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Early Verdict From an Owner

G

GingerBeer

Lurker
I picked up an Avant this week when my old phone crapped out. It's the most bloatware-ridden P.O.S. I've ever owned. Their "Unlock Phone" app is really just for overseas use, and the amount of redundant garbage (four different failures of calender apps, Samsung apps, T-Mobile apps, Touch Wiz) is unreal.

I'm hoping once there's root access and a clean version of the OS that it may become a practical device, but I'd have to advise against purchasing it for anyone that doesn't want to go that route. I know I'm counting the days until I can delete all the crap that was preloaded.
 
Disappointing to hear. Although I'm unlikely to buy this phone, I had high hopes for it as a replacement for the Galaxy Light.

Bloat aside, how is the actual performance of the device? Smooth/laggy? Does it hang when you load the dialer or text app? How about some Antutu and/or Quadrant benchmars? What does CPU-Z identify the processor as being? How about the screen?
 
After spending a few days turning off as many bloat apps as I could, the performance of the handset was significantly better. There's some minor latency, but there's some power and speed hiding inside.

Ran Quadrant:

Total: 8191
CPU: 30720
Memory: 2351
I/O: 5520
2D: 314
3D: 2050

CPU-Z is listing the processor as a quad core ARM Cortex-A7, clocking in at 300MHz - 1.19GHz

The screen works well enough. Resolution is 540x960.
 
Just picked up a Galaxy Avant from WalMart for my wife. First impression is that it is a nice phone. It's easier to hold than my S5, which was a problem for her. It seems to connect about as well as the S5 in a poor signal area. It doesn't switch screens when you swipe as rapidly as the S5, but it's fast enough.

I haven't found any TPM cases or tempered glass screen protectors yet. I hope some become available.

Bloatware seems similar to what was on the S5.
 
Seeker4 said:
It doesn't switch screens when you swipe as rapidly as the S5, but it's fast enough.
Click to expand...

1. Get rid of any unused/unneeded widgits on the homescreens and use a static wallaper instead of a live one (if you are).

2. Disable unneeded/unwanted T-Mobile/Samsung bloatware.

3. Go into settings -> About Phone and tap the Build number seven times to enable Developer Options. In Developer Options, find the animation scalers and change them to 0.5x or turn them off entirely. Don't mess with anything else unless you know what you're doing.

Things should be a bit snappier now.
 
Agreed. I tried these suggestions independently, the phone is much faster now. If root access and a clean rom become available, it might even become something I would recommend.
 
A "long press" on the button to the left of the home key opens the menu. Samsung made the one key do double-duty: short press is recent apps, long press is menu. The argument they present for doing that is that most apps now have a menu button of their own so the menu button at the bottom is less needed.
 
Seeker4 said:
A "long press" on the button to the left of the home key opens the menu. Samsung made the one key do double-duty: short press is recent apps, long press is menu. The argument they present for doing that is that most apps now have a menu button of their own so the menu button at the bottom is less needed.
Click to expand...
That's pretty cool. While it's true that most apps have the menu button, I still like it on the home screen, and I'm used to having the menu button, and rarely use "recents" I also like the arrangment - I'm so used to having "back" on the right and "menu" on the left, that I won't buy a phone or use a ROM that doesn't allow me to change it around.
 
I am Ok with either option, once you use it a few days, you get used to it. There are virtues in either case.
 
GingerBeer said:
I picked up an Avant this week when my old phone crapped out. It's the most bloatware-ridden P.O.S. I've ever owned. Their "Unlock Phone" app is really just for overseas use, and the amount of redundant garbage (four different failures of calender apps, Samsung apps, T-Mobile apps, Touch Wiz) is unreal.

I'm hoping once there's root access and a clean version of the OS that it may become a practical device, but I'd have to advise against purchasing it for anyone that doesn't want to go that route. I know I'm counting the days until I can delete all the crap that was preloaded.
Click to expand...

Hmmm....sounds like you jumped the Gun (frustration level).

So what's the verdict, the phone is $99 bucks (with rebate). Is it worth it... ?
 
Yea, whether you pay $100 or $200 this device is a real steal imo. Even with a bloatware free Moto G 4G LTE phone this one really outshines and out classes it for the price. Personally I got it for free, but I couldn't be happier that MetroPCS broke my Moto G 4G LTE phone as this thing screams compared to it.

Don't listen to the nay sayers.
 
The sound quality for the user and listener is excellent. On my LG Motion there's a Metro app "Back up". It could back up everything except "Notes" to the SD card. On the Avant, "Back up" shows as a running app, but it's not an accessible app like on the Motion.

How does one back up all of the Avant phone data to the SD card ?
 
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