Develop Bugs

[Q] Few Questions About The Processor

Since it's release date on October 10, I've been debating on whether or not I should get this over the Amaze 4g and after 4 days, I decided that the galaxy s 2 is the best choice for me. Now after watching some videos of the original galaxy s 2, I want to know what things were left out in terms of processing power. All I know is that it uses the snapdragon s3 processor which runs on an a8 cortex as opposed to the a9 in the exynos processor. I know that speed is one of the things that the exynos has over snapdragon and also the fact that it's asynchronous as opposed to qualcomm running one core at a time (correct me if I'm wrong here, not savy on processors). The biggest things I know I will use on this phone is Internet, photos, media, and some gaming here and there. On YouTube I saw the original galaxy s 2 capable of running an N64 emulator with virtually no lag, though I don't know if sound was included, and the same goes for the psx emulator. I also saw how it was able to play multiple video formats (including 1080p mkv files) with no issues whatsoever. I want to know if the snapdragon processor would still be capable of running emulators at similar speeds and still have support for multiple video formats even though it's not as fast as the exynos processor. Help is definitely appreciated.
P.S. This was typed on an iPod so sorry if there are any typos and grammar mistakes.

The Qualcomm chip is asynchronous.
Right now, I don't know how much Samsung did to fine-tune the system to accommodate the hardware differences....but like you said, the Qualcomm chip is A8 and the Exynos is A9.
That speaks for itself.

PoisonWolf said:
The Qualcomm chip is asynchronous.
Right now, I don't know how much Samsung did to fine-tune the system to accommodate the hardware differences....but like you said, the Qualcomm chip is A8 and the Exynos is A9.
That speaks for itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no idea in the difference care to enlighten me or post a link?
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

Mudkip said:
I have no idea in the difference care to enlighten me or post a link?
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Essentially, the Qualcomm chip is running on an older architecture relative to the Exynos, which is typically why the Exynos outperforms the Qualcomm even at lower clockspeeds. I'm guessing T-Mobile needed the SGS2 to be on par with with its siblings thus the higher clockspeeds (1.5ghz) to accommodate the older architecture.
The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S if I'm not mistaken are also running chips that are based on the A9 architectures.
There is a difference when using the original SGS2 with the T-Mobile version...but it's not too drastic. What the CPU makes up in lack of speed, the big screen more than makes up for it.

I'm quite new to this forum, therefore I can't post external links yet. However, perform a google search for "How Samsung's chip change-up affects the T-Mobile Galaxy S II" the first link is an interesting article.

The normal clockspeed for this processor is 1.5GHz

kosnarf said:
I'm quite new to this forum, therefore I can't post external links yet. However, perform a google search for "How Samsung's chip change-up affects the T-Mobile Galaxy S II" the first link is an interesting article.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I took away from that article is that they went Snapdragon in order to use another modem chip to be able to do 42Mbps. The sacrifice is graphics performance.
Hmm, it plays my HD movie great. Not sure I will ever play a first person shooter on it...

heygrl said:
The normal clockspeed for this processor is 1.5GHz
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i was about to point out the same
the Qualcomm CPU stock speed is 1.5 Ghz, the same CPU on HTC Sense was actually under clocked to 1.2 Ghz
so the new HTC Amaze is using the CPU at is normal speed like on our phone

toy4x4 said:
What I took away from that article is that they went Snapdragon in order to use another modem chip to be able to do 42Mbps. The sacrifice is graphics performance.
Hmm, it plays my HD movie great. Not sure I will ever play a first person shooter on it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It also sacrifices general OS performance, at least in its current state. Looks like Samsung did no optimization on this guy for the qcom SoC. As it currently stands, I find it more laggy than my (admittedly) highly optimized Epic (single core). Hopefully things will improve with devs, etc.

I had the original and was using it on att gophone,
and sold it to get this. I needed to be on a contract and Tmobile was my only option so I got this
User interface was faster and smoother, apps opened and closed in the blink of an eye
games also ran with no lag whatsoever
Screen is bigger, no hardware buttons, and faster data is a plus for me
Tmobile is very spotty in my area tho
Sometimes I feel like I should have stayed
This phone has been behaving differently
The user interface is nearly as smooth and some of my favorite games lag
(Dragon fly, modern combat 2)
Still a great phone but these 2 Arras are disappointing for me
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA Premium App

Krooked22 said:
I had the original stay.
User interface was faster and smoother, apps opened and closed in the blink of an eye
games also ran with no lag whatsoever
This phone has been behaving differently
The user interface is nearly as smooth and some of my favorite games lag
(Dragon fly, modern combat 2)
Still a great phone but these 2 Arras are disappointing for me
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be clear, gaming performance will never be as good on this platform. The GPU is severely weaker than the exynos models. What remains to be seen is if the rest of the OS can be optimized though.

ap77 said:
To be clear, gaming performance will never be as good on this platform. The GPU is severely weaker than the exynos models. What remains to be seen is if the rest of the OS can be optimized though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OS definitely can be a little more optimized for this processor. This phone isn't a slouch though.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

OuncE718 said:
The OS definitely can be a little more optimized for this processor. This phone isn't a slouch though.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a slouch relatively speaking, to the people who forked out full retail for this phone.
I might get this phone, if and only if, FULL hardware acceleration is not announced on the Prime, even then, I shall hunt it for free via retentions.

PoisonWolf said:
It is a slouch relatively speaking, to the people who forked out full retail for this phone.
I might get this phone, if and only if, FULL hardware acceleration is not announced on the Prime, even then, I shall hunt it for free via retentions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am one of the people who forked out full retail. I can take a picture of my receipt to prove. We nit pick at every single phone that comes out. Trust me when I say this phone isn't a slouch. Yes it stutters once in a blue, but its fast and pretty smooth. All we need is an official update from Samsung to fix the issue or get a few custom roms. I've owned literally every smartphone that came out for T-Mobile this year and the previous years and I can honestly say this happens to be the fastest, even with the slight stutter it gets every now and then. It's just a slight software issue. I believe that this processor is capable of getting the job done.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

this is my third phone this year and im done .nothing to complain about if i start worrying about milliseconds then i would never buy another phone again because the galaxy s3 will be a few milliseconds faster than this one and so on and on. i made a promise to myself that im done till the end of nex year

tigerz0202 said:
this is my third phone this year and im done .nothing to complain about if i start worrying about milliseconds then i would never buy another phone again because the galaxy s3 will be a few milliseconds faster than this one and so on and on. i made a promise to myself that im done till the end of nex year
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. I don't think your done. I think we all say this same thing. I bet I'll probably see you over at the Nexus Prime forum. I really love this phone and would like to say I'm done for the year too, but I think what makes some of us go for the next best thing is A. its the next best thing and B. we realize that our dev community gets smaller whenever the next best thing comes out so we want to be back in the loop of things. I'M JUST A PHONE SLUT!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

OuncE718 said:
II've owned literally every smartphone that came out for T-Mobile this year and the previous years and I can honestly say this happens to be the fastest, even with the slight stutter it gets every now and then. It's just a slight software issue. I believe that this processor is capable of getting the job done.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also paid full retail (pending Prime announcement), but I can tell you that my highly optimized Epic is smoother than this phone is right now in day-to-day use. Now, hopefully that means that there is a lot of room for improvement as this chip is theoretically faster and dual-core, but it is an open question of whether that promise will be realized.

ap77 said:
I also paid full retail (pending Prime announcement), but I can tell you that my highly optimized Epic is smoother than this phone is right now in day-to-day use. Now, hopefully that means that there is a lot of room for improvement as this chip is theoretically faster and dual-core, but it is an open question of whether that promise will be realized.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We will be rewarded by both Samsung and the devs soon.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

OuncE718 said:
Lol. I don't think your done. I think we all say this same thing. I bet I'll probably see you over at the Nexus Prime forum. I really love this phone and would like to say I'm done for the year too, but I think what makes some of us go for the next best thing is A. its the next best thing and B. we realize that our dev community gets smaller whenever the next best thing comes out so we want to be back in the loop of things. I'M JUST A PHONE SLUT!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This ^

This processor is the same one used in the now defunct HP touchpad. People have successfully overclocked their touchpads to 1.7ghz with minimal to no additional drain on battery but a noticeable speed boost. I imagine our phones will react much the same way

[Q] Showing phone off and...

We were comparing my SGN to my friends 2 year old windows phone. He was interested in browser speed and performance so I showed him, then he showed me his, then I got sad. I can hear the jokes starting, lol...
His windows browser was silky smooth, zooming in and out, and even the rotating was great. I read somewhere that Google did that rotaing delay so it won't accidentally rotate while in your pants or something like that. Well I don't want that, I would like that option. And I know for a fact it can rotate instantly and fluently. I say this because if you open stock camera, and rotate it around, the small indicators and gallery preview rotate flawlessly and silky smooth. Is it the ram? Why would a 2 year old device out perform a 1.2 processor these days in browser performance? I'm a little bummed.
And let me not mention that multi task soft button... And info would much be appreciated, thanks...

I guess we would need to know what model of windows mobile phone your friend had to start off.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

spencer88 said:
I guess we would need to know what model of windows mobile phone your friend had to start off.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows Trophy, and I think it released this summer... ?

What's wrong with the multitask soft key? I think it's pretty awesome.
Sent from my Kickass Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

Ask him if he wants to trade. I can have a guess as to who is getting the better deal
Also, if its an HTC Trophy, it was released May 2011. Hardly a 2-year old phone as you described in OP
I mostly have 2 things to say: 1) By most accounts the SGN has one of the fastest browsers of any mobile device (benchmark wise) and 2) You'd be pleasantly surprised how well WP7 performs on a single core 1ghz processor.
People really need to kick the stigma on WP7. Its not a POS platform. You shouldn't be surprised that it performs like it should.

It has to do with how each OS handles UI rendering and what gets loaded. Go to a site that requires flash and you'll start seeing limitations in WP
Sent from my Touchpad using xda premium

xHausx said:
It has to do with how each OS handles UI rendering and what gets loaded. Go to a site that requires flash and you'll start seeing limitations in WP
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see your point but thats not the best comparison. Specifically choosing a site that only will load fully on one of the devices doesn't prove that device is better.
Loading a page that both devices can render fully and seeing which one does better (in benchmarks and look/feel) is the best head to head comparison.

rabaker07 said:
What's wrong with the multitask soft key? I think it's pretty awesome.
Sent from my Kickass Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's one of my fave new features, just laggy... But I am running stock. It did release May, still half the ram... But he was amazed by the speedy UI stock and, of course, the screen...

WP 7 is just a faster UI and is more efficient than android in a lot of ways.
Also consider that his phone isn't pushing as many pixels as yours.
Microsoft has really focused on UI speed and touch response in WP 7, and it's pretty obvious when using one of those devices.
Even with ICS, android just doesn't match WP7 in terms of touch response and UI fluidity.
Nothing wrong with your device or his device. They're both great devices for different reasons.
4.03 helps quite a bit with the multi-tasking button lag, though.. so you'll see that improve when you get that update in the next few weeks.

Its been known that Microsoft went all out with windows phone and made the smoothest UI of all time and did extremely low level drivers with qualcom to get such performance out of the snapdragon chip set. Its the most fluid smooth UI I've ever seen. I'm just glad ice cream sandwich moved in that direction finally.

Andrmgic said:
WP 7 is just a faster UI and is more efficient than android in a lot of ways.
Also consider that his phone isn't pushing as many pixels as yours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought ICS was supposed to have hardware acceleration so the graphics don't burden the CPU ? So, if anything, the nexus should have an advantage over the Windows phone.
---------- Post added at 07:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:34 PM ----------
RogerPodacter said:
Its been known that Microsoft went all out with windows phone and made the smoothest UI of all time and did extremely low level drivers with qualcom to get such performance out of the snapdragon chip set. Its the most fluid smooth UI I've ever seen. I'm just glad ice cream sandwich moved in that direction finally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the Windows phones are all single core as well. I would doubt that ICS will ever compete on a single core. Even the hardware on the nexus struggles to run it. I guess in a month or so when the quads and higher clocking phones come out with ICS, we will get to see how they compare. Thats why I ditched my GN's. I just don't think the hardware is enough for ICS. I went back my trusty Atrix 2, slapped an ICS theme on it, and it does everything better than the nexus.

It's really not a fair comparison, looking at one particular aspect. WP7 has only one resolution, much lower than the GNex. All the graphics are simpler, and it can't run all the things in the background.
It's like comparing a hot air balloon to a helicopter, based on how smooth they are.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

T-Keith said:
It's really not a fair comparison, looking at one particular aspect. WP7 has only one resolution, much lower than the GNex. All the graphics are simpler, and it can't run all the things in the background.
It's like comparing a hot air balloon to a helicopter, based on how smooth they are.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree about the simplererer graphics. I am loving the metro theme they uave going. Simple, yet elegant. But nothing beats Android as far as customization and personalization goes...
I tell everyone if two people were to drop their ihones, and I were to pick them up I wouldn't be able to differentiate one by the other because they all look the same, maybe except for the background but you can't even tell since all those static icons are in the way I have no idea where I am going with this so yea....
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

I'm still skeptical about the Metro UI. It has a bit too much text for my taste. What happened to the "a picture is worth a thousand words"? The UI is very beautiful though

ICS Scrolling ??!!

hello
i tried Galaxy S2 and it's so fast and doesn't lose fps in any scrolling in any app but my sensation lose alot of fps .. Galaxy S2 have enabled HWA and GN with ICS have it too..but both of them have smooth scrolling or just SGS2??
can anyone confirm this ??
sorry for my bad english

Gnex is very fast.
Android - making grown men pee sitting down since 2.0

Goat_For_Sale said:
Gnex is very fast.
Android - making grown men pee sitting down since 2.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still think Galaxy S 2 is the smoothest Android phone out there and it's running Gingerbread. Wait until it gets ICS.
I'm kinda disappointed by Galaxy Nexus.

Scrolling with the S2 feels weird though. The scrolling animation is smooth, ill hand it that, but its as if its slightly behind the movement of my finger. Dont have that problem with the GN, which is also very smooth in every native app. Apps not yet optimized for ICS seem to be laggy from time to time, but its app depended imo.
Overall I prefer the GN.

retskrad said:
I still think Galaxy S 2 is the smoothest Android phone out there and it's running Gingerbread. Wait until it gets ICS.
I'm kinda disappointed by Galaxy Nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, I feel the Galaxy Nexus is smoother.
And ICS smoothness is overrated, it doesn't magically make the phone smoother at all, at best you won't notice any difference, but I imagine the phone being bogged down by a Touchwiz/ICS combo.

Enable force GPU to make apps smoother.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

Isn't 4.0.3 meant to increase performance and fix the scrolling issues?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

kangxi said:
Enable force GPU to make apps smoother.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not necessarily.
https://plus.google.com/105051985738280261832/posts/2FXDCz8x93s

Simmo3D said:
Isn't 4.0.3 meant to increase performance and fix the scrolling issues?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't see any scrolling issues in 4.0.1 or 4.0.2.

if anyone have WhatsApp and have alot of messages in one chat..can he record a video and uploaded to i see how scrolling smooth is GN+ICS
sorry for my bad english

There is definite lag. I can't use live wallpapers on the Nexus because of the slowdown. Quite annoying, but oh well.

Or maybe the app isn't optimized for ICS yet as the OS / device is relatively new?
Google can't control what app devs do.

ericc191 said:
There is definite lag. I can't use live wallpapers on the Nexus because of the slowdown. Quite annoying, but oh well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Live walls at 720p....
Same problem on Rezound as well. By the way, aosp walls work a hell of a lot better than the retail ones. Lag is pretty much gone if the live wall does not scroll with launcher screen.

(Let me preface this with a pre-emptive statment that I love Android (had a GTab, currently have a TF. And I am not a "this phone rules, that phone sucks" kind of guy, these are simply my DISPASSIONATE--albeit subjective--observations.)
Call it minor or whatever, but I have to admit, the lag is one of the big reasons keeping me from getting the phone. I've tried them out in stores, all running 4.02, closed all programs, used static wallpaper, etc., and the screens lag. And almost every online video I've seen seems the same way.
Obviously it's not like the 1st generation Android phones (which truly had horrible lag), but still, I think it's kind of unacceptable in this day and age and on a $300 phone. The GS2 is noticeably smoother -- instantaneous, really. Smoother than any phone I've ever used, iPhone included.
I want to love this phone so much -- great screen, ergonomics, and, obviously immediate updates and dev support, but I'm having a hard time getting over the somewhat laggy response.
I had a GTab which, if you're familiar with them, positively sucked out of the box, but the ROMs were awesome and made it super smooth... Maybe the ROMs and/or updates will do the same for the GN.
Anyway, please re-read my first statement before you say, "well, then just get the GS2," or somesuch. Like I said, I'm not dissing the phone in any major way -- but I need to love this phone if I'm dropping $300...

I've gotten it very smooth with Cyanogenmod and Franco's kernel (smoothest by far). But I too feel the S2 is smoother. Wish they used the Exynos lol well when the S3 comes out I'll just sell this and buy that retail. Hopefully it comes to Verizon.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Omap can hold its own vs. Exynos. What you meant was the mali gpu.

Today I went into Verizon (got T-Mobile) but wanted to play with one and compare it to my ns, and the demo I played with was a bit stuttery ,I even wiped the phone in the store ,and was still stuttery/laggy my ns runs way smoother compared to the one I played with,I'm really hoping it was just that particular phone,cause if T-Mobile ever offers it subsidized I plan on getting it,but not if it runs like the demo I messed with today...bottom line I left Verizon today a bit disappointed...
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Raver27 said:
Today I went into Verizon (got T-Mobile) but wanted to play with one and compare it to my ns, and the demo I played with was a bit stuttery ,I even wiped the phone in the store ,and was still stuttery/laggy my ns runs way smoother compared to the one I played with,I'm really hoping it was just that particular phone,cause if T-Mobile ever offers it subsidized I plan on getting it,but not if it runs like the demo I messed with today...bottom line I left Verizon today a bit disappointed...
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Demo units aren't really a true representation of what the phone will feel like when you actually unbox it. It was being used by a bunch of other people who could of even installed apps of it. I have a NS and I can say the GN is just so much faster on ICS.

adrynalyne said:
Not necessarily.
https://plus.google.com/105051985738280261832/posts/2FXDCz8x93s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That has nothing to do with what I said. I have noticed that most apps run a lot smoother when I have force GPU acceleration on. Including Facebook, Groupon, Twitter, Netflix, etc.
This is what the OP was talking about and I offered a solution.
Also, 4.0.3 is a lot smoother than 4.0.2.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

I reset it in the store,but I hope ur right cause I really want one...
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Nexus or SGS2 Lte?

Anyone go from a sgs2 to a nexus? How is it? I owned my SGS2 lte for about a week and sent it back due to a camera issue. I can choose to get the nexus now if I want to rather than a replacement SGS2 Lte.
Just looking at the features, all that really seems better is the HD screen. Worse camera, slightly worse cpu (1.2 vs 1.5 ghz), no sd card capability, and ICS is coming to the sgs2 eventually anyway. The nexus however is $50 cheaper for me than the sgs2.
Any ideas/opinions?

Came from European GSM SGSII (still have it) to the Nexus. Processor is the same @1.2 so not noticed much there.
Have the latest ICS port from Samsung on the SGSII at the moment but it's not as snappy as the Nexus. The camera is the only thing that I miss from the SGSII.
Never used the memory that I had on the SGSII so no biggy for me loosing SD support. If you are bothered 32GB GN are on the way.

The CPU on the SGS2 lte/skyrocket says it's higher clocked than the one the nexus has. I was watching some videos of ics running on it. I don't know why but it looked quite laggy on the nexus for some reason.

Are you talking about the 1.5 ghz qualcomm cpu. I'll take a TI cpu clocked @ 1.2 over that one any day.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.

Yea the qualcomms aren't my fav in this day and age.
While clocked at 1.5 it runs as fast as a 1-1.2ghz of another chipset.
Camera is hit and miss. The instant shutter is nice on the Nexus. I don't know if one is better then the other in terms of speed or power but the Nexus has a longer life and some neat tricks you can't find in other phones.
The screen, LED notification, and Google support are enough to sway my opinion.
LTE EX Galaxy Nexus - AOSP KANG
Asus Transformer - 3.2.1 OC/UV

Oh so whats the difference in cpu then? I thought they were the same with different clocks.

Qualcomm is cortex a8 and just not as powerful. They usually undervolt well. That is all that is memorable about them. The nexus will have a longer lifespan with developers and Google updates if that means anything.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.

also in ICS qualcomm SoC will always be in last place as they use adreno gpu which is like night and day compared to the SGX in TI SoC and GPU acceleration is a large part of ICS

I still am not too sure. don't know much about cpus. So is the one on the nexus better?

Yes, lower clock speed but better GPU performance which in ICS it will almost always win
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

I like the "stock vanilla" android look, so thats why i went with the nexus. I do prefer the physical shape of the sg2 a bit better though.

How is 720p video playback in youtube/media players. I have an HP touchpad and its laggy as hell for some odd reason for a tablet at youtube 720p.

C2Q said:
How is 720p video playback in youtube/media players. I have an HP touchpad and its laggy as hell for some odd reason for a tablet at youtube 720p.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's excellent!

I was wondering which one to go for, I get to upgrade a month today and I really want the best phone going. I think I'm going to get the nexus simply because its the more up to date phone. I'm quite surprised how slow these phone companies have been to release a phone that comes preinstalled with ics to out do the nexus. I can't find any new phones that are coming out soon!
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

C2Q said:
Anyone go from a sgs2 to a nexus? How is it? I owned my SGS2 lte for about a week and sent it back due to a camera issue. I can choose to get the nexus now if I want to rather than a replacement SGS2 Lte.
Just looking at the features, all that really seems better is the HD screen. Worse camera, slightly worse cpu (1.2 vs 1.5 ghz), no sd card capability, and ICS is coming to the sgs2 eventually anyway. The nexus however is $50 cheaper for me than the sgs2.
Any ideas/opinions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey I wen't from a SGS2 to a Nexus and while I am totally happy the SGS2 was faster. I can't wait to ICS rom my SGS2 for a complete comparision.

jd1001 said:
Hey I wen't from a SGS2 to a Nexus and while I am totally happy the SGS2 was faster. I can't wait to ICS rom my SGS2 for a complete comparision.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is about the LTE version which by no means is faster than the GN.

@rbiter said:
Qualcomm is cortex a8 and just not as powerful. They usually undervolt well. That is all that is memorable about them. The nexus will have a longer lifespan with developers and Google updates if that means anything.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not A8...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

C2Q said:
How is 720p video playback in youtube/media players. I have an HP touchpad and its laggy as hell for some odd reason for a tablet at youtube 720p.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
720p? This thing does 1080 without any lag.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

dario3040 said:
It's not A8...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GS2 LTE?
It sure is.
S1: Cortex-A8
S2: Cortex-A8
S3: Dual Core Cortex-A8 >>>Any GS2 that is LTE or for Tmo's 42mbps network.

But why would you want to do 1080 when it only has 720p res? haha
Nice to know though. Can it play mkv 720p files just fine?

Sticking with S3

After reading the reviews on the S4 camera, I'm quite happy to stick with the S3 until the next update cycle.
I guess it's finally time to root this puppy. Hopefully the last ota didn't lock me out.
Sprint replaced my HTC 4g Lte with the S3, so I'm pretty late to the game.

babyschmoof said:
After the not so stellar reviews on the S4 camera, I'm quite happy to stick with the S3 until the next update cycle.
I guess it's finally time to root this puppy. Hopefully the last ota didn't lock me out.
Sprint replaced my HTC 4g Lte with the S3, so I'm pretty late to the game.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what reviews u read but all the ones I read praised the s4 camera. Its a notable upgrade if u dont have a s3. But the s3 will be getting all the s4 features so really no point in upgrading.
My s3 is running find with no lag and I doubt I would see that much of a performance gain in the s4 besides benchmarks
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

Just played with one here at work, it's low light abilities are much better than my S3, not had time to do a real comparison yet though.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium

In most reviews, it finished behind the new HTC, LG and even the iPhone (in some categories).
It's a big bump pixel-wise, but it's not over overall game changer.

Me personally I like to skip a generation of phones. I'll pass on the S4 and get the S5.
Sent from my Freeza MD4 Stock Rooted Galaxy S3

babyschmoof said:
In most reviews, it finished behind the new HTC, LG and even the iPhone (in some categories).
It's a big bump pixel-wise, but it's not over overall game changer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what reviews you are reading but CNET did a camera shoot off between the s4 iPhone 5 and HTC one and the HTC one finished last.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

babyschmoof said:
After the not so stellar reviews on the S4 camera, I'm quite happy to stick with the S3 until the next update cycle.
I guess it's finally time to root this puppy. Hopefully the last ota didn't lock me out.
Sprint replaced my HTC 4g Lte with the S3, so I'm pretty late to the game.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint replaced my EVO lte with an S3 as well and I have been lovvvving it. I have an upgrade coming up in August and pondered the thought of getting the S4 but after seeing the review videos (especially those comparing it to the HTC One), Ive decided that it would be a waste of money to upgrade to that....especially when we're going to see 75% of the S4 features in future ROM builds.
Side question...what was specifically being said about the camera?

Just one of hundreds of article's
http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-57581522-85/samsung-galaxy-s4-shootout-versus-htc-one-iphone-5/
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

There are plenty of reviews that say the opposite, especially in low light situations.
However, some of you are not getting the point of the thread... Even if the camera was a game changer, is that really enough to upgrade?
I personally feel the changes/upgrades are not worth using an upgrade. The S3 was made well, and I can hold out until the S5.

babyschmoof said:
There are plenty of reviews that say the opposite, especially in low light situations.
However, some of you are not getting the point of the thread... Even if the camera was a game changer, is that really enough to upgrade?
I personally feel the changes/upgrades are not worth using an upgrade. The S3 was made well, and I can hold out until the S5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you considered the HTC One at all? Im kind of stuck on what to do for my next upgrade. Im not a huge fan of there Sense UI but I must say the design of the phone and some of its features are def tempting.
---------- Post added at 03:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:47 PM ----------
tylerjames09 said:
Have you considered the HTC One at all? Im kind of stuck on what to do for my next upgrade. Im not a huge fan of there Sense UI but I must say the design of the phone and some of its features are def tempting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also to add to that...im kind of fearful that Samsung is going to get in the habit of coming out with their next model but only to make minimal upgrades to software/hardware and keep their design the same...almost like apple...I know this is me speculating and looking WAYYYY too far ahead but does anyone else feel the same?

I have a rooted and heavily modded s3 I really love, but I'd upgrade for the screen alone.
// Galaxy SIII SPH-L710 // MOAR 3.0 ROM + MD4 baseband // KT747 kernel running ktoonservative-BFQ 384-1809Mhz + rescaling + undervolting // Crossbreeder entropy + DNS caching + ad blocking // LagFix fsTRIM // Nova Prime launcher // sent from xda premium

tylerjames09 said:
Have you considered the HTC One at all? Im kind of stuck on what to do for my next upgrade. Im not a huge fan of there Sense UI but I must say the design of the phone and some of its features are def tempting.
---------- Post added at 03:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:47 PM ----------
Also to add to that...im kind of fearful that Samsung is going to get in the habit of coming out with their next model but only to make minimal upgrades to software/hardware and keep their design the same...almost like apple...I know this is me speculating and looking WAYYYY too far ahead but does anyone else feel the same?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a previous owner of the HTC Lte 4g, I can tell you they are very developer unfriendly. They play games with releasing the source only when the next update comes out; leaving the developers with outdated source.
I do think HTC's photo chip is superior (not sensor). Their overlay is smoother and less memory intensive than touchwiz. If HTC can market properly and can get back in the good graces with vendors, they have potential.
I only wish Samsung spent as much time on the hardware as software. Actually, most of it is worthless. I have most of it disabled.

babyschmoof said:
I only wish Samsung spent as much time on the hardware as software. Actually, most of it is worthless. I have most of it disabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by this?

Slomodrop said:
I have a rooted and heavily modded s3 I really love, but I'd upgrade for the screen alone.
// Galaxy SIII SPH-L710 // MOAR 3.0 ROM + MD4 baseband // KT747 kernel running ktoonservative-BFQ 384-1809Mhz + rescaling + undervolting // Crossbreeder entropy + DNS caching + ad blocking // LagFix fsTRIM // Nova Prime launcher // sent from xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I work for US Cellular and we just got our demo model...and I must say the screen is absolutely gorgeous. I wish I could see the value in upgrading for a better screen you know?? Difficault decissions lol

Just got my s3 about a month ago so I shall be sticking with it and not to mention I am extremely satisfied with this device!
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium

babyschmoof said:
I personally feel the changes/upgrades are not worth using an upgrade. The S3 was made well, and I can hold out until the S5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. I just used my upgrade for the S3. Yeah, I was impatient to get a new phone, but I did a lot of reading on the S4 and while it looks great I think the S3 is going to be relevant for quite a while longer. I don't know much about the S2, but my Epic was running real good up until the time I shattered the glass and the charge port went out. I have TEP, but didn't have the $100 for a new phone.
Another reason to go with the S3, I saved $200 buying it....
I still have my Epic, thinking about using that as a learning device and take it apart.

Slomodrop said:
What do you mean by this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know what he means. I just went to my application manager to check how many apps I have disabled and I have 67 stock apps disabled on md4. There's probably a couple more in there that I wish I could disable too. I don't like using tb to freeze.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

I feel like I am the only one that noticed this and I have to see anyone else mention it. But the s2 to s3 was such a little upgrade if you do a side by side comparison both in software and especially hardware! Yet it was a massive game changer and I also jumped on that band wagon. Maybe I bought into the hype but oh well. Now if you you compare the s3 to the s4 specifically hardware alone! Its a massive change way more significant than the s2 to s3 was. Points to consider.
720p vs 1080p
3xx PPI vs 4xx PPI
Corning glass 2 vs 3
8mp shooter vs 13mp (with arguable better lowlight)
Dual core snap dragon vs quad core snap dragon
No ir port vs ir port
No true world phone vs true world phone
2100mah battery vs 2600mah
These are high level non finely grained specs and hardware only as there is speculation the s3 will get a lot of the same features software wise. But you can see there are major changes all around.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

cas8180 said:
I feel like I am the only one that noticed this and I have to see anyone else mention it. But the s2 to s3 was such a little upgrade if you do a side by side comparison both in software and especially hardware! Yet it was a massive game changer and I also jumped on that band wagon. Maybe I bought into the hype but oh well. Now if you you compare the s3 to the s4 specifically hardware alone! Its a massive change way more significant than the s2 to s3 was. Points to consider.
720p vs 1080p
3xx PPI vs 4xx PPI
Corning glass 2 vs 3
8mp shooter vs 13mp (with arguable better lowlight)
Dual core snap dragon vs quad core snap dragon
No ir port vs ir port
No true world phone vs true world phone
2100mah battery vs 2600mah
These are high level non finely grained specs and hardware only as there is speculation the s3 will get a lot of the same features software wise. But you can see there are major changes all around.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you mention it that way, it seems like a big upgrade.

I can't since my contract isn't up till July 1st ill have plenty of time to wait and see what the next big thing will be.
Most likely ill be getting the s4 but if there is rumors of the note 3 with a snap Dragon 800 I might just wait
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium