xiaomi Mi A2 / 6X Real Life Review

Rate this thread to express how you think the Xiaomi Mi A2 feels in terms of quality. A higher rating indicates that it feels premium and high-quality (attention to detail is high, manufacturing defects don't exist, etc).
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

I'm going to give the material/build quality a 7 out of 10. It's definitely nothing I can complain about at this price point. The body itself looks and feels great. The buttons are a little too clicky and protruding for my liking. Camera also sticking out too far, but that's fair considering how slim the phone is. My biggest turn off, might be just pertaining to my device. But I get a slight rattle when setting the phone down. Maybe just the vibrating motor, maybe it's because there was no protection in the packaging mine shipped in. To me 7 out of 10 in a $250 phone with these specs is incredible overall.

When you set the phone down, it wobbles because of the camera bump which should not have happened as other device don't have this issue.

Xiaomi really missed an opportunity here
Nickdroid86 said:
I'm going to give the material/build quality a 7 out of 10. It's definitely nothing I can complain about at this price point. The body itself looks and feels great. The buttons are a little too clicky and protruding for my liking. Camera also sticking out too far, but that's fair considering how slim the phone is. My biggest turn off, might be just pertaining to my device. But I get a slight rattle when setting the phone down. Maybe just the vibrating motor, maybe it's because there was no protection in the packaging mine shipped in. To me 7 out of 10 in a $250 phone with these specs is incredible overall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happy to hear that I`m not the only one with these kind of "problems". My device also rattles a lot when laying it down on whatever kind of solid surface or sometimes even when gently tapping it with your fingers. It sounds like there´s something about to break apart on the inside, which drives me crazy .
I´ve already contacted my seller, assuming that something inside my device is loose or that the vibration-motor is damaged. They replied that it would be normal and that the noise would be caused by the auto-focus. I´d love to hear if there are even more A2 users facing this issue or if I unluckily received a faulty device.
Using the volume- or unlock-buttons also takes way to much force and is way too noisy in my opinion.
In addition to that, the oleophobic coating of the device is very weak if not even non-existent. Fingerprints are visible after very short usage can hardly be removed.
I won`t even complain about design mistakes like the camera bump or the fake stereo-speakers on the bottom of the device, as these are things you should consider before buying.
To me that makes up for no more than 5/10, irrespective of the phone`s great performance.
Maybe I expected to much from a 240€ phone, but comparing it to a Moto G6 there is plenty of room for improvement on the quality side.

Evaluating just the use of materials I would rate the phone at a solid 9.0/10.
Sole gripe is the aluminum back, which didn't get any treatment to be less slippery (it's really an hazard if you use it "naked" -- like I do).
There are plenty of other issues which are not about use of materials, but do show lower quality standards in some regards. For instance, the speakers punch insane volumes, but the quality is very far from top tier flagships (which should be a surprise to none, as this is a much cheaper phone). Call quality does suffer due to this, at least just from our side (listening). The luminosity sensor could also be better, not sure if it's just software or poor hardware. Button feel is stiff and solid like other top premium devices, don't know what people are complaining there. Fingerprint sensor does tend to be slower than the top tier (emphasis on the relative comparison -er, as it's not slow by any absolute means, just slower)
If you want to evaluate design, the larger bezels are also a pretty clear give-away this isn't flagship material. The huge camera bump is also a design choice that annoys a lot of people (motivated by the fact that module wouldn't fit otherwise, but a design choice to make the phone stupidly slim nonetheless).
My assessment of the phone is very good, chiefly because it costs less than €250 for the 4GB/64GB model (which I have).
You can't really expect miracles, there is a reason why the other phones are more expensive.
The compromises made in the A2 make it retain most of the apparent feel of a much premium device -- so much so that, when a call arrives, I am disappointed to be reminded by the speakers that this is a very good €250 phone; not a €1000+ flaghip.

alexris99 said:
Happy to hear that I`m not the only one with these kind of "problems". My device also rattles a lot when laying it down on whatever kind of solid surface or sometimes even when gently tapping it with your fingers. It sounds like there´s something about to break apart on the inside, which drives me crazy .
I´ve already contacted my seller, assuming that something inside my device is loose or that the vibration-motor is damaged. They replied that it would be normal and that the noise would be caused by the auto-focus. I´d love to hear if there are even more A2 users facing this issue or if I unluckily received a faulty device.
Using the volume- or unlock-buttons also takes way to much force and is way too noisy in my opinion.
In addition to that, the oleophobic coating of the device is very weak if not even non-existent. Fingerprints are visible after very short usage can hardly be removed.
I won`t even complain about design mistakes like the camera bump or the fake stereo-speakers on the bottom of the device, as these are things you should consider before buying.
To me that makes up for no more than 5/10, irrespective of the phone`s great performance.
Maybe I expected to much from a 240€ phone, but comparing it to a Moto G6 there is plenty of room for improvement on the quality side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, even my MI A2 when placed down on a flat surface makes a metallic noise/vibration, as if there was something not fixed properly near camera.
With my previous Moto G4 I did not have this problem, at the moment I'm not sure whether to keep the MI A2 or send it back despite being very satisfied with all the other aspects.
Has anyone noticed differences with cover?
Is this defect also present on other phones?

Everyone has that rattle when shaking the phone or laying it down, apparently it has something to dok with the camera, there is a thread about it. The phone has a very good build quality, at this price point incredible. The bump bothers me a bit but since they copied the iPhone it doesn't feel cheap.

Just received a MI a2 and it seems to have very good build quality for a $250 phone and works fine so far. Of course I am not a fan of the cam bump but still a good phone 8.5 of 10.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Related

[Q] Fit and Finish.

I just figured I'd make this to get a sense of other people's experience in this regard. This is my first HTC phone after three Samsungs in a row so I don't really know what to expect, in addition I understand the risks of being an early adopter.
My phone doesn't have any scratches or discoloration as I've seen mentioned elsewhere. However I have noticed that the top and bottom edges of the screen are not flush with the pieces used for the speaker grilles, to the point where I can feel the edge of the glass swiping down. Also, I didn't have much chance to look at it before the SD card was inserted, but tray for it does not fit perfectly flush with the outside of the phone once it's in. Minor gripes, otherwise this is the best phone I've owned and has no functional issues. I was just wondering whether this is within spec and just something people accept, or whether this one is worth replacing while I can still do it.
Any feedback is appreciated.

Mine has the same issue with the speaker grill at the top. I can push it down and it'll stay flush for 12 hours or so before I have to do it again. I don't know if I care enough or not to have it exchanged.

Tipo, these minor issues seem typical with HTC phones but fortunately in my case they don't affect function. My first HTC One M7 was a stealth black version and there were two visible areas on the lower speaker grill where I could see they applied some black touch up paint to cover up what were probably nicks that occurred sometime during assembly. it was a shame and i noticed them right away because I happened to be outside when the phone arrived and I opened it up in my screened patio. the sun's light made the paint more visible because indoors it wasn't noticable. Not a big deal because they were so small. I still have the phone today and it works as well as day one.
My second One was an M8 that I received earlier in the week. I noticed the volume rocker didn't sit parallel to the side of the phone and also the top and bottom speaker grills didn't sit flush with the phone. Not a big deal to me but when i made my first call, using speaker phone, the top speaker made a loud electrical crackling sound on every ring. Then when people were speaking, that same top speaker would emit the same crackling sound. I could avoid it by turning the volume down to about 75% but then it was a bit harder to hear. I took it to the AT&T store, tested their display unit and found that the display unit didn't do that. Store manager listened and agreed it was definitely a defect.
Today I received my replacement M8 and the speakers work fine. Fit and finish? Top grill is perfectly flush, bottom grill not flush. Power button is flush on it's right side and sits at proper height on the left side (which is where the IR blaster is.) Because of my experience with my other HTCs I'm keeping this one unless some other functional defect comes up which I'm not expecting. Years ago this may have bothered me but now I appreciate the function of a device much more than it's actual form..but of course I still appreciate form else I wouldn't have gone with the M8. Plus I'll likely put this in a case since I expect to keep it for a long time.

Sad to hear that this can still be happening. I had three m7s with fit finish issues.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

djpharoah said:
Sad to hear that this can still be happening. I had three m7s with fit finish issues.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I agree that it is sad but only because they are marketing these phones to people who care about quality. I admire HTC's efforts in designing and building something high quality because from my limited experience the only other manufacturers who care about this are Sony and Apple. Don't get me wrong, I think pretty much all smartphones are very good smartphones these days much like cars. But when we talk about a premium products some of there are two types of buyers: a) those who buy this stuff to show off but don't really know why it's better than more pedestrian competition and likely wouldn't use these products to their potential and b) those who demand premium build because of their discerning taste and requirement for a certain level of performance/durability. Nothing wrong with being in either camp but folks in category b may end up disappointed with some of these little quality issues in the M8 that the folks in category a would never notice or care about.
Before my M7, which was my first anroid device, I owned two iPhones and before that a Samsung Blackjack. There were no cosmetic defects or blemishes with any of those handsets, including the 3 iphones that my wife and daughter purchased as well. Sure it's a small sample but the build quality and consistency was second to none with those handsets, even though I wouldn't consider the Blackjack a premium product.
Enjoy your M8s people, they're fantastic phones and I feel a worthy upgrade to the M7. The swiping gestures alone seem worth jumping to the M8.

My Nexus 6P Review - Honest & Real World Use

New updates on review are in the 2nd post. Thanks for reading!
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Battery life screenshots attached in this post. I am impressed by the battery on this device.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.

***UPDATES***
Blue Tint / Hue: I got our second device today and first thing I looked for was the blue tint/hue. I am surprised to say that there really isn't much of one on the second device. It's the exact same 32gb aluminum. That being said, I still never notice it on the first device and personally don't find it worth the effort to replace.
Bluetooth Issues: Some bluetooth connectivity issues have began to show their faces. I think it has to do with Android 6.0 and NOT the 6P, but we'll see.
Car: Mazda3 2014 Grand Touring, updated to most recent software
Symptoms: "Google Now" isn't working when connected. It seems that the device is depending on the vehicles microphone for any input and the vehicle microphone only triggers on button press. My other devices in the past year did not have this problem, including iPhone's "Hey Siri".
Resolution: Pending
Speakers: This is purely based on opinion, but I love the speakers on the 6P. I find them to sound rich and some great tones for a phone. I DO prefer them to my Moto X Pure, don't shoot me. Really though, speakers are great. I watched a movie last night from the device, for about 30 minutes, and no pops, crackles, stutters at all. Was pleased.
I did notice on speakers, that the volume range is a bit wonky. The low to mid setting for speakers in media playback was quite hard to hear. At 75% it was what I expect at medium. At 100% it was too loud. Food for thought, but hopefully this is addressed in software updates or use Viper.
What accessories are you using?
I love to accessorize my devices. I usually run my phone naked, to display all of it's beauty and engineering. Project Fi did send me a 50% off the ADOPTED case, which I ordered. Can't beat $10.81 with free shipping on a Google official case.
Screen Protectors:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XZLFD6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014UNPYEE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01
These haven't arrived yet. One gets in Tuesday. I will test it out to make sure it does not block any sensors along with making the lip feel flush. Will report back on these.
Car Charger:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0146FK3G0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01
There is a great thread, somewhere in accessories about Car Chargers. If you have lots of questions about it or need specifics, most have been answered there. I will say that RAPID CHARGING from this charger DOES WORK. Confirmed. I was able to charge up from 60% to 100% on a short drive home. It works great and the spare USB slot is appreciated.
Extra USB-C Cable:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010VFFSL4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
Braided, heavy duty and feels very solid/premium. Length is great and I am using it with a Moto X Pure charging block. Rapid charging works and it's a great cable.
Car Mount:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VEAF6SG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
This is the first car mount I have tried. I am picky about how things are in my car and I like it clean. Since my CD slot is at the bottom of the front dash, this fits quite well. It doesn't shake much and gets the job done.
Con: The piece that holds the phone expands and snaps back to default when you remove the device. It's not the easiest to use. You also can't center your device because the "arms" that hold the phone will press the volume/power key. This thing looks like it was built for an iPhone or LG G3+ type phone. Food for thought.
SPEAKERS VOLUME VIDEO:
***UPDATE TO OP 11/03***
Hey everyone! So after a week of use, I have some updates to the review. I have pasted the updates below, so you don't have to jump back to OP.
Battery
This seems to be one of the most discussed topics and quite a sensitive one! Some users are experiencing incredible SoT while others are not. Ultimately, it will boil down to what apps you have installed along with your connectivity. If your LTE connection is weak, your phone's battery will reflect that. There are many factors to take into consideration with battery, so please understand it is literally per individual basis!
Disclaimer: I haven't received any OTA updates yet. There have been 3 thus far and probably address some of the issues I have.
Over the weekend, I noticed my battery life not lasting as long as I would like. Almost seemed that every 5 minutes I was on the phone, I would lose roughly 3%-5%. This raised some questions so I started diving into the possible issues.
Symptoms:
Phone near fingerprint sensor would get warm during phone calls
Bluetooth constantly scanning
WiFi active during Doze/Sleep
WiFi scanning
GPS on
Solution:
Disabled Bluetooth and WiFi scanning passively
WiFi Advanced settings, disabled WiFi on during sleep
GPS was set to battery saving, but wasn't working. Simply turn off GPS, turn it back on, and check battery saving (this was an odd one)
With those adjustments, I have now noticed my battery in DOZE would lose roughly 2% over 4 hours. I'll get some screenshots and update the OP when they are available. Still testing. Battery life after the fixes are substantially better, however, my device is still getting warm while on calls where our second 6P does NOT. Due to this, a replacement has been overnighted to me. When that arrives, I will be unlocking/rooting to have some more fun with reporting to everyone.
VEHICLE BLUETOOTH
So, either this is new in Android M or my car is losing it's AI mind (or lack thereof), but I have figured out what it's doing. When placing a call through the device or the car, the phone will go into a "dialing" status. While it's in "dialing" status, the car will continue to play my music. When someone on the other end of the call picks up, the audio will switch to the phone. It hasn't been easy adjusting to this and I do wish I would just hear the dial tone, but everything else works great in car.
SCREEN PROTECTOR
I just received one of my screen protectors. I will apply it this evening, record it and share the link here for everyone to see. First impressions are that it misses the "edge to edge" by a slight amount. There is a lip on the edge of the device. My hope was the glass would extend from lip to lip. Not the case here, but still worth a shot. The glass DOES protrude above the lip. Glass thickness is slightly thicker than the other posted above, according to specs. That one arrives today, hopefully!
If something like that will bother you, I don't recommend the Yoozon glass. Video will come soon and you can see for yourself and decide which may be best for you, if any.
FINGERPRINT SENSOR
Still works like a charm. I hope they have an update that allows you to use a little more of the edge of your fingers, similar to Sammies or Apple. Other than that, it's reliable and fast even if your finger has moisture. Good stuff Huawei.
More to come soon, but hope this provides you more info and helps!

Thank you for the excellent review.

Excellent review and agree with everything you have said this is one of the best phones I have owned and I have owned a lot of them.

Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?

Chief85 said:
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! Seeing that I literally just came from the Moto X Pure to the 6P, I can say that I have not looked back or regret doing so. I gave my X Pure to my business partner (he was on a 2014 model still). There is a noticeable height difference, but I like it. It actually places the volume rocker and power button in the right spot for my thumb. Unless you did Moto Maker and like that super unique look, I'd pick the 6P hands down.

Great review! Thanks for sharing.

tehpud said:
Hey everyone! Many of you know me from other threads or some Q&A, but I wanted to share my experience with the Nexus 6P. I do have a thread where you can ask me anything to try or test out on the device, to help answer some questions. I am a front end developer, UX/UI designer, and business owner. This review is based on how I use the phone and where the phone either shines or fails to perform to my needs. The #hype is real on this device and I am hoping to provide you some feedback that removes the bias of #hype and focuses on the device. Hope you find this helpful and thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Nexus 6P is probably the one device I was so excited to get since the iPhone 4. From reading every possible hands on review, watching every YouTube video, and being on the forums trying to calculate shipping dates. This phone has generated so much buzz that I finally felt so excited to get a device. Compared to last year, nothing was "omfg must have". The Nexus 6P filled that hope.
Ergonomics & Hardware
There is no need for me to get into the specs, we all know them or they are easily available elsewhere. This review is about how the specs of the phone play to the hardware and software to make OUR experience the best. The Nexus 6P has some amazing hardware. I got the 32gb Aluminum (long live #aluminati!) version. It is such a delight to hold. The device feels fantastic in my hands, and I have average size hands for a 5'10" individual. I am coming from a Moto X Pure, Note 5, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6, and Nexus 6 over the past year. Yes, I change phones frequently...mostly for entertainment or variety. Unlike the iPhones, Note 5, and Nexus 6 - The 6P feels stable in my hands, easy to hold, my thumb can reach across the screen without slipping and the weight of the device does help me balance it for one handed use. Where iPhones were so light and thin, the ergonomics sucked to hold; the 6P thickness actually helps in one handed use. The width of the device is not so wide, like the 2014 N6, that one handed use is easy and 2 handed use works just fine as well.
Slippery - Or should I say, lack thereof? The metal on the phone has a slight grip to it. Similar to that of the Moto X Pure (minus the rubber), but it stays in my hand. Those of you worried about the metal frame and possibly being slippery like the iPhones or even Nexus 6; have no fear.
Metal & Screen - Every version (color) will probably differ. I can only speak for the aluminum version. I have barely put the device down and I have zero fingerprints on the back. Oils do not absorb into the metal to look dirty. The only area where fingerprints are obvious is where they should be...on the screen. Which brings me to the glass of the screen. The glass, in the first hours, felt good but over the ongoing use it has been a little tough for me to slide my fingers over. Could be me or maybe I just need to put the damn phone down. The glass is beautiful and seems strong, but I ordered a glass screen protector to help with fingerprints and always feeling smooth to the touch.
There is a lip around the edge. The metal lip seems to be that of 0.2mm, give or take. It's extremely subtle, but obvious it is there to the touch. If that is something that would bother you, the glass screen protectors seem to hit the correct dimensions in thickness to flatten the surface out entirely. I can imagine the lip probably makes applying a glass screen protector even easier due to form fitting vs aligning.
Buttons and Fingerprint Sensors
The buttons are metal and solid. They don't wiggle around, which drove me insane on my iPhone and Moto X Pure. You can tell they were built well. The home button has a texture to identify easily and works quite well. The click in on volume and home buttons have a easily identifying feedback so you know you are pushing them. As silly as it may sound, the Moto X Pure failed in that area. Where the buttons were so easy to push and lack of feedback on press, there were nights where I would watch a YouTube clip and accidentally click the volume in and piss off the lady.
The fingerprint sensor is like every other reviewer has put it. Extremely fast and reliable. I programmed my index and middle fingers on both hands to the fingerprint sensor. I love that I can pull my phone out of my pocket and its ready to go without awkward thumb bending on the front to reach. Only gripe here on the UX is the inability to unlock the device with my fingerprint when it's laying on my desk. It's not a huge deal to some, but I am at a desk non stop. There is a solution, in Android Marshmallow for this though. I setup certain areas as my "trusted" areas. My car, for example, is a trusted connection and the phone does not require to unlock. I did the same for the bluetooth on my work desk. Solves the issue, but leaves the phone open to access if that worries you.
Notification Light
I love notification lights. This one is simple and great. Not buried into the speaker. Obvious pulsing and colors. Just make sure you turn it on! My phone had it disabled. To enable, go to settings > Notifications > Pulse Notification Light. This is one of my favorite features, for as simple and dumb as it may sound.
Speed and Battery
This phone is lightning fast for me. It was built to work fluidly with Android M and it does exactly that. I haven't ran into any hiccups, crashing, issues and everything just...works! Not sure when I was last able to say that about an Android device. This is the first Android I don't have the "want or need" to begin installing greenify, sleep, and other apps that help chill the phone out and not drain the battery. App switching is smooth, RAM usage has stayed consistently at 1.5gb and the camera opens without stutter or lag for me. I frequently find something I wish to take a picture of and it just opens without delay. More on the camera further down.
The battery is great. The synergy with Android M, Doze, and the Nexus 6p - the battery life for me has been phenomenal. It's too early to reveal screenshots, but just in my general use today I have only used 9% of my battery. I have sent numerous emails, taken some pictures, showed off the device, used Google Maps for navigation, and listened to a Play Music Radio Station on the drive to work. I am happy to say that I am sure battery life won't be a big complaint amongst users. If you use your device so intensively, the rapid charging is rapid. Not as fast as my Moto X Pure, but pretty darn fast. It won't let you down.
Camera
I ****ing love this camera. The pictures are beautiful, detailed, and vibrant with colors. I take a lot of pictures with my devices and generally, my family will ask me to use my phone (whatever it may be at the time) to take those perfect shots. The focus, ISO, exposure and color has not let me down at all. I was able to get some amazing night shots, with the improved camera here. Lack of OIS isn't missed much on pictures, but at 4k video recording it would have been very helpful. In general, the camera is reliable and great quality. The pictures you may want to take at a bar or night environment will probably come out better than that of any other phone...with or without a flash. Samples attached of a couple night shots I posted elsewhere.
I did install a camera app called FV-5. It gives you far more control over the camera and has made some pictures really incredible. I have to tinker with it more and learn about some settings, but the face detection, focus and more on the app really allows the hardware to shine. Hopefully they update it quickly with more support for the 6P camera hardware features.
Connectivity
The most important part of the phone. I have Verizon and some areas in my house or office will be weaker than others. Where my Moto X Pure wasn't getting the best signal, I do see a slight stronger signal on the 6P. Nothing much though and wouldn't bank on it improving your past experiences substantially. WiFi speeds are great. I attached a screenshot of my speeds at home, on WiFi, with the 6P.
Bluetooth and Car
I use my phone in the car all the time. If this one aspect of a phone is flawed, then it goes back. I was concerned at first, because the phone and car would not connect. I was worried it was related to Android M. After I turned off bluetooth and turned it back on - it connected and paired, finally. I was most worried at this point.
Since then, I have gotten in and out of my car and the transition and connection to bluetooth has been seamless and quick. Where my Moto X Pure and iPhones took about 30 seconds to finally connect to the car and have a 3s gap where I miss conversation; The 6P seems to connect and transition the audio instantly. I hope it stays that way!
In the End?
I love this phone. It does live up to the #hype. Without any bias to my excitement to have it, this phone has pretty much hit every aspect of feature I would want out of a mobile device. The best part is IT JUST WORKS. That used to be my argument for Apple devices, but I can now say the same for Android. Sorry if that disappoints some of you... This is also the first android device where I don't feel the need to unlock or root. I will unlock and root because it's a Nexus and I like to develop/test ROMS out. However, those of you who felt you had to rely on unlocking and rooting to tinker settings, you may find that you won't have that urge to do so anymore. If anything, I'll do it for TWRP.
Where I would normally plan on switching devices every few months or 6 months, I can see myself keeping this device for a year to 2 years. Just won't tell the lady that or else I'll hear it when I want to upgrade to next years Nexus line...
Lastly, in the day using it, I have had many people ask me, "Hey, what phone is that?". While I don't care for being known to have the latest and greatest, it's fun showing it off. I can't wait to see some Frosties or Graphites in the wild, but for you folks with #aluminati...stand proud and shine. I hope this helped provide some honest insight and answer some questions.
Thanks folks!
Note: The only changes I made to the pictures was reduce the size of them. They were too large to upload, but no post edits were done for enhancements.
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You have a fantastic cat sir
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I think it is a very good review. Granted, I have only had my phone for just now 24 hours and only completed full set up early this AM.
Can't speak about the battery yet as it is too early to tell and it has been on and off charger. I anticipate tonight forward I can get a better read.
Camera is one of the best and I REALLY like the Moto X 2015 Pure. I think N6P may trump it as a few low light pics came out great. At very least is on par with Apple 6S Plus which I also own.
Fingerprint scanner is phenomenal and IS faster than Apple 6S Plus, which I thought was fast. N6P trumps it.
Now, I don't necessarily agree with connectivity on LTE: I STILL think MOTO has better radios and at work I have very sketchy connectivity. I do notice my Nexus 6 and even when I owned the Moto X 2015 Pure, it would grab a weaker signal and have faster data connections moreso than the Nexus 6P. I had to keep toggling airplane mode on the Nexus 6P to get signals. So, I think it is OK but MOTO still has better radios IMHO.
Furthermore, I also think the processor is a "tad" slower than Nexus 6. The Nexus 6 seems to fly and is speedier (both Nexus 6 and N6P are decrypted as well). Granted, I perceive no lag on the N6P, but I definitely feel a controlled movement.

Good review, but my thoughts differ from yours a bit.
My Nexus 6P just arrived. Initial impression? The screen on my Moto X Pure is better (brighter, better whites, less graininess up close). Also, the speakers on the Moto X Pure are better. The Moto X Pure is also a little smaller and easier to grip with the rubber back. My Moto X Pure has very clicky and solid buttons, so maybe that's just a flaw in your particular Moto X.
I'm actually shocked because I fully expected to fall in love with the 6P immediately and ditch the Moto X Pure based on the stellar reviews I have been seeing, but now I'm thinking this is going to be a tougher decision than I thought, and I might actually end up returning the 6P!

Chief85 said:
Thanks for the review! I'm currently test-driving a Moto X Pure, and have a week or so left to return it, which means if I want to get the Nexus 6P I'll have to go back to my old LG G2 for several weeks until Huawei gets its butt in gear and starts pumping out more 64gb models. What's your take on the 6P vs. the X Pure?
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I am in exactly same boat. Have till Nov. 13. Great review OP. You make me really want one and if they were readily available I probably would have it.

bullshark888 said:
Is that a Huawei watch?
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Yup!

tehpud said:
Yup!
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I am still debating this or the 360, maybe wait for the black Friday.

bullshark888 said:
I am still debating this or the 360, maybe wait for the black Friday.
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I would wait for Black Friday tbh. I am probably going to return it and wait for the Moto 360 Sport. I already have a nice watch, but need something that I can use while I work out.

Was there really a need to start a new thread about reviews?

Now that is what I call a fantastic review

Very nice review. Thank you for taking the time and sharing. I think I know my next device after mapping this against the Moto X Pure.

Does VoLTE work on Verizon with the 6p? If not, does it have dual radios to let you call on CDMA and still use LTE data?

jmileti said:
I am in exactly same boat. Have till Nov. 13. Great review OP. You make me really want one and if they were readily available I probably would have it.
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Very frustrating! If only I could hold both at the same time...

Not-so-decent build quality?

So I don't know if any of you feel the same, but I'm sort of skeptical of the build quality on this phone. Ever since I got it its felt sort of on the cheap/flimsy side to me. Maybe that's just coming from the fact that my previous phone (Moto x pure edition) was extremely thick and heavy. Does anyone else feel this way?
Plus I keep hearing about bending issues (I know youve probably seen way too much about that) which seems to reaffirm my observation that the phones on the fragile side. I'm afraid to take it out of my case because the case might bend the frame!

This is probably the worst place to ask this question, but the build quality of this phone certainly isn't the best out there. It's not the worst either. The build quality is more perceived than reality.
The bend issue has been well documented... Not just here but on the net overall (reddit, etc.). There have also been other issues posted such as color tinted screens, uneven color screens, screen not flush to the frame, paint coming off the color variants, camera visor cracking or coming apart, loose buttons, speaker grill falling off, bottom piece on the back discoloring or not being flush, among some other small things.
With all of that being said, every phones has some of these issues pop up from time to time. It just seems the 6P has some more nagging ones.
But I'm not here to say your device will exhibit any of these. With proper care it might be ok. It seems like there might be some luck involved too. Either way, good luck!

Please continue the discussion in the existing build quality thread
Build Quality Thread
Closed

should i replace my z3c with z5c?

Hi, I have a Z3C and the problem is that my touchscreen now is busted, though I can still use it by rotating the screen.
It started on the upper extremities of the LCD, I became annoyed and tried the "lighter fix" for LG G2, which didn't work great for me. Touchscreen got way worse, wtf am i expecting applying 3k volts of static electricity.
I'm torn between replacing the screen or getting a z5c instead. Though my z3c somewhat slows down now, it is still usable and OK for me.
I know that if i replace my LCD, it will not be as good as before, so I'm thinking about that.
And if I get a z5c, i don't know the little issues, or if they were resolved with .11 update. Even small physical build issues concern me and I can't find a comprehensive list of issues. Also, screen replacement will cost me just around 20% of a new z5c unit, or maybe i could get a 2nd hand one.
Please share your thoughts, should I go for z5c? Or other brands (around 4.7 inches also)? Or screen replacement?
Thanks!

wakoko79 said:
Hi, I have a Z3C and the problem is that my touchscreen now is busted, though I can still use it by rotating the screen.
It started on the upper extremities of the LCD, I became annoyed and tried the "lighter fix" for LG G2, which didn't work great for me. Touchscreen got way worse, wtf am i expecting applying 3k volts of static electricity.
I'm torn between replacing the screen or getting a z5c instead. Though my z3c somewhat slows down now, it is still usable and OK for me.
I know that if i replace my LCD, it will not be as good as before, so I'm thinking about that.
And if I get a z5c, i don't know the little issues, or if they were resolved with .11 update. Even small physical build issues concern me and I can't find a comprehensive list of issues. Also, screen replacement will cost me just around 20% of a new z5c unit, or maybe i could get a 2nd hand one.
Please share your thoughts, should I go for z5c? Or other brands (around 4.7 inches also)? Or screen replacement?
Thanks!
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I dont really know how did you get to a conclution on little bugs of z5c? has no bugs whatso ever , in fact go watch youtube videos about it , most of the known youtubers like linus concider the Z5C the best compact phone out there ...
also replacing a screen in its own manufacture is not wrong or bad and they wouldnt put a bad screen or "not as good" I could be wrong , but I already replaced my older phone Z2 screen twice and I didnt see any difference...

madshark2009 said:
I dont really know how did you get to a conclution on little bugs of z5c? has no bugs whatso ever , in fact go watch youtube videos about it , most of the known youtubers like linus concider the Z5C the best compact phone out there ...
also replacing a screen in its own manufacture is not wrong or bad and they wouldnt put a bad screen or "not as good" I could be wrong , but I already replaced my older phone Z2 screen twice and I didnt see any difference...
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Well every phone out there has issues, some of them can be found only with everyday use. I've heard overheating, screen self crack and bad battery performance for z5c. But overheating and bad battery performance can be fixed with software, but not the screen cracking.. I think you get the point. Those little quirks.
About the LCD replacement, most of those comes from china. And I've seen so many issues with friends with replacement screens (non-OEM). This ranges from low brightness, touch responsiveness, bad color reproduction to flat-out touch failure in 3 weeks after installment. Yeah, so I'm quite worried about that since technicians will have different prices for "replacement", "class A" and "original" (original but not OEM, wtf).

wakoko79 said:
Well every phone out there has issues, some of them can be found only with everyday use. I've hear overheating, screen self crack.
About the LCD replacement, most of those comes from china. And I've seen so many issues with friends with replacement screens (non-OEM). This ranges from low brightness, touch responsiveness, bad color reproduction to flat-out touch failure in 3 weeks after installment. Yeah, so I'm quite worried about that since technicians will have different prices for "replacement", "class A" and "original" (original but not OEM, wtf).
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I dont know how it works in your country ( I dont know where youre from either lol) if you send your phone to its original manufacture in your own country and pay them lots of money to fix it they should install original and if its not like that then buy the z5c if you want , seriously check youtube videos about it from well known youtubers its the best besides some times over heating in high level of usage (like gaming etc...)

I believe there to be a serious component issue with the touchscreen panel of the Z3C, "gate" level serious. There's way too high a percentage of people reporting touchscreens that die right after the 1 year mark, just out of warranty. Getting a replacement just means that it will most likely die again after a year or so, because it's the same faulty component, and (at least here in my country) they don't guarantee waterproofing after repairs which is really unacceptable after asking for around $130 in repair fees. Not to mention that it's obviously a flaw with Sony hardware, but they deny it and refuses to take responsibility, so the cost of repair is passed on to the victims, us.
Coming from Z3C, you will find the battery life of the Z5C disappointing, even with moderate to light use. Then there's the problem of the POS S810, so the phone is constantly throttling and overheating. It's really a shame, because I otherwise think the gorgeous design of the Z5C is the pinnacle of the Omnibalance language. There are real noticeable improvements to many of the small quirks I had with my Z3C, like the overly rounded edges that eats into my fingers with prolonged handling, non-exposed USB port, dual speaker cutouts that are really dust holders (Z5C elegantly placed them at the edges)... etc. Whether the trade-offs are worth it are based on your personal usage habits and wish list.

mhaha said:
I believe there to be a serious component issue with the touchscreen panel of the Z3C, "gate" level serious. There's way too high a percentage of people reporting touchscreens that die right after the 1 year mark, just out of warranty. Getting a replacement just means that it will most likely die again after a year or so, because it's the same faulty component, and (at least here in my country) they don't guarantee waterproofing after repairs which is really unacceptable after asking for around $130 in repair fees. Not to mention that it's obviously a flaw with Sony hardware, but they deny it and refuses to take responsibility, so the cost of repair is passed on to the victims, us.
Coming from Z3C, you will find the battery life of the Z5C disappointing, even with moderate to light use. Then there's the problem of the POS S810, so the phone is constantly throttling and overheating. It's really a shame, because I otherwise think the gorgeous design of the Z5C is the pinnacle of the Omnibalance language. There are real noticeable improvements to many of the small quirks I had with my Z3C, like the overly rounded edges that eats into my fingers with prolonged handling, non-exposed USB port, dual speaker cutouts that are really 2 dust holders (Z5C elegantly placed them at the edges)... etc. Whether the trade-offs are worth it are based on your personal usage habits and wish list.
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Though i'm turned off by the larger besel of z5c
Also, there is no magnetic charging which should be a main selling point IMHO.
But is the throttling and overheating solved by the update or custom rom? Pls link me to the POS S810 issue, i dont know what that is.

wakoko79 said:
Though i'm turned off by the larger besel of z5c
Also, there is no magnetic charging which should be a main selling point IMHO.
But is the throttling and overheating solved by the update or custom rom? Pls link me to the POS S810 issue, i dont know what that is.
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Larger bezel? Do you mean the slightly more disproportionate top and bottom bezels due to the lower screen placement compared to the Z3C? Because both are literally the same in screen size with nearly identical length and width dimensions.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size/Sony-Xperia-Z3-Compact,Sony-Xperia-Z5-Compact/phones/8744,9611
I've been using the Z5C for 8 months, and I've never been bothered by or noticed the display being lower. And that's coming from more than a year of use of Z3C, and the Z1C before that, which were both more symmetrical.
Initially I was also disappointed with the exclusion of the magnetic port, but only a few weeks in and I haven't missed it since. Having the exposed USB port at the center bottom really helps, and I favor having a seamless edge that again doesn't eat into my skin over the convenience of a charging port that only sees use when I'm not using the phone, which as I mentioned is rendered moot by the ease of access of the USB port. I bought a DK-52 dock for charging and never had problems docking it with ease, although I had imagined it would be problematic.
As for "POS S810", I mean "piece of **** Snapdragon 810" SoC. See here: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/in-depth-with-the-snapdragon-810s-heat-problems/
Or you can Google around "snapdragon 810 overheat", in short this silicon is ****. Sony's done their best (arguably the best out of all manufacturers) to mitigate the impact, but in the end there's only so much you can do to workaround an inherently poor hardware design.
*EDIT BELOW*
As for the question of throttling and overheating solved by updates, there doesn't seem to be a decisive or conclusive evidence of that. With each new update, it seems there's always people reporting better battery/improved thermal alongside people saying it's worse or no change. Yes, there are mods/ROMs claiming to fix the battery and heat issues, whether or not they actually make a difference is more of a personal usage thing, you have to try them out for yourself and see if they work for you.
It may sound like I'm hating on the Z5C, but on the contrary I actually love my Z5C. It's just that after using the Z3C, high expectations have been set but the Z5C failed to deliver on some accounts, mainly the battery and thermal issues. Otherwise, I genuinely felt it was a worthy upgrade over the Z3C. I've come to accept that I won't be getting the same outstanding battery performance of the Z3C, but that's not to say that it isn't great on its own merits. Also consider that the Z3 series are pretty much dead since they're not getting official Android 7.0 support, while the Z5 series are still on the upgrade list, albeit now at the lowest priority compared to the more recent models.
So to sum it up, I don't think it's worth investing in a screen replacement that may still break after a year, not to mention potentially losing the waterproofing. The Z5C may be the next logical step after the Z3C, but has problems of its own. You need to decide if the drawbacks are worth it. At least it's been a little over a year since the phone's release, and there seems to be no (mass) reports of dying touchscreens. Yet. So it's got that going for it, which is something I suppose.

This phone is still very good despite its few hiccups. It over heats when shooting long videos or playing graphic-heavy games (many phones will over heat too), i dont know z3c battery life but with my z5 i get minimum 5rs sot wen browsing the web, minimum 4hrs when playing plants vs zombies heroes, minimum 4hrs streaming videos, on light useage i get minimum 2days... Remember i say minimum.
The camera is not great on low light conditions but it is superb in daylight. Its performance is snappy, water resistance is not a gimmick, speaker volume is loud enough although i was not impressed with headphone volume n sound until i installed another app.
The phone is worth it, not perfect though.

mhaha said:
Larger bezel? Do you mean the slightly more disproportionate top and bottom bezels due to the lower screen placement compared to the Z3C? Because both are literally the same in screen size with nearly identical length and width dimensions.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size/Sony-Xperia-Z3-Compact,Sony-Xperia-Z5-Compact/phones/8744,9611
I've been using the Z5C for 8 months, and I've never been bothered by or noticed the display being lower. And that's coming from more than a year of use of Z3C, and the Z1C before that, which were both more symmetrical.
Initially I was also disappointed with the exclusion of the magnetic port, but only a few weeks in and I haven't missed it since. Having the exposed USB port at the center bottom really helps, and I favor having a seamless edge that again doesn't eat into my skin over the convenience of a charging port that only sees use when I'm not using the phone, which as I mentioned is rendered moot by the ease of access of the USB port. I bought a DK-52 dock for charging and never had problems docking it with ease, although I had imagined it would be problematic.
As for "POS S810", I mean "piece of **** Snapdragon 810" SoC. See here: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/in-depth-with-the-snapdragon-810s-heat-problems/
Or you can Google around "snapdragon 810 overheat", in short this silicon is ****. Sony's done their best (arguably the best out of all manufacturers) to mitigate the impact, but in the end there's only so much you can do to workaround an inherently poor hardware design.
*EDIT BELOW*
As for the question of throttling and overheating solved by updates, there doesn't seem to be a decisive or conclusive evidence of that. With each new update, it seems there's always people reporting better battery/improved thermal alongside people saying it's worse or no change. Yes, there are mods/ROMs claiming to fix the battery and heat issues, whether or not they actually make a difference is more of a personal usage thing, you have to try them out for yourself and see if they work for you.
It may sound like I'm hating on the Z5C, but on the contrary I actually love my Z5C. It's just that after using the Z3C, high expectations have been set but the Z5C failed to deliver on some accounts, mainly the battery and thermal issues. Otherwise, I genuinely felt it was a worthy upgrade over the Z3C. I've come to accept that I won't be getting the same outstanding battery performance of the Z3C, but that's not to say that it isn't great on its own merits. Also consider that the Z3 series are pretty much dead since they're not getting official Android 7.0 support, while the Z5 series are still on the upgrade list, albeit now at the lowest priority compared to the more recent models.
So to sum it up, I don't think it's worth investing in a screen replacement that may still break after a year, not to mention potentially losing the waterproofing. The Z5C may be the next logical step after the Z3C, but has problems of its own. You need to decide if the drawbacks are worth it. At least it's been a little over a year since the phone's release, and there seems to be no (mass) reports of dying touchscreens. Yet. So it's got that going for it, which is something I suppose.
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OK, I'm getting a Z5C tomorrow LOL. What I'm saying about the bezels is that the large bezel at the top is turning me off somewhat (I think z3c has the perfect size), but that is just me nit-picking on stuff, it doesn't really matter on daily use.
About the USB port, I'm just scared of it physically breaking, or just being lose or having bad metal contact. I had this problem before so I'm kinda always worried about ports which are like usb. On the other hand, the magnetic charging just holds the cable and the phone with a magnet, so I don't need to worry that I may damage it when someone accidentally applies force the wrong way to the cable/phone. BTW I did not use the dock on Z3C, just some cheap magnetic cable. Anyway that is fine I can live without it.
Another thing, I read in gsmarena that the usb port has a waterproof coating so that it can be submerged in water? Got any more info on that? Just curious here.
BTW my Z3C now is not water-proof anymore since I went full retard (I squeezed the phone while under water, destroyed the mic, so I got it fixed).

paq1170 said:
This phone is still very good despite its few hiccups. It over heats when shooting long videos or playing graphic-heavy games (many phones will over heat too), i dont know z3c battery life but with my z5 i get minimum 5rs sot wen browsing the web, minimum 4hrs when playing plants vs zombies heroes, minimum 4hrs streaming videos, on light useage i get minimum 2days... Remember i say minimum.
The camera is not great on low light conditions but it is superb in daylight. Its performance is snappy, water resistance is not a gimmick, speaker volume is loud enough although i was not impressed with headphone volume n sound until i installed another app.
The phone is worth it, not perfect though.
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I think heating when using phone (games, browser, video) is normal. Is that is what supposed to be the overheating issue? My z3c heats up when using chrome too, and that is fine with me. What is not fine is like when I'm just reading an ebook or just calling then it heats like crazy. I just use my phone for texts, calls, ebook, RSS feeds, some browsing.
Camera is also fine with me, I'm not really a picture-everywhere guy, I rarely use it so its just a plus =).

The exposed USB port is waterproof, that's the great thing about it. Just don't use it while under water or after it's been submerged in water, you still need to let it dry out. So with the Z5C, unless you're frequently changing SIM or microSD cards, the only flap will stay closed for like 99% of its lifetime and the chance of it being water damaged due to the flap becoming worn and torn or improperly closed is minimal.
All phones get warm when you're executing high load tasks, but it can get borderline melting with S810 phones. Seriously, in certain situations it can get really uncomfortable to hold, no to mention there's the throttling to prevent it from self destructing, so you'd also be experiencing degraded performance while handling a hot brick. It won't happen with casual phone calls, browsing, texting, snapping a photo or two... but if you're doing intensive stuff like playing heavily encoded videos or resource hungry games, you'll feel the heat and see some stuttering thanks to the throttling. A personal experience, I once tried viewing an anime in 1080p that's probably encoded with advanced codecs on my Z5C, after a few minutes it starting burning my hands and became unwatchable, lagging like crazy. No doubt it's because the decoder and real time down-scaling of the resolution to 720p needed full processing power.
With your usage though, you will probably rarely experience it. Might get lucky if you loaded up a poorly optimized rich media website or something, but not likely.

A new z3c is.the best option. Z5c lags a lot because of 810.

I got my z5c.
Z3C looks a lot more better aesthetically. But, oh well, thanks for the replies!

wakoko79 said:
I got my z5c.
Z3C looks a lot more better aesthetically. But, oh well, thanks for the replies!
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Click to collapse
I'll agree with that. The Z5C's slightly bigger top bezel does bug me, or at least did when I still had my Z3C and could see them side-by-side. It's also slightly more boring looking than the Z3C. Other than that, though, I think the Z5C is far more comfortable to hold than the Z3C, and I haven't noticed mine lagging any more than the Z3C did. After flashing the X Compact's camera APK, the camera is also far more responsive, which is great when you have two little kids around like I do.

Same thing happened to my z3 compact and I replaced the digitizer/lcd myself with a kit. No problems except that months later, the screen started peeling up because of the stickers not holding fast. Finally decided to order an X Compact and returned it immediately. Just didn't like the look/feel.
I didn't want to buy another z3c so I purchased a z5c off of swappa. So far, I'm very happy with it. Still waiting to see how it does on battery life but the phone is beautiful. IMO, the best reason to upgrade from the z3c is the fingerprint scanner.

Damn!!!! I have the same problem with the z3c screen, and the same concerns: should i fix it or should i upgrade (of course to z5c, the only one who seems comparable)?
I have not decided yet... I really love my z3c
@ wakoko79 : what are your impressions of your new device? Especially battery and heat/lag.
Thanks

XDAmagic said:
Damn!!!! I have the same problem with the z3c screen, and the same concerns: should i fix it or should i upgrade (of course to z5c, the only one who seems comparable)?
I have not decided yet... I really love my z3c
@ wakoko79 : what are your impressions of your new device? Especially battery and heat/lag.
Thanks
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Click to collapse
Lag lag lag and battery epic. As i said in the previous post, 810 epic fail.

smardu said:
Lag lag lag and battery epic. As i said in the previous post, 810 epic fail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I previously owned a Z5C. I hated how much it heated doing simple tasks (browsing internet, updating apps, ...) they didn't need to be CPU intensive to get hot. I always felt a little uneasy that the heat would cause a battery failure if I let it get hot enough since the heat would run down the back side of the battery. It wouldn't be terribly hot but it was hotter than a phone should get. I then purchased an XC which has a "comparatively" powerful CPU and that thing barely ever gets warm and it has yet to get as hot as my Z5C did just updating 3 apps in a row.
I would have suggested an XC but the Z5C did well when using it. Congrats, I hope the Z5C roms can get that non-stock Camera figured out.

z3 was a great phone. i owned one but was broken so i upgraded. z5 c is similar but is a little faster to me. the camera options are improved and the z5c camera is better both front and back. Plus the z5c is 32g internal vs the z3c which is 16. z5c also has a finger print scanner that works great. z5c updates are going to be better than the z3c in my opinion. z5c gets warm but it's never really bothered me especially with a case.
z5c is hands down better.

Question Pixel 6 - Reality vs Hype/Reviewers

I honestly feel this device has been grossly misrepresented by several youtube reviewers. I don't think Google is to be blamed for the hype. I think the youtube reviewers got this wrong from the get-go. Everybody thought the Tensor chip, updated camera specs, android 12, lower-than-typical price point etc is simply going to route the competition. All that is public generated and not google. But then when the units started to come out, people were going ga ga over it over and over. But then I've had the device for a while now and sadly, i don't share their enthusiasm. I am almost scratching my head and wondering what the hell are these reviewers smoking? Trust me, there is no "issue" with my particular unit. My unit is just fine. However, my complaints are..
1. Camera is not that great. it's good. but not distinctly better than a Samsung or iphone. And what's with it taking a few seconds to "process" all the time?
2. The front camera is laughably bad. Maybe not for still pictures.. but when using it for video calling on duo or Whatsapp it is so freaking grainy like as if it's coming from a 2012 smartphone.
3. The build quality - The phone is a bit too dense for it's size. I have the S21 ultra and even though that is a bigger phone, it feels lighter and thinner in the hand. The Pixel 6 feels like a heavy rock.
4. The auto brightness is wonky. We all know this already. How could google get the autobrightness so badly wrong is mind boggling.
5. The software is good, but honestly I think Samsung has done a great job with one ui 4. I HATE that I have to click things twice to turn off the internet.
6. Why is there no facial unlock? Ridiculous!!! especially considering the fingerprint scanner is a POS. Plus one can't expand notifications from the lockscreen without a facial unlock. Fingerprint scanner unlock will bring you to the home screen.
7. Did I mention the phone is too dense for it's size? Extremely slippery without a case and with a case too bulky than it already is.
8. I always find it interesting that no other phone on the market has as good a network connectivity as Samsung. Samsung phones simply latch on and have good network connectivity. The Pixel 6 is OK.. .. nothing to ride home about.
9. The phone was so hard to find stocked anywhere.. Google completely botched it.
Do any of you guys have any more to contribute to the list? I

You might get the answers you are looking for on Whatsapp or Facebook.
Buying a $600 vs a $1000 phone is some of the real answer.

vandyman said:
You might get the answers you are looking for on Whatsapp or Facebook.
Buying a $600 vs a $1000 phone is some of the real answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your comment is implying that Google took some really cheap shortcuts to make the phone deliberately this bad and you are saying "you get what you pay for.. don't expect anything more for $600".
I don't think that is the case here. The two back camera lenses are exactly the same from the 6 pro. The chip is the same. The software is the same. I am sure google making this device more dense than a rock has nothing to do with cutting cost. Overall, I think it's just really bad and sloppy design choices and QAQC on google's part.

androidbuff123 said:
Your comment is implying that Google took some really cheap shortcuts to make the phone deliberately this bad and you are saying "you get what you pay for.. don't expect anything more for $600".
I don't think that is the case here. The two back camera lenses are exactly the same from the 6 pro. The chip is the same. The software is the same. I am sure google making this device more dense than a rock has nothing to do with cutting cost. Overall, I think it's just really bad and sloppy design choices and QAQC on google's part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsungs $1000 phone has the better camera.
Pixel 6 pro has the 4x zoom.
I do not use a cell phone for photography, the Camara on a cell phone is for taking quick pictures of a convenient moment.
LIke I said you will get more people to agree with you on social media. They are a hell of lot smarter people than here on XDA.

Here is a link for basing the P6 Camara.
The pixel 6 camera sucks
This is probably going to be am unpopular opinion but does anyone else think that the Pixel 6 camera sucks? Pics straight out of device are a) over sharpened and b) flat. The canned filters are poor too. Enhance does nearly nothing, dynamic is a...
forum.xda-developers.com
Please hit the thanks button if this helps you.

Depends what you are coming from and what one compares against. Is comparing with an S21 really fair?

axelmasok said:
Depends what you are coming from and what one compares against. Is comparing with an S21 really fair?
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Click to collapse
No I am not really comparing with S21 Ultra. I mentioned that phone to say it feels lighter and thinner than the immensely dense design of the pixel 6. Another recent issue I've been noticing is how Google assistant a> does not give a audible feedback when invoked from the lockscreen or elsewhere and b> it gets randomly activated with noises from the TV (which are not saying the keywords).
I am going to wait until Google pushes the next update and see if that hopefully fixes most if not all of these issues. Google is really screwing the pooch on this one.

I am not sure if density is the issue, to me the issue is more about balance. I feel the huge camera bar makes it top-heavy and therefore a bit awkward to hold.

I am satisfied with the Pixel 6. I did my research before buying it, so no surprise on my side. However, I can imagine that some folks found the articles about the best phone of the year and thought that it is altogether better than the flagships, like S21 Ultra. It is not at all about beating everyone. What I got is a reasonable phone for a reasonable price. That's it from my side.
The parity of information is there, you can find all information on the Internet. Actually, we have too many options, so most of the buyers would be less and less happier buying something because of their FOMO.

Better Mobile App

welcome