Best Phones for Rooting and Modding

OnePlus 5T

SEE AT ONEPLUSOnePlus phones have been fan favorites among Android enthusiasts since the company was started because they're cheap and run well. The 5T is no exception.

OnePlus makes it easy to unlock the bootloader and install alternative software, and the relatively low price will make for a large development community. A strange positive is that issues with the factory software mean that more people are interested in modding the OnePlus 5T, which makes a large community even larger.

If you are looking to spend some money on a phone just so you can hack away at it, the OnePlus 5T is worth looking at.

Bottom line: High-end specs and a budget price make the OnePlus 5T a great Samsung Galaxy Note 4 repair parts . Easy modifications and a large community also make it an excellent choice for rooting and modding.

One more thing: If you are holding onto an older OnePlus device, like the OnePlus 3 or 5, there are already plenty of custom ROMs available.

Why best

The OnePlus 5T is open and affordable.

OnePlus phones all share one common trait — they are easy to root and mod the software. The reason we think the OnePlus 5T is the best is that the low price also means the community is huge.

When you want to go with custom software the best thing you can have is a large group of people that act as a support channel. The OnePlus 5T's low price also makes it a great phone to get if you're looking for a second device to play around with while you use your primary phone to hold all your personal data without compromising its security.

Whether you're new to phone modding or an old hat, we can't help but recommend the OnePlus 5T as the best phone to do any of it.

Google Pixel 2

SEE AT VERIZONSEE AT BEST BUYSEE AT GOOGLE STORESEE TA PROJECT FIWhile the standard Pixel 2 is the cheaper of the two options, it's still not a phone anyone would consider inexpensive. But it's still an excellent phone if you want to customize your software.

The Pixel 2 is packed with a Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB of RAM. It's available with up to 128GB of storage space. The thing simply flies, even without any tinkering. But because it's a phone from Google, you're able to unlock the software and do just about anything to it, all the while having a path back to "normal" in the form of factory software.

Bottom line: If you're looking to mod the very best, the Google Pixel 2 is it.

One more thing: Unlocking the bootloader and installing other software doesn't automatically void the warranty!.

Conclusion

You can root and mod almost every Android phone. We tend to focus on the ones you can't because they are outliers. But being able to do it through an exploit or other sometimes difficult process isn't ideal.

If you're looking ahead and know you'll want to change something on your next Samsung Galaxy Note 4 LCD screen replacement that requires custom software or root access, these phones are the best options.

HTC U11 Life (Android One) review: Keep it simple

Android One has arrived in Europe, and HTC is one of the first manufacturers to ship an affordable, Google-branded phone. The Android One badge made its debut in India and parts of Asia, as Google emphasized quality software on super-cheap hardware. But with its latest round of "One" handsets, the prices are higher, the products more premium, and the hand on the software rudder a little firmer.

The Android One U11 Life — unlike the T-Mobile U.S. version we reviewed separately, running HTC Sense — runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, and comes with the promise of timely updates to future versions. It takes the fundamentals of HTC's flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 4 parts and downscales it into a smaller size, while trimming the specs back to the essentials.

There's a Snapdragon 630 processor — Qualcomm's latest mid-ranger, and the successor to the very capable 625/626 — along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32 or 64GB of storage, plus microSD. I've been using the 3/32GB model for the past couple of weeks, however the UK will be getting the more capacious 4/64GB model when it goes on sale.

From the outside, the U11 Life is a reasonable approximation of the full-grown U11 — at least visually. The reflective, curved back panel is as eye-catching as ever, but in the hand, the "acrylic glass" feels somewhat cheaper than the real thing. Same deal with the plastic borders around the sides of the device.

Many phones around this price point incorporate metal or glass designs, but I'm still fine with the U11's not-quite-glass exterior. The feel isn't a million miles away from the standard U11, with the main difference being the weight.

The U11 Life also boasts water and dust resistance, like the U11, with an IP67 rating.

Around the front, a 5.2-inch 1080p LCD panel gives the U11 Life a display that's bright and punchy, but not too oversaturated. Viewing angles are impressive, and I encountered no issues using the display out in bright daylight.

A 5.2-inch screen is a step down from the much larger displays we're seeing at the high end, but these dimensions, particularly with a 16:9 aspect ratio and off-screen keys, remains something of a sweet spot for easy one-handed use.

Like its namesake, the U11 Life sports ample quantities of bezel in all directions around its display, most noticeably around the chin, which accommodates the phone's speedy fingerprint scanner. It's not quite as instantaneous as what you'll find in a high-end phone, but the (very slight) delay in unlocking isn't really bothersome.

As an Android One device, the software of the U11 Life is mainly a Google-centric experience. It's pretty much stock Android 8.0 Oreo, with a couple of HTC touches where it makes sense. The most obvious of these is the camera app, which is literally just the U11's camera app with a different icon, along with includes HTC's excellent HDR Boost — an always-on post-processing feature similar to the Pixel's HDR+.

In daylight, or moderate indoor light, HDR Boost allows the U11 Life to produce some striking images with rich colors and impressive dynamic range, but in darker conditions, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 spare parts soon runs into the physical limits of its hardware. The f/2.0 lens and 16-megapixel camera, without OIS, means that night photography quickly becomes grainy and/or blurry, unless you're able to stabilize the camera and shoot a longer exposure in Pro mode.

Ironically, the front-facing camera, also a 16-megapixel unit behind an f/2.0 lens, seemed to hold up a little better in darker conditions — possibly just because of the kinds of photos I was taking.

What do you think about the iPhone X notch

Before Apple unveiled the iPhone X, there were plenty of rumors circulating around talking about the upcoming device's design. At the time the Google Pixel XL LCD screen was expected to be called the iPhone 8, or even the iPhone Edition, among other speculative titles, and there were plenty of concept designs envisioning how Apple would adopt the "bezel-less" design that had been rumored since last year.

As the product's announcement neared we got some official-looking ideas, with the "notch design" being fully adopted by those who speculate on this sort of thing. Even an accidental leak by Apple for a different product essentially confirmed the design. And, sure enough, Apple welcomed the notch, or horns, or what have you, back in September of this year.

They were panned on social media pretty heavily.

The questions were on point, though: How would these horns, or this notch, look when being used in an every day routine? The iPhone X has a terrific display, but would people want to watch movies, YouTube videos, or even look at pictures with that notch so obvious all the time?

I wasn't a fan of that notch in early renders, but, eventually, I started coming around on it. With the way the phone's designed, and the information like Wi-Fi, network connection, and the time flanking it, I realized it wouldn't be that big of a deal more often than not. Not in Portrait Mode, anyway. And, after using the iPhone X I can say that is indeed the case.

As plenty of reviews pointed out, after just a few hours with Apple's newest flagship, the notch does eventually disappear from thought. Yeah, it's there, but it's not as prominent as one might imagine. Not all the time.

And while I don't mind the notch more often than not, that sentiment takes a hard 180 when in landscape mode and I'm watching content, or looking at photos. In those scenarios I hatethe notch. Maybe not so much in photo viewing, but when watching a movie or YouTube video, that notch is very much in the way.

(I'm not going to talk about aspect ratio and how viewing 16:9 content on a device with a display aspect ratio of 19.5:9 is annoying, because that would take up more room than I want to use here.)

Some folks say to just cover up the notch with your thumb, but that doesn't make any sense to me. There's a speaker there, and the speakers on the iPhone X are pretty awesome -- why would you want to cover it up? And, for that matter, if I cover up part of the display with my thumb, then there's still something in the way. It doesn't matter if it's part of the Google Pixel XL LCD screen wholesale design or my finger.

The notch is probably even more distracting because there is content flanking it while watching in full screen. And let's be clear: Apple wants you to watch content in full screen mode. To take advantage of that display. But when there's an obvious one-sided emptiness that's flanked by moving images, that's distracting. And yeah, you can zoom out, but then you're watching content on your iPhone X like it was an iPhone 8. That's not optimal at all.

Unboxing the Dual-Screen, Foldable Smartphone ZTE Axon M!

The one-of-a-kind, dual-screen smartphone dubbed the Axon M has arrived in my studio while it is being sold to the masses for $725 via AT&T. I like to think of it more as a concept phone than a daily driver Wiko parts but it’s very possible that could change once I spend some more serious time with this device.

I filmed the unboxing with the Pixel 2 XL, by the way. I was a little bit antsy to get my hands on this phone so I just whipped out my Pixel and started the unboxing process.

So we’ll find the Axon M sitting right on top. Underneath, there’s some paperwork such as a Get Started Guide and warranty pamphlet. There are earphones included in the box, which is always nice to see especially with a $700 smartphone. There’s a wall wart and USB-C charging cable. Last but not least is a SIM card ejector tool and female micro USB to male USB-C adapter.

So upon first impressions, the ZTE Axon M is a very chunky smartphone for today’s standards. It measures in at 12.2 mm thick, which is almost twice as thick as pretty much any other flagship. It has a very industrial feel, has a boxy frame with sharp edges. ZTE didn’t really try to hide the hinge or round off any of the corners for aesthetic purposes. What you see is what you get.

And a lot of the features have been dragged and dropped to different areas to make the dual screen setup possible. For example, we have a fingerprint scanner on the side of the phone that actually doubles as a power/sleep on/off button. It’s reminiscent of an Xperia flagship smartphone from Sony and it works pretty well. Also, the 20-megapixel main camera is located on the front of this phone and you will actually switch screens, depending on which mode you have it in. so for example, in order to use the main shooter, you have to use the second display and kind of awkwardly flip the phone around and you can use the main display when taking a selfie. It’s a little bit weird but you got to do what you got to do.

There are four different modes with the Axon M: the Mirror Mode will mirror the main screens, so everything on the main screen will be on the second screen. I think this is good for presentations or watching videos with two people as you can fold the screen down into a tent shape and both people will be able to see what’s going on.

My favorite mode though is the Extended Mode. This mode will extend the main screen to the second screen. Apps will look extra large, you can watch YouTube videos across both screens (but you will have a noticeable border or bezel in your way in the middle of the video). Both screens measure in at 6.75-inches and they are both Full HD with pretty good viewing angles in contrast. It’s not a bad display.

The Dual Mode is probably the most practical mode as it will let you multitask with each display acting independently from one another. You can watch a YouTube video while surfing the web or check up on a social media app.

Last but not least is Traditional Mode. It’s just the default single screen mode. The second display will not be used and you can use the phone just like any other phone that we have today.

The Axon M does seem to work best when you hold it with your left hand as the fingerprint scanner is naturally placed where your thumb rests. I think it’s also easier to fold open like a book than it is to fold open like you’re shuffling a deck of cards but if you fold it open like a book, you have to flip the phone over so it’s a little bit weird.

I do want to add that there is a physical button that I thought was a camera shutter button at first impressions but it’s actually a dedicated button to activate TV mode. This will open up a video-related app such as YouTube or DirecTV Now. I’m pretty sure you can use button remap to remap the button if you so desire. This is Android, after all.

Powering this device is a Snapdragon 821 chipset with 4GB of RAM. It seems to run pretty well based on first impressions. There are some hiccups here and there but it’s not the Snapdragon 835 chipset performance that I was expecting.

The software is very clean so that probably does help with the performance quite a bit. It runs Android 7.1 Nougat and it doesn’t stray too far away from stock Android aside from the added display features and there are some gesture modes. It’s a pretty clean operating system.

Since there are two displays, I imagine the phone will burn through more battery. There is a moderately-sized 3,180mAh battery but it doesn’t seem that big considering the fact that there are two full HD displays and the phone is pretty chunky. There’s definitely some depth added from the second display but I feel like they could have added maybe a little bit of a bigger battery.

For $725 off-contract, the ZTE Axon M can be yours via AT&T. I absolutely love the experimentation on ZTE’s part. This general design I believe is the future of smartphones. But there’s definitely some work that needs to be done to polish this phone and make it more attractive for the general public. The thick bezels and chunky design make this phone feel a bit outdated. It’s like ZTE took one step forward and two steps back with this Wiko replacement parts . It certainly is cool and it’s definitely an eyebrow raiser.

What we want to see the OnePlus 6

The OnePlus 5 is a remarkably accomplished samsung s5 screen replacement considering it comes from such a young company and at such a low price. It has a strong new design, a great new camera and all the power we’ve come to expect from a OnePlus handset.

There’s little doubt that the company will follow it up with the OnePlus 6 next year – unless it decides to skip a number again – but where can it go from here?

Well, if you ask us, there’s actually plenty that can be improved, good as the OnePlus 5 is, and the impending OnePlus 5T probably won't be a big enough jump to address all the 5's issues. So we’ve come up with a wish list of the things we want to see from the OnePlus 6.

We’ll also be adding all the credible leaks and rumors about the phone to this article. There’s not much to go on yet, but we can make an educated guess about a few things.

The OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 3 were both released in June of their respective years, so in or around June 2018 is our best guess for the OnePlus 6.

That said, it’s not a month that OnePlus always sticks to, but for its main numbered releases (aka everything except the OnePlus 3T and OnePlus X) it does always launch them around the middle of the year, and there’s currently no reason to think that will change for the OnePlus 6.

However, you won't have to wait for the OnePlus 6 to get a new phone from the company, as the OnePlus 5T is set to be announced on November 16.

Price is harder to guess at. OnePlus broken iphone 6 consistently undercut rival flagships, but they’ve also been creeping up in price. The OnePlus 5 starts at $479 (£449, around AU$630) and it’s likely that the OnePlus 6 will cost at least this much. It may even cost more.

Though TechRadar has seen a document which suggests the OnePlus 5T won't get a price hike in the UK (and likely elsewhere), which may mean the OnePlus 6 won't either.

OnePlus 6 news and rumors

There aren’t any OnePlus 6 rumors yet, but we can take a guess at some things. For example, OnePlus has just switched to a dual-lens camera system for the OnePlus 5, so we’d expect dual-lenses will get at least one more outing, though their specs may differ.

Indeed, OnePlus is rumored to have upgraded the camera to a 20MP pair on the back of the OnePlus 5T, so it's possible that the OnePlus 6 will also have that.

And OnePlus has stuck with a 1080p screen while rivals have pushed the resolution up. Will 2018 be the year OnePlus moves to QHD? Perhaps, but the company hasn’t shown any interest in that particular arms race, so our guess is that it will once again stick with a trusty 1080p panel.

However, the size and aspect ratio may change, as the company is rumored to be rolling out a 6-inch 18:9 screen for the OnePlus 5T, bringing it closer to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone X.

The OnePlus 6 is also likely to pack one of the latest and greatest chipsets – perhaps the Snapdragon 845. And we’d guess RAM will top out at 8GB, just like the OnePlus 5, as lowering it might look like a downgrade but we struggle to see how any more than 8GB would be beneficial.

But it currently looks unlikely that the OnePlus 6 will support wireless charging. The company has confirmed that the OnePlus 5T won't due to the tech not being a match for wired Dash Charge, and we doubt it will have advanced enough for OnePlus to reverse its decision for the OnePlus 6.