After 4 Months of GN 3 Use........

[jds4000]

Overall, the device is outstanding, especially after adding Nova Prime and customizing the user experience. There is however, one MAJOR, MAJOR problem. I have had to replace this device TWICE, TWICE I say due to a FAILURE of the USB 3.0 connection. The connection becomes loose, unresponsive and the device simply will not recognize the charger. I have no doubt that this problem will arise again, on this my THIRD GN 3. Needless to say I am HIGHLY disappointed with Samsung. The connection needs to be redesigned immediately. This is a KNOWN COMMON ISSUE. The folks at Best Buy told me that this issue is COMMON in the GN 3 and that they have accepted MANY GN 3 returns due to this issue. Come on Samsung, this is pathetic.

 

[Rukbat]

1) I've always maintained that, although it was a great idea for all manufacturers to get together and agree on a single connector, the microUSB connector was the worst one they could have chosen. 3.0 doesn't change my opinion.

2) Although I'm on my third GN3 (on this one - the family has a few), not one connector has failed (and watch 2 or 3 of them fail this evening). I've had a bad OTA, one phone just decided to bootloop and AT&T couldn't get it working with a reflash (after I failed to get ir working with a reflash) - all sorts of problems, but no connector problems.

Could it be that the faults come in batches?

 

[The_Chief]

WOW.

I am on my first and only Note 3. Everything's tight and functional. I guess I got a charmed device!

 

[Jazzy79]

I got my Note 3 on Feb 26th and taking mines to get looked at because my USB 3.0 connection is to loose. My hubby's note 3 is fine but mines will not charge right so off i go tomorrow within the 14 days and get another Note 3....

 

[ScandaLeX]

Overall, the device is outstanding, especially after adding Nova Prime and customizing the user experience. There is however, one MAJOR, MAJOR problem. I have had to replace this device TWICE, TWICE I say due to a FAILURE of the USB 3.0 connection. The connection becomes loose, unresponsive and the device simply will not recognize the charger. I have no doubt that this problem will arise again, on this my THIRD GN 3. Needless to say I am HIGHLY disappointed with Samsung. The connection needs to be redesigned immediately. This is a KNOWN COMMON ISSUE. The folks at Best Buy told me that this issue is COMMON in the GN 3 and that they have accepted MANY GN 3 returns due to this issue. Come on Samsung, this is pathetic.

I've been saying for yearrrrrrrrrrrrrs that as phones continue to increase in size the only thing which remains unchanged is the usb connector. The thing is too tiny for the weight it's expected to hold.

Because the port is so fragile it doesn't surprise me the amount of times it can dislodge from the main board which is why I always opt for spare batteries. The EVO taught me some valuable lessons.

 

[Bexy]

Didn't realise the charger was an issue for others.
I'm on my first Note 3 still but, a couple of times I've thought I should perhaps get it sent off.

When it's plugged in charging, if I move it slightly, sometimes it will stop charging. This is very noticeable when it's got less than 15% battery as it vibrates every time it dislodges to tell me the battery is low. At one point I was worried it wasn't going to charge but, then I used my partners normal microUSB adapter and that worked better.

Not had any problems the past few times charging though but, if it seems to be a common problem I think I might get it looked at.

 

[Simon_Gardner]

Spare chargers are very cheap.

 

[RickSchlegel]

Have had mine since last Fall, and, with the exception of a few nuisance intermittent glitches (the worst being an occasional problem with the screen not illuminating automatically with an incoming phone call), I'm very satisfied. No 3.0 problems - yet. For me, this is my first smartphone that is firstly my computer, and secondly my phone. It was a long time coming.

 

[clitrenta]

No problems with mine either. I've had it maybe 2 months or so (my hubby as well) and neither of us has had any problems. Might it be a batch issue? That might account for getting more than one like this.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

No problems with my T-mobile Note 3. Never had this issue with any Android phone, Windows Mobile Phone, Pocket PC or any other USB charging devices.

 

[bonerp]

I'm on my 3rd. The previous 2 both had problems with the home button failing to respond. I'm not sure whether this is fw related or a hardware issue.

 

[evohicks]

I'm on my 3rd. The previous 2 both had problems with the home button failing to respond. I'm not sure whether this is fw related or a hardware issue.

You would think it would be a hardware issue but I had an ipad with a similar problem with a non responding home button, but after I reset it and used my wife's ID, it worked perfectly.

 

[bonerp]

You'd think.... However read it's software poss a random glitch in 4.3 possibly related to a build batch which would make sense as both problem phones were from cpw within a month of each other.
Restarting clears the fault for a short time. It's proper weird.

 

[jed_eye01]

Have had mine since last Fall, and, with the exception of a few nuisance intermittent glitches (the worst being an occasional problem with the screen not illuminating automatically with an incoming phone call), I'm very satisfied. No 3.0 problems - yet. For me, this is my first smartphone that is firstly my computer, and secondly my phone. It was a long time coming.

oh that happened to me too!! and once its screen color went to a hue green just restarted it ,. dunno why that happened though

 

[Gomjaba]

I've been saying for yearrrrrrrrrrrrrs that as phones continue to increase in size the only thing which remains unchanged is the usb connector. The thing is too tiny for the weight it's expected to hold.

Because the port is so fragile it doesn't surprise me the amount of times it can dislodge from the main board which is why I always opt for spare batteries. The EVO taught me some valuable lessons.

how is this different from an S4 mini to lay on the table or a Note 3 or a 12.2 Pro ? Where does the port need holding the phone ? You balance the phone on the cable or something

 

[Gomjaba]

You guys using the stock chargecable (USB3 with two connectors) or some other charger you had flying around ? I only ever have a loose cable with non-stock mini usb connectors as they don't seem to go far enough inside ..

 

[Lateck]

jds4000, this is the first time I'm reading about "this" problem.
I have had mine since last fall's roll out (Sprint) and I have only had the "normal" software bugs.......

I have had a off brand car charger (non usb 3) fail, but that's not the devices fault.

Now can new problems pop up? Yes, but the Note 3 has been a great device for me.

Lateck,

 

[Rukbat]

The very design of the microUSB is wrong for cellphones. A microUSB connector is great iif you're plugging a cable in and leaving it in, but when you might be plugging and unplugging twice a day, every day, there are a couple of problejms. The main one, and it's the same one as the one with coaxial laptop power connectors, is that the soldered pins aren't strong enough to take the strain of constant plugging and unplugging. (Which is why there are hundreds of companies in the US alone that make their entire livings resoldering laprop power connectors.

It's great that the industry stopped the infighting and agreed on a single connector for everything, but it should have a big screw (#4 or larger in US sizing) holding it to the phone.

Having the fragile little bar that the contacts are on waving in the wind isn't too great either.

Any mechanical engineering student could have designed a better one. Maybe not a cheaper one, and that's the design criterion. Save a penny here and a penny there, and it adds a few million to the bottom line every year. And if that saved penny costs the customer $50 to get it fixed, who cares?

 

[Simon_Gardner]

Absolutely. I love the more recent models Mac laptop MagSafe‎ connector. I think on my last non-MagSafe‎ MacBook Pro I got through seven chargers because of the awful plug.

I expect the thing that will go wrong with my Note 3 is that daft socket.

 

[Sportster]

Well I'll be replacing mine soon here. All sorts of fun crap with mine. Recently the clock isn't keeping time right. WTH?!? The friggin microwave mastered that decades ago! The audio with the EQ on will go up and down in volume and it drives me crazy. The mute will not stay muted! Not to mention the 'processing' on the camera. Yea you can turn off stability but wth should you have to??? I'm not happy with this thing one bit and am tempted to just tell them either send me a different phone like a LG or I'm gone. Too many problems, not to mention the signal on this thing sucks! On Verizon...sitting at the local school watching my kids in a play....hmm, check the phone. NO signal! My wife, sitting right next to me, strong signal on her cheapo Virgin Mobile SPRINT device! This is a strong VZW area and a weak Sprint one, too! Ridiculous....

 

[Simon_Gardner]

Well I'll be replacing mine soon here. All sorts of fun crap with mine. Recently the clock isn't keeping time right. WTH?!? The friggin microwave mastered that decades ago! The audio with the EQ on will go up and down in volume and it drives me crazy. The mute will not stay muted! Not to mention the 'processing' on the camera. Yea you can turn off stability but wth should you have to??? I'm not happy with this thing one bit and am tempted to just tell them either send me a different phone like a LG or I'm gone. Too many problems, not to mention the signal on this thing sucks! On Verizon...sitting at the local school watching my kids in a play....hmm, check the phone. NO signal! My wife, sitting right next to me, strong signal on her cheapo Virgin Mobile SPRINT device! This is a strong VZW area and a weak Sprint one, too! Ridiculous....

I agree with your general sentiment. I was told here that all smart phones aren't very good as phones "but look at all this other stuff they do". Since I'm often in fringe areas (which were usually OK on a string of dumb phones) I'm finding this a constant problem. I'm thinking of installing a roof antenna micro cell retransmitter for my home as phone reception is now an intermittent problem on the ground floor. The previous five dumb phones had little problem.

This is my first smart phone and outside high signal areas like cities, it rather sucks.

 

[Sportster]

This is my third smartphone. Had the original Droid, a Droid Razr Maxx and now this and I can say that Motorola phones have very good radios in them, much better than Samsung. I never really had a signal issue with them like I am with this Samsung. VERY disappointed in the radios on this thing. Surely they can and must do better.

 

[ovrrdrive]

I got mine launch week and it has been flawless. I rooted it the week I got it and put it in an otterbox as soon as they were released. No issues what so ever.

It's also my 5th android phone and I've gone at least a year with every one I've had. I've never had to send any phones back.

 

[clitrenta]

This is my third smartphone. Had the original Droid, a Droid Razr Maxx and now this and I can say that Motorola phones have very good radios in them, much better than Samsung. I never really had a signal issue with them like I am with this Samsung. VERY disappointed in the radios on this thing. Surely they can and must do better.

Really I think it's a combination of Samsung and the carrier. I have no problem with my AT&T Note 3 however when I had a Galaxy S3 and US Cellular, I couldn't get a data signal in my office to save my life. After many calls to them with no possible resolution, I got rid of USC (ate the ETF as well) but I refuse to pay for something that does not and can not work. Telling me you can't guarantee reception in buildings might as well be telling me to cancel your a**. I refuse to be held captive my a carrier just because of a contract. Since I've had AT&T, Ive had no issues at all.

 

[OneZeoN]

I got mine launch week and it has been flawless. I rooted it the week I got it and put it in an otterbox as soon as they were released. No issues what so ever.

It's also my 5th android phone and I've gone at least a year with every one I've had. I've never had to send any phones back.

You do know you have jinxed yourself now