I have turned into a 'flashaholic' recently, and it seems I can't even go a week without flashing a new ROM and having a good look through it.
I thought here I would cover some of the ROMs that I have been using, in the hope that the information will become useful to someone who is looking to try something new
I will update this each time I flash something new, maybe one day I will get through them all
So I begin with AOSP....
BlackICE 1.25
Absolution
Oxygen
Maffia
MIUI
MIUI Freshly Squeezed Edition
RD MIUI
SENSE ROMS
I have also tried several other Sense roms to the ones you see here, however they are no longer in active development and have low activity so I decided to omit them from this post. However, some devs have followed from their previous work and created new ones (such as Virtuous Affinity) which I am keen to try at some stage
RcMix Runny 4.0
Mikrunny v.1.01
Android Revolution HD
I thought here I would cover some of the ROMs that I have been using, in the hope that the information will become useful to someone who is looking to try something new
I will update this each time I flash something new, maybe one day I will get through them all
So I begin with AOSP....
BlackICE 1.25
[ROM][AOSP][03Dec] -=BlackICEv1.25=- [2.3.7][LordModUE8.5CFS][OC2.0GHz] - xda-developers
This was the first ROM I flashed after being on CM7 for quite a while, and I was seriously impressed.
First off is the change of DPI from the default of 240, down to 200. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but everything looks a lot nicer and more crisp.
Overall performance is great, with quite a few tweaks made from the CM7 base that it's taken from. Lordmods kernel comes as standard and there is the 'IceTool' app that handles undervolting and also provides many additional apps/tweaks for the ROM.
The only issue seems to be that a lot of apps from the Market will not work, and many times you may get the 'This is incompatible with your device' message, even though they will work on another ROM. This is down to the DPI being changed. In the Icetool app there is an option to revert back to the standard 240, and this should fix that issue.
Recommended if you fancy a change from CM7.
This was the first ROM I flashed after being on CM7 for quite a while, and I was seriously impressed.
First off is the change of DPI from the default of 240, down to 200. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but everything looks a lot nicer and more crisp.
Overall performance is great, with quite a few tweaks made from the CM7 base that it's taken from. Lordmods kernel comes as standard and there is the 'IceTool' app that handles undervolting and also provides many additional apps/tweaks for the ROM.
The only issue seems to be that a lot of apps from the Market will not work, and many times you may get the 'This is incompatible with your device' message, even though they will work on another ROM. This is down to the DPI being changed. In the Icetool app there is an option to revert back to the standard 240, and this should fix that issue.
Recommended if you fancy a change from CM7.
[ROM/MOD][The Collective] Absolution-1/2/12-The Bad Flash Experience - xda-developers
Another great AOSP ROM, based on CM 7.2RC0 which like BlackICE has a lot of ways to customise the look and feel. It contains a similar app, 'Absolution Tools' where you can install different themes, dialers, wallpapers and apps (such as the MIUI camera.)
The ICS default theme is pretty good and they have worked the rest of the ROMs appearance around this. They also have an entire thread relating to the different themes you can get - [THEME][The Collective] Absolution Theme Thread!! - xda-developers which makes it one of the most customisable ROMs around.
A must have if you enjoy playing around with the appearance
Another great AOSP ROM, based on CM 7.2RC0 which like BlackICE has a lot of ways to customise the look and feel. It contains a similar app, 'Absolution Tools' where you can install different themes, dialers, wallpapers and apps (such as the MIUI camera.)
The ICS default theme is pretty good and they have worked the rest of the ROMs appearance around this. They also have an entire thread relating to the different themes you can get - [THEME][The Collective] Absolution Theme Thread!! - xda-developers which makes it one of the most customisable ROMs around.
A must have if you enjoy playing around with the appearance
[ROM][BUILD 4][24/12/2011] Unofficial Oxygen 2.3.2 port for the Desire HD/Inspire 4G - xda-developers
This is a port of Oxygen, a ROM for the Desire, which has been mixed with some CM7 features.
It is extremely fast, and very basic - no Cyanogenmod Settings for example, can't change the lockscreen etc.
Battery life is very good, as there is basically nothing there for it to drain from!
If you think CM7 is too flashy, or just want a pure experience with no frills, then this is the ROM for you.
This is a port of Oxygen, a ROM for the Desire, which has been mixed with some CM7 features.
It is extremely fast, and very basic - no Cyanogenmod Settings for example, can't change the lockscreen etc.
Battery life is very good, as there is basically nothing there for it to drain from!
If you think CM7 is too flashy, or just want a pure experience with no frills, then this is the ROM for you.
Maffia
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1353976&highlight=maffia
Another good CM derivative, which offers very good battery life and a very well done ICS theme. The DPI is changed by default like in BlackICE, and includes Lordmods kernel and also the MIUI camera.
One rather large issue I had with this ROM (and if it wasn't for this I would have stuck with it for a while) is that doing a batch restore using TB usually froze the phone, and would never get past about 10% restored before it would freeze. The only way round it is to restore each app individually which usually takes a long time. Others have said they have this error too, and I was hoping for it be fixed but unfortunately there seems to be no more updates since the beginning of December.
However if that issue does get addressed then I definitely recommend this ROM, very fast, smooth and the battery life is really good.
Another good CM derivative, which offers very good battery life and a very well done ICS theme. The DPI is changed by default like in BlackICE, and includes Lordmods kernel and also the MIUI camera.
One rather large issue I had with this ROM (and if it wasn't for this I would have stuck with it for a while) is that doing a batch restore using TB usually froze the phone, and would never get past about 10% restored before it would freeze. The only way round it is to restore each app individually which usually takes a long time. Others have said they have this error too, and I was hoping for it be fixed but unfortunately there seems to be no more updates since the beginning of December.
However if that issue does get addressed then I definitely recommend this ROM, very fast, smooth and the battery life is really good.
MIUI
MIUI Freshly Squeezed Edition
[ROM] MIUI 1.12.30 EN DE v.2: Freshly Squeezed Edition™ 02/01/12 - xda-developers
MIUI is a strange one. It looks very similar to the iPhone OS, and despite it being based on Cyanogenmod you would never be able to tell from looking at it.
First thing I noticed is that there is no app drawer. Like iOS, all the apps are contained on home screens. However this can be changed by creating a folder of all your apps and putting it where the app drawer would usually be.
What I think is great about MIUI is the dialer, which is very similar to the Sense dialer. You can search for names in the dialer and it will display results, much like HTC's. Most other ROMs that are AOSP do not have this feature.
It also has a huge amount of customisable content, you can basically change everything about the look of it. I think that MIUI Freshly Squeezed is the best looking of them all, the icons are very nice, the ICS analog clock is included and the dialer and messaging apps are also very good.
The one thing I never understood in MIUI ROMs is the battery usage. While the drain was normal, the battery info displayed the phone as being awake constantly:
However I didn't see much negative impact on the battery life. (Image above taken from RD MIUI as I didn't have a simliar for FS.)
MIUI is a strange one. It looks very similar to the iPhone OS, and despite it being based on Cyanogenmod you would never be able to tell from looking at it.
First thing I noticed is that there is no app drawer. Like iOS, all the apps are contained on home screens. However this can be changed by creating a folder of all your apps and putting it where the app drawer would usually be.
What I think is great about MIUI is the dialer, which is very similar to the Sense dialer. You can search for names in the dialer and it will display results, much like HTC's. Most other ROMs that are AOSP do not have this feature.
It also has a huge amount of customisable content, you can basically change everything about the look of it. I think that MIUI Freshly Squeezed is the best looking of them all, the icons are very nice, the ICS analog clock is included and the dialer and messaging apps are also very good.
The one thing I never understood in MIUI ROMs is the battery usage. While the drain was normal, the battery info displayed the phone as being awake constantly:
However I didn't see much negative impact on the battery life. (Image above taken from RD MIUI as I didn't have a simliar for FS.)
[ROM] RD-MIUI 1.12.23[EN] (quietly MIUI) 26/12/11 - xda-developers
Another good MIUI ROM, which is less dark themed and Freshly Squeezed and overall has less modifications.
The notification pull down is great, with one screen entirely for quick settings, and the other for notifications (which is quite similar to Sense)
Another good MIUI ROM, which is less dark themed and Freshly Squeezed and overall has less modifications.
The notification pull down is great, with one screen entirely for quick settings, and the other for notifications (which is quite similar to Sense)
I have also tried several other Sense roms to the ones you see here, however they are no longer in active development and have low activity so I decided to omit them from this post. However, some devs have followed from their previous work and created new ones (such as Virtuous Affinity) which I am keen to try at some stage
RcMix Runny 4.0
[ROM][Nov 14-2011]RCMix3d Runny v4.0 [Official runnymede sense 3.5 Android 2.3.5][OC] - xda-developers great Sense 3.5 ROM, with a ton of features available. Sense 3.5 has a lot of advancements under the hood compared to 3.0, and in my experience the speed and battery life are much better.
Options like a battery % in the notification bar, and the ability to change to 2D scrolling are a great change, the latter making the performance so much smoother.
Compared to CM, it is a lot slower and opening some apps and running them can be quite laggy, but Sense 3.5 is definitely the best thing HTC have produced so far.
Unfortunately the Dev has ceased development on this ROM, as he has moved to another phone (the Sensation I think) but it is still a great ROM.
Options like a battery % in the notification bar, and the ability to change to 2D scrolling are a great change, the latter making the performance so much smoother.
Compared to CM, it is a lot slower and opening some apps and running them can be quite laggy, but Sense 3.5 is definitely the best thing HTC have produced so far.
Unfortunately the Dev has ceased development on this ROM, as he has moved to another phone (the Sensation I think) but it is still a great ROM.
[ROM] - [12/24/2011] - MikRunny v1.01 - [ Sense 3.5 | 2.3.5 | Tweaks | Odex/Deodex ] - xda-developers
This is by far the best Sense ROM I have tried, and in my opinion the best that it will get until Sense 4.0 is released.
It is very similar to RcMix, being a Sense 3.5 ROM, but there has been a lot of work done on this that stands out. I won't type it all, but check the 'Tweaks' sub section in the first post on XDA, there are a lot Things that stood out were the transparent notification menu, and the choice of Odexed or Deodexed versions (for more information see here - Odex/Deodex - Things you should know! | DarkyROM). I chose the Odexed version, which should run a bit faster, but to be honest i'm not sure how much of a difference day to day it makes. But it is certainly nice to have a choice of different versions.
This ROM is a lot less laggy than others I have tried, and comes with the ability to change 2D/3D scrolling and other options 'on the fly' without having to restart the phone each time a change is made (unlike other Sense ROMs with the same options.)
If you are looking for a Sense 3.5 ROM, I would 100% recommend this over any other
It is very similar to RcMix, being a Sense 3.5 ROM, but there has been a lot of work done on this that stands out. I won't type it all, but check the 'Tweaks' sub section in the first post on XDA, there are a lot
Things that stood out were the transparent notification menu, and the choice of Odexed or Deodexed versions (for more information see here - Odex/Deodex - Things you should know! | DarkyROM). I chose the Odexed version, which should run a bit faster, but to be honest i'm not sure how much of a difference day to day it makes. But it is certainly nice to have a choice of different versions. This ROM is a lot less laggy than others I have tried, and comes with the ability to change 2D/3D scrolling and other options 'on the fly' without having to restart the phone each time a change is made (unlike other Sense ROMs with the same options.)
If you are looking for a Sense 3.5 ROM, I would 100% recommend this over any other
Android Revolution HD
[ROM] Android Revolution HD™ 6.3.1 | High Quality & Performance | O/C | Legendary - xda-developers
WOW! I was quite skeptical of this ROM as I thought that every sense 3.0 one I tried was sub par, but this is really something.
The smoothness and speed are on level with AOSP ROMs, I have had hardly any lag or freezes whatsoever, and the battery life is outstanding.
This ROM doesn't contain any extras or a section of tweaks you can manage yourself (except over/underclocking), however it has a lot of tweaks under the hood, and compared to a stock rom it really shows. I clocked my cpu down from the default value and it still flies. I also flashed a super smooth rosie script ([FIX][GUIDE] Ultra & Super, Liquid Smooth Rosie for Sense 3.0/3.5 ROMs v1.1 - xda-developers) which makes navigating the home screens even smoother.
The only annoyance i've had so far (and it's quite small) is that you cannot alter the amount of home screens like in sense 3.5. I only ever use 2 home screens max and it just seems like a waste of space having 5 screens empty. I considered using my usual launcher ADW Ex, but apart from the above I am really enjoying the rosie launcher.
I am not using the recommended radio, and I still have full bars and a very good 3G signal (probably because I am 50 metres from a mast) so the battery drain is good. I managed a good 12 hours of medium-heavy use and had ~40% left.
WOW! I was quite skeptical of this ROM as I thought that every sense 3.0 one I tried was sub par, but this is really something.
The smoothness and speed are on level with AOSP ROMs, I have had hardly any lag or freezes whatsoever, and the battery life is outstanding.
This ROM doesn't contain any extras or a section of tweaks you can manage yourself (except over/underclocking), however it has a lot of tweaks under the hood, and compared to a stock rom it really shows. I clocked my cpu down from the default value and it still flies. I also flashed a super smooth rosie script ([FIX][GUIDE] Ultra & Super, Liquid Smooth Rosie for Sense 3.0/3.5 ROMs v1.1 - xda-developers) which makes navigating the home screens even smoother.
The only annoyance i've had so far (and it's quite small) is that you cannot alter the amount of home screens like in sense 3.5. I only ever use 2 home screens max and it just seems like a waste of space having 5 screens empty. I considered using my usual launcher ADW Ex, but apart from the above I am really enjoying the rosie launcher.
I am not using the recommended radio, and I still have full bars and a very good 3G signal (probably because I am 50 metres from a mast
) so the battery drain is good. I managed a good 12 hours of medium-heavy use and had ~40% left.
) I assume that this is what CM9 is going to be like??
