Stay on KK4.4.4 or update to 5.1? - feedback requested

[UncleLes]

After a terrible experience with 5.0 I rolled back to KitKat 4.4.4 and have since been ignoring Google's requests to update to 5.0.2 (and I would assume a request to update to 5.1 after I do so.)

Now that 5.1 has been out for a while, I'd like some feedback on how it is working for those of you who are using it. I'm more interested in issues like lag, crashes, reboots, wifi connectivity, speed, app performance, etc. than discussion of whether you like Material Design or want the Gallery back....in other words, is the performance of 5.1 up to par vs. 4.4.4 and worthy of my update or not? I'm pretty happy with what I've got, but would like some feedback from those of you who have been using 5.1.

Simply put - should I update or not? Do you regret updating or are you happy with the performance you are getting?
Or, put another way, if you had a chance to easily go back to 4.4.4 would you? Or did you roll back already?

As of now, I am not planning to update unless I get quite a bit of positive feedback, as what I have read on this and other forums does not give me much confidence.

 

[Rukbat]

4.4.4: Works
5.1: Maybe works.

I'm staying with KitKat for at least 3 or 4 months after 5.1's released for my phone, to see how bad the bugs are.

 

[elvee68]

I have 5.1 on mine and for me it runs as good or better than KitKat.

Two things I have noticed though...
Facebook on Lollipop can slow you down . Chrome is getting better.

I have noticed that if I go long periods not using my tablet like say a week, I cannot do anything until everything is updated (apps) and sync is finished. It just a slow crawl. Once everything is complete, it is nice and fluid again.

This doesn't happen when I am using it everyday though...

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[LeoRex]

Yeah... I just recently updated mine from 4.4.4 to 5.1. It had been getting REALLY laggy in 4.4.4... not sure what was going on, but the tablet is really my daughter's device, so there's like 100 different 'Talking Whatever' and fashion apps, all with notification services slogging things down... so its hard to know. But it was lagging something fierce. In the past, I just reload a clean 4.4.4 nandroid and then move on.. but I saw the 5.1 image out there and gave it a shot.

What I've noticed:

Just about the only time it gets really laggy is like when elvee68 describes... if its been sitting there doing nothing (I have it set to disconnect Wifi when sleeping) When I turn it on, EVERYTHING wakes up and scrambles to update. Until that settles down, especially if there are app downloads/updates the tablet clunks and sputters along.. I guess that is to be expected on such an old device. But once that all settles, I am actually surprised at how well it runs. There have been some incompatible apps of hers, but those things were all pretty shoddily done anyhow, doesn't shock me.

Couple of thoughts:

The Quick Settings drop down... odd looking... it doesn't go the full width of the screen in portrait mode and looks a bit weird.

And I haven't played with the multi-user much. In 4.4.4, if I logged in a second user, a system process would pretty much pop up that ran at a good 20-30%, constantly, and slow the thing down. So I never used it. In 5.1, my initial check seemed to run MUCH better, but I'd have to play with it a bit.

Overall, I'm pleased with the result. Breathed a bit of life back into the old girl and, with the new battery I just installed, might get a few more miles out of it.

 

[Dubbayoo]

Mine slowed to near brick level on 4.4.4. It is only marginally faster on 5.x

 

[jamie]

Mine is the same way about being very laggy when I first use it after no use for a period of time. I have it set to disconnect from WiFi during sleep and I'm going to change it to stay connected and see if this helps.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[gapgapman]

I have the same issues in 5.1 as I did in 5.02, so no real improvement for me. I am definitely considering rolling back to KitKat. I have to clean RAM constantly to be able to play certain games. I have kept sticking it out hoping the next update will fix everything, but not sure they ever will. I have not been willing to do a factory reset, but that only seems to be a temp fix anyway.

 

[zimtuff]

I have the 5.02 and Im not really happy with it. All the same problems as most other owners. It can be slow,freezes more often and just doesnt have the crisp operation that I loved it for when I 1st got it. It has 28gb of free storage,maybe 20 apps from the google store + plus the ones that come with it.
And no games installed.
Battery usage seems to have increased a bit and I have been having charging problems but I dont know if its separate issue.
Im going to put up with it for awhile and hope it improves and maybe try going back to KK if it doesnt. If KK dont work ,its going in the classifieds.

I have done 2 factory resets.

 

[Bazza1]

IIABDFI (If It Ain't Broke...) - if 4.4.4 is working for you, why screw with it?

5.1 is okay here - maybe a little better than 5.0.1 and certainly a lot better than 5 (but that's really not hard) - but nothing earth-shattering. There's still stability issues on occasion, the Facebook app is a disaster on it still (use m.facebook.com on a browser instead) and Chrome is only marginally better. OS software-wise, meh, its a wash - and I long ago gave up on Google's picture and video apps.

I was okay with 4.4.4 and, in hindsight, should have stuck with it, but I'm not about to get all geeky and do the rollback.

 

[Venkkatraman Ramajayam]

Hi guys,
I am using Lenovo A6000 plus mobile. Android Lollipop 5.0.2 is worst to the core. Before updating my mobile, performance was very good. after updating my mobile, performance is not at all good. eg. battery was very good before updating (atleast 3 days would come.), but after updating every 1.5 days i need to re-charge. without using much battery is getting drained. Though i have added contacts in my address book, it shows only number in the log after attending calls. both incoming and outgoing. Also i don't see any name in the whatsapp list but only numbers. Its annoying like anything. Please let me know how to revert back to earlier version.

Thanks
Fan chiang

 

[JViscus]

4.4.4: Works
5.1: Maybe works.

 

[koam]

My lollipop was super slow. I then rolled it back to 4.4.4 within a day that still had some lag. So then I rolled it back to 4.3 and it's better so far. I'd rather have it running smoothly and have some new Android look on it

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Mario Babini]

Just my two cents of comment:

I have upgraded an Asus tablet from 4.4.2 to 5.01 and I still regret it becuause the new OS seems to be a terrible memory hog...

When I try to upgrade my Samsung Galaxy Note 3, it asks me to have at least 3 GB! of free memory, so after deleting several apps, I am still not there.

So why upgrade if 4.4.2 works perfectly?

This is the same strategy that used to work for Microsoft and Intel, more memory, slower performance with a new OS....

So I will definitely forget about it....

 

[Four Eyebrows Lingxii]

I think there are more to these updates than tweaks. Internet providers want to play data games. That is where they make their money. The updates they create through the manufacturers have many ways to block illegal hotspots and tethering, unless you pay extra. These restrictions are built into the updates, and likely hamper smartphones true performance and capabilities, because the phones are being controlled.....unlike a stock phone. The service providers could care less if you have a tainted experience, as long asyou are not stealing their data.