Best NFC phones

So, I’m curious what the best NFC capable phones have been for you guys. Personally I can’t get my s9+ to read my implant at all, but it has no issue with my other tags and cards. On the other hand, I have a CAT brand s41 that has absolutely no issue reading it. In fact it almost picks it up instantly. My friends s8 has more of a delay reading, but will still pick it up. Anyone else have luck with any IOS devices or other android devices that pick up near instantly? I’m aware not everyone’s implant is installed the same, but I’m still curious.

1 Like

We’re really terrible at keeping up an organic list of phone hardware… in short, it’s a crapshoot. I can say the iPhone X and beyond are actually quite good at reading implants, as long as you learn the angle of approach, the read is instant and reliable.

4 Likes

Android’s are pretty reliable if they have an NFC scanner. I’ve got a ulefone armor 3 and I had a nextbit robin both worked well

1 Like

On this topic, I have a SM-J737P android phone, and the specs say it has “user dependent” NFC capabilities. I can’t find any options on the phone’s settings to allow access to said NFC… I’m sure it’s there, too. My old phone had a blatantly obvious NFC button, though it had no use to me then. Any ideas?

So after some searching, apparently only the j7 models with the Snapdragon processors are nfc compatible. Your specific model uses Samsung Exynos 7884, which means yours is not nfc compatible and that’s why you can’t find anywhere to enable it on your phone.

1 Like

Ah, that would be a problem. Guess I’ll have to remember to look for actual NFC capability in the next phone rather than “user dependent.”
Thank you for looking into it.

1 Like

My OnePlus 7Pro and the the wife’s OP 5T read nearly instantly, and through cases. I’ve have very mixed results with various Samsungs. I can usually get the m to read eventually, but it takes some fiddling and there can’t be any sort of case on.

2 Likes

I’ll chime in for the lower end phone.
Pixel 3a, the smaller one, reads my NeXT without any real issue as long as you get the orientation right.
I usually move it in a circle just right of the finger sensor.

4 Likes

Pixel 3 XL works fine sans phone case reading my NExT.

When I have my Otterbox case on it, it’s pretty thick and makes it a bit more difficult to get a read/write. I need to get a thinner case if I want to read/write easier. Funny enough, it took me a few weeks to realize the phone case was interfering with the process, lol. One of those self-derp moments.

4 Likes

I have an otterbox on my s9+ and it took me a week before I thought about taking the case off my phone. So i did, and boom, still sucks at reading implants lol. Anyways point is I’m pretty sure we’ve all done it at one point.

1 Like

Within a minute of insertion while still seated in the piercing room, I whipped out my Galaxy S8+ in its clear plastic case and read the HF transponder in my NeXT implant through the surgical tape holding the gauze on my fresh puncture. This slightly freaked out my piercer because my nasty phone unexpectedly broke his sterile field (we were through the procedure), but the techie in him was intrigued when the tag read and the data displayed on the phone.

Huawei Mate 20 works nicwly, even with a cover (a ligjt one). P10 works, but it takes more effort to find the sweet spot.

@amal created a Wiki about NFC Phone Performance

There is some great info and comments in this thread also so I have updated the Wiki list with the phones from this thread.

It would be great if we could shift any further comments about the best NFC phones to the wiki, to have a one stop reference. :+1:
Whaddya Think?

4 Likes

I have a Xiaomi mi9t

It is wayyyy better than any phone IV tired it reads my work badges though the desk sometimes and also reads my implant with ease and a phone case on.

Unfortunately the range on thease chips is actually really shit. So much so that I’m finding mine almost useless

Nokia 3.2 and 4.2 phones have a pretty good NFC reader. In fact, I purchased my 4.2 specifically for this feature.

1 Like

I just got a OnePlus 7 Pro and it can easily read and write my badly implanted xNT that was impossible to read on every other phone I’ve had.

Note 9 works great. Limited read space though. You have to position it right under the camera

1 Like