Would just like to share my experience on switching from the N7 to the OP3. Might aid the decision making for those who have been thinking about the alternatives with this device in mind.
What I'm about to share isn't gonna be in-depth at all because Youtube has plenty of benchmarks. What I'd like to share is my experience of using the OP3 in a non-controlled environment, without deliberately adding/removing variables.
My first impression of the OP3 is that the design/structure is alright, nothing too impressive; not a major downgrade from the N7. The grip is quite slippery actually but this could be fixed with casings. (OP3 has pretty sweet looking official cases that will not burn your wallet). Body is thinner than the N7 so now I can type perfectly fine with one hand; I no longer have to do extreme thumb stretching just to reach the far end of the keyboard (no, I dislike turning on the one sided keyboard on Note models because they look ugly).
Upon powering it up for the first time, my heart kinda ached due to the resolution downgrade from the N7. I won't lie but QHD actually makes a major difference in the overall experience of using a phone. If you're gonna be very bothered by this, probably better to look at newer phones. After using the OP3 for a few days, my eyes and expectations have adjusted and adapted to what the OP3 offers. It actually looks alright.
Some features that I really appreciate about the OP3 over the N7 - the OP3 is definitely a faster phone. With 6GB of RAM, I have not experienced any lagging at all; suffice to say the phone is extremely responsive. The fingerprint scanners is also one of the more responsive and accurate ones to date. The phone embodies minimalism; I appreciate the fact that it doesn't come pre-loaded with bloatwares. Bluetooth works flawlessly (I had major BT issues with my 1st N7 and also the replacement model such as inability/unstable connection with my Fitbit device/car media system).
Things that I miss & always reminisce - stylus (I do a lot of photo editing with the stylus because it's more accurate that way so now things will be challenging); stock apps which I have always taken for granted (this can be easily mitigated with 3rd party apps); the gorgeous looking always on display (this can also be mitigated but it will not look as good so I don't really bother); great looking low light shots (the manual mode is quite a must if you're particular with photography); long battery life (fortunately OP3 charges extremely fast with Dash charge but this only works with its original charger and cable).
So far I am quite happy with replacing the N7 with OP3 instead of swapping for S7E. The OP3 definitely delivers what it promises. It's a solid phone which lives up to its tagline of Never Settle. I guess one could say that for that amount of money paid, one shouldn't settle for less.
If you choose to buy the OP3, you WILL feel the stark difference. You WILL feel slightly disappointed and frustrated because the first impression will make you think that it's a major downgrade but if you could be open-minded and take time to appreciate its features as well as to customize it with apps that suit your style of utilization, the OP3 will be a worthy companion until the S8 Note variant comes out. Meanwhile, you can stash the differential sum away and earn some interest.This is just comforting to read after i just ordered a unit from gemfive. Well I'll save up till the next spen model.
I just couldn't justifying paying 2.5k for a early 2016 model s7e and couldn't justify the price of the new pixel.
Oct 15 2016, 01:47 PM
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