The Official Chinese Phones Thread

benparker · 8 Sep 2020 at 08:23

Will the rom from here work? https://xiaomi.eu/community/threads/miui-11-0-stable-release.52628/

mdaw · 8 Sep 2020 at 11:31

benparker said:
Will the rom from here work? https://xiaomi.eu/community/threads/miui-11-0-stable-release.52628/

No idea but I can only assume as you have to u lock the bootloader to install these then you could run into the same issues. I remember looking at getting a rom from here at the time but I seem to remember they were having issues updating easily from the menu in the phone as you normally would on a phone.

biron_w · 8 Sep 2020 at 11:53

mdaw said:
Ah, I have just realised what my problem with the redmi note 3 was for the banking apps. I had unlocked the bootloader to get rid of a shoddy custom rom that the vendor (coolicool) sent it with which had playstore pre installed which was fine for about a year before it just wouldn't update anything including miui. So I installed the Chinese rom and side loaded Google stuff. Everything worked apart from my banking apps which I now realise wouldn't work because the bootloader was still unlocked for security reasons. I couldn't put a global rom on it because the mediatek version didn't have one. Only the snapdragon (pro) version did.

Have you tried installing Magisk and using Magisk Hide on your banking apps?

mdaw · 8 Sep 2020 at 12:06

I've not been using that phone for around 4 years so I've not tried those. Im just thinking about what might happen if I buy the k30 ultra in a few months time when my contract is done. If I bought one I dont think I would now change the rom so my only real reason not to buy it would be lack of band 20.

benparker · 8 Sep 2020 at 14:19

Deffo worth trying that rom and magisk

Vanquish-Storm · 8 Sep 2020 at 19:20

I have been looking at these phones to replace my Samsung Galaxy S9+

Is there anything to look out for? What's all this about banking apps not working?

mdaw · 8 Sep 2020 at 21:24

Vanquish-Storm said:
I have been looking at these phones to replace my Samsung Galaxy S9+

Is there anything to look out for? What's all this about banking apps not working?

Its only if you unlock the bootloader to load a custom rom/operating system. Once you change the rom you can't then lock the bootloader which then leaves your phone less protected. Therefore some banking apps detect this and won't let you use them.
If you leave it alone it shouldn't be an issue.
As I have said previously if you buy a Chinese (non global) version then you probably won't get band 20 which networks running off O2 or Vodafone will suffer a lack of 4g in many areas as that is their main frequency for 4g in most places.

edGfaCTor · 8 Sep 2020 at 21:37

bridder said:
I'm sure it's a good phone but at that price there may be better alternatives, the POCO X3 NFC is being launched next Monday, also the MI 10 Lite was recently at £239 on the rainforest although it has just gone back up to £299. Both the MI 10 Lite and MI Note 10 Lite are a little over £200 on eGlobalCentral although eGC can be poor at times. Just throwing in some alternatives for you...

From my own experience I wouldn't ever order from eglobal.

They lie and if you have an issue they make it very difficult to get it solved.

You can't just go to manufacture either because they look up the phone and see its from Asian market or non authorized seller so wont cover warranty.

Poco X3 looks so good but the lack of 5g is a big mistake really

Vanquish-Storm · 8 Sep 2020 at 21:39

mdaw said:
Its only if you unlock the bootloader to load a custom rom/operating system. Once you change the rom you can't then lock the bootloader which then leaves your phone less protected. Therefore some banking apps detect this and won't let you use them.
If you leave it alone it shouldn't be an issue.
As I have said previously if you buy a Chinese (non global) version then you probably won't get band 20 which networks running off O2 or Vodafone will suffer a lack of 4g in many areas as that is their main frequency for 4g in most places.

Makes sense thanks for the explanation sir!

mdaw · 8 Sep 2020 at 21:41

No problem

Earth[Tera].bin · 9 Sep 2020 at 07:25

Earth[Tera].bin said:
Well, no Ultra this week. Apparently DHL won't accept batteries shipments direct to the U. K. so it's priority airmail to Spain then U. K ffs.

I've seen this with other importers such as Trading Shenzhen but didn't realise it was a blanket no go by DHL.

Oh well, the long waiting game now.

Still not received the phone yet, bloody Giztop giving me the round around. It's getting to the point where I'm loosing patience and about to file a PayPal claim.

benparker · 9 Sep 2020 at 07:56

I've had a custom rom on mi 8 and hcbc app worked fine with magisk

AndyCr15 · 9 Sep 2020 at 08:02

edGfaCTor said:
Poco X3 looks so good but the lack of 5g is a big mistake really

I don't think it is on a £200 phone. I don't have 5G now and it's not something I'm craving. From what I hear, maybe you get double the speed, if you have a 5G connection. Do I need double the speed? No, not really. I have enough to stream HD content... why do I need it faster?

mdaw · 9 Sep 2020 at 09:14

True enough but if you go to sell the phone on in a few years people will be looking for 5g phones. But then again a £200 phone won't be worth much then any way.

sandys · 9 Sep 2020 at 09:38

AndyCr15 said:
I don't think it is on a £200 phone. I don't have 5G now and it's not something I'm craving. From what I hear, maybe you get double the speed, if you have a 5G connection. Do I need double the speed? No, not really. I have enough to stream HD content... why do I need it faster?

Not necessarily just about speed, 5G is also about capacity handling as people shift from fixed line to mobile broadband as their only internet source this becomes important.

benparker · 9 Sep 2020 at 10:07

Earth[Tera].bin said:
Still not received the phone yet, bloody Giztop giving me the round around. It's getting to the point where I'm loosing patience and about to file a PayPal claim.

Which phone did you buy? I bought a Rog 2 last year and had no problems.

AndyCr15 · 9 Sep 2020 at 10:25

sandys said:
Not necessarily just about speed, 5G is also about capacity handling as people shift from fixed line to mobile broadband as their only internet source this becomes important.

Again, on a £200 phone, I don't think this is a big factor personally when 4G can handle plenty of capacity for a phone.

Clairvoyant · 9 Sep 2020 at 15:38

benparker said:
Deffo worth trying that rom and magisk

Magisk doesn't work for banking apps anymore.

If I remember right, it's to do with Google. And how it detects the unlocked bootloader.

Earth[Tera].bin · 9 Sep 2020 at 16:58

benparker said:
Which phone did you buy? I bought a Rog 2 last year and had no problems.

Mi 10 Ultra. Previously never had any issues with them, but with this order it's been nothing but delays delays and empty promises of providing tracking details. I was this told this morning ,again, I would have the tracking details from the EU warehouse this afternoon, pretty much the same line they've been telling me the last 5 days. Not a sausage, so I've filed a PayPal complaint - been patient enough.

**update:

2 days after I filed a claim with Paypal, Giztop gave me a DHL tracking reference, which didn't update till 12/9. Even then it just said 'shipment processed by the sender, awaiting collection'. So clearly just giving me a lot of BS previosly. Hopefully I'll get the device very soon, otherwise It'll get escalated. Suffice to say Giztop are on the s**tlist.

koooowweeee · 9 Sep 2020 at 21:52

AndyCr15 said:
Again, on a £200 phone, I don't think this is a big factor personally when 4G can handle plenty of capacity for a phone.

no need for any more really,its not like its a 4mb conection and you want to load a 4k video off youtube everyday.

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