First impressions of the Axon 7 switching from OnePlus 3

[cubetop]

Question in regards to Android Auto. Any people have feedback on how OP3 and the Axon 7 work with Android Auto? I have a '16 Hyundai Sonata with Android Auto and losing that is a deal breaker for me.
Thanks

Posted via the Android Central App

I have a 2017 Mustang Ecoboost Premium and my Axon 7 set up perfectly fine and VERY quickly on Android Auto. My s6 Active never did work but the A7 works perfectly! Android Auto is AMAZING too. (At least on Ford's Sync 3 it is.)

 

[Henaway]

I have a "rainbow snow" LG G4 right now that's going to be getting shipped off for warranty repair, but it's also an early run that's prone to the bootloop of death, so I'm anxious to replace it, since I've saved my nickels and have the budget for it now. I'm also flopping like a Magicarp between the OP3 and Axon 7.

I'm leaning OP3 because of the software and camera, but part of me keeps screaming that the Axon has some better hardware. Radio signal strength between them seems fairly even, and not industry best either way, but the Bluetooth issue is something I hadn't thought of yet. I do use Bluetooth a lot, between my Moto 360, a BT speaker I use semi-regularly, a couple of pairs of Bluetooth headphones which are the only way I normally use headphones, and Bluetooth streaming/calls in my truck. If the BT is weak on the OP3 and better on the Axon, that may just be my deciding factor.

I've also considered the Note 7, even if it's LITERALLY twice the price of either the OP3 or A7 ... but I just can't convince myself that the top notch camera, S Pen, and water resistance are worth it. I suppose I could just buy both the OP3 and the A7 and return my least favourite within the 15 day window ... but with delayed shipping times and my luck I'd probably get one 14 days before the other. LOL

On the camera side, I don't worry as much about low light and auto mode. I love the camera on my G4, but auto at night sucks. I go manual. The OP3 has the advantage of shooting in RAW, but they claim the A7 will be getting that in an update. A7 also offers 240fps slow mo video vs 120fps on the OP3. Not a major thing in every day life, but if I'm shooting slow mo, the more fps the better!

It's great that phones have gotten THIS good at these prices, but good grief it sure makes it hard to decide what to buy!!

 

[cubetop]

I haven't measured distance accurately for BT on my Axon 7 yet but I CAN confirm that it reaches my BT earbud by >30' and my stereo headphones by >25' and that's through walls in a house. My Mustang picked up the A7 and started Android Auto when I was in the garage for something and my phone was in the house. That was probably >30', through multiple walls and a brick wall. No complaints about BT range at all.

 

[Rumblee1]

tl;dr: It compares very well vs the OnePlus 3. Axon has the advantage on screen and sound, the OP3 on performance/smoothness. Still too early to call on battery life and camera, but I'll update after a couple more days.

Long version:

I got a OnePlus 3 recently and its a great phone. My bf recently shattered the screen on his phone (an older Samsung) so my inner gadget-freak saw this as a reason to try out the Axon 7. Even thought I really liked the One Plus 3 I was drawn to the thought of having a QHD resolution screen again and I also liked the Axon 7's emphasis on sound because I listen to LOTS of music at work. And, it didn't disappoint in either of those areas.

It just arrived late yesterday evening, so here are some initial impressions of how the two compare:

Hand feel: The Axon 7 feels noticeably chubbier and heavier in the hand, but not by a bothersome amount. The Axon's curve fits into the palm well, so overall I'm happy with it too.

Screen: Both have vibrant/colorful screens, but the Axon's higher resolution gives it an edge in terms of everything looking just a touch smoother. (I tend to hold my phone pretty close to my face when using it). They each have some screen color/warmth adjustments in the settings, and the Axon's looked better to me when I was done. I am guilty of liking unrealistically vibrant screens and the Axon on 'Gorgeous' setting was happy to oblige.

Sound: External speakers: No contest, the Axon is amazing, and Dolby Atmos was surprisingly good at adding distinct stereo separation and even a bit of pseudo-surround. No contest here in terms of which phone I'd rather watch videos/TV on.

Sound: Headphone: closer call here. The OP3 (after an update done a few weeks ago) is noticeably louder on headphones than the Axon, but the Axon's sound is richer overall. Once again I was pleasantly surprised by Dolby Atmos. Normally I keep that kind of stuff off, but after messing around with it a little bit I was able to create a custom sound setting that I *really* liked.

Speed: The OP3 has an edge here. Both were very smooth in general use, but the Axon has tiny hitches/delays more frequently than the OP3. Not anything that reached a point that it truly bothered me, but the OP3 is really outstanding in this regard, and the Axon is a bit less outstanding. (I've just been using MiFavor 4 so far, haven't tried alternative launchers yet to see how it does with those.)

Fingerprint reader: So far so good, both phones have fast/excellent fingerprint readers.

Camera: still tbd. First impressions are good. I've not yet had time to really explore the Axon's camera options. Some pretty intriguing settings I'm looking forward to trying, but haven't done anything extensive yet. I did a very low light shot that it made practically look like daytime, albeit a bit soft. Unfortunately I have lots to do tonight, so won't get a chance to take much time, but definitely will put it through its paces this weekend. I'll grab a couple shots at lunchtime and post those, but I'm sure it'll do well in broad daylight.

A few small sidenotes: I really like the ZTE Locker for lock screen wallpapers. It has some very nice ones and it's nice to have them randomly change each time I double-tap to look at notifications or just check the time. Both have useful gestures, I think it'll be very much individual preference as to which is better. Charging speed is very good with a quickcharge 3 plug. Battery life overnight was excellent. More to come after a few days use. The Axon seems slightly better at holding on to signal strength in marginal areas.

Does the A7 have an LED notification light?

 

[Soreloser]

Does the A7 have an LED notification light?

Yes. Red or green is all I have seen.

 

[Rumblee1]

I have a 2017 Mustang Ecoboost Premium and my Axon 7 set up perfectly fine and VERY quickly on Android Auto. My s6 Active never did work but the A7 works perfectly! Android Auto is AMAZING too. (At least on Ford's Sync 3 it is.)

Hooked up fine with my pristine 2013 5.0. Ecoboost? Really? Nothing like the 5.0. Throws you right back into your seat.

 

[jeetu4444]

Just received my axon 7 6gb ram with 128gb inbuilt... Totally loving it.. Phone just flies.. Sold my S7 edge for Axon 7..so far so good...