From Note 7 Back to Note 4 - Question: Buying BRAND NEW Note 4, Any Safety Risks Keeping KitKat??

[RobSteal]

I relinquished my Note 7 (after MUCH, MUCH debate) and possibly plan to go back to the Note 4 (as I need the stylus AND SD card slot). I already sold my previous Note 4 so I plan to purchase another one. The unit I'm looking at is brand new, never activated.

Now I remember when I had the Note 4 (since launch back in Oct 2014), everything was smooth sailing with Kitkat (really loved the phone) until the update to Lollipop and then later to Marshmallow. After these updates, my phone's battery life drained super fast, some apps didn't work properly, was forced to set apps, had weird random glitches on the screen, and the phone got disturbingly hot while using. It was super frustrating as the Note 4 was my favorite phone until these updates (same thing with the Note 3 until Kitkat... Grrr).

Anyways, if I get a brand new Note 4 and do NOT update to Lollipop & Marshmallow, what do I really risk? Will it really make my phone MORE vulnerable to attacks? Really? As long as I don't go places or do things I shouldn't, I should be okay, right? Thoughts?

 

[StLucia]

In same boat as you. Purchased a "new" Note 4 after the Note 7 2nd recall. Updated to Marshmallow. Works great. Don't have an old Note4 to compare it to, but I also have a Note 3 on Lollipop, and the Note 4 on Marshmallow is smoother than the Note 3.

 

[RobSteal]

In same boat as you. Purchased a "new" Note 4 after the Note 7 2nd recall. Updated to Marshmallow. Works great. Don't have an old Note4 to compare it to, but I also have a Note 3 on Lollipop, and the Note 4 on Marshmallow is smoother than the Note 3.

How's the battery life compared to the Note 7? Does it get warm/hot at all while using it? When I had the Note 4 with Kitkat, the phone was super cool and never got even warm. That all changed after Lollipop/Marshmallow.

 

[rushmore]

I updated my Note 4 to MM 6.0.1, reset to stock, started from scratch and bought a new battery from Verizon. Note 4 rocks.

I prefer the Note 4 display over the Note 7 and reception is better.

Note 4.5.

 

[RobSteal]

I updated my Note 4 to MM 6.0.1, reset to stock, started from scratch and bought a new battery from Verizon. Note 4 rocks.

Note 4.5.

Does it get warm or hot when using it?

 

[rushmore]

Does it get warm or hot when using it?

Not hot. Gaming can get warm, but no different from other devices.

The key is to reset to stock, do all the updates and then start from scratch like a new device. New battery too- Samsung stock 3220
mah battery.

 

[nahoku]

More than likely any new Note 4 will come with LP already installed. I doubt anyone carrying a new Note 4 will have the original released phone still in stock. I'm still on Kitkat, my phone runs perfectly, and I have never taken a security update. However, I'm not one to have it constantly connected to the network, and I don't do social media, whatspp, snapchat, or whatever's. That said, if you're going to be constantly connected, you should probably just go with the full OS (MM) and security updates. Unfortunately, yes, you might see problems with the OS, but many do not. My brother is on MM and his Note 4 runs great. YMMV!

 

[StLucia]

Battery Life on new N4 on MM decent...not as good as the N7 though...

 

[rushmore]

Battery Life on new N4 on MM decent...not as good as the N7 though...

Only 30 minutes less and about equal to the N7 in weaker signal areas. The N7 has weaker reception than the N4. Weak LTE is battery drainer.

 

[WingLT]

So when I get my used Note 4 I should do the updates and then reset the phone to factory settings?