Reader ROM Picks: Savaged-Zen(MOD) for HTC EVO 4G
Reader ROM Picks is a regular series that showcases G&E readers’ favorite HTC EVO custom ROMs.
This ROM pick was sent in by MildlyDisturbed.
If you’re looking for a Gingerbread-based AOSP ROM that isn’t too much of a pain in the butt to install on your HTC EVO 4G and that has speed and kernel configurability built in, then Savaged-Zen(MOD) RC2 or RC3-Rendition04182011 might be what you’re looking for. RC3 isn’t quite finished yet but I’ve been using the “pre-candidate candidate” since it became available on Monday and so far, it’s my favorite AOSP ROM.
It has working 4G/WiMAX, front and back camera, HDMI courtesy of HDMwIn, GPS, and 5-point multi-touch with no additional modifications or flashing. Although it doesn’t include Darktremor’s Apps2SD, the framework is there, which means partitioning your SD card and simply flashing A2SD will get you the wonderful ability to not get those “low on internal memory” warnings. IMPORTANT: If you’re going to do this, do it before you get invested in the ROM. You’ll thank me later. And beware, partitioning SD card = erasing SD card = Nandroid backups need to be moved to a computer.
Savaged-Zen(MOD) also includes a configurable power notification drop-down bar that lets you put what you want in what order you want.
It gives you the ability with the shipped kernel and without the aid of SetCPU to change the CPU governors. It has built-in over/underclocking too. While it’s not as robust as SetCPU with profiles, I think it’s great for an awake and running profile.
You can select whether or not you wish to use SBC, which doesn’t seem to be blowing batteries up like it was feared to do, and to give your battery a little extra oomph in the morning, you can configure HAVS levels right in the config screen for how many volts you want to try and shave off the processor.
The flashing and installing of this ROM (and the framework files) was the fastest complete ROM install I’ve ever done.
Download: http://mirror.savaged-zen.com/
Discussion: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=965875
Note to Sense users
For those moving from Sense to AOSP, you might want to know that like most AOSP ROMs, you’re going to need to download two things: 1) the ROM itself and 2) all the Google apps. Both are linked and downloadable from Savaged-Zen(MOD)’s thread at XDA.
Also, for those moving from Sense, you’ll notice it’s a tad bare. Downright barren actually. When I first lost my Senses (see what I did there?), I came back to them pretty quickly because I found the AOSP dialer and lack of widgets downright depressing. But I got used to it.
If you’ve been with other ROMs that are close to Sense-less, then you’re well versed in the wide variety of launchers out there. I personally use LauncherPro and Fancy Widget from the Market to ease my soul and provide the functionality that Sense’s widgets and Friendstream had and then some. That’s what you’re looking at above.
Oh, one more thing to the Sense-to-AOSP folks. Go ahead and do the GPS fix in your Sense ROM first to save yourself the 48 minutes required to go back to Sense just to dial ##GPSCLRX# on your phone.
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Reader ROM Picks is a regular series that showcases G&E readers’ favorite HTC EVO custom ROMs.
