Strange that I have the N3 and haven't had any of these issues. The only one I can partly identify with is the camera lag, but this was due to the stabilisation feature which I've now turned off.
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Galaxy Note 3 (The Perfect Phone?)
- Thread starter AX338
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I am still rocking a Note 2, for about a year and a half now. It was really starting to run slow, as it had a touchwiz-based custom rom that hadn't been updated since spring of last year. But two weeks ago I flashed it with LiquidSmooth rom (KitKat 4.4.4. and no Touchwiz). It is like having a brand-new phone. Everything runs faster and loads faster. Truly amazed at how different it is.
I was leaning towards going back to an iPhone with the 6 plus but I had hoped it would have some new enhancements beyond just the larger screen (the payments thing doesn't do it for me). So it looks like the Note 4 will likely be the one to replace my Note 2. I don't feel in a big rush now, though, as the Note 2 doesn't feel slow at all with that new rom. Regardless, the Note 4 will be a big upgrade for me, compared to those with a Note 3.
A year ago I could have gone back to an iPhone a lot easier. But now the list of things I would miss if I were to go back to an iPhone has grown.
Mike
I was leaning towards going back to an iPhone with the 6 plus but I had hoped it would have some new enhancements beyond just the larger screen (the payments thing doesn't do it for me). So it looks like the Note 4 will likely be the one to replace my Note 2. I don't feel in a big rush now, though, as the Note 2 doesn't feel slow at all with that new rom. Regardless, the Note 4 will be a big upgrade for me, compared to those with a Note 3.
A year ago I could have gone back to an iPhone a lot easier. But now the list of things I would miss if I were to go back to an iPhone has grown.
Mike
Mate, would you mind directing me to the instructions you used to root it? I tried using the method prescribed on galaxynote2root.com but I got stuck halfway through the process. Haven't tried using the supposedly new last version of CWM recovery though.
The Note 2 is still the best phone I have ever owned. I use a Note 3 right now, but so many issues with the camera, digitizer, reboots and instability. My GN2 was rock solid until it suffered the sim tray of death a month out of warranty. Battery life was amazing too, very good pics except in low light, great display, I could go on and on.
You should have swapped it out on warranty, my N3 doesn't have most of these issues. Camera is bad in dim light and sometimes lags, make sure you have stabilization off in settings, my 5s camera lagged horribly though. In almost a year of owning my N3 I cannot recall any apps crashing, I'm sure its happened but its so rare I can't even recall it happening.
Radio and voice quality are superb and no dropped calls. Reception is a tad bit worse than the ip5 and it seems a bit flaky in low signal situations, especially with data.
I'm now on my fourth N3 since release. First ones had the spontaneous reboot issues. The signal was never fantastic but usable until Verizon released KK and simultaneously XLTE. That drove a nail into my N3 performance. The lag and camera issues are just poor design.
Again, I'm not alone. CDMA Verizon N3 users are complaining en masse on their support forums.
Happy to be moving on. The N3 doesn't even get VoLTE love on Verizon now. Obsolete within 11 months of release. This is how Samsung plays....purely disposable tech loaded with last years feature bloat the second they are released. N4 will suffer the same fate.
My T-Mobile N3 doesn't seem to have any of those issues. I haven't used the camera enough yet though.
The issues seem to be Verizon exclusives ?
Reposting one of my earlier posts from another thread:
Just as a heads up, while the G3 does indeed suffer from it's high-res screen the Note 4 does not.
The Note 4's screen has a LOWER power consumption than the Galaxy Note 3. Heck, it consumes LESS power than the HTC One(M7)'s 1080p, and Xperia Z(also 1080p) display.
More pixels and better power consumption? Nothing to complain about, only issue might be more heavy usage of the GPU.
For the Note 4, the power consumption argument is moot.
source: http://www.displaymate.com/Galaxy_Note4_ShootOut_1.htm
Displaymate said:
I have spent countless hours on phone with Verizon. They blame Samsung. I've spent countless hours on phone with Samsung (who, by the way, staffs their level 3 tech support desk with 3rd graders I think) and they blame Verizon.
The problem appears to be that to enable XLTE (which Verizon is doing nationwide) Verizon started using a new channel spectrum. Samsung used a radio in their N3 that is a couple of generations old. Allegedly, per Verizon, if Samsung releases a radio firmware upgrade, this can be resolved. Samsung is NOT known for releasing firmware upgrades on what they consider to be "last generation" handsets. They view their world as upgrade or perish. What I've been told is that if I exchange my handsets enough I may end up with a N3 that was manufactured sometime in 2014 and that one MAY have better luck working on the newer spectrums offered by XLTE.
Samsung blames KitKat as the culprit by the way.
I've flashed my modem firmware to something lower than NC4 and I've gotten some of my voice quality back but in general even with 4-5 bars of LTE I experience dropped calls 6-7 times per day.
At any rate, yes....appears to be primarily a Verizon issue. Since the phone is unlocked, I may just slide a StraightTalk sim in there and use it as a backup phone. Pretty damn big for a backup though.
I'm done with Samsung. I prefer my phones to have at least a 2 year lifecycle and this whole finger pointing between carriers, Google and Samsung is for the birds.
The problem appears to be that to enable XLTE (which Verizon is doing nationwide) Verizon started using a new channel spectrum. Samsung used a radio in their N3 that is a couple of generations old. Allegedly, per Verizon, if Samsung releases a radio firmware upgrade, this can be resolved. Samsung is NOT known for releasing firmware upgrades on what they consider to be "last generation" handsets. They view their world as upgrade or perish. What I've been told is that if I exchange my handsets enough I may end up with a N3 that was manufactured sometime in 2014 and that one MAY have better luck working on the newer spectrums offered by XLTE.
Samsung blames KitKat as the culprit by the way.
I've flashed my modem firmware to something lower than NC4 and I've gotten some of my voice quality back but in general even with 4-5 bars of LTE I experience dropped calls 6-7 times per day.
At any rate, yes....appears to be primarily a Verizon issue. Since the phone is unlocked, I may just slide a StraightTalk sim in there and use it as a backup phone. Pretty damn big for a backup though.
I'm done with Samsung. I prefer my phones to have at least a 2 year lifecycle and this whole finger pointing between carriers, Google and Samsung is for the birds.
Hmm, maybe it's an issue with the CDMA variant. I did warranty my first N3 with some hardware issues, the proximity sensor and GPS failed.
VoLTE looks interesting, although one of its main features of using data while on a phone call is moot for me on GSM. But it sounds like the Note series isn't a good fit for you anyhow.
I keep finding new features on the note 3, like using voice commands in the lock screen to unlock the phone/open the camera etc. Pretty cool!
You write a note in S Note and then pin it to the home screen, and it becomes a miniature of the actual note so you can read it even without opening it. Like having a real sticky on your phone (and not one of those ****** "sticky" widgets that look so horrible). I LOVE this little detail.
I just discovered the stylus Beta app. I have to say this is one killer combo-the Note stylus and app beta. It totally redefines what a keyboard is and how productive it is . I just typed (wrote) this using stylus beta. This is what I love about Android and the freedom to have multiple Input methods.
Edit : this is on my Note 10.1
Edit : this is on my Note 10.1
I have similar feeling - note 3 satisfies my needs perfectly and there is nothing in note 4 that would make me to upgrade unless my note 3 breaks down. 
Can you provide a link to the app? In playstore there are a few with similar names.
In follow up to my other previous S5 images and rankings of the camera images vs the new iP6+, I'll chime back in and state the Note 3, while certainly not perfect, does a great job all around.
Again, no one is going to use the Note 3 for family portraits but you can get excellent prints/images for things we do every day in life.
Here's a shot of my son's new found pet that he's caring for while a friend is on vacation. Lighting seems brighter than it is really and the camera does remarkably well.
Move over to a much higher ISO Situation, not even one where I would use a DSLR to take a photo of a person in without a flash simply because it would turn out horribly flat and lifeless in terms of eyes, but nonetheless a shot I wanted to show since the Note 3 has been referenced as being unusable when in fact that's not true.
These images were from a trip we took back in the spring whereby I shot the entire vacation using my Note 3. Again, worked great and while as a photog I enjoy taking my other cameras and typically do, I can appreciate being not being so focused on images and more on family and good times. Pun intended.
None are prize winning but rather just typical examples of what a camera phone is likely going to be used to shoot. No worries on the indoor shots even.
Again, no one is going to use the Note 3 for family portraits but you can get excellent prints/images for things we do every day in life.
Here's a shot of my son's new found pet that he's caring for while a friend is on vacation. Lighting seems brighter than it is really and the camera does remarkably well.
Move over to a much higher ISO Situation, not even one where I would use a DSLR to take a photo of a person in without a flash simply because it would turn out horribly flat and lifeless in terms of eyes, but nonetheless a shot I wanted to show since the Note 3 has been referenced as being unusable when in fact that's not true.
These images were from a trip we took back in the spring whereby I shot the entire vacation using my Note 3. Again, worked great and while as a photog I enjoy taking my other cameras and typically do, I can appreciate being not being so focused on images and more on family and good times. Pun intended.
None are prize winning but rather just typical examples of what a camera phone is likely going to be used to shoot. No worries on the indoor shots even.