Thorough day-five impressions. Hopefully some questions/concerns answered

J4rrod

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So I've had the One M8 for a few days now; at least enough time for me to get a real feel and impression of the device. I made the now-heated post asking whether I should get the Icon or M8 a couple days before I went to Verizon, and people in that thread made some very good points. I know a lot of people are probably in the same boat as me when it comes to choosing between the two phones, so here's my reasoning in why I chose the M8 and why I don't regret it.

As we all know, both devices are very good and top of the line. But, I made a simple pros/cons list when deciding between the two. Here's what I came up with:

M8 Pros - design, speakers, latest update preinstalled, latest internals
M8 Cons - Camera, potential support issues

Icon Pros - Camera, support, Nokia apps
Icon Cons - bland hardware, not-latest OS (more on this later), slightly older internals

When I came down to that list, the M8 was very appealing to me, and appeared to win that pros-cons war; the M8's pros outweighed the Icon's, except for one thing - the camera. I like taking pictures on my phone and I do it often. I was worried about this. However, I figured it was worth the risk, and I have a good Nikon anyway if I need it.

So, my thoughts on the M8 after a good five days? 9/10, easy. I do not regret choosing it at all. The hardware is ridiculously good, the screen is fantastic, the performance kills my old 925, and the whole thing just feels right. Now let me address some concerns I know some of you are having.

Camera. Let's get this out of the way. The camera isn't extraordinary. However, for 4 [megapixels], I'm a bit impressed. It handles different situations fairly well, and its low light performance is just as good, if not better, than my 925/920. I don't miss the higher megapixels, but I do miss OIS. Unless you will be using your phone for professional quality pictures, do not let this be a deterrent on getting this device.

Software issues. There have been a few people complaining of random reboots. Some people are saying they're having three a day in some cases. I have had one random reboot in five days. Also, earlier today, the phone completely locked up and wouldn't do a thing, so I had to force reboot it. I've had both of these things happen in the past on Lumias, so I'm hoping this is just a coincidence and not some device-specific issue. We shall see.

On screen buttons. I was a little concerned about these at first, but it's really not much different at all. I'm actually starting to prefer them, since if your finger is on the screen, you can't accidentally hit them because they won't read, which, as we all know, isn't the case for capacitive buttons.

So, there's my initial impressions. Hopefully I've helped some of you all. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Edit: Oh yeah, about the Icon not coming with the latest OS update. I updated my 920 and 925 on the dev preview 8.1, and both their battery lives decreased dramatically. I'm talking losing 50% battery in 5 hours of sitting idle. It was ridiculous, and I wasn't risking that with another device that wasn't made for 8.1. I have no doubt that the Icon with Cyan/official 8.1 would have good battery life, however, but I wasn't about to sit and wait on Verizon.
 
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Laura Knotek

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Nice review! That should be helpful to people who are considering the M8.

I always like to see reviews by actual users, not just tech bloggers.
 

idokamaroq

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Cool, thanks for the info!
Did you also get the dot view case and can report any specific functionality limitations on that? I haven't been able to find anything, but I feel like it might be missing some things from the Android model.
 

J4rrod

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Cool, thanks for the info!
Did you also get the dot view case and can report any specific functionality limitations on that? I haven't been able to find anything, but I feel like it might be missing some things from the Android model.

No, I got the Casemate Naked Tough case for it. I liked the idea of the Dot View, but if you look at some of its reviews, the front of it (the "dot" part) is pretty much in the way when you actually want to use the device. You would think it would flip over and all the way back and lie flush with the back of the phone, but it doesn't. If they make an improved "Dot View 2" I would get it, but I passed on this one.
 

idokamaroq

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No, I got the Casemate Naked Tough case for it. I liked the idea of the Dot View, but if you look at some of its reviews, the front of it (the "dot" part) is pretty much in the way when you actually want to use the device. You would think it would flip over and all the way back and lie flush with the back of the phone, but it doesn't. If they make an improved "Dot View 2" I would get it, but I passed on this one.

Oh, ok.
My other question was if it was awkward to hold with how tall it is and if it is noticeable in your pocket. (I'm coming from a Lumia 920, though, so I'm used to some bulk)
 

chenhogi

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Great review, thanks.
I am a little wary of the on screen buttons, so am glad to hear that you don't find them a problem.
 

EasilyTheBest

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Great review, thanks.
I am a little wary of the on screen buttons, so am glad to hear that you don't find them a problem.
I was worried about the onscreen buttons on a recent Lumia 630 I bought. I really didn't like the sound of them at all and I expected them to mess up sometimes as its obviously done in software rather than hardware. I'm pleased to say they work perfectly, so good in fact, you really forget they are onscreen on the very first day. Way way better than I ever expected. The only tiny annoyance I could find is, when watching films they are a little distracting. Perhaps there will be an update that fades them out when videos start etc.
 

J4rrod

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Nice assessment! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the phone. How's your battery life?


Oh yes, battery life. Should've talked about that. Probably the best I've ever experienced on a smartphone, no joke. I'm a decently heavy use, and I still have 35% or so at the end of the day. Closer to 50% on work days.
 

J4rrod

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I was worried about the onscreen buttons on a recent Lumia 630 I bought. I really didn't like the sound of them at all and I expected them to mess up sometimes as its obviously done in software rather than hardware. I'm pleased to say they work perfectly, so good in fact, you really forget they are onscreen on the very first day. Way way better than I ever expected. The only tiny annoyance I could find is, when watching films they are a little distracting. Perhaps there will be an update that fades them out when videos start etc.


Is there not an option to hide them like there is on the M8? On the M8, you can either swipe up from the bottom to hide and show them, or hit the little arrow.
 

scotiez

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Very good review. When I bought mine I actually bought 3 cases cause I didn't know what I would like better, The dot view case, Casemate barely there clear, and the casemate naked tough case. I have not tried the 2 casemate cases yet, and at 1st the dot view case did bug me with the flip not lying flat on the back but I am kinda getting used to it. Waiting to see how it holds up and I will probably not buy another one, just something to have for now.
 

cbreze

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Another plus for the M8 over the ICON IMO is the smooth rounded corners of the M8 , where the ICON's are so sharply squared. I had no idea how much that annoyed me until I actually got the M8 and saw the difference. I would have a hard time going back to such a design. I know maybe trivial for some, but the difference between the two is quite a lot. I know Nokia seems to like this design, but theres no sleekness to it.
 

TaliZorah

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OP forgot one HUGE pro with the Lumia... Wireless charging. So easy to just drop phone on a pad at night and go to bed. Doesnt seem like a big deal but I honestly see it as a must have now.
 

cbreze

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OP forgot one HUGE pro with the Lumia... Wireless charging. So easy to just drop phone on a pad at night and go to bed. Doesnt seem like a big deal but I honestly see it as a must have now.
Your right, this is a big plus of the icon. I never used it at night, but found myself needing a boost during the day and it came in handy for that. I could also add a huge plus for the M8 tho is I have yet to need any daytime boost as the M8 consistently makes it thru the day on a single charge. I could never make a whole day with my Icon.
 

lizziej

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OP forgot one HUGE pro with the Lumia... Wireless charging. So easy to just drop phone on a pad at night and go to bed. Doesnt seem like a big deal but I honestly see it as a must have now.
I used to have the 8x and used a wireless charger every day. I was concerned about this when I upgraded to the M8 but honestly it hasn't been an issue. Where it used to be habit to drop my phone onto the charging plate its basically as easy to plug it in instead. It has the added advantage of being able to charge while plugged in with out either unplugging the wireless charger or holding the plate to the phone!
 

TaliZorah

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Your right, this is a big plus of the icon. I never used it at night, but found myself needing a boost during the day and it came in handy for that. I could also add a huge plus for the M8 tho is I have yet to need any daytime boost as the M8 consistently makes it thru the day on a single charge. I could never make a whole day with my Icon.
Really? I get almost 2 days without having to charge. Take it off pad in the morning. Dont need to charge it until the NEXT night. Will have between 10-20% battery life left. Same goes for my two friends who have Icons.
 

TaliZorah

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Your right, this is a big plus of the icon. I never used it at night, but found myself needing a boost during the day and it came in handy for that. I could also add a huge plus for the M8 tho is I have yet to need any daytime boost as the M8 consistently makes it thru the day on a single charge. I could never make a whole day with my Icon.
I keep a charger at my desk, living room and at work in case i need to plug it in. You are right about being able to use it while charging but at night when not using it ot any othet time dont have to use it wireless is the way to go. So simple. and conveinent.
 

gapost

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How about the screen outside in the sun? The Icon is excellent and in fact, has a setting for extra brightness in the sun.
 

cbreze

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How about the screen outside in the sun? The Icon is excellent and in fact, has a setting for extra brightness in the sun.
I wouldn't call the icon excellent in the sun, far from it IMO. It is only ok in sunlight,even with the brightness setting turned on, I always found.myself having to shade it with my body somehow blocking the sun. The M8 is about the same
 

EasilyTheBest

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Is there not an option to hide them like there is on the M8? On the M8, you can either swipe up from the bottom to hide and show them, or hit the little arrow.


No, there wasn't an option for this.
I'm sure there will be an update somewhere along the line tho, especially as there's already a phone out there (M8) with the option.
 

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