Smart Phone Comparison

[Fogel]

POLL ADDED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND

(but choice will be made based on research and reasons listed in the topic ...so if you want your phone to get some love, post why!

 

 

I am thinking of joining the smart phone craze especially since everyone can make changes to their Fantasy Football Teams at lunch ...except me. Since I currently do not have a smart phone I am not a fanboi or a hater. To me, a phone is a phone is a phone. I could really care less what branding tag it has. So I am running a spreadsheet of the info I think is important. If you care to add points or want to suggest another phone to look at by all means.

 

Shame you can't do tables on OCC ...suppose I could be creative with the Code tag but I'm feeling lazy. I figure others might find this interesting so posting the compiled list here. It is a PITA going from website to website looking all this crap up, so figured others in my shoes might like seeing all this information one list.

 

NOTE: I am not listing all the Pros and Cons, hence they are listed as features I like/dislike.

 

Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx

 

RAM: 1 GB

CPU: 1.2 GHz DC

MEM: 16 GB

Operating System: Android / Ice Cream Sammich

Screen Resolution: 960 x 540

Video Resolution: 1080p

Reported Data Download Speed: 6-12 Mb

Reported Battery Life: 21.5 hrs (talk time)

Removeable Battery Support: N

SD Support: Y

Max SD: 64 GB

Screen Size: 4.3

Weight (oz): 5.1

Front Camera: 1.3 MP

Back Camera: 8 MP

Screen Display Quality: Great

Call Quality: Great

Camera Quality: Good (dull colors)

 

Plans: Verizon only

Release Date: 26 Jan 2012

 

Features I Like:

• 
   
  
• BEST Battery Life ...by far!
  
• SD Card Support (up to 64GB)
  
• Should be easy to root
  

 

Features I Dislike:

• 
   
  
• Lowest resolution
  
• Only Verizon
  
• Slowest phone
  
• Reported Download speeds much lower than competition
  
• Pictures are very dull and boring so horrible camera phone
  

 

 

===============================================================

 

HTC One X

 

RAM: 1 GB

CPU: 1.5 GHz DC

MEM: 16 GB

Operating System: Android / Ice Cream Sammich ↑ Jelly Bean

Screen Resolution: 1280 x 720

Video Resolution: 1080p

Reported Data Download Speed: 12-20 Mb

Reported Battery Life: 8.5 hrs (talk time)

Removeable Battery Support: N

SD Support: N

Max SD: n/a

Screen Size: 4.3

Weight (oz): 4.6

Front Camera: 1.3 MP

Back Camera: 8 MP

Screen Display Quality: Good

Call Quality: Great

Camera Quality: Great

 

Plans: AT&T only

Release Date: 6 May 2012

 

Features I Like:

• 
   
  
• 720p Display
  
• Good all around phone
  
• Should be easy to root
  

 

Features I Dislike:

• 
   
  
• New HTC phone coming out but no details at all
  
• AT&T Only - nothing wrong with AT&T but pigeon holed none the less
  
• No SD card support which you would expect of a droid phone
  
• No removeable battery
  

 

 

===============================================================

 

Samsung Galaxy S3

 

RAM: 2 GB (US) ... 1 GB (international)

CPU: 1.5 GHz DC (US) ... QC 1.4 GHz (international)

MEM: 16 GB and 32 GB

Operating System: Android / Ice Cream Sammich ↑ Jelly Bean

Screen Resolution: 1280 x 720

Video Resolution: 1080p

Reported Data Download Speed: 8-16 Mb

Reported Battery Life: 7.8 hrs (talk time)

Removeable Battery Support: Y

SD Support: Y

Max SD: 64 GB

Screen Size: 4.8

Weight (oz): 4.7

Front Camera: 1.9 MP

Back Camera: 8 MP

Screen Display Quality: Worst of all the phones but overall decent

Call Quality: Good

Camera Quality: Good

 

Plans: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile

Release Date: 29 May 2012

 

Features I Like:

• 
   
  
• Removable Battery
  
• 720p Display
  
• SD Card Support (up to 64GB)
  
• Easy to root, Verizon being the toughest
  
• Supports 4 of the top service providers
  
• Neat motion control features that improve usability
  

 

Features I Dislike:

• 
   
  
• Worst display despite having the largest 720p screen
  
• Only phone to get dinged on its call quality
  
• Different prices for the different providers
  
• Lowest battery time according to reviews
  

 

 

===============================================================

 

Sony Xperia T/TX

 

RAM: 1 GB

CPU: 1.5 GHz DC (Snapdragon S4)

MEM: 16 GB

Operating System: Android / Ice Cream Sammich ↑ Jelly Bean

Screen Resolution: 1280 x 720

Video Resolution: 1080p

Reported Data Download Speed: ??

Reported Battery Life: 1850mAh li-po

Removeable Battery Support: ?? (No to T, but Yes to TX???)

SD Support: Y

Max SD: 64GB

Screen Size: 4.55

Weight (oz): 4.9

Front Camera: 1.3 MP

Back Camera: 13 MP

Screen Display Quality: 323 PPI with Mobile BRAVIA Engine / TFT

Call Quality: ??

Camera Quality: Good, but reports of noise in the picture quality

 

Plans: AT&T, anyone else?

Release Date: 27-29 Sep 2012 ...but a possible delay until Jan 2013

 

Features I Like:

• 
   
  
• SD Card Support
  
• 4.6" screen
  
• Performance MIGHT be better than the Galaxy S3
  
• 13 MP Camera
  
• Should be easy to root
  

 

Features I Dislike:

• 
   
  
• Battery performance is suspect per early review
  
• No removeable battery support according to the pictures in this article
  
• Too much bloatware according to early review
  
• Reports of slugglish/stalling browser performance
  

 

Engadget Preview

 

 

===============================================================

 

Apple iPhone 5

 

RAM: 1 GB

CPU: 1.07 GHz DC

MEM: 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB

Operating System: iOS 6

Screen Resolution: 1136x640

Video Resolution: 1080p

Reported Data Download Speed: 10-20 Mb

Reported Battery Life: 10 hrs (talk time per review / 8hrs per Apple)

Removeable Battery Support: N

SD Support: N

Max SD: n/a

Screen Size: 4.0

Weight (oz): 3.9

Front Camera: 1.2 MP

Back Camera: 8 MP

Screen Display Quality: Seems to be the best

Call Quality: Great

Camera Quality: Great

 

Plans: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint

Release Date: 21 Sep 2012

 

Features I Like:

• 
   
  
• Best Display of all the phones
  
• Gyroscope, Digital Compass, ambient light sensor,
  
• Panorama and HDR
  
• Best Voice Control System
  
• Thinnest and Lightest Phone
  
• Interesting 3D Map view ...large cities only
  
• Choice of the 3 service providers I am considering
  
• Inspite having the smallest battery it appears to be getting decent battery life. My friend had his last 3 days little texting/browsing use. Seems to easily last a full day with heavy use.
  

 

Features I Dislike:

• 
   
  
• Non-Removable Battery
  
• No SD Card Support
  
• Sprint and Verizon models can't use voice and data simultaneously
  
• iTunes
  
• Limited freedom in O/S
  
• Warm to the touch when pushed - 3D Map View
  

 

 

===============================================================

 

Nokia Lumia 920

 

RAM: 1 GB

CPU: 1.5 GHz DC (Qualcomm Krait)

MEM: 32 GB

Operating System: Windows 8

Screen Resolution: 1280 × 768

Video Resolution: 1080p

Reported Data Download Speed: ??

Reported Battery Life: 2000mAh Li-Ion battery

Removeable Battery Support: N

SD Support: N

Max SD: n/a

Screen Size: 4.5

Weight (oz): 6.52

Front Camera: 1.3 MP

Back Camera: 8.7 MP

Screen Display Quality: ??

Call Quality: ??

Camera Quality: Great???

 

Plans: ???

Release Date: 21 Oct 2012

 

Features I Like:

• 
   
  
• Better than 720p
  
• Supposedly best camera on the market (Nokia claim) / Floating Lens
  
• Great Display?
  
• Gyroscope, Digital Compass, ambient light sensor
  
• City View - could be interesting like IP5's offering / tho are either useful?
  
• Built-in Wireless Charging
  
• Might have better battery life than IP5 since IP5 says 40HRS of music playback and 920 says 60HRS.
  

 

Features I Dislike:

• 
   
  
• Non-Removable Battery
  
• No SD Card Support
  
• Windows 8 - not a fan of the tile approach / judging only from video though, so need to play with it
  
• UGLY colors, it looks kiddie
  

 

Right now it is a close fight between the Nokia Lumia 920, iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 in probably that order but a VERY close fight. So far there is no real review on the Lumia 920 but the thing holding me back the most is the tile layout format of Windows 8. Not really liking that and ditching the background picture approach. I could probably get used to it. It is definitely something I am gonna have to play with before I can make up my mind.

 

The IP5 is leading the S3 slightly because of the better battery life and bettery display ...oh and calling quality. All are important traits I am looking for in a phone. I think the Galaxy S3 would be a funner phone and I'm not looking forward to being tied down in the apple software department but I could manage if the hardware is solid. The S3 though has a removable battery and SD Card support which are HUGE for me ...and honestly the only things keeping the S3 in the race. It has some other features I like but not on the same level.

 

 

Phones listed here I am considering as Best of the Best. The harsh wording is simply for me decide which features I want the most and which things I dislike but can live with.

 

Old text prior to editing:

 

 

They all seem to offer something of value with no real standouts. I thought the S3 would be the quickest of the bunch but one review noted the 1X being faster. I haven't seen a benchmark comparing all 4 phones but if something actually feels slower to someone without a benchmark than that is something of note. I love the RAZR battery life, but the rest seems pretty meh ...especially when you see all these fields in a spreadsheet. Granted the quality level is subjective but when a review goes out of their way to present each phone showing the same picture it is pretty hard for me to argue it is purely subjective. The S3 definitely wins where I can pick my own provider. It also wins on replaceable battery (always needed this on prior phones) and the fact it supports Micro SD cards. The 2GB of RAM looks nice too, which is why I'm surprised reviewers noted the HTC One X being faster. Out of all the phones the S3 is the only one that seemed to get ding on call quality ...which is important to me (it IS a phone after all, primary function). The iPhone seems to be the best well rounded phone but no replaceable battery sux and same with no SD card support. Also if going Verizon or Sprint you can't do voice and data simultaneously.

 

No clear cut winner. There is something I like on all phones and something I find despicable on all phones.

 

Thinking it might be easier and cheaper sticking with a dumb phone, but I sure would like the benefits of a smart phone.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2012 by Fogel

[ekiM]

Make a poll

 

As a Galaxy Nexus owner I'd most definitely recommend the S3

[aaron6581230]

Galaxy S3; you won't have to deal with locked bootloaders and will undoubtedly have a mass of developer support.

 

The international One X is faster, because it has a dual core. From what I understand (make sure on this), the US version only has a dual core.

[ccokeman]

Galaxy S3; you won't have to deal with locked bootloaders and will undoubtedly have a mass of developer support.

 

The international One X is faster, because it has a dual core. From what I understand (make sure on this), the US version only has a dual core.

 

The S3 bootloader was unlocked on all but the Verizon phone. The Verizon S3 bootloader is now cracked so you can use custom roms. I have a Nexus and will be going to the S3 in a few weeks.

[kuri]

+1 for a poll, and another vote for the S3. Though if it's me and I don't need the phone yet, I'd also want to see what the WP8 phones are like once released, just to compare.

[Stonerboy779]

Xperia T/TX

[Gremlin]

Make a poll

 

As a Galaxy Nexus owner I'd most definitely recommend the S3

 

+1 to the above.. I am a Nexus owner as well..

[Guest Trankop]

OS is main

Edited November 5, 2012 by Trankop

[ciddono]

All the Galaxy lineup has (unfairly) suffered from the same issues regarding construction, specifically the use of poly materials instead of metal for the casing. The plastic gives them a "cheap" feel. They are also lighter, yet very durable. I have dropped my Epic more times than I can count. Don't let the "plasticy" feel fool you, they are of solid construction. My wife has an S2, and my dad an S3, they both love them.

[d3bruts1d]

My suggestion is don't rely on numbers, specs (aside from camera info), or anything else. All of the specs are largely irrelevant and performance of the phone varies greatly depending on the OS version (and carrier modifications to the OS). What's far more important than anything is how the phone feels in your hand. What works for one person may not work well for you. Instead of relying on reviews, feedback, or anything else go to the store and play with each of the phones you are considering (and even some you aren't!).

 

Personally I love my iPhone. It isn't the greatest device (or OS), but it does what I need and has kept me satisfied for ~5 years. If there were a device that would make me consider dropping the Apple ecosystem right now, it would actually be the Nokia Lumia.

[Guest Trankop]

Just found a different

Edited November 5, 2012 by Trankop

[vandreadstriker]

OS is main factor for me, with android you have larger number of software. Price is a factor also. size is good but S3 might be too big for some, or not.

 

My advice to you is try to check them in a show room and test them, you might only need 5 min to hate a phone, no matter how good the reviews are.

 

You saw this? I mean a small feature might attract you, S3 seem to be loaded.

 

Last thing, you might want to consider Nokia's latest phone Lumia 920, they're trying hard to get a share.

 

This ad baffles me at what Samsung would do to mislead and attract customers. Then again Apple won the stupid court battle so I guess Samsung had some (or many) rights to do this...

Let me just add this: However, it doesn't take a Genius to figure out that Samsung cut short on iPhone 5's features, and that their S*** of an UI on their phones aren't attracting anyone.

 

@OP

My opinion about the S III (based on experience. I admit I'm an Apple fanboy but I do own a GS3):

 

Pros:

-Gigantic 4.8" Screen (Which is useless for me as I don't need Gigantic fonts yet, don't usually watch movie on my phone and don't really fuss about screen size when playing angry birds. Still nice to show off to friends though )

-Superb Battery life (That is until you actually put the screen to good use. Driving a 4.8" screen isn't easy I tell you. <4 hours of Angry Birds + Movie marathon and you're dead. Another reason why I prefer to watch movies / play games with a tablet. What good is a phone if you can't use it?)

-Thin and Light design (It's as light as or even lighter than my old SE W880i! Be careful when handling it.. The large screen does noticably make it "fatter" and force your thumbs to stretch more, but there won't be any problem when holding it or putting it inside pockets)

-Camera (Great camera no doubt, but based on some sample shots with a friend's One X, the One X still takes marginally better shots IMO. However, it might also be caused by the Screen on the S III)

 

Cons:

 

-OS (Three Words: Samsung Tocuhwiz Sucks! Even the Sense UI on a HTC Sensation beats the crap out of it. HTC is still far in the lead in terms of fluidity, functionality, and of course the WOW factor)

-Pentile Screen (You won't usually notice it but if you get real close to the screen, pixelation is bound to happen. It usually bugs me when I'm browsing while in bed.)

-Plastic (Some people may like it but some people don't. I'm one of those who dislike plastic as it makes it feel cheap but Samsung did manage to "reduce" that feeling with the design and I gradually got use to it. However, the "peel-back" battery cover always worries me)

 

Can't comment on the One X/Razr Maxx/iPhone 5 as I haven't had enough "Quality Time" together yet