Sunday Debate: Custom ROM vs. Stock Android

18 February 2018
This Sunday we discuss if stock Android or custom ROMs provide better user experience.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • IVK
  • 19 Feb 2018

By reading the contents of the article, it should rather be titled as "Samsung ROM vs Stock Android". It's really obvious.

    Imperator Neubaticus, 19 Feb 2018The new samsung experience is light years better than stock... moreThere's a reason why people call it feature-packed :)

      AnonD-558092, 19 Feb 2018Stock is really years behind some OEM ROMs like Experience.... moreThe new samsung experience is light years better than stock android. The only thing you'll have to live with is a limited number of stuttering moments. That's it. But all the features of the new ui make it vastly more enjoyable and more utilitarian.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • vV5
        • 19 Feb 2018

        Stock Android just a hype, after using MiA1 for few months, unlikely I would buy another phone running in stock Android.

        Many important features are missed out, I have to says stock Android are more for kiddo.

          • M
          • MdN8
          • 8uk
          • 19 Feb 2018

          Vegetaholic, 18 Feb 2018If I would be working in GSM Arena I would be Yordan :) Aga... moreAgreed, Samsung browser is a rocket ship. Ad blocking, tracking protection, QR scanner, great interface, it even supports 360 degree videos from FB. People who don't even own Samsung phones use this browser. Samsung music player is great as well, I tried some others but the sound was worse, while Samsung goes up to 150 percent volume and doesn't distort much, and has a good EQ. Also, supports folders. Samsung's video player plays almost everything (again at 150% volume if necessary), Samsung Gallery is pretty decent, settings menu and calendar are nice, keyboard is excellent, etc, those things are not bloatware but quality apps developed for years. And they look good, better than stock Android. I deactivated Chrome and most of the Google apps, except Play Store and a few more that I sometimes need.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • vxs
            • 19 Feb 2018

            AnonD-695616, 18 Feb 2018A phone is not a toy is a tool ...are you saying that a tool shouldn't be beautified because if beautified it will become a toy?
            what a...lol

              • A
              • Anonymous
              • tEZ
              • 19 Feb 2018

              bug, 19 Feb 2018I think if manufacturers want to customize, they should put... moreagreed

                • D
                • AnonD-558092
                • r7b
                • 19 Feb 2018

                Stock is really years behind some OEM ROMs like Experience. While I do agree UX8.x use too much white, it is much more powerful and useful than stock. It took them 5 years to implement one of the best OEM function: Multi-Window. And it is hard to notice what changed between stock N to stock O. Oooh the dots!

                  • D
                  • AnonD-558092
                  • r7b
                  • 19 Feb 2018

                  AnonD-695616, 18 Feb 2018A phone is not a toy is a tool ...Really? The communication feature is rightfully considered as granted. People expect to do more with a phone now than just phone. You call it a tool but you know it is not anymore. Or else you would buy a feature phone or "The Card", as reviewed a year ago.

                    • b
                    • bug
                    • ntM
                    • 19 Feb 2018

                    I think if manufacturers want to customize, they should put their customizations on Google Play and place shortcuts to installing them on the home screen or something like that.

                    Holding back an Android update because you haven't updated your crap yet is the worst possible way of customization.

                      • S
                      • Smartphones Fan
                      • m5M
                      • 18 Feb 2018

                      mg custom .. who on eart still messing with it.. and haf of functions not working right ?? :DD

                        • K
                        • Kd10
                        • 4qB
                        • 18 Feb 2018

                        Stock Android, or at least Google’s version of it. You can keep your bloated, heavy skins filled with junk features that people look at once, endless duplicate apps, garbage for updates, and crawling performance after mere months because of super heavyweight skins.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • JCC
                          • 18 Feb 2018

                          Eye candy = custom roms and updates, security, speed = pure android
                          Pure is more efficient I feel but each to their own, some want something to look good as well as being usable and others prefer just straight to the point no distractions ui

                            If I would be working in GSM Arena I would be Yordan :) Again, I can't agree with him more. Honestly Samsung is a king in software skin, helps you save time, a lot of time. Tell me another skin as better as Samsung experience, which lets you make a call to person just putting your phone next to your ear while looking at the person messages or make screenshot as fast as just reaping your palm through your screen. Samsung offers most rich software experience when any stock or any android skin, thats why Samsung phones are arguably best 0hones you can get in smarthpone realm. Plus Samsung Internet browser battery efficiency is one of the best of any third party browsers available, well at least for Samsung phones. You can browse litteraly all day before your phone will die, try to do it with Chrome, no chance.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-444587
                              • n5H
                              • 18 Feb 2018

                              stock Android is only good for fast updates, fast smooth phone.
                              otherwise Android skin are 100 times better. peep's don't be fooled by these people.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-674280
                                • p74
                                • 18 Feb 2018

                                "Neat and clean Android, please."

                                With a chance of a customization then yes please.
                                With Nokia it's "Locked and clean Android, please"

                                  Custom roms became useful pre android ICS. During that time cuatom roms gave the user the ability to get a operating system set to their standards with no bloated software installed.
                                  Despite having root access this was a perfect senario for the devs at xda.

                                  Now fast foward not long after and ics was realeased and every version of android there on showed not only gui improvments but also added features.
                                  These features start to make the OS and in some cases the manufacturer OS brings features to the UI that custom roms will never be able to.
                                  As time goes on and android gets older and wiser the better it becomes.

                                  Ive asked a lot of people in various forums why they like custom roms and they only reply is because and more control..... well I dont see it as that, you install a custom rom and regardless it still serves the same pursose.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • 8bE
                                    • 18 Feb 2018

                                    Makers need to differentiate their ROMs the same way they way they need to differentiate their hardware. Some phones have custom launchers the same way some phones have removable batteries.

                                    If every Android phone had to be exactly the same in every way, there would be only one maker - the maker that could deliver this phone at the lowest price.

                                    Google encouraged customization to get as many different vendors onboard as they could. Now that Android is well established (and also a maker) they will push standardization to decrease the value-add of their competition. Amazon is the biggest threat. Thus - no more advertisements allowed on the lock screen. Next up: no more Bixby.

                                      I prefer custom ROM without duplicate apps and services

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-659932
                                        • 75U
                                        • 18 Feb 2018

                                        The problem with custom roms is that the quality varies greatly from one developer to another. With pure android from big companies, you basically know what you're getting and expect pretty good security and reliability.(except of course the chinese back companies like blu, huawei, etc. that have spyware...)