After my small review about the unboxing and hands on of JiaYu G4 Advanced I decided to go ahead and use it for one week as my normal phone (Galaxy S3), so everything I write in this post is my opinion and comparing against Galaxy S3.
First of all, I need to install and setup my normal apps, all the apps that I have installed and I use daily (or in background), this is the list:
- Facebook: I don’t use it all the time, but I need it to control the Facebook page of Gizchina.es.
- Andlytics: It notifies regarding to a dumb app that I developed and it is in the Play Store.
- Analytics: Control stats
- Carbon: Control Twitter account (personal and Gizchina.es one)
- Cerberus: Great anti-thief app
- Chrome: Browser
- G+: Control the Gizchina.es Google plus page also
- Hungry!: For the daily shopping list.
- Google Maps
- Shazam: To catch, from time to time some song names
- SportyPal: Track sports activities
- WordPress: Control and edit Gizchina.es
- Youtube
- eBay
- Tiny Tiny RSS Reader: Read all my news feeds
- Hangouts
- gAnalytics: It allows me add widgets in the desk with the analytics stats.
This is more or less, the profile of my mobile, I suppose that is a normal one. I don’t call too much and for messaging I use Whatsapp and Hangouts, both are always with activity. Receiving texts, photos, etc…
With this profile, my Galaxy S3 it lasts around 1 day, in the night, usually the mobile it starts to ask for charging, for that I decided time ago to have it connected all the time I can, this avoid me to have the mobile without battery in the worst moment.
So, after this, this is my one week opinion of JiaYu G4 Advanced:
Battery
After I talked about the battery of Galaxy S3, I think a good start point talk about the battery of JiaYu G4 Advanced. After the first charge, it lasts 2 days, I disconnect on Monday at 6:30 am and it switched off on Tuesday at 20:30 more or less. The mobile was used all the time as my Galaxy S3, or even more, because usually I don’t use the GPS navigation to go and go back to my job, and if you remember I publish a small fix for Mediatek GPS problem (or at least to make it a little bit better).
So, in battery, JiaYu G4 Advanced is much more better, its 3000 mAh is a real one long last battery.
Usage
After this week, I must say that it as comfortable as the Galaxy S3, very smooth scroll, nice multimedia playback, good sound (I think that is louder than Galaxy S3). The only problem was some FCs in Google Maps, but I will explain how to solve them later.
Ergonomy
JiaYu G4 is a little bit heavy than Galaxy S3, but is not as important as to decide for one model, also is thicker, of course the Galaxy S3 is very thin and light, but in my opinion is not anoying the difference.
What I liked more about the size is that with Galaxy S3 not always I can handle the mobile with one hand, my hand can conver all the phone but sometimes when you try to see the notifications, you can’t reach, somehing that you can do it with JiaYu G4. It is only based on my own experience, maybe you have bigger hand and you can handle without any problem.
Gizchina News of the week
Screen
The Galaxy S3 is brighter than JiaYu G4 Advanced, but the JiaYu’s one is more real, the colours are more realistics, at least this is what I felt. I’m not telling that is not enough brigther, the JiaYu’s screen is good but less brighter than Samsung’s.
Camera
The camera is another good point for JiaYu G4 Advanced, in 720p the frame rate is higher and smoother than Galaxy S3, in 1080p are similar, but the JiaYu looks with a frame rate higher but the Galaxy S3 difinition looks better. I recorded 4 videos in Full HD to test, with both mobiles at the same time so you can compare by yourself. First and third was recorded with JiaYu, the second and fourth with Galaxy S3:
I also recorded a video at 720p to show how smooth it record it:
Photos are also nice, I took photos outside with low light and night and also to Charlie at home, Charlie is a Gizchina.es reader. It is a small bird that I found in my office job door, it could fly as it was too small, I’m taking care and I will leave it free soon.
Conclusion
In my opinion, I liked more than the Galaxy S3 so I decided to make this review of a one week usage. It is a great phone, you can compare it with Galaxy S3 and will be in a same level.
The only issues found were:
- The buttons are not illuminated, this sometimes makes you press in the wrong side, I suppose is question of time you know where the buttons are.
- The touch screen works ok but I have found in the beginning that has a different feeling, so in the beginning it is normal to fail while you are writing, now, after one week I make the same mistakes like in the past with the Galaxy S3, so, don’t worry.
- Google Maps (and all the Google Apps) failed when you pressed on the mic to dictate to phone. I needed to install from Play Store the Google Voice search. I suppose that JiaYu install some apks directly and the dependencies may fail.
I want to thank again to Powerplanetonline.com to send me the phone and if you want to make pre-order of this phone, you can pre-order the JiaYu G4 Advanced here.
[ Source via Gizchina.es ]
Brilliant, thanks very much indeed for this. The G4 Advanced is still the phone I would like to get my hands on the most at the moment, but only once it is widely available and the price has fallen to a more sensible level.
I had been worried about some of the problems which some people are experiencing, so your review helps put my mind at ease.
Hi Andi, If you review THL W11 Monkey King, It would be appreciated very much.
powerplanet is entirely in Spanish.. Unfortunately my spanish isn´t that good. Great review Eduardo!
off topic – Awesome bird! Are you sure you’re not keeping it?
This is the phone I’m looking to, at the moment.
But I *must* buy a phone compatible with my bluetooth sap car-kit (not just hands-free).
So, Eduardo, do you have any chance of testing to pair this phone with a bluetooth sap like VW, Skoda, Audi, Mercedes and many more?
I would be eternally grateful.
I’ve paired my G4 with the my Ford blue tooth no problem.. Great review Eduardo thanks to also you do get used to the buttons on very quickly don’t need back light.. Sent from my G4!
Good to hear. But is your Ford bluetooth using the SAP profile?
You can ascertain by pairing the phone and then trying to make a call *on the phone*, not on the car-kit. If it dials, then it’s just the HFP (Hands Free Profile) meaning, just carrying the audio way and back. Sometimes, it’s able to use the phonebook using together the PBAP profile.
The SAP profile enables the car-kit to hijack the SIM card of the phone, and makes and receives calls using its own transmitter, antenna and power, on behalf of the SIM card number. The antenna coverage is then much better and the phone battery is not used. It’s a superior system.
In wikipedia, please search “sim access profile” to know more about this.
@andi: for the sake of posting dynamics, I’ve redone my post above this one which is awaiting moderation, I guess due to the inoffensive wikipedia link; please just delete it.
Well i dont know if this helps any but ive tried it out for you and I suspect it isnt SAP however when the phone ‘pairs’ with the car the phone asks for permission to allow the car access to the SIM card contents which I assume are then uploaded to the car because all contacts are visible via the car Sony radio/cd player..however I can still dial a number on the phone but it connects via the car. Ford is not on the list of SAP enabled cars on wikipedia so if you want me to investigate further you will have to provide me with a Ferrari 599GTB which is!
Thank you Brian for your time.
I would gladly offer you one my 599GTB’s but you wouldn’t like the colours of the ones I have in my garage!
About the SAP, I forgot to mention that you should set it up. So, please turn on Bluetooth and then go to Settings/Bluetooth/Advanced_Settings/and check Remote_SIM_Mode. Then, just below, select the SIM you use for voice (SIM 1 or SIM2).
My phone is v4.03, I hope your menu settings are like mine; else, please find your way through similar options.
Furthermore, if your G4 doesn’t have the option Remote_SIM_Mode, then the G4 doesn’t support SAP. I would like to know this.
Been out in the mid day sun…wow 37 deg its bloody hot! Checked with and without the phone paired..there is no option that I can find for Remote Sim Mode
only Rename phone/visibilty timeout/show received files..so I guess its doesnt support SAP
youll just have to send me one of your 599 GTBs I will take any colour as long as its got A/C
Thank you again for your time.
So, I guess I’ll have to start looking for another phone, it’s a pitty.
Concerning the 599 GTB’s, I’ll have to check but I don’t think A/C would fit in this 1:50 scale!
Enjoy the sun.
Thanks very much.
Great review, thanks. Also about the touchscreen, it is something I’ve seen in almost all Chinese phones, they aren’t as precise as others. For eg, when doing a ‘swipe’ action, the phone registers it only after say 5x pixels while a Samsung or LG does in x pixels. My 2 cents.
How is the internal sdcard ? Do they split it ? Do they separate the app and data like g3s ?
nice model M bro =]
Great review Eduardo. Thanks a lot.
I have this Jiayu G4 Youth version. One word to describe it, ‘amazing’.
Although, it cost me $260 to get the 3000mAh battery youth version down to here in Nigeria, but no skin pain.
When I compared it with my Nexus 4, I must say that these are the reasons I decided to make the Jiayu G4 my everyday phone:
1. the screen is brilliant
2. better picture quality
3. rugged battery – on one occasion with light use of 1hr browsing, regular phone calls, sms, few apps it took me from Thur 6.00am (100%) to Fri, Sat about 5pm (9%)
4. picture quality is far better
5. memory card slot
6. dual sim function
7. even the quad core MT6589 (without the T) is very snappy
8. My fear was that the 3G WCDMA 2100 band will not be compatible with my network. We use 900/1800 and 2100. It turned out that my internet browsing speed on the Jiayu G4 is fast at least in the city of Lagos where I am now. Although, I expect my Nexus to beat the Jiayu G4 on download/upload speed.
9. the weight makes me know I’m carrying my phone when I’m in doubt but the Nexus 4 is very light and I don’t like it.
10. Lewa rom is more than a rom, very light and responsive.
Just thought I should add my experience as well. Hope someone finds it useful here in GC.
Thanks man! Sounds great. Even I am planning to get one and use it as my primary device.
Eduardo……does the G4 advanced have refocus issues on the video..cant see it on your examples? If it doesnt do you think is software correction or the different camera (perhaps thats why they changed it)?
Lexboi does your youth G4 have video refocus issues (mine does!). Which LEWA rom have you got and what did it improve?
Hey Brain, have you tried playing with the settings? There’s a ‘touch focus’ option, try setting it to ‘infinite’. I don’t own a G4, though, just trying to help.
Yash,I have tried playing with the setting but cant find anything relating to focus and there is no ‘touch focus’ option that I can see. Also tried with other camera apps..the same
Oh, okay. Maybe it’s a hardware issue then.
Great review. Too bad it doesn’t work in the US.
Received reimbursement from mixeshop and purchased by the seller on aliexpress (Ifeel Technology co.ltd) which for now has been very helpful on any request they have done, the phone will be shipped within two days, we hope that this time everything is fine .. .. I will keep you informed about …
regards Francesco
The problem of jiayu and all chinese phones they are too heavy for me. GS3 maybe is really light don’t know why they don’t build light phones.
The G4 is a big phone and does feel so heavy …
Sorry doesnt feel so heavy
In India G4 Advanced (with 2GB+32GB, 3000 mAH battery) is being sold for Rs 19000 (incl shipping), which is very close to LG Optimus X4.
Would anyone buy G4? Here is a comparison:
Things in favor of LG X4:
(a) LG enjoys a MUCH higher brand value.
(b) LG has wide sales and display across India. Jiayu has only one store.
(c) LG has service network in India. Jiayu has no service at all.
(d) X4 has HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100. G4 has only 2100.
(e) X4 camera has image stabilization. G4 does not have it.
Three features in G4 are better than X4:
(a) camera resolution (for both front and rear cameras)
(b) RAM (1 GB vs 2 GB)
(c) ROM (16 GB vs 32 GB) both are expandable up to 64 GB with a card
In the following matters, the winner may be undecided:
(a) G4 has a battery of 3000 mAH; X4 has 2150 mAH.
But then X4 claims almost 11 Hrs talk time on 3G!
(b) X4 uses NVidia Tegra 3 CPU, against G4’s MTK 6589T.
Which is better?
Conclusion: G4 seems to be overpriced compared to X4.
LG 4X HD also does call recorder out of the box without rooting/hacking/jailbreaking/whatever. Make a call, press menu, goto recorder and start recording. Apps allow for automatic call recording.
I can’t find this info on the JiaYu G4. or any mediatek-equipped phone.
Does anyone know if the G4 can do full 2-way callrecording (without root)
In this review I red that the battery holds 2 days with heavy use…
I just got the new G4 with 3000 amp… and it is HORRIBLE. i mean the battery is horrible as it holds 8 – 10 hours after fully charged! 10 hours in standby!!! FOR REAL? The WiFi is even switched off! so only 3G. I am SOOO SAD now. because I love the phone. it is very ergonomic and nice to use. but this battery is killing me. Maybe it is a defect in battery and I should order a new one? or maybe i have to setup something? my screen brightness is 40%. if someone have any tips please share.
From my experience with the zopo c2 i can say that 3g uses more battery than wifi. I save battery by toggling 3g only when i need it. Maybe you can try a different rom like one with LEWA optimization. Also in wifi setting disable network notification. If all fails try wiping battery stats….there are tutorials on how to do this online.
It seems that you might have a bad battery..my G4 goes 24hrs standby and only uses 15% max and a couple of days of medium use
Do you also have the 3000 amp battery? are you using 3g network? is connectivity good in your region? is WiFi always enabled for you?
because I am very curious about whats going on with my phone :(((
have you configured it somehow?
btw, are the bottom buttons for you highlighted or laso not?
Yes 3000mAh battery..but i fully charged it /ran it right down *3 first of all
I use 3g network but not for data and connectivity is very good as we live near a mast. Wifi is enabled only when I want to use it with the Internet but doesnt seem to use much battery then..I didnt configure it specially to save battery.. my screen is running bright and no the buttons are not lit.
Can you please test a 850mhz 3g network and report if it works…i wanna get this phone cause i dont like the other options.
ok thanks, i ll order a new battery!
Can you please test a 850mhz 3g network and report if it works…you or Brian please help.
Hi.. Not sure if I know what I am doing here but I went into mobile uncle and deselected everything but 850 on the 3g on sim 1 then turned on 3g data. The It went away for a while then ok but wouldn’t let me access data. The As far as I know G4 is only 2100! I if there is any other way of testing it please let me know
Hi, thanks for this full review. In order to find my new best smartphone I select Jiayu G4 advanced and Zopo ZP980 Turbo. However, I don’t know which one to chose for theses kind of use :
– Good Camera (not replacing my Lumix LX2)
– Good confort for web browsing and pdf reading
– I place my phone in front jean Pocket
– GPS
– No game
So, Jiayu seems overall better mainly due to its size. However 5inch full hd screen of zopo give probably better confort for web but may be to much big to be in a front jean pocket…
Can you help me to chose ?
Thanks
From what you can read here they are both good phones.
The Zopo ZP980 is 143*70.2*8.5 whilst the Jiayu G4 is 133x65x8.2mm/133x65x10mm so the Zopo is 1cm longer and 0.5cm wider G4 with bigger battery is 1.5mm thicker
The Zopo is reportd to be more flexible/bendy..The G4 is cheaper.
I have had my G4 two months now and I am very pleased with it. Fits in my front jeans pocket very well. The browsing/web experience on the G4 is very good, you can read and access web pages very easily. I read e-books and play suduko on it with no problems at all.
Thanks a lot for help.
Jiayu seems to be the best choice…
Both phones are good, but I like Jiayu G4, more importantly, it is relatively cheap.
Hi. Could you please comment some more on the internet speed?
I can’t believe this phone has WCDMA only support (384kbps) and not HSDPA.
Could you please confirm the internet speed is 384kbps only?
@Lexboi please im a Nigerian and i really want to know how you got your phone down. where did you purchase it and how?. Thanks.
I’m searching a webshop where I can buy the Jiayu G4 2g/32g with the 1,5ghz processor. Does anybody knows one?
Lexboi please im a Nigerian and i really
want to know how you got your phone
down. where did you purchase it and
how?. Thanks
Where to buy the G4 Advanced with 2GB?
Hi, great review! U got 2 G ram version ?
So low quallity like 3000mAh battery on standard or advenced not easy to find. Everybody who bought Jiayu G4 Advanced or standard with 3000mAh battery knows that there is not correct works level of battery charge. Battery discharged from about 50% to 13% during 10-15 minutes. When this bug will be improved officialy by Jiayu? Another bad thing about not true 3000mAh battery – this battery can take charge only about 2500mAh or less and it is easy to check with any balanced charger.
how get into BIOS settings to change from Chinese to English ???
please help me !!! I can not understand nothing !!!