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Hi Everyone,
I thought I'd share some thoughts on this device after having purchased it yesterday afternoon.
I bought this phone because I felt it was the first device that gave me what I had been craving for a long time - an Android version of the iPhone 6s. I like the size, build and feel of the iPhone 6s/7, but not the software or the price.
I think I am in the minority of people who prefer a smaller handset, and even though Android devices tend to fit a lot more screen real estate into smaller bodies, I still feel that the 4.7in screen size is ideal for me.
The only phones that run Android of that size have been the Xperia compact line, and the Galaxy Alpha/A3 2016 models. There have been others, but only these have come close. Unfortunately, they have suffered compromised designs and specs that have left me wanting (I have owned them all, and this is my opinion which others are free to disagree with).
This new handset, however, has me ticking a lot of boxes.
- Size is fantastic. Just a little smaller than the iPhone 6s, and feels great in the hand. Premium materials, solid build quality, great ergonomics, clicky buttons, no camera hump.
- The display is good, not awesome, but vibrant and colourful without being too over the top. Can be tweaked to each user's preference, and gets both very bright and very dim.
- fingerprint scanner is fast and accurate.
- Camera is good, not amazing. An iPhone definitely trounces this setup, but I paid £280 sim free and my usage is not too demanding so it's absolutely fine for me. Daytime shots are actually very pleasant and I think here it punches above its weight; low light is where it struggles, but I feel that most shots at night are not too important for me so it's a compromise I'll happily make.
- Call quality is very good and it holds onto signal well in my area.
- Sound quality out of the side mounted speaker is actually surprisingly good, at least as good as an iPhone 6s. Headphone performance is also excellent .
- Performance has been nothing short of excellent. I feel we have reached a point where there are not that many tasks that we do that actually need a Snapdragon 821 to run smoothly - granted, some 3d games need serious power on tap to run at their highest settings on a quad HD screen, but with a 720p screen, the A3 2017 runs pretty much anything at best quality without delay or hiccup. And everyday operation is smooth as butter without any lag or slowdowns. Granted, this is very early days, but I am hopeful this will continue.
- Battery life is astounding. I charged it on Saturday night and hit 100% at 10.20pm. I took it off charger and only put it back on at 2% while writing this review and I had nearly 9 hrs and 30mins of screen on time over 1 day and 3 hours. That includes 64 mins of voice calls. Please note that I was home all day on Wifi, but still, I have never seen times like that, not least from a 2300 odd mah battery. Awesome. It also charges pretty fast.
- Other stuff - water proofing is great, finally have USB-C, charges really quickly with the included adaptive charging brick, finally has a blue light filter.
And now for the balance of the review:
- Slippery despite its size, so a case or a skin is advisable.
- 16gb of internal memory nearly broke the deal for me, but a 64gb card and some transferring of apps has left me with 3.8gb left to play with internally. Definitely not ideal and a very cheap move from Samsung, but I'm also hoping Nougat brings adoptable storage soon which will eliminate this as an issue (here's hoping!).
- No notification light is something I have to adjust to, but the always on display does help *somewhat* ( I prefer the light as it's something that alerts me from afar, whereas the display is on regardless of whether you have a notification or not).
- Camera as described above has some shortcomings.
- Usual Samsung software compromised with bloatware - lots of useless stuff on here that eats into that 16gb that I cannot delete (Microsoft suite, Samsung junk, usual duplicate apps that we all use the Google version of). I'll keep trying the usual routes to rid the phone of this but I may have to wait a while.
Other than these points, I am really pleased. It feels nice to have paid relatively little for a device that feels so premium. I know there are other phones at relatively low prices that kill this on specs (OP3, Axon 7, Honor 8, etc) but they are generally much bigger handsets, so for anyone looking at something smaller, this is a great buy.
TL;DR, it's great, buy one if you like small phones ?
I always wanted a phone with an small amoled screen and water proofing so i jumped ship from the huge mate 8 to witch i am comparing. I agree with your pros but i found: 1-the camera is average and lacking OIS (need very stable hands), 2- cannot use sd card as default storage (very handy on mate 8), 3- phone very slippery, 4- Design and Screen of a3 2016 seemed better (personal opinion), 5- no stutter but little slow (comparing to mate 8). Only lacks IR blaster to check all boxes but we can't have everything.
Great feedback, thanks guys.
You mentioned not display is good but not awesome, could you elaborate? Is issue clarity or something else? Thanks.
Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk
mario24601 said:
Great feedback, thanks guys.
You mentioned not display is good but not awesome, could you elaborate? Is issue clarity or something else? Thanks.
Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Coming from a larger phone with a quad HD screen, it's never going to look as dazzlingly sharp, but on a 4.7 inch screen 720p still looks great and it is perfectly sharp and clear - if you've ever seen an iPhone screen, this feels much the same. Colours can be adjusted to your preference - I prefer accurate rather than punchy, but you can set it to either or somewhere in between.
I've had everything from a galaxy s6 which has crazy high pixel density to a Moto x, and personally I prefer the 720p smaller screen because it's far more efficient and I don't notice the pixel density difference after an hour or two.
Hope this helps.
Sunil_Kaura said:
Coming from a larger phone with a quad HD screen, it's never going to look as dazzlingly sharp, but on a 4.7 inch screen 720p still looks great and it is perfectly sharp and clear - if you've ever seen an iPhone screen, this feels much the same. Colours can be adjusted to your preference - I prefer accurate rather than punchy, but you can set it to either or somewhere in between.
I've had everything from a galaxy s6 which has crazy high pixel density to a Moto x, and personally I prefer the 720p smaller screen because it's far more efficient and I don't notice the pixel density difference after an hour or two.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
Sent from my Moto X using Tapatalk
Thanks for sharing this. I am also very happy with this phone so far. It's my second day with it, the battery is at 39% with 4h45 sot and 1d3h total since unplugged. In a night of 9 hours, the phone just lost 3%.
I have noticed though that wifi is constantly detected as running by betterbatterysats, even if it's turned off. Any idea how to fix this?
patci32 said:
I have noticed though that wifi is constantly detected as running by betterbatterysats, even if it's turned off. Any idea how to fix this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you checked in Settings -> Connections -> Location?
There are some wifi settings behind it (in location method and improve accuracy) you can deactivate.
F157 said:
Have you checked in Settings -> Connections -> Location?
There are some wifi settings behind it (in location method and improve accuracy) you can deactivate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed, I didn't know. Thanks, I hope this works.
---------- Post added at 01:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------
F157 said:
Have you checked in Settings -> Connections -> Location?
There are some wifi settings behind it (in location method and improve accuracy) you can deactivate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, could you please tell me if you use other settings to improve your battery life?
patci32 said:
Indeed, I didn't know. Thanks, I hope this works.
---------- Post added at 01:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------
Also, could you please tell me if you use other settings to improve your battery life?
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Click to collapse
Mm, nothing special yet, as I'm really happy with battery life so far.
What I did in the past with other devices is for example use the app greenify (needs root) to hibernate apps you don't want to run in the background.
Also, something that really helped me with my old s4 mini was to set mobile network to 2g, and only switch to lte once required.
And as always, use wifi instead of mobile network as often as possible, disable Bluetooth if not needed, etc.
£280?!?! That's highway robbery for a device with 720p, small battery and everything in budget-range. You get this, all the bells and whistles for £150 with a well known Chinese brand. Now I know why I'd never ever get a Slamsug.
iMaterial said:
£280?!?! That's highway robbery for a device with 720p, small battery and everything in budget-range. You get this, all the bells and whistles for £150 with a well known Chinese brand. Now I know why I'd never ever get a Slamsug.
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Click to collapse
Please could you elaborate on one of these phones that you can get for £150? I'm pretty clued up but if I've missed something I'd be keen for you to share what you've found for myself and the community - my mother needs a new phone so if you've seen something better than the A3 for less I'd love to buy it
Sunil_Kaura said:
Please could you elaborate on one of these phones that you can get for £150? I'm pretty clued up but if I've missed something I'd be keen for you to share what you've found for myself and the community - my mother needs a new phone so if you've seen something better than the A3 for less I'd love to buy it
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Click to collapse
Which stats are you looking for? Battery? Screen res? SoC power?
Compare, with €150 phones, battery, res, SoC, well anything really part from 10 mm in size.
iMaterial said:
Which stats are you looking for? Battery? Screen res? SoC power?
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Click to collapse
Well I'm referring to your comment that you could get a better phone for £150, so I guess I'm wondering what phone you are saying is better for that price...
The battery life of the A3 is epic, the PPI is still perfectly decent (720p on 4.7 inches is still perfectly usable and arguably 1080p is unnecessary) and the SoC is both fat and frugal.
So really I'm wondering whether you can get something the same or better for less money
I'd be happy with an alternative with same form factor. Any recommendations? The A3 still not available in US.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
mario24601 said:
I'd be happy with an alternative with same form factor. Any recommendations? The A3 still not available in US.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
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4.5 to 4.7" screen, 720p res. 2015 - today, only 4-5 options comes up.
http://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2015&nHeightMax=135&nDisplayResMin=921600&fDisplayInchesMin=4.5&fDisplayInchesMax=4.7
Only A3, Sony X and Z5 compact, Xiaomi Redmi 2 Pro has enough RAM, battery and goodies. LG Spirit and Alcatel Idol 3 only has 1 GB and 1.5 GB RAM, not really a viable option.
Sunil_Kaura said:
Well I'm referring to your comment that you could get a better phone for £150, so I guess I'm wondering what phone you are saying is better for that price...
The battery life of the A3 is epic, the PPI is still perfectly decent (720p on 4.7 inches is still perfectly usable and arguably 1080p is unnecessary) and the SoC is both fat and frugal.
So really I'm wondering whether you can get something the same or better for less money
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Redmi 4 Pro can be had for €150 and its battery life is Epic also, the Redmi 3 Pro is way better than A3 and Redmi 4 Pro, with 720p but alas 5". Redmi note 3 is also really good, for even less than €150. Samsung is priced at least £100 than it should, but the same can be said about Sony and Apple also.
iMaterial said:
4.5 to 4.7" screen, 720p res. 2015 - today, only 4-5 options comes up.
http://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2015&nHeightMax=135&nDisplayResMin=921600&fDisplayInchesMin=4.5&fDisplayInchesMax=4.7
Only A3, Sony X and Z5 compact, Xiaomi Redmi 2 Pro has enough RAM, battery and goodies. LG Spirit and Alcatel Idol 3 only has 1 GB and 1.5 GB RAM, not really a viable option.
The Redmi 4 Pro can be had for €150 and its battery life is Epic also, the Redmi 3 Pro is way better than A3 and Redmi 4 Pro, with 720p but alas 5". Redmi note 3 is also really good, for even less than €150. Samsung is priced at least £100 than it should, but the same can be said about Sony and Apple also.
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I agree the Xiaomi phones are compelling - my main issue is the fact that they are all grey imports - many purchasers have reported that they do not get any warranty support whatsoever, they generally require a more experienced android user to side load the Google play store, and they have sketchy android skins which have also been reported to spy on their users.
Don't get me wrong, Touchwiz (or Grace UI as it's now known) is not exactly great, but I'd rather know I can walk into a Samsung store and get a problem fixed than rely on a Hong Kong based website for support.
I think it's only fair to compare this phone to what can be had in Europe, and in that regard, it blows the Sony X Compact, Alcatel and others out of the water.
And given its build quality and design, it's good value compared to phones that retail for double this cost.
Also, most Xiaomi phones don't come with NFC (no android pay), some don't have scratch resistant glass, no quick charging, etc
The A3 also uses a processor built on the 14nm process which is up to date technology, whereas the Xiaomi phones at that price point use outdated processors like the 650 and 616.
The 14nm process is what gives the A3 it's great battery life without needing a 4000mAh battery and heavier construction.
A final point - check out the videos of the Redmi note 3 bend test - not encouraging! (I will add the Redmi 3 pro did significantly better though which is good progress).
Sunil_Kaura said:
I agree the Xiaomi phones are compelling - my main issue is the fact that they are all grey imports - many purchasers have reported that they do not get any warranty support whatsoever, they generally require a more experienced android user to side load the Google play store, and they have sketchy android skins which have also been reported to spy on their users.
Don't get me wrong, Touchwiz (or Grace UI as it's now known) is not exactly great, but I'd rather know I can walk into a Samsung store and get a problem fixed than rely on a Hong Kong based website for support.
I think it's only fair to compare this phone to what can be had in Europe, and in that regard, it blows the Sony X Compact, Alcatel and others out of the water.
And given its build quality and design, it's good value compared to phones that retail for double this cost.
Also, most Xiaomi phones don't come with NFC (no android pay), some don't have scratch resistant glass, no quick charging, etc
The A3 also uses a processor built on the 14nm process which is up to date technology, whereas the Xiaomi phones at that price point use outdated processors like the 650 and 616.
The 14nm process is what gives the A3 it's great battery life without needing a 4000mAh battery and heavier construction.
A final point - check out the videos of the Redmi note 3 bend test - not encouraging! (I will add the Redmi 3 pro did significantly better though which is good progress).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Redmi 4 Pro that I bought for a friend in Jan has the 14 nm Snapdragon 625. I can agree that it might lack a few finishing touches, but I could buy it for €150 inc shipping from aliexpress and get it in 7-9 days. But it's half the price, and I know the Adreno is a better GPU than the Mali.
Both on the Xiaomi and the Slamsug, first thing I would do it TWRP and LAOS ROM, they can keep their crap TW and MIUI, can't stand it.
Never the less, it shouldn't be 2x the price for something that is almost inferior in some points and better on others. Esp not in 2017, maybe some years ago, but every day there are better and better phones for under €200, like the Moto G5 and such, only problem is they are so damn big, and big phones are 99/100 new that are coming out, these days, sadly.
iMaterial said:
The Redmi 4 Pro that I bought for a friend in Jan has the 14 nm Snapdragon 625. I can agree that it might lack a few finishing touches, but I could buy it for €150 inc shipping from aliexpress and get it in 7-9 days. But it's half the price, and I know the Adreno is a better GPU than the Mali.
Both on the Xiaomi and the Slamsug, first thing I would do it TWRP and LAOS ROM, they can keep their crap TW and MIUI, can't stand it.
Never the less, it shouldn't be 2x the price for something that is almost inferior in some points and better on others. Esp not in 2017, maybe some years ago, but every day there are better and better phones for under €200, like the Moto G5 and such, only problem is they are so damn big, and big phones are 99/100 new that are coming out, these days, sadly.
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Click to collapse
Can't disagree there - it's frustrating how few phones there are under 5 inches available.
I will say though that besides the Xiaomi phones which look to have a nice build, the Moto G4 is very cheap feeling, as are most of the other phones available here in that price bracket, so I would happily pay a little more for a nice looking and premium feeling device.
If the Samsung we're £220 I think it'd sell by the bucket load as £20-40 above phones like the G4 would likely tempt many up, but at £280 I agree that it's a harder sell for the lay person.
I'm looking at from the other side - it's a mild compromise from an S7 or a iPhone 6s/7 , but it's half the price, rather than double that of a cheaper device.
And it absolutely looks and feels as good as a £5-600 phone.
Sunil_Kaura said:
Can't disagree there - it's frustrating how few phones there are under 5 inches available.
I will say though that besides the Xiaomi phones which look to have a nice build, the Moto G4 is very cheap feeling, as are most of the other phones available here in that price bracket, so I would happily pay a little more for a nice looking and premium feeling device.
If the Samsung we're £220 I think it'd sell by the bucket load as £20-40 above phones like the G4 would likely tempt many up, but at £280 I agree that it's a harder sell for the lay person.
I'm looking at from the other side - it's a mild compromise from an S7 or a iPhone 6s/7 , but it's half the price, rather than double that of a cheaper device.
And it absolutely looks and feels as good as a £5-600 phone.
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Click to collapse
There are so many on this forum and in other places that airs the same frustration, so few options for a mobile ca 130mm lenght and 4.5 - 4.7" screen (720p at least), that I'm starting to wonder if we should do something about it, maybe talk to so manufacturer to make at least 1-2 phones under 5"
The Redmi 4 Pro I used for a few weeks felt no worse in build than the Iphone 6 or 6S I have tried a few times, both in metal around 140 - 145mm size. But for €310 I can get a Xiaomi Mi 5 with 820 and have €100 in change over. I have never held a Moto G, last Motorola I have tried was the 4.3" Razr Maxx and it felt solid as a rock.
The J5 goes for around €180-190 here and I see no reason why this smaller, entry level A3 shouldn't be priced in a similar fashion. These days due to deaths in the family and such I'm so poor that €100 is more than I can spare and my Android mobile that I have now is from 2012 or so, single core with 512 MB RAM and I hate every minute when I'm using it. I'm lucky to have been given a 2009 Sony Ericsson C901 as my main caller.
Just my 1¢ (It used to be 2¢, but due to the recession I've had to make cutbacks)
---------- Post added at 07:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:16 PM ----------
What annoys me a lot is also that this A3 is bigger than the A3 (2016) and the battery is only 50 mAh bigger. They could easily have put a 2500 - 2800 mAh battery in this one, just like the Sony Z3, Z5 or X compact, which is 5 mm smaller.
My last perfect phone was the original moto x. I still use it. I am not a power user but the X just needs lil more power but on cm13 it's not bad.
I don't even mind going with old phone as long as has some custom roms to improve performance.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Hello!
So I am getting my wife the Mate 10 Pro to finally upgrade from her Note 4. While she is not a fan of 18:9 screens (I hate them too) there is not much to choose for OLED and newer phones these days.
I was debating the OnePlus 5T over this but it seems the camera is still better on this one plus the unit looks better to my eyes which is a plus for my wife too.
Just wondering if there are any issues I should know before I buy it.
Thanks
Yes there are many
Don't believe the reviews
The only good thing is the camera
Phone lags
Bad at games
Battery is bad. Don't believe the hype. To make it good u have to use Huawei battery to kill every single app in the background
It suffers when it comes to smoothnes and scrolling
Emui is just BAD
Stereo speakers is a joke. The secondary is extremely low
I believe it's a 800usd phone... U better think Samsung or pixel or even v30 from lg
Don't listen to the guy above, it's an amazing phone. He must have wandered in from the samsung forum.
I've had samsung, LG, motorola and nexus phones and this is the best by far. I can easily go a full two days without charging regarding the battery life. Emui takes some getting used to but grows on you and gives you full control over the system and apps which stock and other brands do not.
The camera could be better but it is still damn good for a phone and better than most other phones.
As for the 5T I think the main differences are the dust and waterproofing and the battery life, u have to decide if that's worth the extra money.
Any phone you buy can have problems! It is the luck of the draw! Just go to any forum you want and read about the problems they "ALL" have. Much of it depends on the phone you actually receive and how you use it!
I have the Mate 10 (non-pro) and I feel that it is superior to the pro version for many reasons that can be found in the spec comparison. I prefer an LCD screen! But either way it all depends on the phone and you. I think mine is the best phone I have ever owned (and I have owned too many to remember) and I have now lost the desire to even look at anything else to possibly replace it for years to come! Also, the way I use it I can go 4 days...yes that is FOUR DAYS between charges. Show me any other phone that can do that!
I have a mate 10 pro for a few days now and I can sum it up with two words : thumbs up ! I upgraded from a note 3 (battery dead, my only issue to be honest), and you really feel the difference thanks to the camera, the autonomy and you'll get used to the MIUI quck fast. if not, just change the laucher (NOVA, Microsoft, etc.). It really looks and feels great. The only BS part of it IMAO is the AI thing, you cannot feel it at all. But for all the other aspects, go ahead...
Seriously some owners are just weird and not honest
i am not from Samsung forums (whatever that is) i have the mate 10 since day one it was launched here in Kuwait. The only difference is I prefer to give a true life experience not if I like it or not.
I DARE anyone says it doesn't lag to open champions game for example and video record it and share to prove how smooth it is. Or even scroll in Instagram or Facebook. It feels pathetic.
I DARE anyone to turn on all notifications from social media and emails and show us the battery and how great it is. It won't last 4 hours SOT.
I DARE anyone says it's smooth to compare the scrolling with any other flagship from 2016 not even 2017
I have the OnePlus 5 and in comparison the mate 10 is a heckup joke
I dare anyone says emui does't feel like a stupid copycat version of a Chinese knockoff of iOS
I still owns the device cuz of infrared, PC mood and i like the monochrome camera but to advice someone to own it and spread what's proven to be pure lies is not my cup of tea.
I have no speed problems or whatsoever, besides there are a few comparison between the 10 Pro and the Pixel 2XL and both are on pair on speed.
Tbh for me EMUI was always nice and smooth, since I tried it the first time on the ascend mate 7, specially when compared with Samsung Experience, although the Note8 seems to bug down much less often.
EMUI does many things its own way, like it's not possible to expand notifications on the lockscreen, neither is it possible to drag the notification shade down from the lock screen.
Although I've found a way to keep background apps working just by putting them on the system exception, some apps specially the ones not optimized for Oreo might still give you headache, between EMUI own battery saver and Oreo's default background app policies, you might find some apps that won't run properly if they need to do stuff on the background.
There is not smart unlock based on location or voice.
As for bugs, the most annoying I have is Bluetooth audio is half broken, AAC codec cannot be selected.
Huawei needs to improve the portrait mode, specially on the front camera.... the Pixel app port does a much better job.
Cameras are amazing, specially if you wanna do things on manual.
[email protected] said:
Yes there are many
Don't believe the reviews
The only good thing is the camera
Phone lags
Bad at games
Battery is bad. Don't believe the hype. To make it good u have to use Huawei battery to kill every single app in the background
It suffers when it comes to smoothnes and scrolling
Emui is just BAD
Stereo speakers is a joke. The secondary is extremely low
I believe it's a 800usd phone... U better think Samsung or pixel or even v30 from lg
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My experience with the phone is basically the opposite of yours.
I'm very satisfied with the phone.
I upgraded from a Note 4 to the Mate 10 (non-pro) and would do so again. Definitely an adjustment period, but it's speedy and has an amazing battery. Routinely getting 8 hours screen on time and about 2 days of standby. But as others have said, the power management can be over-aggressive, so if you read the forums, there are some apps (like KinScreen) or scrollable calendar widgets that will keep being killed. The Huawei launcher also is useless IMO.
I installed Nova and then rooted, which enabled me to kill the system app Power Genius and I no longer had the apps dying issue, but still had my battery life (especially with a little tweaking using Greenify).
I like the non-pro model better (front finger-print scanner) and it doesn't seem to have the bluetooth sound issues that some are reporting on the pro.
[email protected] said:
Seriously some owners are just weird and not honest
i am not from Samsung forums (whatever that is) i have the mate 10 since day one it was launched here in Kuwait. The only difference is I prefer to give a true life experience not if I like it or not.
I DARE anyone says it doesn't lag to open champions game for example and video record it and share to prove how smooth it is. Or even scroll in Instagram or Facebook. It feels pathetic.
I DARE anyone to turn on all notifications from social media and emails and show us the battery and how great it is. It won't last 4 hours SOT.
I DARE anyone says it's smooth to compare the scrolling with any other flagship from 2016 not even 2017
I have the OnePlus 5 and in comparison the mate 10 is a heckup joke
I dare anyone says emui does't feel like a stupid copycat version of a Chinese knockoff of iOS
I still owns the device cuz of infrared, PC mood and i like the monochrome camera but to advice someone to own it and spread what's proven to be pure lies is not my cup of tea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from OnePlus 5 and mate 10 pro feels equally smoother. Also I have all the main social apps installed with the Huawei battery manager disabled and I get easily 7 hours sot. A lot better then OnePlus 5.
Don't know about gaming because I'm not a gamer.
I don't understand the negative comments... Battery life is highly dependent on what you do. On WiFi you can get 7+h SOT, but when out and about using cellular it will be closer to 5 or maybe 4. The camera is very good, especially if you use manual controls but I wish it wouldn't completely crush noise in low light by making it way too soft (though I suppose this is a matter of taste).
If I were you I'd consider this phone mainly for the battery life and CONSISTENT performance. EMUI isn't broken but it certainly behaves strangely sometimes. E.g. sometimes when I open Gboard it goes underneath the navigation buttons which makes it impossible to use the space or change to numbers/symbols.
I would also say that this phone isn't worth $800. The Galaxy S9 isn't far off in terms of price and it's likely a better phone in everything except price and software.
My Mate 10 Pro hasn't suffered from any significant slowdown and even if it does a simple cleanup from the phone manager will do the trick.
If you can get it for $600 then I think is a fantastic value and overall an excellent phone that I don't regret getting for the equivalent of €550 over a 30 month contract.
Hi,
i wanted to buy a new phone with a budeg up to 500 euro (580usd) but if possibly more around 400€
it has to have an oled display and an atleast okayish camera.
The mate 10pro is my favorit but i heard some annoying things about the display.
1st of all that the display isnt birght engough. Sure oleds arent as bright but i heard that the mate 10 pro's display is just to dark for normal use
2nd that it changes brightness when opening apps.
3rd that auto birghtness is auto activated after locking the phone
4th thing i heard is that the Kirin overheats preatty fast and just isnt good overall (i know it lacks behind its Snapdragon counterpart but thermal throttle after a few mins shouldnt be normal)
What can you tell me to this points?
Oh and i have not choosen any phone atm so i am open for other recommendations but iPhones and S8/S9 because they failed badly at droptests.
Thank you all
Bomber293 said:
Hi,
i wanted to buy a new phone with a budeg up to 500 euro (580usd) but if possibly more around 400€
it has to have an oled display and an atleast okayish camera.
The mate 10pro is my favorit but i heard some annoying things about the display.
1st of all that the display isnt birght engough. Sure oleds arent as bright but i heard that the mate 10 pro's display is just to dark for normal use
2nd that it changes brightness when opening apps.
3rd that auto birghtness is auto activated after locking the phone
4th thing i heard is that the Kirin overheats preatty fast and just isnt good overall (i know it lacks behind its Snapdragon counterpart but thermal throttle after a few mins shouldnt be normal)
What can you tell me to this points?
Oh and i have not choosen any phone atm so i am open for other recommendations but iPhones and S8/S9 because they failed badly at droptests.
Thank you all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Display is definitely bright enough, not sure where you read/heard that but it's great on sunny days.
2. I've never experienced it changing brightness when opening any apps.
3. Auto brightness turns itself on when the phone is rebooted not when the screen is locked.
4. The only intensive game I have on my phone is asphalt 9 and I can play it for well over a hour with minimal heat, it gets warmish but nothing out of the ordinary.
I'd definitely recommend this phone over any other
Bomber293 said:
Hi,
i wanted to buy a new phone with a budeg up to 500 euro (580usd) but if possibly more around 400€
it has to have an oled display and an atleast okayish camera.
The mate 10pro is my favorit but i heard some annoying things about the display.
1st of all that the display isnt birght engough. Sure oleds arent as bright but i heard that the mate 10 pro's display is just to dark for normal use
2nd that it changes brightness when opening apps.
3rd that auto birghtness is auto activated after locking the phone
4th thing i heard is that the Kirin overheats preatty fast and just isnt good overall (i know it lacks behind its Snapdragon counterpart but thermal throttle after a few mins shouldnt be normal)
What can you tell me to this points?
Oh and i have not choosen any phone atm so i am open for other recommendations but iPhones and S8/S9 because they failed badly at droptests.
Thank you all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. This phone has best screen on direct sunlight, i can see everything with my sunglasses
2. never noticed changhing brightness
3. no idea
4. it never goes even close to hot, had shanpdragon and iphone that almost melted when having gps on, but not mate 10 pro
Thank you guys
TheAndroid do you own the pro?
I read a lot about the phone here on xda and it seems like that the pro with the amoled changes brightness and got clouding (bright spots).
Don't know if every one got it or just a few. It's always kinda hard to tell because if everything works fine you don't open up a forum randomly and say that you don't have clouding or brightness changes.
In generell it sounds pretty good and, at least I read it here, there will be a really big update that increases performance and battery life
Bomber293 said:
TheAndroid do you own the pro?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I own the Pro, specifically the BLA-L09 model.
Bomber293 said:
I read a lot about the phone here on xda and it seems like that the pro with the amoled changes brightness and got clouding (bright spots).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like I said, I've never noticed any change in brightness in any app, also, never had a issue with clouding (bright spots), if you chose to get a Mate 10 Pro and it had such issue tho, I imagine Huawei would repair it or send you a replacement.
Bomber293 said:
It's always kinda hard to tell because if everything works fine you don't open up a forum randomly and say that you don't have clouding or brightness changes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sometimes it can just be quality control issues so a couple devices will suffer from it.
Bomber293 said:
In generell it sounds pretty good and, at least I read it here, there will be a really big update that increases performance and battery life
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't recommend it enough honestly, I've had mine just over a month now and I'm loving it!
TheInfiniteAndroid said:
Yes I own the Pro, specifically the BLA-L09 model.
Like I said, I've never noticed any change in brightness in any app, also, never had a issue with clouding (bright spots), if you chose to get a Mate 10 Pro and it had such issue tho, I imagine Huawei would repair it or send you a replacement.
Sometimes it can just be quality control issues so a couple devices will suffer from it.
I couldn't recommend it enough honestly, I've had mine just over a month now and I'm loving it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to hear I'll defenetly see one in electronic shop and probably buy it
Bomber293 said:
Hi,
i wanted to buy a new phone with a budeg up to 500 euro (580usd) but if possibly more around 400€
it has to have an oled display and an atleast okayish camera.
The mate 10pro is my favorit but i heard some annoying things about the display.
1st of all that the display isnt birght engough. Sure oleds arent as bright but i heard that the mate 10 pro's display is just to dark for normal use
2nd that it changes brightness when opening apps.
3rd that auto birghtness is auto activated after locking the phone
4th thing i heard is that the Kirin overheats preatty fast and just isnt good overall (i know it lacks behind its Snapdragon counterpart but thermal throttle after a few mins shouldnt be normal)
What can you tell me to this points?
Oh and i have not choosen any phone atm so i am open for other recommendations but iPhones and S8/S9 because they failed badly at droptests.
Thank you all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Mate 10 Pro has 0 problem
Sent from my BLA-L29 using Tapatalk
Im bored atm so i scrolled a bit and copied multiple statments from other mate 10/pro (idk) users in this forum
*One little flaw to mention. I have some clouding. At moderate to low brightness level, grey color is the worst. (screen shot was taken by another phone, so in real life it isn't that bad)
The problem is less prominent at higher brightness levels.
Anyone else have the same issue?
*yes same problem on mate 10 pro FRANCE ... REGRETE ALMOST MY PURCHASE
*I've got the same green tint on lower brightness (30% and lower)
Did any of you guys exchange it and got a better screen with no green tint on grey screens?
*I got my replacement device today and it also had that clouding issue! Really pisses me off because one of my main use cases on my mobile devices is reading pocket articles in dark mode. This is where I could see the yellow clouding very clearly. The replacement also had a defective fingerprint scanner (did not work at all not even during setup).
Now I'm waiting for my third device, if that one still has clouding (even if it is slightly) then I'm going to switch to the XL2. At least it doesn't have clouding.
This is meant to be huaweis high end device, such issues are nogos for me. Even my much cheaper but beloved Moto Z Play doesn't have this issue.
To summ it all up: There are many ppl with problems like clouding, brighter on left/right side and i somewhere read that a guy got a greenish matrix over his display. But there are also alot saying that theirs works fine and when you buy a phone and everything is fine most ppl dont open up a forum to say that it is fine but when there is a problem they all do it....
This awnser is not really for you two guys but for the ppl who maybe visit this thread and want to know whats up.
I'll get to a store next days and see if they got one there if it is fine i'll buy it and if i still remember or if it is broke you'll see me agian here
I don't have any of those problem on my Mate 10 Pro BLA-A09, the only time that you will see that the brightness changes is when watching hdr videos on YouTube
fefofefosa said:
I don't have any of those problem on my Mate 10 Pro BLA-A09, the only time that you will see that the brightness changes is when watching hdr videos on YouTube
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No issues for me with the same variant. Had the phone for almost a year. HDR with you tube does impact it, and moving from a light to dark environment will change as it should. This phone handles auto brightness much better than my Galaxy 8 + does.
Bomber293 said:
Hi,
i wanted to buy a new phone with a budeg up to 500 euro (580usd)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bomber... I bought a brand new one on swappa recently and it remains as brand new. I want to root it and do advanced things, but it is not as easy as I thought. I will probably sell mine in the next day or 2. Pm me if you are interested. I live in Florida and have good ebay and swappa ratings. The phone is in mint condition with all original accessories, box, and plastic covers.
Don't have the Mate 10 Pro, have a Mate 10 and 2 Mate 9's, one Mate 9 is my spare phone and the second is my wife's main phone. No quality issue's whatsoever, no heating when using normally like for example the Note 4 (have also 2 of them for the S-pen function) which melts nearly when doing normal updates. No issue's with brightness, true they have no oled display's. What I am trying to say is that you can always find negative feedback over ANY phone and ANY brand. Some people will ***** about anything. Sure, you can have bad luck to...but I almost have the feeling you are searching for an excuse not to buy the mate 10...Good luck!
TheInfiniteAndroid said:
Yes I own the Pro, specifically the BLA-L09 model.
Like I said, I've never noticed any change in brightness in any app, also, never had a issue with clouding (bright spots), if you chose to get a Mate 10 Pro and it had such issue tho, I imagine Huawei would repair it or send you a replacement.
Sometimes it can just be quality control issues so a couple devices will suffer from it.
I couldn't recommend it enough honestly, I've had mine just over a month now and I'm loving it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cfds said:
Don't have the Mate 10 Pro, have a Mate 10 and 2 Mate 9's, one Mate 9 is my spare phone and the second is my wife's main phone. No quality issue's whatsoever, no heating when using normally like for example the Note 4 (have also 2 of them for the S-pen function) which melts nearly when doing normal updates. No issue's with brightness, true they have no oled display's. What I am trying to say is that you can always find negative feedback over ANY phone and ANY brand. Some people will ***** about anything. Sure, you can have bad luck to...but I almost have the feeling you are searching for an excuse not to buy the mate 10...Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It really seems a bit like I'm searching for excuses but there are a lot last Gen flagship for around 400€. It is hard to find out what's really up who is just hating, who is just a fanboy. Watched hours of YouTube about phone x, y and z but they all say something else. BTW the comments on videos where they compare phones are hilarious
Yes, you will reach a point - have reached a point you don't know any more what to believe or think...Don't forget that you will only find negative feedback on the net. People in general don't post how happy they are with a phone, no they will post rather how dissatisfied they are.
Bomber293 said:
It really seems a bit like I'm searching for excuses but there are a lot last Gen flagship for around 400€. It is hard to find out what's really up who is just hating, who is just a fanboy. Watched hours of YouTube about phone x, y and z but they all say something else. BTW the comments on videos where they compare phones are hilarious
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sometimes you just gotta take the leap, I had a Nexus 5x despite all the bootloop issues that where proven by other users and I didn't have 1 bootloop in 2 years, it's worth saying though, you won't find one device anywhere that someone hasn't complained about.
TheInfiniteAndroid said:
Sometimes you just gotta take the leap, I had a Nexus 5x despite all the bootloop issues that where proven by other users and I didn't have 1 bootloop in 2 years, it's worth saying though, you won't find one device anywhere that someone hasn't complained about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. I'll probably buy the mate 10 pro becasue idk it just feels better to me. With the upcoming updates to emui 8.2 and android pie it should be near perfect. Sure it got problems with custom roms twrp aso. but if i want to do it i'll find a way
The only way i wont take it is when the OP6 drops to 400 too
I think the Mate 10 Pro is a brilliant phone for the money it now goes for. Sure it's not perfect, but is there any such thing? It has one of biggest batteries you can find in a phone today with fast charging, a brilliant 18:9 OLED display with no notch and very slim bezels, face unlocking, Leica cameras with a fantastic b&w sensor, night mode, stereo speakers, ip67, 128gb storage, 6gb ram, kirin970 with npu, ir blaster... All for a THIRD of the price of a Note 9. Yes the K970 is a bit slower than the Sd845, no it doesn't have a headphone jack and it doesn't have expandable memory. But I personally never use these, and K970 is still more than fast enough - I have never seen one hiccup or stutter. With the right launcher and wallpapers etc your can pretty much make EMUI look like 'stock' Android if you want. Just buy it!
---------- Post added at 11:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:35 PM ----------
Btw in case it's not obvious, I own one and I'm super picky about stuff like screens etc but there really isn't anything I can fault with it. Everything just works. The only real negative is the lack of updates - Huawei tends to push out updates every 3 or 4 months which isn't great, but better than nothing and is no worse than most of the other OEMs. If the latest updates are the most important thing to you, stick with pixels, OnePlus or Android One.
Dmn100 said:
I think the Mate 10 Pro is a brilliant phone for the money it now goes for. Sure it's not perfect, but is there any such thing? It has one of biggest batteries you can find in a phone today with fast charging, a brilliant 18:9 OLED display with no notch and very slim bezels, face unlocking, Leica cameras with a fantastic b&w sensor, night mode, stereo speakers, ip67, 128gb storage, 6gb ram, kirin970 with npu, ir blaster... All for a THIRD of the price of a Note 9. Yes the K970 is a bit slower than the Sd845, no it doesn't have a headphone jack and it doesn't have expandable memory. But I personally never use these, and K970 is still more than fast enough - I have never seen one hiccup or stutter. With the right launcher and wallpapers etc your can pretty much make EMUI look like 'stock' Android if you want. Just buy it!
---------- Post added at 11:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:35 PM ----------
Btw in case it's not obvious, I own one and I'm super picky about stuff like screens etc but there really isn't anything I can fault with it. Everything just works. The only real negative is the lack of updates - Huawei tends to push out updates every 3 or 4 months which isn't great, but better than nothing and is no worse than most of the other OEMs. If the latest updates are the most important thing to you, stick with pixels, OnePlus or Android One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the camera is not by Leica just the lense and it is one made out of plastic.... Oh and you probably ment the SD835 the kirin lacks a bit behind it but it should be okay with the gpu boost update and android pie is incomming for the mate 10
Im using mate 10 not pro. Only have problems on my screen at bottom have yellowish tint. Already send to huawei and change the lcd two times, still the same. I guess i must live with it. To be honest, this is the best phone i have ever used. Very snappy, top notch camera, proc not have overheat issue when playing heavy games unlike my sd821 before.
Bomber293 said:
Actually the camera is not by Leica just the lense and it is one made out of plastic.... Oh and you probably ment the SD835 the kirin lacks a bit behind it but it should be okay with the gpu boost update and android pie is incomming for the mate 10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I meant the 845 as it is the latest available Snapdragon chip in phones like the OnePlus 6 etc. My point is that the chip although not the most powerful is still plenty fast enough for most people's needs and it comfortably handles pretty much anything you throw at it. The camera in my opinion is good - when I take a photo the results to me look very good. Am I a professional photographer? No, if I was I'd have a DSLR.
As an overall package, including price, I believe that this phone is one of the best you can get right now. Of course, this will change, and if OnePlus release the 6t with stereo speakers and a 3800-4000 mah battery, I may well get that.
Hi please, is it worth it to exchange mate 20 against pixel 3xl thank you
PS: I know I'm posting on wrong place, but the topic of mate 20 is dead
The regular mate 20? If you don't have to pay ANYTHING more... I'd probably consider it... Probably
I would do it, with at any hasitation... I 2ould kill for some aosp love.... hate how emui handles memory for instance... software ans support s#cks big time, the only things I love from my mate are the charging speed and camera
demon2112 said:
I would do it, with at any hasitation... I 2ould kill for some aosp love.... hate how emui handles memory for instance... software ans support s#cks big time, the only things I love from my mate are the charging speed and camera
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixels have even worse memory management actually. I agree with you on the software front though, emui is definitely not something I like about this phone.
crixley said:
Pixels have even worse memory management actually. I agree with you on the software front though, emui is definitely not something I like about this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about Pixel memory management, it should be fine now... I know it was an debacle, I thought Google had fixed that though........ any way.... last huawei for me ?
demon2112 said:
I don't know about Pixel memory management, it should be fine now... I know it was an debacle, I thought Google had fixed that though........ any way.... last huawei for me ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing I really her about this phone is emui.
Hi,
I actually have both, Mate 20 Pro and Pixel 3XL and am switching back and forth regularly as I can't make up my mind (I'd love the mix of the 2 ).
Regarding Pixel 3XL vs Mate 20 (keep in mind it's the Mate 20 Pro) :
Pros :
• "Clean" Android vs EMUI even though EMUI has some nice features (eg screenshot gesture)
• Regular firmware updates (M20P is said to get monthly but not as far as I am concerned)
• No Bootloader lock
• Android Q 1st day (wait to see when M20P will get it)
Cons :
• Battery (hard to make a full day with my usage vs 1.5 days easy on M20P)
• Missing wide angle which is pretty nice on M20P for landscape pics
• Memory management (even though greatly improved compared to the beginning)
• No Miracast
• No Dual SIM / SD Card
• M20P has better (more vivid) display in my eyes
As far as my usage is concerned, other than Wide angle, both cameras have sufficient quality.
Now even though the Cons list is longer, it all depends on the importance YOU put on each point. I'm on the Pixel 3 XL right now for the last 2 weeks (M20P in a drawer) because the Android experience is globally more satisfying to me (and being able to test Android Q Beta 4).
I too played around with pixel 3a and pixel 3 (not xl).
As LuMe96 says, he is pretty much spot on there, so won't repeat what was said. To be honest, having a clean android is a shock coming from EMUI - feels more swiping going on. Like for example to get application list, you have to hold and swipe all the way up, where as M20P you have an application button. EMUI is more polished.
Comparing cameras - apart from macro shots (which isn't in pixel), night sights is really good (ie, in dark room I was able to read my b'day card, whereas M20P I couldn't). AR mode is very good (you see marvel character in your viewing space as if he/she are there), unlike M20P was rather crappy. You certainly don't find as much camera effects then M20P.
I can't seem to set the shutter speed to like 30 secs on pixel whereas you can on m20p so stars photos isn't great. Might be able to get a better camera app, but afaik, I don't think you can set the shutter speed more then 2s.
I haven't noticed any slow downs or lags, but having said that, I don't play games. It can handle many apps opening at once.
3a camera shots - there is a tiny tiny lag as its rendering the photo you taken, but it doesn't effect the photo speed you taking - it just the rendering.
I get a bit of a storage anxiety - you mindful of lack of storage so if you thinking of installing big fancy 3d games, then i may come to be an issue. (i think you got about 56gb remaining with clean os)
I got a pixel 3 cos I found a really good deal (cheaper then 3a!). 3a isn't that much different to be honest -if you are a type of person that gets a good case and screen protector, then you probably don't need gorilla glass. wireless charging dock is £80, so if you not bothered about wireless charging or paying a fortune for the dock, then 3a is best. Can't remember if pixel is waterproof, but on M20P if a spot of water is on the screen, I found the screen a little unresponsive anyway.
tweedie said:
EMUI is more polished.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're literally the only person I've ever heard say this
crixley said:
You're literally the only person I've ever heard say this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha when I say polished I meant glossy! Shiny colour schemes and all that
to be honest i found the biggest draw backs with the pixel phones the much slower charging speeds and the much worse battery life are really noticeable after having the mate 20 pro and its the two biggest things that made me sell my pixel 3 and keep the mate 20 pro , the battery life and charging speeds are absolute game changers for my usage
updates are nice to have fast but i found emui 9 to have more features and better gestures than stock android and you can theme the mate 20 pro so easy with launcher/theme/font/icon pack etc that emui9 can look very good and more how you want it to look rather than stock android
i like the pixel 3 camera but i also like the mate 20 pro camera , both have strong points and weak points and both are fun to use with great output but i do tend to lean towards the mate 20 pro camera due to its features and versatility although no flash in aperture mode bugs me
i also really like the nokia 9 and prefer the camera output to both the pixel 3 and mate 20 pro , however it also has a smaller battery and slower charging times and again after using the mate 20 pro i really notice that
I prefer the Mate 20p - probably a subjective thing.
I forget the waterproof rating on the 20p, but the Pixel 3 is one value lower (my wife has the Pixel).
I also agree about using an alternate launcher and theming for dealing with clutter. I used Apex for a long time, but yesterday tried out Smart Launcher - very nicely organized with a simple home page, search page and widget page. The best part is the application page, with categorized subsections. Very elegant, and maintains the phone gestures (or customize your own). Here are pics of home page and one of the app screens with the theme I currently use.
I had the pixel 3 and gave it to my mom and bought the mate 20 pro
efalis said:
I prefer the Mate 20p - probably a subjective thing.
I forget the waterproof rating on the 20p, but the Pixel 3 is one value lower (my wife has the Pixel).
I also agree about using an alternate launcher and theming for dealing with clutter. I used Apex for a long time, but yesterday tried out Smart Launcher - very nicely organized with a simple home page, search page and widget page. The best part is the application page, with categorized subsections. Very elegant, and maintains the phone gestures (or customize your own). Here are pics of home page and one of the app screens with the theme I currently use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
niceee that theme is that
demon2112 said:
niceee that theme is that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Azure.
Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
Duncan1982 said:
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
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Not too much to add here.
Really great package!
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
Pretty much fantastic in every aspect, minus four:
- terrible battery life (the worst I've ever had to my opinion, compared to Mate 9, Note 4 and Xperia Z1...)
- no high refresh rate display (and still annoying OLED motion blur)
- slow/unsecure unlocking (UDFS/front camera)
- Samsung's "OneUI" software is good overall, but has still strong geographic differences (in term of app availability, see goodlock software for exemple), and doesn't allow you to tweak your terminal to the extent to it should be possible (Galaxy Theme store (yerk!) should basically be Substratum (lite) + Synergy))
darkphoenix2012 said:
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
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It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
winol said:
It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
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Ditto x10!
Sent from my Note 10+ using Tapatalk
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
tileeq said:
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
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As far as i'm concerned yes...
- battery life
- microSD
- TOF, even though still beta-like software for 3D scan, but works very well for blurring background photos (you can see it when comparing front cam and rear cam)
- larger screen, cause i love this (better for watching videos or multitasking)
I would always feel like i have a sub phone if i went note10 route but that's juste me
Downside is the weight of note10+, i find it kinda heavy in the hand.
Yeah, I absolutely love my note10+
I absolutely love my Note 10+. I wish I had pre-ordered, but I wasn't ready for an upgrade from my Note 8 yet.
I got the Aurora Glow (Snapdragon, Verizon US), mainly because it was the one that was readily available and I wouldn't have to wait. I thought I'd just slap a case on it and never have to look at it, but it turns out I love that crazy rainbow bastard and got a nice clear case. I'm averaging 7hrs of SOT (at highest resolution, no power savings, wifi/data, etc), I haven't had to "top up" during the day once since I got it. Sleep drain is almost non-existent...maybe 4-5% overnight (6-7hrs) with WiFi and bluetooth on. I do a lot of artwork on the fly, and this is even more of a workhorse than my Note 8 was. I do multi-layered (usually 12-20 layers) drawings in Medibang Paint at at least 600dpi and this glorious phone doesn't even stutter. AND (and I know a lot of you don't like it) I was psyched to see a screen protector pre-installed. I know it's a crappy one, but it was great to have while waiting for my "real" one to show up. Really small, but well-appreciated, inclusion. I don't even mind the loss of a headphone jack as much as I thought I would. My portable battery has the wireless charging built in (not that I've needed to use it yet), and I think the sound in the USB C headphones included is better than the ones I got with my Note 8.
My ONLY complaint is the camera. Photos look overly soft, and faces seem flattened out. My Note 8 took much better photos out of the box. At least, in my case, it definitely seems to be a software issue...because using GCam improves the photos dramatically. And it seems that Sammy has already released an update to address photo quality...I just have to wait for Verizon to push out the damn thing. I don't take pro photos or anything, 90% of my picture taking is my kids...but my Note 8 gave me much clearer photos of them running around than I've gotten from my 10+. That being said, I know there's a fix on the way so I'm not going to piss and moan too much about it. I look forward to really using the hell out of the camera once it's updated, especially night mode...I didn't have that on my Note 8.
All in all, nothing but love for this phone.
I perceive the photos to be better than those of my note8, yesterday an update mainly for the fingerprint and camera, became available for my note10+, I am yet to see what improvements it may yield
I was looking at a new Chinese flagship (Realme X2 Pro) but then got to play with Dex on a 10 - bought the Note 10+ dualSIM right there, coming from an S8+. Dex is just fantastic, on my Windows or Mac computers, with an additional 95W wall charger and a 100w USB C hub. Now the phone is fully integrated in my desktop workflow and part of the hub with other devices I own, and I love the ability to cut&paste from/to the phone from my main Windows machine. All other elements one comes to expect from a Samsung flagship are there of course, and video quality is excellent. Writing with the S-Pen on the Nebo App is enough for note taking - I can leave the iPad Pro at home for meetings. And Amazon Germany gave a unexpected $120 rebate, plus tax return from Amazon upon leaving the EU, got a great deal altogether. My S8+ lasted three years and thanks to this community is updated well, will now go to my wife.
3 Stars. The magic is lost. Nothing is special about the series anymore.
Call me jaded as someone who's owned every iteration since the Note 2, but this is not the best from the best that previous Note series enjoyed. Same cameras from S10. Would have liked a better tech that includes a seamless uninterruption of the screen. I can do without a social media whore cam or have a motorized selfie cam for those selfie whores. Also, could have used a speedier screen refresh rate found on the the cheaper One+. Otherwise, speed, battery life, features, all the best android has to offer. Nothing earth shattering and futuristic like the first time we saw the Note Edge or Note 5 or BT pen from note 9. Still has a hole in the screen. Still has a "just a refreshed design until next iteration" look. Screen size increased by a hair. Even diluted the brand by making a smaller Note. I usually go for the best but since I had the blue Note 9, I wanted something different and the Aura Blue is gorgeous but disappointed it only comes in 256gb, another ding against Samsung. Overall, 3 stars because the Note series is known for cutting edge and when you have a camera stolen from an older phone and when you decide to toss in a gimmicky AR camera that everyone used for the first minute and forget about but failed to work on the thing that everyone uses 90% of the time, the screen, like incorporate a 120 refresh rate or do away with the hole or notch, then you aren't living to the high standard that the Note series are known for and that its fanbase expects. You used to be able to say, look what my phone has that you don't. Reverse charging? woopty do. My S10 had that before you. 3 cameras? "Stereo" speakers? Well, my phone has a built in BT stylus. So, my cheaper Note 10 does too! *facepalm* We no longer have something special. Used to be we had it first and then it trickled to other devices. Now, it's the other way around.
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
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Pay attention. You're wrong. We're reviewing the Note 10+. So this isn't the only phone with the s pen. If you pay attention, the diluted note 10 also has one as well as the upcoming note 10 lite. So it still stands, the magic is lost.
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
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winol said:
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
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mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
skoobz said:
mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
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Please check your private messages. Remeber folks this is a fun hobby for us all. There's never a need to get fired up and taking jabs and low blows. If you're starting to get heated just log off and go do something else or keep scrolling.
Let me preface this by saying I am picky about my phones and this is one of the worst I have seen in years! If you have an old phone I can understand some of the upgrade but here are my thoughts coming well staying with a Note 10+. Never bought and returned a phone this quick. Returning before it is even released on Friday!!
Let's start with the good, well somewhat......
Screen: Once again Samsung delivers a world class screen. Best in brightness, color accuracy, etc etc everything like normal that they always produce in their flagships. Now for the downsize, the infamous 120hz screen refresh rate. Not worth it here. Smoother scrolling, sure but barely. I honestly don't even mind the 1080p and 120 hz just the need for the 120hz on a phone is overkill. Was gaming smoother sure, do I game much on my phone, no not really. The 240 touch response I can tell more of a difference and a worthy difference then the 120 hz refresh
Processing power: Phone is fast, minus animations. Photo processing, night mode shots are a big difference. Much faster in that aspect. Wish we saw little more ram and more storage though at this price
Battery: 5000 mah in this device makes it a little thicker but in my short one day of use it stood up pretty well to transferring apps and everything over and hard use for a few hours last night. Couldn't kill it
and now the bad
Camera: throw all the numbers at it and it will be great.... well not so fast. Main shooter in 12 or 108 mp mode cannot focus on anything. Piece of paper on desk in front of you, good luck. Zoom a few feet away from you, also good luck. 5x/10x/30x zoom is better then Note 10+ of course but how often are you going to use this? Everyday? Once a week? Once a month? Still not great quality (usable) at 10x or 30x really so no point in my book. 5x is crisp but falls off too much after that for me to use. Wide angle is same as note so no real improvement here. Camera also seems to make everything more saturated then I like as well almost to the point of unrealistic. The one and only thing the iPhone can do well and the note seems to be closer to that realistic representation then the Ultra.
Design: not that the design is bad but feels a tad on the chunkier side. Rounder edges do help but does not feel as sleek as nice to hold as note or even s10. Thicker as well to house that battery and camera module. Also worried about how scratched the module bump will become after months of abuse.
UI: Let me first say I hate Android 10/Samsung UI 2.0, I am still using 9 and the Ultra reminded me why. App animations are slow (yes can fix in dev options but still), quick replying to text or message in status bar is not instant like prior android generations. Don't know if this is an android 10 or Samsung UI 2.0 problem but seems like it should be an upgrade not a downgrade
Price: $1400 is a lot even for 2020. That is also only for 128 gb and 12 gb ram model. So no upgrade to ram compared to Note and a loss of half the storage compared to entry level note. Plan was to trade in note 10+ and pay $800 and it isn't worth that tp be honest. Not even close. Only foreseeable upgrades are little brighter screen and zoom lens. The rest is a downgrade to me or the same.
I will continue to use note 10+ until Note 20 maybe? Needs to have something better for the money it is going to cost though