WHAT IS A ROM?
ROM stands for read-only memory. ROM is an operating system that your droid runs and is stored in your phone’s read-only memory.
To classify there are two types of ROM:
STOCK ROM:
Stock ROM comes preloaded on a device by the manufacturer and is optimized according to the configuration of the device. It has many restrictions for the user.
CUSTOM ROM:
Android is open source, so developers can take the code and customize it to their liking, add features to it, and create a new operating system, the manufacturer’s operating system.
BEFORE INSTALLING A CUSTOM ROM:
Before installing a custom ROM, you need to root a device. Rooting an Android device means removing the restrictions imposed by the manufacturer. Rooting allows for tons of customizations for your device. It is considered a protective measure, but some people do not like it, as it restricts the customization they want on their device. But keep in mind that rooting your device voids the warranty, but some custom ROMs are worth it.
Installing a custom ROM has both advantages and disadvantages.
ADVANTAGES OF INSTALLING A CUSTOM ROM:
LATEST VERSION OF ANDROID:
One of the most common reasons to install it is the updated version of Android. Users can install the latest version of Android on their phone, which makes their old phones look like new. It not only makes them look like new, but also provides the user with better performance, as the newer version is more stable than the old one.
PERSONALIZATION:
Another reason people choose to install it on their Android phone is the tons of customizations available on them. Attractive and impressive themes can bring a new look to your devices. It allows users to customize the UI (user interface) to their liking.
OVERCLOCKING AND UNDERLOCKING:
This is not really an advantage of installing a custom ROM, rather it is associated with the custom kernel (a system file that is like a driver for the operating system) installed with that ROM. Well, anyway, it allows a user to overclock or underclock their device. Overclocking means running the device’s CPU or GPU processor at a speed higher than that intended by the manufacturer. This gives you better performance, but I will not recommend it as it can damage the device. Underclocking is the opposite. It is the modification of the system so that it works at a lower speed than expected. It gives you a longer battery life, but in exchange for some performance. You can also install custom kernels.
BLOATWARE REMOVAL:
While rooting allows the user to remove manufacturer-installed bloatware apps, the user must choose which app they want to use and which they don’t, and manually uninstall each and every one they don’t want to use. While custom ROM developers remove these apps while creating these ROMs, they don’t include them in their operating system so user just has to install them and now their device is bloatware free.
CUSTOM MODS:
Tons of custom mods available for a custom ROM entice users to install it on their device. These custom mods range from being really simple like cranking up the volume beyond the manufacturer’s limit to a great mod of the custom ROM like the multi-window mod or the pie controls mod.
USER INTERFACE WITH PORT:
It allows the user to experience a wide range of UI and choose the one that suits them best. Like the Sense user interface for HTC phones, which has been adapted for many different phones, allowing users to experience an HTC phone without even buying an HTC phone. The user can also choose to install the stock Android on their phone, which is faster than the custom installed on phones like Samsung or HTC.
DISADVANTAGES OF INSTALLING A CUSTOM ROM:
BRICKS:
Another cause that user hesitates to install custom ROM on their device is fear of bricks, which makes the device unusable and nothing more than a block of bricks. It is feared above all because there is no way to recover a device from that state.
BATTERY LIFE PROBLEM:
These ROMs may not be fully optimized for your device, resulting in battery life issues causing it to drain further, not charge properly, or even damage the battery.
HARDWARE ISSUED:
These ROMs may not support all of the hardware in your device, which can lead to hardware malfunction or other issues, such as the camera not working or taking lower quality photos.
INSECTS:
These ROMs are not tested like the one preloaded by the manufacturer so this produces some bugs that produce instability like apps that force shut down (which can be really annoying) or random reboots of the phone or the phone stuck in a bootloop (really scary for a newbie).
CONCLUSION:
Well, here are the pros and cons of installing a custom ROM, but you won’t fully know what’s going on until you give it a try. I myself use a custom ROM on my phone and am happy with it. But, everyone has their choice, so you can make your own and also keep in mind that neither I nor the ROM developer is responsible for what happens to your device.
——————————– HAPPY BLINKING —————- —————–