Have generally been happy with my Pixel 3a ... EXCEPT...

[PianoPlayer88Key]

Sooooo I got a Pixel 3a about a month and a half ago (@Stylized_Violence was one who was helpful in that thread), and generally I've been fairly happy with it.  (Even though I do wish it supported multi-tasking and virtualization like desktop Windows and Linux does, and wasn't nearly as slippery.)

 

However...

 

This happened in the last couple days.  (Pixel 3a is on the far right, with my finger pointing to a corner of the screen.)

 

From left to right (arranged in the order that I acquired them / they were my daily driver), those phones are:

1. Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G (SGH-T399)
2. LG G4 (H811)
3. Moto G4 Play
4. Google Pixel 3a

(For the eagle-eyed, the different time on the Pixel 3a's clock was because it was a screenshot, and I had edited it with a photo editor to take a couple things out.)

 

I thought the Pixel 3a didn't have a glass screen, so that shouldn't happen to it?  (I think the normal Pixel 3 has it, but I wasn't going for that phone.)

Being able to survive drops at least as well as the other phones have, was one of the major requirements when I got this phone.

 

I've dropped the other three phones countless times, including on sidewalks and streets, with no protective cases ... and as you can see, their screens are fine.  About the only thing that happens is the back cover pops off and the battery gets temporarily divorced from the rest of the phone, but I just put it back together, turn the phone back on and continue using it.  (The Pixel is the first I've had in a long time if ever that didn't have a removable back / battery.)

(Technically the actual pixels on the 3a are fine, it's just the outer layer that's tweaked.)  I would have expected the 3a to at least have the same durability, if not better.  (OTOH, from what I've heard, some of the higher-end phones would be more fragile, like the Pixel 4, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 or Fold, iPhone 11, OnePlus 7T, etc, which would be yet another reason for me to never get phones like that.)

 

 

Is there something I can do to fix this issue with the screen, and ensure it doesn't crack again without getting a case?  (I never needed a case for the other phones.)  I'm past the return policy (I think - I bought the phone directly from the Google store on I think September 11; I'd think it'd still be under warranty but idk if it would help here), and I really don't want to get a different phone until Android 14 or 16 comes out.  (However if one comes before then with a full desktop OS, socketed RAM (like SO-DIMM) and storage (like M.2), etc, I might go for that if it's under about $500, but not for a few years.)

 

 

Long-term software updates was a requirement as well.  NO phone existing today meets my preferences there, but the 3a (or other pixel phones) comes closest.  (I've heard some older iPhones also have been getting updates, but I prefer Android or Linux (or desktop Windows, not mobile.))  I don't want to switch to another phone if it's not getting updates as quickly and for as long as a Pixel, and I don't want iOS if I was to switch.

 

If I had my way, even the T-Mobile G1 (not pictured) would at least still be getting monthly (or as needed if more often) security updates, and the Relay 4G would have been updated to an Android Go version of 9 or 10, with the LG G4 getting standard Android 10 (and maybe 11 or 12).  The OS version updates would stop about when the lowest-end new phones that ship with the OS have more RAM and storage than the older phone has, whose OS updates are stopping. (Example: old phone has 2GB RAM & 16GB storage and that generation's equivalent of dual Epyc (or Xeon E7) and RTX Titan NVLink (or Gx100/102 Quadro 4-way SLI), while the lowest-end new phone shipping with the new OS in "Go" mode has 3 GB RAM & 32GB storage and that generation's equivalent of an Atom / Celeron + HD Graphics.) But, the security updates wouldn't stop until all units (serial numbers / IMEI / whatever) of that model have died beyond the point of repairability, even if you did Louis Rossmann style component soldering/repair.

 

 

Also not as critical, but still an annoyance - the back is REALLY slippery, like, it easily slips out of my hand.  Also that means I can't put it on the dash of my car (like I could with the Moto G4 Play), as it will get thrown from one side to the other when I'm rounding corners.  (I don't drive all that fast either  like maybe just 40 or 45 mph around some curves posted at 25, or 20 or 25 when turning right at a street corner or 25+ when turning left.)

Also I do wish the notifications on the 3a went all the way across the top of the screen, since it doesn't have a notch, and I wish it wouldn't effectively close / reopen apps when switching between dark / light mode.  (Also when Chrome restarts, its back button behavior changes from "close current tab and go to previous tab", to "go to OS home screen".)

[Streetguru]

6 minutes ago, PianoPlayer88Key said:

 

Should always use a big fat wallet style case and a glass screen protector...they're like $20 max for your $300+ device and make it indestructible.

 

Most likely just contact google and talk to them about a replacement.

[Founders]

Sorry my friend but phones today are not built to be rugged unless otherwise specified as such. They're delicate and require a case if you want any chance of keeping them in good shape. Google may help you, if not replace the display and get a case. 

[PianoPlayer88Key]

15 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

Should always use a big fat wallet style case and a glass screen protector...they're like $20 max for your $300+ device and make it indestructible.

 

Most likely just contact google and talk to them about a replacement.

Yeah, but thing is, I didn't need a case for any of my other phones.

 

Last phone I had a broken screen on was either a Motorola V188 or V300 flip phone in the mid 2000s or so.  I was at a church camp meeting, made the mistake of laying my phone down face up on the floor to do something with my camera (Canon A70 or A80 I think, could have been S1 IS but idk).  Dropped the camera lens-first on the phone.  Phone screen cracked (the damage that makes the LCD itself get that weird broken-LCD look), camera survived.  (If it was the Canon A80, that one did later break when dropping it lens-down on a wood floor, in a cabin at a different church camp.)

 

 

5 minutes ago, Ehmc130 said:

Sorry my friend but phones today are not built to be rugged unless otherwise specified as such. They're delicate and require a case if you want any chance of keeping them in good shape. Google may help you, if not replace the display and get a case. 

Well ... I wasn't expecting it to be as durable as like a Galaxy Active, but I was also expecting it to be no more fragile (and preferably somewhat less fragile) than my previous phones.

 

BTW What do you think a replacement screen would cost?  Also would this iFixit kit have the parts I'd need to do the job?

 

 

[Streetguru]

3 minutes ago, PianoPlayer88Key said:

Yeah, but thing is, I didn't need a case for any of my other phones.

Ya, but at this point you are far better off with some protection for your phone given the amount of glass/metal that go into their construction.

 

Also lemme know if you ever want to buy a 1950X System in the san diego area...

 

I must have dropped my gen 1 pixel a 100 times by now and it's just fine with it's wallet case.

[dizmo]

• Yes, the Pixel 3 has glass, just like pretty much every modern smartphone.
• Yes there's something you can do; be more careful with your expensive devices.
• The return period or warranty won't help you; they're not for drops, they're for manufacturer defects.
• There's no reason for them to have SODIMM or m.2 slots in a phone, so you'll likely never see that.
• Try a dBrand skin for the back; it'll help with grip.

[Darkseth]

On 11/2/2019 at 2:34 AM, PianoPlayer88Key said:

Is there something I can do to fix this issue with the screen, and ensure it doesn't crack again without getting a case?

It sounds stupid, but hear me out:

 

Do not drop your phone - and it will not break.

 

There is no phone, that survives every single Drop. Every Drop is unique. You could have a phone surviving 30 drops, and the 31th will crack it.

So it's not possible to recommend you one.

 

 

Btw: EVERY Phone has a Glas screen. Otherwise anything could scratch it.

[rijzen]

On 11/1/2019 at 9:34 PM, PianoPlayer88Key said:

Sooooo I got a Pixel 3a about a month and a half ago (@Stylized_Violence was one who was helpful in that thread), and generally I've been fairly happy with it.  (Even though I do wish it supported multi-tasking and virtualization like desktop Windows and Linux does, and wasn't nearly as slippery.)

 

However...

 

This happened in the last couple days.  (Pixel 3a is on the far right, with my finger pointing to a corner of the screen.)

 

From left to right (arranged in the order that I acquired them / they were my daily driver), those phones are:

1. Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G (SGH-T399)
2. LG G4 (H811)
3. Moto G4 Play
4. Google Pixel 3a

(For the eagle-eyed, the different time on the Pixel 3a's clock was because it was a screenshot, and I had edited it with a photo editor to take a couple things out.)

 

I thought the Pixel 3a didn't have a glass screen, so that shouldn't happen to it?  (I think the normal Pixel 3 has it, but I wasn't going for that phone.)  

Pixel 3A has a plastic back and the standard Pixel 3 has a glass back (might be where the confusion is). Only phone off hand I can think of with a non-glass screens is the moto droid turbo 2. Use the Google help section in your phone settings and you can connect directly to google support. They helped me with mine a few times and the standard warranty is 1 year but physical damage is not covered without the plan.

[PianoPlayer88Key]

 

Spoiler

On 11/1/2019 at 6:56 PM, Streetguru said:

Ya, but at this point you are far better off with some protection for your phone given the amount of glass/metal that go into their construction.

On 11/1/2019 at 7:04 PM, dizmo said:

• Yes, the Pixel 3 has glass, just like pretty much every modern smartphone.

On 11/1/2019 at 9:33 PM, huilun02 said:

Your old phones did not shatter because the frames of the phone extends up around the edge of the screen. That protects the edges of the glass which is relatively much weaker.

7 hours ago, Darkseth said:

Btw: EVERY Phone has a Glas screen. Otherwise anything could scratch it.

6 hours ago, rijzen said:

Pixel 3A has a plastic back and the standard Pixel 3 has a glass back (might be where the confusion is). Only phone off hand I can think of with a non-glass screens is the moto droid turbo 2.

 

 

One reason I got the 3a  was because of the plastic.  I had no idea that it would have had a glass front.   That's one of the reasons (besides lack of budget & other factors) I didn't go for a pixel 3, galaxy s9/s10e, oneplus 6/7, asus zenfone 6, iphone 6, etc.  

Also another huge reason I went for the Pixel 3a was software updates / support.  I wanted to be sure I had the latest version of android soon after it was released, and not have to wait almost a year to get maybe *ONE* OS update, EVER.  Also the time commitment for OS and security updates (a few years basically) was another major factor, and was one of many dealbreakers for why I didn't get other phones.  (I already sacrificed having a removable battery and memory card, but figured I could use an external powerbank and a USB drive; however, I can't seem to use my 64GB or larger USB drives or SD cards in a reader, it doesn't recognize them.)

 

 

 

Spoiler

On 11/1/2019 at 6:56 PM, Streetguru said:

I must have dropped my gen 1 pixel a 100 times by now and it's just fine with it's wallet case.

On 11/1/2019 at 7:04 PM, dizmo said:

• Yes there's something you can do; be more careful with your expensive devices.
• Try a dBrand skin for the back; it'll help with grip.

On 11/1/2019 at 9:33 PM, huilun02 said:

Tempered glass protector...

7 hours ago, Darkseth said:

It sounds stupid, but hear me out:

 

Do not drop your phone - and it will not break.

 

There is no phone, that survives every single Drop. Every Drop is unique. You could have a phone surviving 30 drops, and the 31th will crack it.

So it's not possible to recommend you one.

 

 

Like I've said, my other phones survived hundreds of, if not a thousand, drops just fine.

I actually did get an OtterBox Defender case and a tempered glass screen protector for my LG G4, but before I could install them, it got the bootloop issue.  (I did later have it repaired under extended warranty, which is why it's fully functional in the picture.)  Too bad I couldn't use them for the Pixel 3a.  (I do wish cases were more standardized for phones.  If you can build a modern ATX system in the first ATX case that was ever released, I want to be able to put my phone that I buy several years from now in the same case that my current phone goes in.

About that dBrand skin ... I have been skeptical on those (maybe I'm just pessimistic on perceived hype?) but ... maybe it might be an option?  (As long as it isn't overly expensive - I haven't looked but more than about $10-15 would be out of my league, unless it's going to last at least a decade or more.

Also I would have expected a higher-end device to be more sturdily constructed.  If my $100 Moto G4 Play (that's what I paid for it at WalMart) could survive a drop at a particular impact speed, I would have thought a $400 phone (4x as expensive) ought to be able to survive a 4x-speed drop.

 

 

Spoiler

 

On 11/1/2019 at 7:04 PM, dizmo said:

• The return period or warranty won't help you; they're not for drops, they're for manufacturer defects.

6 hours ago, rijzen said:

Use the Google help section in your phone settings and you can connect directly to google support. They helped me with mine a few times and the standard warranty is 1 year but physical damage is not covered without the plan.

 

 

Yeah, I'm not too confident on the warranty being of any help in my case.  Also someone earlier mentioned about replacing the screen with an ifixit kit ... but that would exceed my budget-over-time for a phone.   I strongly prefer to keep my phone expenditures, not counting my cell phone plan, under about $50-70 per year or so.  (I think the best I've done so far in terms of $ per year effectively was getting the T-Mobile G1 in Q4 2008 for I think around $180-200, and I didn't replace it until Q2 2013, about 4 and a half years later, which would effectively be about $40 to $44.44 per year.

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

On 11/1/2019 at 6:56 PM, Streetguru said:

Also lemme know if you ever want to buy a 1950X System in the san diego area...

Ahh thanks for the heads up, although I'm not really looking for a TR4-socket system right now.  My current plan is to wait until DDR5 and its respective socket comes out, although thoughts are starting to come into my mind that I might have to wait until DDR6 to upgrade.  (I absoutely do NOT want to get a new motherboard when there's only a few years of life left in compatibility with that socket, etc.  I would really prefer to replace a SeaSonic Prime PSU at least a few times (assuming I don't have any DOA or during-warranty failures) in the time that I continue to use the same motherboard.

 

Hey even though I'm 99% unlikely to go for a 1950x, I was wondering -- how does it do for encoding in Handbrake to H.265 / HEVC, q=0, --keyint=1, 3840x2160?  (There might be a couple other settings I've forgotten, but basically, everything absolutely maxed out at 4K, 30fps.)  My desktop's 4790K, when I did a test with it a month or 2 ago, took four DAYS to encode a 4-minute video with those settings.  (Encoding about 2 hours of audio to 320kbps q=0 mp3, from which that video was taken, took about 2 or 3 minutes or so.)

Among other things I'd prefer my next CPU be as fast at encoding those high-settings HEVC 4K videos, as my current one is at encoding 320kbps mp3, and preferably the same price as what I paid for the 4790K ($330 in January 2015).  (I didn't buy it on Black Friday nor at Micro Center.)  I was planning to upgrade around late 2021 or early 2022, but as I hinted above, might have to wait until like 2027 or 2028.  (I hope not, cause there are already things that I'm doing that are bringing my laptop's i7-6700K and 64GB RAM to its knees, and I wasn't planning to upgrade that until about 1 or 2 DDR generations AFTER I upgrade the desktop.)

 

 

On 11/1/2019 at 7:04 PM, dizmo said:

• There's no reason for them to have SODIMM or m.2 slots in a phone, so you'll likely never see that.

 

Yeah, I wasn't really expecting it.  (I'm just trying to figure out how to have a device last longer without needing to splurge up front on high-end parts, and without having to replace the device in order to not fall way behind in specs, like you might be if you tried running Windows 10 on a Pentium III 1 GHz with 512 MB RAM and a 20 GB PATA HDD.

 

 

 

 

 

[Streetguru]

1 minute ago, PianoPlayer88Key said:

I can't seem to use my 64GB or larger USB drives or SD cards in a reader, it doesn't recognize them.)

You may have to go into dev mode and enable USB debugging or something like that to get OTG support.

 

What's wrong with a glass screen? You can just use a tempered glass screen protector, and a wallet case, and your phone will basically never break.

 

Also I don't think android updates are really too big of a deal once you're at android 8 or above, the chances of a security flaw actually affecting you unless you run random apks/appls is pretty low.

 

You can just buy stick on vinyl and cut itself for much cheaper than buying a Dbrand skin

[PianoPlayer88Key]

@Streetguru ... Interesting ... when I plugged a 64GB Samsung USB flash drive in, it recognized it even with USB debugging off.  But, when I plugged in a 256GB SD card via a card reader (after successfully testing the same combo with my laptop), it said it was corrupted, even with USB debugging enabled.

I don't currently have an adapter to plug in and test 

Spoiler

.

 

And ....   ... I was really not expecting to need any kind of case, especially since my cheaper phones did just fine without it.  I totally expected the cheapies to be MORE fragile!  Then when especially my $100 Moto G4 Play survived what it did (including being dropped on sidewalks many times), that raised my expectations for durability of more expensive phones.

Also besides being disappointed with more expensive phones failing my unplanned durability tests (that cheaper phones passed, thereby raising the bar), another issue I have is

Spoiler

regarding cost of backup media per GB, vs cost of main storage.  Below (in this spoiler) is a magazine ad with a few examples highlighted, from which you can see the ratio I would like to have.  Am maybe working on a possible post, either for here, level1techs, servethehome, or maybe r/datahorder (or all 4?).

 

The 250MB Tape Drive is 67.44% the cost per MB of the 250MB Hard Drive.

The 250MB Tape Media is 9.3% the cost per MB of the 250MB Hard Drive.

 

The 2.3GB Tape Drive is 45.65% the cost per MB of the 2.1GB Hard Drive, or 46.8% the cost per MB of the 250MB Hard Drive.

The 2GB Tape Media is 3.35% the cost per MB of the 2.1GB Hard Drive, or 3.43% the cost per MB of the 250MB Hard Drive.

 

Today, an 8TB WD Red is about the same price as a 250MB HDD was then.

I currently have about 91.5 TB or so of total storage capacity, and will save more details for another time, other than ... I had been thinking about building a NAS, but am starting to think I might want something that doesn't even HAVE the capability of working with or recognizing IP addresses, so it'd hopefully be more resistant to hacking from outside.

 

And another thing with updates ... Often I like to skip major releases with software.  For example, I effectively went from Windows XP almost straight to Windows 10, although I did briefly use 7 for a few months because 10 wasn't ready yet when I built my current desktop PC.  (My parents actually DID go straight from XP to 10 - they never touched 7 unless it was when they were using someone else's computer.)

However, I do like to stay up to date with security patches, bug fixes, etc.

 

That vinyl sounds like an interesting idea, I might have to check into that.

[dizmo]

4 hours ago, PianoPlayer88Key said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

One reason I got the 3a  was because of the plastic.  I had no idea that it would have had a glass front.   That's one of the reasons (besides lack of budget & other factors) I didn't go for a pixel 3, galaxy s9/s10e, oneplus 6/7, asus zenfone 6, iphone 6, etc.  

Also another huge reason I went for the Pixel 3a was software updates / support.  I wanted to be sure I had the latest version of android soon after it was released, and not have to wait almost a year to get maybe *ONE* OS update, EVER.  Also the time commitment for OS and security updates (a few years basically) was another major factor, and was one of many dealbreakers for why I didn't get other phones.  (I already sacrificed having a removable battery and memory card, but figured I could use an external powerbank and a USB drive; however, I can't seem to use my 64GB or larger USB drives or SD cards in a reader, it doesn't recognize them.)

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

Like I've said, my other phones survived hundreds of, if not a thousand, drops just fine.

I actually did get an OtterBox Defender case and a tempered glass screen protector for my LG G4, but before I could install them, it got the bootloop issue.  (I did later have it repaired under extended warranty, which is why it's fully functional in the picture.)  Too bad I couldn't use them for the Pixel 3a.  (I do wish cases were more standardized for phones.  If you can build a modern ATX system in the first ATX case that was ever released, I want to be able to put my phone that I buy several years from now in the same case that my current phone goes in.

About that dBrand skin ... I have been skeptical on those (maybe I'm just pessimistic on perceived hype?) but ... maybe it might be an option?  (As long as it isn't overly expensive - I haven't looked but more than about $10-15 would be out of my league, unless it's going to last at least a decade or more.

Also I would have expected a higher-end device to be more sturdily constructed.  If my $100 Moto G4 Play (that's what I paid for it at WalMart) could survive a drop at a particular impact speed, I would have thought a $400 phone (4x as expensive) ought to be able to survive a 4x-speed drop.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

Yeah, I'm not too confident on the warranty being of any help in my case.  Also someone earlier mentioned about replacing the screen with an ifixit kit ... but that would exceed my budget-over-time for a phone.   I strongly prefer to keep my phone expenditures, not counting my cell phone plan, under about $50-70 per year or so.  (I think the best I've done so far in terms of $ per year effectively was getting the T-Mobile G1 in Q4 2008 for I think around $180-200, and I didn't replace it until Q2 2013, about 4 and a half years later, which would effectively be about $40 to $44.44 per year.

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Ahh thanks for the heads up, although I'm not really looking for a TR4-socket system right now.  My current plan is to wait until DDR5 and its respective socket comes out, although thoughts are starting to come into my mind that I might have to wait until DDR6 to upgrade.  (I absoutely do NOT want to get a new motherboard when there's only a few years of life left in compatibility with that socket, etc.  I would really prefer to replace a SeaSonic Prime PSU at least a few times (assuming I don't have any DOA or during-warranty failures) in the time that I continue to use the same motherboard.

 

Hey even though I'm 99% unlikely to go for a 1950x, I was wondering -- how does it do for encoding in Handbrake to H.265 / HEVC, q=0, --keyint=1, 3840x2160?  (There might be a couple other settings I've forgotten, but basically, everything absolutely maxed out at 4K, 30fps.)  My desktop's 4790K, when I did a test with it a month or 2 ago, took four DAYS to encode a 4-minute video with those settings.  (Encoding about 2 hours of audio to 320kbps q=0 mp3, from which that video was taken, took about 2 or 3 minutes or so.)

Among other things I'd prefer my next CPU be as fast at encoding those high-settings HEVC 4K videos, as my current one is at encoding 320kbps mp3, and preferably the same price as what I paid for the 4790K ($330 in January 2015).  (I didn't buy it on Black Friday nor at Micro Center.)  I was planning to upgrade around late 2021 or early 2022, but as I hinted above, might have to wait until like 2027 or 2028.  (I hope not, cause there are already things that I'm doing that are bringing my laptop's i7-6700K and 64GB RAM to its knees, and I wasn't planning to upgrade that until about 1 or 2 DDR generations AFTER I upgrade the desktop.)

 

 

 

Yeah, I wasn't really expecting it.  (I'm just trying to figure out how to have a device last longer without needing to splurge up front on high-end parts, and without having to replace the device in order to not fall way behind in specs, like you might be if you tried running Windows 10 on a Pentium III 1 GHz with 512 MB RAM and a 20 GB PATA HDD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A plastic screen would feel absolutely awful and be even more prone to damage than a glass one.

Other phones also get fast security updates. The only one that generally falls off is the Android version.

 

Right, but those phones weren't this one. Times change, you got a different device, you have to adapt and treat it differently.

Or, just be more careful with your expensive possessions. I haven't dropped the phone I have now. Ever.

 

I'm glad cases aren't standardized. How boring would that be. Plus it'd stagnate any kind of design improvements.

I think your concept of value is horribly skewed. If you think something needs to last more than 10 years to be worth $10, you don't really know the value of money.

 

Cost =/= durability. If you wanted that you should have bought a Samsung Activ phone, or a CAT device.

 

The warranty won't help you. It's not intended to. You dropped it, your mistake.

 

 

[Guest]

@PianoPlayer88Key

 

Perhaps part of this is my fault.

 

I didn't specify that the plastic was only applicable to the chassis, not the screen. Some phones have a plastic coating on top of glass, but at the end of the day it's still glass. I have dropped mine without a case or screen protector without issue, but as @Darkseth mentioned every drop is different and unique. They do make cases that are basically bumper style, in that they are only around the edges and acts as a buffer between the screen and the ground. You don't lose the feel of your phone but still have some protection towards drops. Plastic backed phones are better in terms of not shattering when dropped, and taking scratches and scuffs a bit better.

 

I also didn't mention this in my review, but I do recommend a screen protector for any phone purchase since the front is glass. Tempered glass, strong glass...but glass nonetheless. If asked, I would have recommended a soft protector and either a slim case or bumper style one. The grand total would have been less than $50 for your $399 investment (assuming you paid full price). I would recommend on your next purchase, whatever it may be, you buy a third party insurance plan. For example, I'm currently with a company called Squaretrade where I pay less than what carriers offer, and even if something is my fault I get a new phone for a small deductible. And it's good for five YEARS and is transferable.

 

I apologize if my review in any way made this phone seem to be more durable than other phones on the market. It was not my intent, I only meant to say that plastic tends to fair better than glass because nothing can shatter or crack easily...though I guess I didn't mention that the screen itself was generic tempered glass. So again, my apologies man. Hope you can work something out.