Jump to content

Google Pixel 3a / 3a XL Thread


lilotimz

Recommended Posts

now these are the nexus / pixel prices that i remember and love.  So...how bad do these suck compared to the regular pixel 3?  What did they do to get the price so low?  Seems like the only difference is the processor but will anyone really notice in day to day use?  Right now I have an essential phone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

now these are the nexus / pixel prices that i remember and love.  So...how bad do these suck compared to the regular pixel 3?  What did they do to get the price so low?  Seems like the only difference is the processor but will anyone really notice in day to day use?  Right now I have an essential phone.
It's performance is somewhere inbetween a pixel 1 and 2. GPU seems to be lower performing.

If anything though I doubt it's RF will be ever as terrible as Eph1's.



Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, JonnygATL said:

You can't pluralize words by adding apostrophes. It's shocking how often this happens on these forums. This is grade school stuff, guys. Come on. Do better.

And don't get me started on "overquoting" for "emphasis"...

And those trailing triple dots...

YEARGH!!!

:dead:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I scooped up a 3a XL Unlocked variant from BBY (but I'm on AT&T now).  Feel free to ask any questions. 

Currently using it as a secondary phone to switch to off and on, but honestly I haven't experienced any stutters or slowdowns so far.  Might just sell my other devices to make some money off of this and wait and see what comes this fall from Google and Apple.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
Is the Pixel 3A capable of band locking?

I haven't been to google since I had a nexus 5. I am a dialer code kind of person so if it can how do I get there simply? Do I need root and other dark sorcery?

Thank you.
You need root and need to use a Magisk module to enable the Diag port https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-2-xl/how-to/guide-qxdm-port-activation-pixel-2-xl-t3884967

I don't believe you need the custom Magisk binary, just the module. It will allow band locking with the free version of Network Signal Guru.

Be aware that on the Pixel 3, several of us have had USB connectivity start getting flakey over a few months and eventually stop working all together until the module was disabled. No idea why it gradually happens. But you can disable the module and reboot to get USB data connectivity back.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, ingenium said:

You need root and need to use a Magisk module to enable the Diag port https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-2-xl/how-to/guide-qxdm-port-activation-pixel-2-xl-t3884967

I don't believe you need the custom Magisk binary, just the module. It will allow band locking with the free version of Network Signal Guru.

Be aware that on the Pixel 3, several of us have had USB connectivity start getting flakey over a few months and eventually stop working all together until the module was disabled. No idea why it gradually happens. But you can disable the module and reboot to get USB data connectivity back.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 

Super nice. Thank you for all of this. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Just got my Sprint 3a at BB last week ($100 off for the upgrade from my HTC U11!). I am noticing in SCPro that it drops to 1x whenever I'm on WiFi and/or WiFi calling. I wouldn't complain, except that it sometimes seems hesitant to reconnect to LTE afterwards. I Googled this, and it seems to be a problem despite carrier. Anyone here notice this? Any ideas/suggestions for a fix?

TIA!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got my Sprint 3a at BB last week ($100 off for the upgrade from my HTC U11!). I am noticing in SCPro that it drops to 1x whenever I'm on WiFi and/or WiFi calling. I wouldn't complain, except that it sometimes seems hesitant to reconnect to LTE afterwards. I Googled this, and it seems to be a problem despite carrier. Anyone here notice this? Any ideas/suggestions for a fix?
TIA!
Turn on developer mode (Google instructions) and enable the option "mobile data always active". That should fix it. 93d61f49a3a0b58f9da8bdecac9a343d.jpg

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the suggestion, but it didn't change it. I'm beginning to think it's intentional, possible a battery saving strategy?

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk


I don't think so. This would break Vowifi -> VoLTE handoffs. I don't experience this on my 3, nor do other people.

It could be that LTE is too weak at your location and not stable? I say that based on how low the signal bars are for you while one 1x.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, davidtm said:

Got Android 10 this afternoon. So nice to not have to wait on Sprint for a major update! 😁

Essential phone received the same android update at about the same time yesterday.  Funny enough, there has been a time or two in the last year that essential beat even googles update for the various monthly security updates.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I got an unlocked 3a and was able to easily activate the eSIM after upgrading to Android 10 (out of the box, it needed a QR code for the eSIM). VoLTE, Wifi Calling, and 3xCA weren't activated by default, so I had to enable those manually.

For VoLTE, it was under Settings>Network & Internet>Mobile Network>VoLTE

For WiFI Calling, it was under Settings>Network & Internet>Mobile Network>Advanced>Wi-Fi calling

For 3xCA, I had to dial *#*#3282#*#*, go to LTE, choose "Edit", enter 000000 as my MSL (presumably it's always 000000 on unlocked phones), and change "CA Enabled" to "On".

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
[mention=21091]ingenium[/mention] posted that the Pixel 4 is capable of these CA combos in the Pixel 4 thread. Can someone please confirm if these are also available on the 3a and 3a XL? I need to get a new phone for my Dad. Thanks
GE57fae.jpg
The 3a uses the Qualcomm X12 modem. The 3 uses the X16 modem. The X12 supports fewer MIMO streams and fewer aggregated carriers (3xCA vs 4xCA I believe). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualcomm_Snapdragon_LTE_modem

Both are officially listed as capable of 2xCA UL if the RF front end is in place, but it doesn't say which bands. So it could be something like B7+7 only and not B41. I know with certainty that the 3 does not do B41 UL CA on Sprint. And right now that is the only UL CA combination possible, and likely will be the case for the foreseeable future.

I'd say it's fairly unlikely that the 3a can do UL CA, since it's a cheaper device with a lower end modem. Unfortunately no one is going to be able to confirm unless they have the paid version of NSG, and I only know of one other person on here with it, and he doesn't have a 3a. The engineering screens on Pixels don't work for CA. Your only other hope is to look at the FCC filing and see if it says it there.

If you absolutely must have UL CA, go with a Pixel 4 or a current generation Samsung device.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Posts

    • Since this is kind of the general chat thread, I have to share this humorous story (at least it is to me): Since around February/March of this year, my S22U has been an absolute pain to charge. USB-C cables would immediately fall out and it progressively got worse and worse until it often took me a number of minutes to get the angle of the cable juuuussst right to get charging to occur at all (not exaggerating). The connection was so weak that even walking heavily could cause the cable to disconnect. I tried cleaning out the port with a stable, a paperclip, etc. Some dust/lint/dirt came out but the connection didn't improve one bit. Needless to say, this was a MONSTER headache and had me hating this phone. I just didn't have the finances right now for a replacement.  Which brings us to the night before last. I am angry as hell because I had spent five minutes trying to get this phone to charge and failed. I am looking in the port and I notice it doesn't look right. The walls look rough and, using a staple, the back and walls feel REALLY rough and very hard. I get some lint/dust out with the staple and it improves charging in the sense I can get it to charge but it doesn't remove any of the hard stuff. It's late and it's charging, so that's enough for now. I decide it's time to see if that hard stuff is part of the connector or not. More aggressive methods are needed! I work in a biochem lab and we have a lot of different sizes of disposable needles available. So, yesterday morning, while in the lab I grab a few different sizes of needles between 26AWG and 31 AWG. When I got home, I got to work and start probing the connector with the 26 AWG and 31 AWG needle. The stuff feels extremely hard, almost like it was part of the connector, but a bit does break off. Under examination of the bit, it's almost sandy with dust/lint embedded in it. It's not part of the connector but instead some sort of rock-hard crap! That's when I remember that I had done some rock hounding at the end of last year and in January. This involved lots of digging in very sandy/dusty soils; soils which bare more than a passing resemblance to the crap in the connector. We have our answer, this debris is basically compacted/cemented rock dust. Over time, moisture in the area combined with the compression from inserting the USB-C connector had turned it into cement. I start going nuts chiseling away at it with the 26 AWG needle. After about 5-10 minutes of constant chiseling and scraping with the 26AWG and 31AWG needles, I see the first signs of metal at the back of the connector. So it is metal around the outsides! Another 5 minutes of work and I have scraped away pretty much all of the crap in the connector. A few finishing passes with the 31AWG needle, a blast of compressed air, and it is time to see if this helped any. I plug my regular USB-C cable and holy crap it clicks into place; it hasn't done that since February! I pick up the phone and the cable has actually latched! The connector works pretty much like it did over a year ago, it's almost like having a brand new phone!
    • That's odd, they are usually almost lock step with TMO. I forgot to mention this also includes the September Security Update.
    • 417.55 MB September security update just downloaded here for S24+ unlocked   Edit:  after Sept security update install, checked and found a 13MB GP System update as well.  Still showing August 1st there however. 
    • T-Mobile is selling the rest of the 3.45GHz spectrum to Columbia Capital.  
    • Still nothing for my AT&T and Visible phones.
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...