yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[General Questions and Answers] Backcountry:
Hei,

I am looking to buy a smartphone that I will occasionally carry into the backcountry. I will use it for reading maps: topo, satellite, etc.

- long-life battery, 5000 mAh or more

- 6 GB of RAM or more .... I think .....

- new or refurbished

- 5G is optional

- unlocked, GSM, LTE and ideally CDMA

Waterproof is not necessary as I have or will procure a waterproof bag/container.

I drowned my Samsung Galaxy Note IV in the Skeena River, north-central British Columbia, in early July. Don't ask... Wanted to change it for a while as the battery life was far too short and was unable to install a custom ROM.

My current frustration is that I would ideally like a 6 to 6 1/2 inch / 150 to 165 mm smartphone that is perhaps 3 1/4 inches wide. I cannot find one for the life of me!

Spec question: How much RAM should I get so I can quickly load and manipulate PDF file topo maps?

Assuming ~3 inches/76.1 mm is as wide as I can readily find, I think I like the following:

+ The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 3.01 inches wide. Not fond of Samsung bloatware.

+ Motorola One 5G Ace (2021) . 6GB of RAM, 5000 mAh battery, water repellent GSM/CDMA and inexpensive.

We live in wildfire country, interior British Columbia. I am an old guy and rarely carry a smartphone unless outside the house. I always carry one with me when hiking, x-c skiing, canoeing and fishing in the region.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
See samsung s22 ultra.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
You are right, go with pixel 6 pro.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Oneplus 9 has a more performant processor, which in turn is also more battery inefficient. Depends. If you play games, oneplus 9 is the best. If you don't, oneplus 8 pro is a better choice for battery life.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Go with an old pixel. Something like pixel 4. Should have mid range prices right now.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Two things to take in consideration :

1. Low signal quality forces the phone to search for signal even more, thus increased battery usage. Generates heat

2. The screen, in bright sunlight, needs to have maximum brightness. Generates heat.

Heat is the enemy of your battery. Most phones have passive cooling. If you also use them in a case and store them in your bag, that does not help with heat. That's where gaming phones are different. They are made to endure heat, in order to provide a good experience even when running with the screen brightness at max. Some of them even have liquid cooling. Unfortunately they are not cheap. So either go for older gaming models or older flagships. Mid-range devices usually skip on all these features in order to cut prices.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Go for 8 pro. The differences in camera subcategory is quite small, but 8 pro does have optical stabilization. Either way, on both you can install a gcam port that is going to do wonders and be way better than both stock cameras.
[General Questions and Answers] Backcountry:
Thank you. I had not given the heating/cooling issue much though at all.

Oddly enough, when I build a PC workstation, heat and cooling are a priority. When I use a laptop, I am careful to position the laptop in order to allow for effective cooling.

I wonder if I should start a policy of either turning the smartphone off or temporarily shutting down some functions when in the bush?

To put this into perspective, I carry all these maps on the phone in case I need them but rarely consult them as I have studied the relevant maps on a 27 or 48 inch monitor before going. I essentially form a 3D image of the area to be visited before I head out the door.

Perhaps I should also think about case choices with a view to cooling going forward.

In the past, when shopping CPUs and motherboards, I would pay attention to what gamers and overclockers preferred. Might make sense for this purchase.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Also, see if ultra/maximum battery saving mode can help you. Essentially is a mode where non essentials services, like Google play services, are turned off. This also throttles down the processor, to reduce heat and consumption. If you rely on Google maps, this will hinder you. But if you rely on other apps, like Maps.me , it may or may not hinder you.
[General Questions and Answers] HippoMan:
I am looking to buy a new phone, and given what I have read here and elsewhere (mostly in the Magisk-related threads), it seems to me that a Pixel 5 could be a good choice, given the criteria which are important to me.

I'm wondering if one or more of you who are familiar with the Pixel 5 could confirm that all 4 of the following criteria can indeed be fulfilled via a Pixel 5.

To be clear, I'm looking for all 4 of these criteria ... not any smaller subset.

So, can I indeed have all of the following with a Pixel 5?

(1) Unlockable boot loader.

(2) Easily rootable via Magisk and perhaps related utilities. By "easily", I mean that the rooting process is known, well documented, and reliable. And by "reliable", I mean that if the instructions are all followed and all the proper versions of the appropriate utilities are used, then there is no chance of boot loops or other craziness during the rooting process.

(3) There is a workable and reliable way to hide the fact that the device is rooted and modded, at least hidden from most commonly used apps. By "reliable", I again mean that if instructions are all followed and all the proper versions of the appropriate utilities are used, then the root-and-mod hiding procedures will succeed without boot loops or other craziness as a result of this process.

(4) I can utilize LSPosed or some other xposed alternative to run "Gravity Box" and perhaps some other xposed-based modules. And again, I'd like to know that LSPosed can be reliably installed and utilized, again with the same definition of "reliable" that I'm using above: no chance of boot loops or other craziness as long as proper module versions are used and as long as instructions are followed.

Again, I would like to know if all 4 of these criteria are fulfillable with a Pixel 5 ... not 2 of them or 3 of them, but again, all 4 of these criteria. And by "fulfillable", I mean that these items are all fully available in all of the ways that I have described each of them above.

Thank you very much for any thoughts and feedback.
[General Questions and Answers] Backcountry:
Thanks. I only use google maps at home or in an urban area.
[General Questions and Answers] blackhawk:
Note 10+ is the best Samsung's got; the last well balanced phone Samsung put out. -New- and used ones available. The N975U/U1; AT&T versus unlocked Snapdragon variants. I have both, there's not much difference in terms of bloatware; both run the same.

12gb of ram and up to 1tb of expandable V30 rated storage. One of the best if not the best displays available today in terms of color accuracy, white point and gamma. Not the brightest though, best display/bezel ratio. Not rootable, but will run like a bat out of hell once optimized*.

A solidly built gorgeous, thin, light, workhorse of a Note. New ones will be loaded with Android 10; I recommend going no higher than 10. Even on my oldest N10+'running on Pie security is not an issue. Current OS load is over 2 yo with minimal maintenance.

PM me for if you want a trusted vendor for a new factory sealed one($700) or for the Package Disabler link.

*Either use Package Disabler or adb edits to kill the bloatware.
[General Questions and Answers] Backcountry:
Yes, I did like the specs on the Note 10+. Quality displays help read details on maps. They are actually easier to read on a digital device than paper maps.

I used package disabler on the Note IV which turned out to be an AT&T version that was impossible to root. Rookie mistake.

A question about your comment that the Note 10+ is not rootable. This page suggests that custom ROMs are available for the Note 10 family: List of devices with Android 12/12L Custom ROMs Would that not imply that the Note 10+ family phones are rootable?
[General Questions and Answers] blackhawk:
It's much more impressive in person. Lots of work area and perfectly square display corners.

Looking at the S20 vs the N10+ in person side by side, it took me less then 5 seconds to decide on the Note. No doubts.

It's resolution exceeds the human eye's threshold even with 20/10 vision. Plus you have the handy spen magnifier.

The Exynos variants are rootable but the Snapdragon is a better processor with an excellent heatpipe (the exynos variants may lack this and use the inferior graphene hs). I recommend running a stock optimized Snapdragon variant. Using a custom rom with cause issues with functionality. Much of the Samsung bloatware is useful and use little or no resources when resting. The Samsung firmware is what makes it a Note! Screwing with the firmware is the most sure fire way to TKO a Note.

Not worth the risks or trouble as this device will run very well stock.

The curve portion of the screen can house the Edge pull out as well as One Handed Operation plus, a Galaxy store Good Lock family of apps.
[General Questions and Answers] orangzeb:
Hi everyone, long time no see, After my Xperia XZ Premium Panel died on me and I can't find in my country (all I can do is order it from Aliexpress and it will arrive after 2 months and also the vibrator is dead) I'm planning to either replace it's panel / touch (even though the phone works fine with pc and touch works too) or I'm planning to buy a used phone in similar budget say...umm 80USD.

I want maximum video quality and battery standby time, mind you I've only used Sony phones since I was a kid (Sony Ericsson) so the main issue I have with Sony phones is: HEATING PROBLEM specially when recording videos or using hotspot as I live in a hot place, I was planning to buy XZ3 but then I though about asking here first. I don't expect a similar camera like Iphone XII but whatever max I can get in that budget, BTW the new panel for XZ premium is in 34USD.

What do you guys suggest? Redmi? Realmi? or Some other phone? Thanks in advance.
[General Questions and Answers] blackhawk:
Note 10+ Snapdragon. Best display out there in terms of color/gamma accuracy. It's a solid work horse that runs like a bat out of hell once optimized. Up to 1tb of V30 rated expandable storage. Not rootable, fixed 60hz refresh rate and no 5G... which aren't a huge downside. Excellent standby time and good SOT. New ones can still be had for $700 or used for half of that.

A N975U running on Pie with a older battery🤣
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
wait for the panel. at that price point it would be hard to recommend anything even remotely comparable.
[General Questions and Answers] orangzeb:
That's what I want, Is there a fix for camera heat / phone heat, No?
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
I might have some suggestions :

1. Debloating your phone. If you can't, consider using lightweight apps to your normal ones (like Facebook lite instead of Facebook app)

2. Don't use a case, it keeps all the heat in

3. Root, flash a custom kernel and underclock it. Underclocking the processor will result in cooler temps.

4. Use a third party app like gcam. Maybe it will not stress your phone that much.

5. Consider a gaming cooler (https://global.blackshark.com/products/black-shark-gaming-cooler)
[General Questions and Answers] orangzeb:
Thank You So Much for your replies and suggestions, I'll order the panel whenever I can, can you please link me to the best / latest rooting method for G8141 I mean from installing recovery to kernel, rom and underclocking please?
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Follow parts from these 2 links. I suggest you read thoroughly both threads.

https://xdaforums.com/t/my-experien...0-107-twrp-magisk-stock-rom-existenz.4077319/

https://xdaforums.com/t/kernel-boot-drmfix-magisk-sony-xz-premium-g8141-g8142-11-march-2019.3784669/

As for underclocking and undervolting

https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1b6eb0
[General Questions and Answers] DRAFF:
Hi guys, I have to buy a smartphone with these characteristics: under 400 €, which has a length not exceeding 160mm, which has a good camera, which has good overall performance.

As for size and price I found these three:

a. OnePlus Nord 2 5G

b. OnePlus Nord 2T

c. Xiaomi 12 Lite

1) Could you tell me if they are valid choices, if someone is absolutely to be avoided or preferred and, if so, are there alternatives (which meet the requirements I have requested)?

2) Could you advise me on the order of preference, especially as regards the photo sector?

Thank you
[General Questions and Answers] james28909:
howdy all, i am looking for a budget phone that i can unlock the bootloader and load custom roms and stuff. mainly i need access to some apps that only run on rooted devices. it seems like every phone ive got for the past 10 years cannot be bootloader unlocked. i use safelink as my provider and i think they sold out to verizon not to long ago.

but the main things i want out of the phone is:

1. less than 200

2. nfc chip

3. bootloader unlockable with lineage os or custom roms

4. custom recovery

5. updated android os (hopefully android 10 or higher)

6. not a samsung

i was thinking about oneplus devices. would a oneplus 5t or 6t be good? or are there newer versions that are cost effective? any other brand device would be ok, but i am not a huge fan of samsung devices but i guess i could consider them if the price is right. please let me know and thanks in advance.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
go with xiaomi. it has the most capable cameras, runs snapdragon (future custom rom support) and good performance. as for the order of preference, c>a >b
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
see motorola lineup. for example Motorola moto g9 plus
[General Questions and Answers] Guybrush.d:
Hi everybody,

i was just kidding in the title...I'm from Italy and it's long time i don't write here in the forum but i follow it frequently. I owned a ROG phone 2 until March, then because i wanted a bigger screen without bezels, better cameras and a pen to play old fashioned dos games adventures, i moved to a Note 20 ultra, unfortunately here in Europe we are forced to buy the Exynos version, and at beginning i didn't mind, now after 6 months i started to notice the phone warming up, the 5g signal is always low (also 4g but it's full on the unused second sim!), plus i don't use almost ever the s-pen, and i hate doubled app especially for playstore that is always "killed" by galaxy store, in few words i'm not a samsung guy i'm a stock/almost stock android guy, so i decided to sell my note and go back to android stock. In the past i owned the oneplus one and oneplus 6T and now i cannot find any other phone with the same features of oneplus, but i'm scared about the lost oxygen os, can you suggest me if it's worth to buy it? Do you have some alternative? I thought about another asus rog but i will miss the curved screen (that make the phone screen look wider) and the camera quality, i also considered the google pixel but first it has not a snapdragon and second i discovered it has a samsung modem so maybe i will have the same signal issues, and i will not get the same speed of a Qualcomm chip, so please give my a suggestion so i can free my self from samsung cage...thanks!
[General Questions and Answers] ATBG:
My current phone has no custom ROM support, I tried GSIs.

I like custom ROMs better since they are made for that device.

What is the best phone for custom ROM, root, wireless charging support?

I want it to be under $200 if possible.
[General Questions and Answers] ceaser333:
Currently, Galaxy Watch4 is costing less than Charge 5 where I live. Should I go with the Galaxy watch4 knowing that I'll be missing ECG and Blood Pressure monitoring since I use Google Pixel 6? I need a fitness tracker with accurate HR monitoring and GPS navigation. In several videos, Galaxy watch4's HR tracking seems more accurate than Charge5's and it also gets GPS navigation(apart from just GPS tracking). I won't really be using the smartwatch features anyway but since it is cheaper and can do most of the things Charge 5 can hence I'm considering it. My main requirement is that the device should be able to track sports activities accurately. Is getting Watch4 the right decision? Is Charge 5 worth it even if it costs more than Watch4?
[General Questions and Answers] ATBG:
Nvm, I chose the Google Pixel 3 XL.
[General Questions and Answers] s00bz:
Hello members,

New here, i am looking for a phone to root. Im lookimg on ebay for a sub $50 phone in below average to average condition that can be rooted off the bat.

Im reaching out to see if anyone has recommendations?

Im understanding so far to avoid carrier locked phones. It seems mostly oneplus or pixel phones will work but it seems that not every phone can have its bootloader unlocked.

Just looking for advice and tips.

I have rooted an s6 or s7 before but that was years ago and idk where that phone is now
[General Questions and Answers] Oswald Boelcke:
Hello and good morning, @s00bz

Welcome to XDA. I hope you'll always find and get the solution you require.

However, prior to your next posting please read the guidances that are stuck on top of every forum like

Note: Questions go in Q&A Forum

If you are posting a Question Thread post it in the Q&A forum. Technical discussion of Android development and hacking. No noobs, please. Device-specific releases should go under the appropriate device forum...

xdaforums.com

and the others. I've moved your post to

**What phone should I buy next?** -- Not sure what device to buy? Ask here!

Hi everyone, This thread is a continuation of this thread. This is here so you can discuss what your next phone/tablet should be, if you're not sure what to pick. Also, if you need advice as to which device is better than another, then feel...

xdaforums.com

Thanks for your cooperation!

Regards

Oswald Boelcke
[General Questions and Answers] s00bz:
Thanks Oswald
[General Questions and Answers] zainbintariq1122:
Best supported phone to buy to learn Android kernel?​

I am an embedded Linux developer and now trying to learn Android Kernel development as a hobby. I know from the ROOT community that there are sometimes certain phones considered to be "favourites" among developers, and they build a lot of custom ROMs and Kernels for that phone.

I want a suggestion about buying an old used Android phone that I can experiment on with Kernel development. Please suggest an Android phone that is being liked or used to be liked by most developers and has the most study material or help available so that things will stay accessible for me in the future.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
See some Xiaomi phones. Got a redmi note 8 pro, with a mediatek processor. Even with that, got 4-5 custom kernels available. Xiaomi usually sends some units to developers before each launch. And midrange devices are decent enough nowadays that most people would choose those. That would be a good place to start.
[General Questions and Answers] SuperUser1010:
I currently have LG V30 and like the phone, but have severe connection issues and believe tinkering around with it may lead to nothing.

What is a good phone, with the below requirements, for ~300, give or take?

Headphone jack

CDMA network (verizon)

Not extremely complicated to root - has good guides to root

Has 5g

Protective case that does not break the bank
[General Questions and Answers] liberator130:
Looking for a phone that has the best support for rooting, modding, 3.5mm jack, preferably FM radio tuner (NextRadio capable) and easy to use Viper4Audio. Should I look at the Nord N20, Poco X4 Pro, or Pixel 5a instead?
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Poco x4 pro
[General Questions and Answers] liberator130:
Good note. How might this compare to the Motorola Edge in this regard?
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Which Motorola Edge? There are 8 versions.
[General Questions and Answers] liberator130:
Oh lol let's try this one https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-bat...uOTEifQ==&sprefix=motorola+edg,aps,289&sr=8-3
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Well each has their strengths and weaknesses. The Moto has a better processor and video and selfie capabilities, while the Poco has a better build quality, IP53 resistant, photography capability, screen, microsd, headphone jack, charging speed and better custom rom community support.
[General Questions and Answers] liberator130:
I see. Many thanks for your inputs! Poco it is!
[General Questions and Answers] snx413:
Hello, i would like somes advices, i never bought google pixel devices, im hesiting between xiaomi 12t pro, google pixel 7 or even 7 pro if its really worth it (near of 200usd for the pro...) or even another phone with good photo and gaming use ... 700-800 usd budget arround for a 2-3 years phone plan use, if you guys could help me...

Thanks
[General Questions and Answers] Darkmasterhk:
Some phone recommendations for mix used including some gaming?

I'm not really interested in a good cam, especially front cam.

Top priority would be performance (consistent -> low throttling) + good battery

I was looking at the Oneplus 10T, Asus Zenfone 9 and Moto Edge 30 pro. The ROG 6D also looks nice, but rather expensive.

But as expected, one will find negatives about all 3 of them. 1+ has suffered some reputation loss, Asus SW seems to be a bit buggy sometimes...

Any recommendation? I wanted to change to something newer (SoC wise) so I would like to get a phone using SD 8(+) Gen1 or 9000+

Guess there will be custom roms for all 3 of them later on.

My fav is the Asus right now for now specific reason, but the 1+ is on sale right now...
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
you are using usd, that means you live in america ? if so, xiaomi might not provide the best coverage. go for a samsung s21 ultra
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
well, for gaming you can go with

1. ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S Pro

2. Asus ROG Phone 6

3. Lenovo Legion Y90

4. Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro
[General Questions and Answers] snx413:
Im from france , im not a big fan of samsung, the price are a bit high here for them, the normal s22 is at 850usd
[General Questions and Answers] mrrocketdog:
am wanting to look for new phone ,

---- musr work on att's new "allowed" phone list.

---- must be rooteable. (with custom rom theads).

---- must have sdcard slot.

---- good sound from speakers.

---- headphone jack.

*** anything else can be whatever quality.

thank you for any leads , suggestionsj.

dave
[General Questions and Answers] Trunksleo:
Which its the best camera on a phone up to 600 dollars??? I only care for the camera improvement from a s20 fe.
[General Questions and Answers] chip999:
need a new phone. Long battery life is important. Fast battery charging time, expandable storage space and clean OS. Strong CPU and GPU. if storage not expandable then 256GB space. it should run emulators well. max price is 600€. so far i picked this phones https://geizhals.de/?cat=WL-2738874 im willing to wait till price drops more.
[General Questions and Answers] CheapDad:
I'm looking for a good candidate for a ipod substitute. In the past, I've picked up a rootable prepaid phone, removed the bloat and added a podcast player. My current one still works, but runs Android 4 so many apps haven't been updated in quite a long time. Smaller screen is better since I run with it. My current one is a 4.5" screen.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Try custom roms. What phone you currently have ?
[General Questions and Answers] CheapDad:
Thank you for your help. I've got an LG VS450PP. It's running Android v. 4.4. It's great as an ipod replacement because its small, but not too small, thin and lightweight.
[General Questions and Answers] Fytdyh:
Unfortunately for that phone you are out of luck. Now, if you could find an LG Nexus 4, that would be an amazing ipod like phone. Still strongly supported by the community, you can even find android 11 roms for it. And way smaller and lightweight.