[maskedcarrot]

I've had all the Galaxy line of phones on AT&T since the Galaxy S, and some other phones in between.

I was happy with my Note 2, I loved the size and never had an issue with it. But unfortunately I am one of those types that always have to have the latest phone. So I traded in my my Note 2 at Best Buy, which gave me a really good trade in value that payed for the GS4 and then some.

Unfortunately I really regret doing that and wish I could have gotten my Note 2 back, but too late.

The main issues I have is that Samsung released a phone with an unfinished OS which runs like crap compared to the Note 2 or even the GS3 I had before that.

The lag issues are beyond infuriating. I have the usual lag in the OS, even with Apex Launcher, but that is somewhat livable. What has me really irked is:

Camera Lag: I have a 4 year old that I always take pictures of. There is a bad lag in between when you hit the capture button to when the camera actually takes the picture. That makes taking pictures difficult.

Keyboard Lag: This also is really terrible. I bought Swiftkey awhile back and have used it on many phones, and typing on the GS4 is incredibly laggy. I type very fast but not always accurately. The GS4 skips letters all the time. I know the phone is recognizing I hit the keys cause I use the key sounds and I can hear it click when I hit letters, but the phone will randomly skip letters. This happens in email and SMS. (I use Handcent for SMS). I don't type long things in other apps to know if it lags in there also, but I would bet it does. I know it's not swiftkey, cause I also have that issue with the regular keyboard, and Swiftkey was fine on the Note 2 and my LG Optimus G Pro.

Heats up. I know the phone can get a little heated up, but this phone definitely heats up more than the GS3 and Note 2 that I have owned. I have a heat widget on the screen, and it was around 41 today just while I was web browsing. The phone usually idles around the upper 20's and maybe up to 30. I mean seriously, how much load can a phone be under just web browsing. I can understand playing games for a long period of time, but not just browsing. And I keep my screen brightness around 30% or so.

I also have an LG Optimus G Pro for my work phone, and in many ways it is far superior to the GS4. The GS4 is nothing but a newer GS3 with a bunch of gimmicky stuff that most people turn off and won't use. The LG Pro is a great phone and runs very smooth, but I couldn't see buying it for my personal phone being as I doubt it will ever get much support since it is only on AT&T. Also LG is known for slow to non existent updates, so who knows if this thing will get 4.2.2, let alone 4.3 or above.

So if anyone has a Note 2 and thinking about updating to the GS4, my advise is to wait for the Note 3. By that time, Samsung should have most of the bugs worked out in the OS for the Note 3.

[berdinkerdickle]

You might be able to help me with my question here:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/sam...giving-up.html

[crester]

OP... isn't this your fault for simply having to have the latest phone all the time? How about growing up and just finding a phone that suits you instead of trying to be Mr. Cool and saying "I have the latest device!"???

[Kevin OQuinn]

OP... isn't this your fault for simply having to have the latest phone all the time? How about growing up and just finding a phone that suits you instead of trying to be Mr. Cool and saying "I have the latest device!"???

Really that's your answer? How about trying to be helpful?

[Dreamliner330]

I laugh at everyone who said the S4 was lag free and perfect. I dug my heels in over a month ago with Samsung's crappy software on the S4...and I wasn't wrong.

maskedcarrot, hold out for the GE S4 ROM. It should fix everything.

[Aaron Watson]

Take it back and tell them there's lag. :o But IMHO, i ve used an S4 for an entire day and have yet to see lag. All my cousins that were using were praising how fast it is. Maybe yours is defective, have you recieved the software update yet?

Posted via Android Central App from my Samsung Galaxy S3! GT-19300

[mark5019]

ive had mine several weeks now no lag here

[thegrants82]

No lag at all on mine.

Posted via Android Central App

[20blks]

Stop using touchwiz and try another launcher. You made a decision on your own. How can someone fix it for you? People are starting to complain way too much here. If you don't like the phone (you were already happy with the note 2) just go get another phone again. Some of these posts are hard to read. Smh

Posted via Android Central App

[planoman]

I have both and an hanging on to my note 2 because I still feel it is among the best devices on the market.

I must say I expected the s4 to wow me a bit more especially the screen but I think that is more to the note 2 favor than s4 issue.

I have honestly not had the issues you speak of. Maybe a defective device?
I know it is a pain to reset but maybe that will help. Also did you apply the update? I have also had every galaxy s model and every galaxy note model.

It is like you are speaking about a different phone from the one I own.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337

[MBM7881]

I've had all the Galaxy line of phones on AT&T since the Galaxy S, and some other phones in between.

I was happy with my Note 2, I loved the size and never had an issue with it. But unfortunately I am one of those types that always have to have the latest phone. So I traded in my my Note 2 at Best Buy, which gave me a really good trade in value that payed for the GS4 and then some.

Unfortunately I really regret doing that and wish I could have gotten my Note 2 back, but too late.

The main issues I have is that Samsung released a phone with an unfinished OS which runs like crap compared to the Note 2 or even the GS3 I had before that.

The lag issues are beyond infuriating. I have the usual lag in the OS, even with Apex Launcher, but that is somewhat livable. What has me really irked is:

Camera Lag: I have a 4 year old that I always take pictures of. There is a bad lag in between when you hit the capture button to when the camera actually takes the picture. That makes taking pictures difficult.

Keyboard Lag: This also is really terrible. I bought Swiftkey awhile back and have used it on many phones, and typing on the GS4 is incredibly laggy. I type very fast but not always accurately. The GS4 skips letters all the time. I know the phone is recognizing I hit the keys cause I use the key sounds and I can hear it click when I hit letters, but the phone will randomly skip letters. This happens in email and SMS. (I use Handcent for SMS). I don't type long things in other apps to know if it lags in there also, but I would bet it does. I know it's not swiftkey, cause I also have that issue with the regular keyboard, and Swiftkey was fine on the Note 2 and my LG Optimus G Pro.

Heats up. I know the phone can get a little heated up, but this phone definitely heats up more than the GS3 and Note 2 that I have owned. I have a heat widget on the screen, and it was around 41 today just while I was web browsing. The phone usually idles around the upper 20's and maybe up to 30. I mean seriously, how much load can a phone be under just web browsing. I can understand playing games for a long period of time, but not just browsing. And I keep my screen brightness around 30% or so.

I also have an LG Optimus G Pro for my work phone, and in many ways it is far superior to the GS4. The GS4 is nothing but a newer GS3 with a bunch of gimmicky stuff that most people turn off and won't use. The LG Pro is a great phone and runs very smooth, but I couldn't see buying it for my personal phone being as I doubt it will ever get much support since it is only on AT&T. Also LG is known for slow to non existent updates, so who knows if this thing will get 4.2.2, let alone 4.3 or above.

So if anyone has a Note 2 and thinking about updating to the GS4, my advise is to wait for the Note 3. By that time, Samsung should have most of the bugs worked out in the OS for the Note 3.

Sorry to hear that you have issues with your phone. I myself don't have serious lags only with the gallery and its very minimal and doesn't happen often. I feel your need for a non camera lag as i have 2 kids of my own and i love taking pictures of them. If you're not willing to stick it out with the S4 why not sell it and replace your note? If not maybe disable the bloatware you don't use and install a different launcher. Hope this helps

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Android Central Forums

[donm527#IM]

i dont find them hard to read... i kinda want to get a new phone and the s4 and one are on my list and i want to hear complaints if any... i wanna hear when people love them and i want to hear when people find issues like lag and i like comparisons like in this case with the note and i like that people kind of back them up... it's better than the ones that say 'no lag, go buy another phone if youre a hater.'

it's too bad that there seems to be a bit of lag here and there... the processor is running higher than the one and it seems that all of samsungs bloat is pushing a great processor to the limit. i'm using a nexus 4 now and i am loving that jelly bean just flies in anything it does... i've played with the one and even with its sense have been happy with the smoothness... i hate to go to a phone with some lag.

maybe samsung will do an update to help improve... i thought there was rumor that they were to address the bloated size anyways.

Stop using touchwiz and try another launcher. You made a decision on your own. How can someone fix it for you? People are starting to complain way too much here. If you don't like the phone (you were already happy with the note 2) just go get another phone again. Some of these posts are hard to read. Smh

Posted via Android Central App

[Rick Bray]

well, mine has no lag at all.... at least not recently...

i just disabled all the carrier's crapware, and kept all samsung stock but the launcher (i really love touchwiz, just a matter of the crappy icons my fck^%*&n carrier put on the phone's applications), and after that, my S4 just goes fast and smooth all the time, no lag at all, ever!

[Halcyon]

I have zero lag as well. Im running a Verizon branded S4. Also, the camera is really fast. No lag in camera what so ever.

[s14tat]

maskedcarrot you should try to exchange one because i'm curious to see if your is a defective phone or not. Yours seem to exhibit all of the traits that the detractors say. If you thought the note 2 was much smoother than I would say your phone is probably defective. The excessive lag while typing and the heat issue should be a give away.

[dimsdale]

Have you tried doing a full reset of the phone? Then start installing apps slowly. Might be a conflict with something else you are running.

[maskedcarrot]

I am not being a hater. I work for AT&T and have used all the Samsung Android phones and others as well. We sell a lot of GS4s, and all of them I activate have some sort of lag. So I know my phone isn't defective.

I've done a factory reset, and I use Apex launcher. I also disabled all the bloat, and installed the AT&T update. I did that right out of the box. And considering all the forums have a ton of posts about lag issues, and the reviewers say the same thing, I doubt I have a bad one.

The basic lag with windows opening and closing is livable and doesn't bother me much. It's just the camera lag and especially the keyboard lag that is killing it for me. I text a lot and the the keyboard skipping hits even though I know the phone registered that I touched the screen. If I type slowly isn't as bad, so I can tell the software isn't keeping up with me.

For people that say that there is no lag either type very slowly or have very low standards. My LG Optimus G Pro runs circles around the GS4, and that's an LG! Samsung should be ashamed of themselves.

I am holding out hope that Samsung optimizes the code and releases an update. But after the GE GS4 gets released I am planning on putting it's stock ROM on my GS4, which should run really good considering it will be stock.

[Bob Sugar]

Messaging on the AT&T Note 2 is bad enough to make me want to puke. I shouldn't have to download additional ****ty apps and jump through hoops to try to get group messaging to work.

That alone makes me want to smash the note 2 with a hammer.

[Rick Bray]

well, i'm not a slow typer, and if there is any lag, i will notice....

i'm at the point with my S4, that if i hold and use and iPhone 5, it will feel laggy for me... mid-range phones feel laggy just out of the box... and certainly my S4 before disabling the crapware had a lot of lag....

as of right now, i haven't seen any other phone faster than my S4... don't misunderstand me here, there are a bunch ones that feel as much as fast as mine, but none faster as of today

[smooth4lyfe]

Do a Factory Resetm it shouldnt be like that
I have a GS3 and I campared it to my friends Note 2...the Note 2 is SLOOOOOW and LAGGY compared to the GS4...idk if its my friend's Note 2, but its so slow compared to the S4. Especially the Gallery app...the scrolling on my S4 is so much faster than the Note 2

[Kevin OQuinn]

Really that's your answer? How about trying to be helpful?

Stop using touchwiz and try another launcher. You made a decision on your own. How can someone fix it for you? People are starting to complain way too much here. If you don't like the phone (you were already happy with the note 2) just go get another phone again. Some of these posts are hard to read. Smh

Posted via Android Central App

I feel that my post also applies here.

[Almeuit]

Do a Factory Resetm it shouldnt be like that
I have a GS3 and I campared it to my friends Note 2...the Note 2 is SLOOOOOW and LAGGY compared to the GS4...idk if its my friend's Note 2, but its so slow compared to the S4. Especially the Gallery app...the scrolling on my S4 is so much faster than the Note 2

So.. The note 2 is laggy your saying?

Sorry couldn't resist.. :P.

Sent from my Sprint S3 using AC forums.

[Aggie PT]

Has anyone else had difficulty taking pics of their young kids that don't stand still? This was my concern with this phone as my EVO 3d is awful with this issue and the one seemed to be better in store than the s4.

Posted via Android Central App

[planoman]

I am not being a hater. I work for AT&T and have used all the Samsung Android phones and others as well. We sell a lot of GS4s, and all of them I activate have some sort of lag. So I know my phone isn't defective.

I've done a factory reset, and I use Apex launcher. I also disabled all the bloat, and installed the AT&T update. I did that right out of the box. And considering all the forums have a ton of posts about lag issues, and the reviewers say the same thing, I doubt I have a bad one.

The basic lag with windows opening and closing is livable and doesn't bother me much. It's just the camera lag and especially the keyboard lag that is killing it for me. I text a lot and the the keyboard skipping hits even though I know the phone registered that I touched the screen. If I type slowly isn't as bad, so I can tell the software isn't keeping up with me.

For people that say that there is no lag either type very slowly or have very low standards. My LG Optimus G Pro runs circles around the GS4, and that's an LG! Samsung should be ashamed of themselves.

I am holding out hope that Samsung optimizes the code and releases an update. But after the GE GS4 gets released I am planning on putting it's stock ROM on my GS4, which should run really good considering it will be stock.

Well I am a no samsung or att apologist. If the phone was not performing, I would kick it to the curb as fast as I could because I expect good performance. I hammered this thing for two weeks and it took everything I could throw at it.

Sounds like something you have put on the device is affecting the performance of the S4. I am completely stock launcher and all. Not low standards but the just getting great performance, keypad and all. Hope you get it sorted out.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337

[planoman]

Has anyone else had difficulty taking pics of their young kids that don't stand still? This was my concern with this phone as my EVO 3d is awful with this issue and the one seemed to be better in store than the s4.

Posted via Android Central App

Try putting the phone in burst mode and holding down the shutter button. It will take rapid fire shots, then just delete the ones you do not want. Also best face mode takes 5 shots at a time.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337