Making things a bit easier!- that’s what we try to do here at DroidViews. Whether it be a rooting tutorial, a mod, hack or even a complicated topic, it’s always the primary concern for us to present these things to our visitors in a simpler way by explaining them in detail. A few weeks back we were one of the first to come up with a working rooting tutorial for various models of the Galaxy S4. A couple of days ago we started a ROM review series for the Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 that will be updated at regular interval as new custom ROMs for the device arrive.
Today we have come with another article where we’ll be giving place to some of the best custom ROMs for Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE GT-I9505. Needless to say, all ROMs will be duly tested on various measures such as performance, battery life, stability and options for customization. So, it’s a kind of “survival of the fittest” article that will help you pick a good custom ROM without being overwhelmed by the variety and number available over the net and forums.
Looking for This?
Best Custom ROMs for Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9500
Best Custom ROMs For Verizon Galaxy S4 SCH-I545
Best Custom ROMs for AT&T Galaxy S4 SGH-I337 and I337M
Disclaimer:
Though we have tried to put our best effort to bring together some of the best custom ROMs for the Galaxy S4 GT-I9505, we cannot assert that all of you will agree with our selection. Everybody sees the world with his own glasses. We respect all ROM developers who selflessly work day and night to give us more reasons to love the green bot. As Shakespeare has said, “there is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.”
Activities like flashing a custom ROMs is considered risky and if you are careless, it might brick your device too. We warn you to keep away from such things if you do not understand what it is all about. Do not blame the respected developers or us if any mishap takes place which, in most cases, is the outcome of a mistake made by the user. Before you proceed with installing a custom ROM, we strongly recommend you to read the following article to get a fair idea of the whole business.
Things to Do Before and After Installing a Custom ROM
Root Your Device First:
Please note that to be able to install a custom ROM on your Galaxy S4 GT-I9505, you need to root it and install a custom recovery like ClockworkMod or TWRP first. If you have not done it yet, you can do it now using our easy tutorial:
How to Root and Install CWM on Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505
1. Omega ROM for Galaxy S4 GT-I9505
Developer: Indie
ROM Review:
It’s not just a coincidence why Omega ROM by Indie falls first in this list, though it’s not really a countdown sort of article. If you have used any of the Galaxy flagships onward Galaxy S2 and have ever flashed a custom ROM on those devices, you must be familiar with this extremely popular piece of work. Its popularity is enough to prove its worthiness.
I have been using this ROM on a number of Galaxy devices since the S2 days and it is one of my favorites because it lets you enjoy the look and feel of stock TouchWiz without any pudding from outside and yet it successfully keeps away from most drawbacks due to which people wish to run away from TouchWiz. Yes, I am talking about the lag delays!
Indie has removed most of the undesirable bloats and thus you get a cleaner app drawer and more free RAM. Omega ROM has been tweaked to give you much faster performance with better efficiency and the same old stability that has always been associated with its name. As for battery life, it depend on how you use your phone but if you compare the battery performance between the stock TW firmware and Omega with the same kind of use, the latter comes formward as a clear winner. Try this ROM and you won’t be disappointed!
WiFi Connectivity Issue Fix:
In case you see any problems with WiFi connection after installing this ROM, download the I9505XXUBMF8 Modem file and install it using Odin3 3.04. Click on Phone button on Odin and select this file.
[source]2. CyanogenMod 10.1 ROM for GT-I9505
Developer: CyanogenMod Team
ROM Review:
The very name “CyanogenMod” has become more of a brand when it comes to AOSP based custom ROMs. It is the most original ROM for Android devices that is available for almost all devices, officially or unofficially. After the launch of the Galaxy S4, there were rumors that Samsung’s new flagship will not get CM but now it is available.
If you love the austerity of pure Android experience without toppings and superficial flavor and Samsung bloats, CyanogenMod ROM might be the ultimate choice for you. It’s light and it’s fast! The ROM is updated on nightly basis that is usually experimental and contains newest features but it is not stable. While downloading the CM ROM for your Galaxy S4 GT-I9505, make sure you get the latest stable version for better and less buggy performance. As a bonus, with CyanogenMod installed on your phone, you can enjoy hundreds of beautiful fee and paid theme that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to test this ROM because it has surfaced officially yet. However, my blind creed in the CM pushed me reserve a corner for it. Hopefully, it’ll be available in a couple of days.
How to Install: Click Here for Instructions
3. FoxHound GearEngine
Developer: raffaele88
ROM Review:
If you love the look and feel of AOSP (Android Open Source Project) and the features of stock Samsung TouchWiz UX, FoxHound GearEngine ROM is something you must not miss. The simply elegant dark holo look pervades all parts of the user interface, from the Nexus4 home launcher to the theming of other system elements. FoxHound lets you enjoy all those features and gimmicks that persuaded you to buy your Galaxy S4.
Another interesting thing about the FoxHound ROM is the dedicated settings called FoxHound Settings which is a hub a number of utilities that allow you to change the look and feel of the phone. The Xposed framework + module lets you further add your own individual touch in customizing your Galaxy S4.
Though the ROM is still in beta stage, it is remarkably stable. It performs nicely and yields decent battery life.
How to Install: Click Here
4. PAC ROM (All in 1) GT-I9505
Developer: [vertigo]
ROM Review:
PAC is made of joining the first alphabets of three great ROMs for Android devices. It stands for ParanoidAndroid+Android Open Kang Project (AOKP) and CyanogenMod (CM). So the very name of the ROM proclaims what the PAC ROM actually is! It combines some of the best things found in the aforementioned sources and combines them all into a new unique whole.
The ROM is already available for a range of Android devices and now it is available for our Galaxy S4 GT-I9505. A clean lockscreen with an attractive weather widget, the coveted PIE launcher, the multi-DPI settings, ROM Control panel, support for CyanogenMod themes, and various options for customization- these are some of the things that can draw anybody who loves the pure Android look and feel with extended functionalities.
The ROM is light in size and heavy in features. Since it is not a Samsung’s TouchWiz based ROM, you will not be able to use the gimmicks and features found in the Galaxy S4 with stock firmware. If you love speed, smoothness, themes, innovative features and hate bloatware, you are sure to love the PAC ROM. As for the battery performance, it is decent and far better than you get with official ROM installed on your phone.
[source]Also Try:
Install Google Play Edition ROM (Android 4.3) on Galaxy S4 GT-I9505
This needs to be updated as some of these roms are no longer being developed
We’ll try to get the article updated in a couple of days. 🙂
ok na hear this. i accidentally installed the modem in the PDA!! am i dead or what? please help me!! i tried. restoring my back up on my stock rom and still wifi won’t work OMG :(( and there is a warning that says an application has stopped loading and needs to reboot to protect the device when i try opening the wifi. though i did flashed the modem using odin and clicked PHONE still wfi doesn’t work. >.< help me sir. please? 🙂
Hi Antonio, download and install a firmware from here and you problem will be fixed.
read the flash instructions, after flashing the rom you need to then flash the modem also and then it will work. WORKED FOR ME
Which ROM are you talking about?
your welcome mate!. i always mess about with my phone and i missed the obvious instruction aswell untill i went back to read it properly lol
Hi, can you tell me why my WIFI does not work after installing the Omega rom
Flash it again after complete wipe.
I have the same problem with all the roms 🙁 i have a galaxy S4 i337
Which ROMs have you tried?
att clean rom, pac rom and liquid and its the same problem the wifi 🙁
If you have installed a TouchWiz based ROM and having the WiFi issue, install this modem first using Odin by clicking on Phone button: http://dfiles.eu/files/qy2st0qmf
ohh thaks, i´m from Honduras do i have a problem with this modem in mi S4 i337?
That is meant only for GT-I9505.
I have flashed it 3 times now and my wifi still won’t turn on.
Then try some other ROM.
try another kernel
Actually, it is Modem related issue. The odin flashable modem file is here: http://dfiles.eu/files/qy2st0qmf
read the flash instructions, after flashing the rom you need to then flash the modem also and then it will work. WORKED FOR ME
Install this Modem file using Odin3 3.04: http://dfiles.eu/files/qy2st0qmf
those roms work un galaxy s4 i337??
Hi, I am doing a separate article for the At&t S4. Just wait a day. These roms are only for gti9505
ohhh nice, thanks for your reply!
Bro.. can you help me, I have a question, why when I install a new rom, my WiFi stops working i install 3 different roms, with original rom if it works, I’m from Honduras C.A. I have a Galaxy S4 version i337..
Really nice this article! Already flashed the FoxHound ROM on my i9505! But when i try to flash AOKP and Wicked ROM for GT-i9505 my clockwordmod says status 7. Please help
Hi, Status 7 error pops up when the Recovery software is not able to process the ROM file. Just update your CWM recovery and this will be solved.
Install the CWM file from here if its version is different from the one that is installed on your phone. You will find the CWM version on the top of the recovery screen.
Thanks for your reply!
I’ve currently this cwm: i9505-cwm-recovery-6.0.3.2-4
Hope you could say what i’m doing wrong…
Can you give me the link for the latest cwm?
Yes, I can. Just wait. I am uploading…
Ok, thanks! I used philz_touch_5.03.7-i9505.tar and did this:“wipe data/factory reset”
“wipe cache partition”
Go to advanced and “wipe dalvik cache” and “wipe battery stats”
Go to mounts and storage and “format system”
The go to “install zip from sdcard> choose zip from sdcard” and select the ROM file you want to install.
In case, the developer has recommended to install GApps too, you should install it just after flashing the ROM (use Step 5).
When it is installed, reboot the device.
And now i have cyanogenmod 10.1!
But others still won’t work. I’ll try with the latest cwm!
Anyway, thank you very much! 😉
Did you try this: http://d-h.st/VAI
I’ll try in a minute!
Still status 7:
this is what cwm says when i’m installing the SLIM ROM:
set_perm: some changes failed
E: Error in /sdcard/0/Slim-jftleint1-4.2.2.build.6.2-WEEKLY.zip
(Status 7)
Installation aborted
What do I wrong
Are you getting this error after installing the CWM I gave you?
Yeah after installing the CWM you gave me: i9505-cwm-recovery-6.0.3.2(0611)
Maybe i have to do wipe data/factory reset different or something?? Only Cyanogenmod is running like a charm
Your installation steps are fine.
Try 2 things:
Copy the ROM file to external SD if it is in internal SD.
Try some older version of CWM: http://d-h.st/users/philz_touch/?fld_id=16685#files
The problem has to do with CWM only and nothing else.
Let me know.
Ok, i’ll try them both! I’ll let you know!
Maybe you can give me the link of a Rom of wich you’re sure it works?
The ROMs are above, my friend!
I don’t know what it is…….. I will try the Omega ROM using TWRP. Hopefully that’ll work.
Anyway, i REALLY appreciate your help!
Uploaded! You can find the latest CWM here: http://droidviews.com/2013/how-to-root-samsung-galaxy-s4-lte-gt-i9505-on-xxuamd2-firmware/
Install the CWM .tar via Odin.
I have the Verizon version (ICH-i545), do the ROMs from either of your articles work on this phone? Thanks
Hi Kane, I have already published a best ROMs review article for the SCH-I545, please read this and try HyperDrive: http://droidviews.com/2013/best-custom-roms-for-verizon-galaxy-s4-sch-i545/
Btw. is 65 in your name above denotes your age?