Is this the phone I should buy

[CMILD561]

I hav an LG x power. I bought it for the big battery. I knew it was a little slow on the performance but I did not care. My main concerns were big battery and expandable sd card and lastly gaining root.

Lo an behold there is still no root to this thing. And I cannot even run many apps because the internal is 16gb and all the bloatware takes up a ton of space so there is no space for me to update a few simple apps. I cannot use the external SD card as system expansion for apps. I am thoroughly confused as to why I cannot do this as I thought that was always an option. You put an SD card into it and then the system asks if you want to use it for system expansion or as a removable external. When did that stop and why? Seems like a no brainer.

But enough about bashing my old piece of crap phone. I need to upgrade. I want a phone with a removable battery or possibly an oversized aftermarket battery. I want to be able to root just to get rid of bloatware and maybe a hotspot. Roms are cool but that is not a priority, i just hate bloatware. A decent camera is all I ask for. I want to be able to put at least a 128 gb micro in the expansion slot for all my music . And decent price for a used or new one on swappa. Maybe 2-300. I dont lease phones I buy them outright.

I have done my research and it seems like the V20 is what I want. Does anyone have information that I am missing?

 

[Thisisabadname]

There are some aftermarket batteries for the V20 (at the cost of a larger, bulging backplate), but chances of rooting at this point are slim to none if you have a newer security patch. Someone here is working to fix that, but at the moment root is pretty much a no-go. Plenty of storage at 64gb and SD card slot can handle the 128gb SD card you're trying to use. You can move apps to the SD card on the V20 as well if 64gb isn't enough.

If you get an unlocked model of the V20 it won't come with bloatware and the stock apps remain intact (can you believe some carriers remove the radio, file explorer or even the gallery?) If you're limited to a carrier version bloat can be removed without root through the use of ADB.

 

[CMILD561]

good catch thanks. I know that I have bought other electronics and the dealer took it upon them self to update the firmware before passing along to the customer thinking that they are being helpful.

 

[runningnak3d]

The models that I know for a fact can be rooted are the AT&T H910 and the unlocked US996. I have not verified the firmware on any others. Well, I can tell you that the T-Mobile H918 on the latest firmware can't be rooted yet. The VS995, and LS997 also can't be rooted on the latest firmware.

 

[CMILD561]

probably should have mentioned I am sprint.


hmmm. any others models that fit my criteria as well as sprint?

 

[runningnak3d]

If you are on Sprint, and you want a phone that is guaranteed to be rootable, you will need to get an unlocked US996. You can unlock the bootloader on LG's website, and then root away. If you get a used LS997, it may or may not be rootable -- it depends on what firmware version it comes with.

-- Brian