Where to buy Exynos S7 in US

[whelderwheels613]

I've read and heard reports that the US carrier variants of the S7 and the S7 Edge are locked and can't be rooted. I have also heard that the international version (based on the Exynos chipset instead of the Snapdragon one) is unlocked and therefore rootable. The question is where can I buy the international version of the phone? If I buy an unlocked version of the phone from Samsung's website, will it be the Exynos-based international version, or will I need to make the hour drive to Toronto to buy the device instead?

Thanks!

 

[whelderwheels613]

So I took a look at the model numbers for the different variants offered online. It looks like the unlocked version sold on the Samsung website is the G930U which apparently is an unlocked version sporting the Snapdragon 820 chipset, but the G930F is the international unlocked version sporting the Exynos chipset. Can anyone else verify this information?

 

[mikedt]

Definately worth checking out willmyphonework.net. Which carrier are you with?

This is the reason why the US(China and Japan as well) gets Snapdragon rather than Exynos, CDMA networks, which the Exynos version doesn't support.

The root strategies and methods I've seen are for the Exynos versions.

 

[whelderwheels613]

I am using StraightTalk, which is an AT&T MVNO, so a GSM network, which should be fine.

 

[mikedt]

OK, I've seen a few posts about Straight Talk before, I believe they have a rather restrictive BYOP activation policy.
https://www.straighttalk.com/wps/portal/home/Activate/byop/
Which apparently does NOT include international version S7 with Exynos.

If you were on AT&T directly, rather than MVNO, I do believe you can just insert the SIM, with no need to register and activate the phone.

 

[whelderwheels613]

No, all I do is insert the SIM. StraightTalk will work with any unlocked GSM phone.