WIKI - NFC phone performance

updated

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Can that phone read mifare tags?

Haven’t tried but probably. I’ll test

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Samsung S23 Ultra user here.

Amazing performance with a Midwest Gadgets sticker stuck on the bottom left. Flex and the X series.

Thank you. Im very intrested.

I have a samsung z flip 6, the nfc reader is in the bottom half of the phone. The best place to get a read is along the left edge of the bottom half of the phone, it seems the reader goes pretty close to the edge there but doesnt go as close to the edge on the other sides.

I was able to scan my NExT V2 but only with the case off the phone, even using a repeater sticker got no read with the case on. Maybe my case is too thick? Without the case im able to get a read really easily. The testing card lights up even with the case on but saw no light at all from the NExT v2.

One other person out of four (didnt get phone types unfortunately) who tried scanning it also had issues with their case on, so it’s possible my chip is just a little deep

RIP OnePlus. Picked up a OnePlus 15 while I still could. I hope there is a 9000mAh+ upgrade path by 2030 in the US market, it’s getting pretty grim… I used a 20mm repeater sticker, but it’s entirely optional, I was able to scan x-series and Apex Flex reliably without one. But the sticker improves ease and range.

Red = Antenna
Green = Optimal scanning location
Blue = Optimal repeater sticker placement

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra

I tested out the Z Fold8 Ultra and the nfc antenna performance on a bare device is mostly good. I then obtained a thin case with a 1mm thickness, ideal for better nfc performance while still offering some shock protection to the device. With the case consistent reads are still possible, but when adding a magnetic phone grip reads are more difficult requiring odd angling. With these accessories on the device the implants reads are:

xM1, L0: okay

NeXT, R0: good

Spark 2, L3: not good, placement at L3 makes getting close difficult due to camera bump and magsafe phone grip

dUG4T, Dorsal Forearm: suprisingly only okay-ish

Apex Module, Dorsal Forearm: not good, requiring odd and difficult angle to get a read

Most of the performance issue is solved by removing the magsafe phone grip. But the camera bump still detracts a bit from having easy reads so I am adding a repeater sticker which is a game changer. After testing locations with the repeater boosting the field strength I am now able to read all types of implants easily and consistently.

I didn’t own the fold7 but from what I’ve read the antenna is the same/similar. At the time of this post teardown photos of the device are still designated as confidential thus are unavailable. The fold8 ultra manual shows the general antenna location here:

Testing determines this to be mostly accurate. These are the locations the Midwest Gadgets 27mm field detector determines to have the strongest field:

The left most positions just below the flash LED have the strongest field, followed closely by the bottom right position. However these are close to the camera bump and my magsafe accessory so I am placing the repeater on the right upmost position parallel with the flash LED. The open flat space available here makes reading all tested implants easy and is especially noticable at L3 with the Spark 2.

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Thanks for the detailed write up
Added to the Wiki.

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