[All Carriers] How long until... - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

[All Carriers] How long until... - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

How long until you believe this phone becomes obsolete? I hear a lot of people (and read them, too) say that this is probably the first phone they'd go the full 2 years with...however, being realistic, when was the last time you made it two years with the same device? I haven't gone two years with the same device since the original Razr was in style.
I know, I know, at 2gb ram, dual core, etc, this phone is far from becoming obsolete, so I'll rephrase that question for you: What feature on a future phone would make you make the switch from your Galaxy S3? Or are you confident enough that there will be no other phone in the next two years that can replace it?

When they release phones with 16 core Opterons in them
In the wise words of amd..:
MOAR CORES!!!!!
/sarcasm

My old s1 still works great
And really do we need to be able to play skyrim on a phone
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium

I've actually been impressed with mobile gaming...never was big on it but I have played 3D Spiderman, GTA 3, Fifa12, PES 2011 and 2012, NBA Jam, etc...been a great experience recently
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

gtuansdiamm said:
My old s1 still works great
And really do we need to be able to play skyrim on a phone
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

I don't know that I have a feature that I would jump ship for at this time ... but I wonder if, in 2 years, the size and use of applications will make even 2 gb of ram obsolete?
I'm in the camp that I can see keeping this phone throughout contract, but it is hard to tell if, in 1.5 to 2 years time, 2 GB of ram is actually not enough to keep up with programs/OS requirements. I don't necessarily think so, but remember back when 256MB of ram was a lot? That wasn't TOO long ago.
But, since I don't use my phone for intense gaming, I see this phone in my future for a long while - at least until the sandwich-making feature phone is announced.

I don't think it being obsolete would be the problem. I'll just want something newer at some point before two years. My Evo 3D could have easily lasted another year for my uses, but I still got a GS3.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

banzaiwolfe said:
I don't think it being obsolete would be the problem. I'll just want something newer at some point before two years. My Evo 3D could have easily lasted another year for my uses, but I still got a GS3.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You and I think alike. Also had Evo 3D, Razr, GNex, but still had to have the S3 and more than likely getting the Note 2 when it comes out
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

Ill keep mine the whole 2 years (well 20 months or whatever it is) just like I have done with every other phone. While there may be something new and better out if you are always waiting for that you will never have a phone. That and the cost to buy phones off contract now are more than I want to spend.

Sccrluk9 said:
Ill keep mine the whole 2 years (well 20 months or whatever it is) just like I have done with every other phone. While there may be something new and better out if you are always waiting for that you will never have a phone. That and the cost to buy phones off contract now are more than I want to spend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why you make a friend who works for AT&T and gets all the new phones free who can turn around and sell em to u for 100-150...lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

It will become obsolete sometime between Q4 2012 & Q2 2013. Qualcomm are already prepping the S4 QUAD for tablets this year and its performace is roughly x2 the Dual S4, and far exceeds the Exynos 4212+Tegra 3 if I read correctly. Technically the GPU in all Android phones are obsolete or slow in comparison to Apple's latest offerings(Imaginations is like a high-end Nvidia in the mobile-space, Adreno mid, and Tegra mid-high).
For some reason I feel someone is gonna make a 1080P phone, which is useless btw--just had to throw that out there for those that were unaware. Cores cores and more cores will probably be one of the more popular acts we see though, and 2GB-4GB Ram will be standard. Unfortunately I wish these companies would realize they need to relax b/c optimizations are practically nonexistent with Stock Android phones. I hate to constantly reference Apple & WP7/8, though it's a must. When i hear people telling me stuff like the HOAX or S3, or whatever dual/quad lags--lag. Seriously, these phones are using CPUs that theoretically should outperform the 4S/iPd3, but that's normally not the case. We are getting to a point where everyone is rushing to get out the latest and greatest, however all the hardware don't mean **** when the software can't match it.
P.S. Sorry about going off on a rant.

Ace42 said:
We are getting to a point where everyone is rushing to get out the latest and greatest, however all the hardware don't mean **** when the software can't match it.
QUOTE]
I've said it before and I'll say it again here, I love Android OS but in terms of refinement iOS is better put together overall (speed, battery life, overall smoothness). Thats just my opinion.
and yes, quad core, 2GB RAM-LTE device is already out there in Korea... it wont be long until our dual core, 2GB RAM, LTE gets outdone hardware-wise down here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I have been so disappointed with the radio in my t-mobile s3 because I cannot stream music without it cutting out constantly. I am actually going to demand a microsim adapter from them and return to my vibrant. If my data sucks so bad that I cannot consistently stream music in the car, what's the point of owning this without calling it just a pda.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

p3rljam said:
I have been so disappointed with the radio in my t-mobile s3 because I cannot stream music without it cutting out constantly. I am actually going to demand a microsim adapter from them and return to my vibrant. If my data sucks so bad that I cannot consistently stream music in the car, what's the point of owning this without calling it just a pda.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are u streaming? And what coverage do you have? 3G? H+?
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cue_32 said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again here, I love Android OS but in terms of refinement iOS is better put together overall (speed, battery life, overall smoothness). Thats just my opinion.
and yes, quad core, 2GB RAM-LTE device is already out there in Korea... it wont be long until our dual core, 2GB RAM, LTE gets outdone hardware-wise down here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And it only took around 2 months for it to become obsolete then, not ideal in the world I would prefer, but I suppose it can't be helped. This phone could had been so much more if Samsung stuck with the SGX instead of adopting the Mali-400. It would had been so cool to have the CPU part of the S4 combined with a dual/quad SGX543/544 like the ipad/iphones. Those GPUs outperform even the silly Tegra 3 & its fancy 16 cores(which are just 16 weak cores throw together ). I don't know what Sammy or Qualcomm were thinking about. Everyone is just dropping the ball all over the place these days.

I'm not really sure, mainly because I'm not entirely vested in this phone as it is, so it probably wouldn't take much, provided I could sell this one and cover the majority cost of a replacement phone.
I think something with sufficient horsepower to run some things which even this phone can't, but that remains to be seen. One thing that could almost definitely sell me is a flagship phone like this one that has a hardware keyboard. The problem is that I'm in the minority, so a flagship Galaxy S or Nexus phone is highly unlikely to have one, and I care ever so slightly more about the fact that flagship phones have thriving development communities, whereas one-off phones, which I may like more, won't get the same kind of attention from either developers or manufacturers.

I'll keep my phone until my contract is up. I always have (except for my BB Storm which I *****ed about until they upgraded me). My OG Droid Inc lasted for 2 years until I got this S3 and it was still in like new condition. I was tired of the small screen, but the devs here kept the phone fresh.
Hell, part of me misses my Inc. (Love this phone, though.)
Sent from an overpriced Verizon tower.

Ace42 said:
Technically the GPU in all Android phones are obsolete or slow in comparison to Apple's latest offerings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean the dual core 800MHz in the 4S? That is Apple's current offering.
Since the definition of obsolete is...
1. out of use or practice; not current
2. out of date; unfashionable or outmoded
An old Startac is obsolete because it It can no longer be used. My old Motorola RAZR is not obsolete because I can still use it
for it's intended purpose.
I would say the phone will not be obsolete for many years to come. How can a device me considered obsolete if there is a phone
with a faster CPU or more memory? The phone can still be used for it's intended purpose.
My S3 can not do anything my Vibrant couldn't (with the same mechanicals), it only does it better.
Ian

w98seeng said:
Do you mean the dual core 800MHz in the 4S? That is Apple's current offering.
Since the definition of obsolete is...
1. out of use or practice; not current
2. out of date; unfashionable or outmoded
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually when I said latest offering I was referencing the iPad 3. And actually I stated the GPU in Android devices are all obsolete(as in not current in terms of power). The Legendary SGX543 MP4 in the iPad 3 mops the floor of every single Android device to ever touch this world, even the soon to be made Adreno 320 in the new S4 QUAD(snapdragon) fails to match the creature. Even the 4S' SGX543 MP2 is barely phased by the Mali 400, Adreno 225, and Tegra 3's laughable 16 core toy. I have no doubt that the S3's CPU is superior at all.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6022/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review-att-and-tmobile-usa-variants/4
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6112/...agon-s4-apq8064adreno-320-performance-preview
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6054/google-nexus-7-mini-review
^Just look there, every time Apple makes everyone look like a joke. As much as I dislike Apple's methods and price gouging what I say it true.

Ace42 said:
It will become obsolete sometime between Q4 2012 & Q2 2013. Qualcomm are already prepping the S4 QUAD for tablets this year and its performace is roughly x2 the Dual S4, and far exceeds the Exynos 4212+Tegra 3 if I read correctly. Technically the GPU in all Android phones are obsolete or slow in comparison to Apple's latest offerings(Imaginations is like a high-end Nvidia in the mobile-space, Adreno mid, and Tegra mid-high).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Obsolete (by my definition) doesn't mean that a newer/better product exists. Every device would be a obsolete within a few months if that were the case. To me obsolescence means that it either doesn't perform modern tasks acceptably or a new product feature is so desirable that you simply don't want your old device anymore.
We all know the S3 will handle Jelly Bean beautifully. I'm pretty confident it will be good for Key Lime Pie as well. I got close to 2 years from my OG Epic (Galaxy S1) and only upgraded short of 2 years because I could. With the strong CM/AOKP support this phone has, I'm fully confident I'll have this phone the full 2 years. Unless I break it, heh.

Related

[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] Galaxy Nexus Why all the anticipation ?

After seeing all the specs on this phone, and some hands on video, I am pretty dissapointed with the wait. There are phones out now that pretty much rival all aspects of the Nexus - except the ICS. In a month or so, ICS will be available to the the other phones. When it is, it will put the Nexus on par with them (or a notch below).
Whats all the hype about ? It seems like it is all around ICS, and a device we cannot yet get our hands on.

Ics. Duh.
I invented cyberspace. You're trespassing.

Why ?
Because of the ****ty carrier update system.
Personally Id by an Amaze 4g today if the stupid piece of crap carrier and HTC werent in the way of me getting Android 4.0. As it stands pretty much the only way you get to use it is by getting a GN or waiting 2-3 months for decent roms to come out.
Again. Since Google refuses to mandate min. time frames for carrier/OEM updates this means noone has a clue when they can get a major OS update. Making GN the only choice for months.
The HD screen is the second biggest factor , I havent seen any comparison to a QHD screen so dont know if its as big a deal as Im making it out to be.

The display, the OS, and the fact that it's a Nexus device. Win/Win/Win.

For me it's not having an annoying overlay. Touchwiz and Sense are ok, but I'd much rather have vanilla Android.

randypurcz said:
After seeing all the specs on this phone, and some hands on video, I am pretty dissapointed with the wait. There are phones out now that pretty much rival all aspects of the Nexus - except the ICS. In a month or so, ICS will be available to the the other phones. When it is, it will put the Nexus on par with them (or a notch below).
Whats all the hype about ? It seems like it is all around ICS, and a device we cannot yet get our hands on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nexus line is not suppose to be "top of the line" spec phones.
But to answer your question, the Galaxy Nexus comes with ICS, that's why everyone wants it.
To put things into perspective. I bought my G2x a few month ago, and it shipped with Froyo, with a promised update to Gingerbread. This was many, many months after Gingerbread was released.
Typically, phones won't see the latest android OS a few month after the OS has been announced. So if you want the latest OS, you need to go with a Nexus device.

1.) ICS
2.) Likely to have a huge developer base
3.) Hardware fairly optimized for software (and according to: http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/17/2568348/galaxy-nexus-review , its blazing fast)
4.) 720p HD Screen (again according to the above link and also http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/11/17/galaxy-nexus-review-part-1-hardware-overview-video/ although the screen is pentile, it still is amazing)
5.) Vanilla Android
6.) ???
7.) Profit
Now, I can see why some people might not want to buy this phone because of the following three reasons:
1.) Low-standard GPU - could become obsoleted fairly quickly (really old GPU) and I highly doubt a lot of games in the future could run on this device
2.) Although the hardware is fast now, in a few months from now it may not be as fast in comparison to other devices. (Remember CES 2011 with the introduction of dual core smartphones? From then on, the single core processor phones were essentially obsoleted + it is rumoured that there will be quad core phones later this year - http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/11/15/r...ndroid-4-0-with-a-2-5ghz-quad-core-processor/)
3.) The battery life may not be great with this phone

randypurcz said:
Whats all the hype about ? It seems like it is all around ICS, and a device we cannot yet get our hands on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's exactly what it is a Developer reference phone for ICS
that's why you no longer see the state of the art hardware included anymore since Nexus S

I see all your points.
I guess I think Google/Samsung/Verizon, just dragged thier feet too long on getting it to market IMO. I think higher spec phones are just months away, so the only thing cutting edge here is ICS. Just my opinion.
Now, I do have the Nexus on the way, but I am just not going to be sleepless over it. I just sold my Galaxy Note (too big to function as a phone for me, but one hell of an information device), but I will always wonder how it would have performed with ICS versus GB.

mohitrocks said:
1.) Low-standard GPU - could become obsoleted fairly quickly (really old GPU) and I highly doubt a lot of games in the future could run on this device
2.) Although the hardware is fast now, in a few months from now it may not be as fast in comparison to other devices. (Remember CES 2011 with the introduction of dual core smartphones? From then on, the single core processor phones were essentially obsoleted + it is rumoured that there will be quad core phones later this year - http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/11/15/r...ndroid-4-0-with-a-2-5ghz-quad-core-processor/)
3.) The battery life may not be great with this phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm... methinks you didn't give your cons much thought as they all contradict. each other.

oilfighter said:
The Nexus line is not suppose to be "top of the line" spec phones.
But to answer your question, the Galaxy Nexus comes with ICS, that's why everyone wants it.
To put things into perspective. I bought my G2x a few month ago, and it shipped with Froyo, with a promised update to Gingerbread. This was many, many months after Gingerbread was released.
Typically, phones won't see the latest android OS a few month after the OS has been announced. So if you want the latest OS, you need to go with a Nexus device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the nexus phones are developer phones so are set at being what google expect the average phone to be in the middle ics lifetime. After all theres no point developing on a phone when no other phone comes close to the specs. The only benefit really is it gets the latest android first rather than waiting for manufacturer releases or even later for mobile operator releases.
Personally I'm still undecided and also considering the RAZR or waiting to see what comes out in the next few months. There is no phone which makes me think I must have it at all costs at the moment. SGS2 is meh, HTC XE looks nice but doesn't excite, only RAZR and Nexus I'm considering though I'd consider the rezound if it was available in the uk.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

pukemon said:
hmmm... methinks you didn't give your cons much thought as they all contradict. each other.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How so? I don't believe I did.
---------- Post added at 03:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:54 AM ----------
gbroon said:
I think the nexus phones are developer phones so are set at being what google expect the average phone to be in the middle ics lifetime. After all theres no point developing on a phone when no other phone comes close to the specs. The only benefit really is it gets the latest android first rather than waiting for manufacturer releases or even later for mobile operator releases.
Personally I'm still undecided and also considering the RAZR or waiting to see what comes out in the next few months. There is no phone which makes me think I must have it at all costs at the moment. SGS2 is meh, HTC XE looks nice but doesn't excite, only RAZR and Nexus I'm considering though I'd consider the rezound if it was available in the uk.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't go for the RAZR, as many reviews I have seen put it on a bad place compared to the Nexus (E.g. www.theverge.com)

For me it's the screen and ICS ....Why the crappy gpu and only 5meg camera and sub par audio is beyond me.....I don't play many games but the gpu in the s2 woulda been nice..I sold my Vibrant and need a phone now might not wait and just get gs2..The gpu in the nexus is very dissapointing ...Why the newer high end device would be speced lower than the older s2 is just dumb imo.
I did find a store that imports them and is expected the 28th for $749 shipped......The gs2 will cost me $444 local tmo.....Decisions Decisions!

Until the quad cores come out much later in 2012 the galaxy nexus will mostly be top dog. The next batch of devices will all be dual core 1.5ish ghz, some will get some version of 720p screens some will not. We should see that clear through summer until the galaxy hd/3.
That's a pretty good run for a device add to it the google experience and well it should hold its own for two years easily. IMO the only people getting screwed are the people buying the gs2 now.
As long add it's out before the end of January on AT&T (unlikely) I'll buy the galaxy nexus otherwise I'll wait for summer.

Well now it looks like the GS2 has already been ported, so maybe months of wait will be reduced to weeks to get a usable ICS rom on some of the better devices. Cancelled my preorder(Nexus) and am thinking of purchasing another Note !

STi489 said:
For me it's the screen and ICS ....Why the crappy gpu and only 5meg camera and sub par audio is beyond me.....I don't play many games but the gpu in the s2 woulda been nice..I sold my Vibrant and need a phone now might not wait and just get gs2..The gpu in the nexus is very dissapointing ...Why the newer high end device would be speced lower than the older s2 is just dumb imo.
I did find a store that imports them and is expected the 28th for $749 shipped......The gs2 will cost me $444 local tmo.....Decisions Decisions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd like to refer you to here where they go beyond speculation and actually have the device so aren't pulling things out of thin air like 99% of the people here.
For people who tl;dr:
"Before we received the device, what troubled us was the idea of a last-generation GPU pushing 1280×720 pixels of the Galaxy Nexus’ screen — we can now say that fear is unfounded. We picked up and played a few games of Wind-up Knight and found it performed better in its native resolution than did the Motorola RAZR at 960×540. The RAZR uses the same GPU at a slightly slower speed, but has 40% fewer pixels. Google has done some serious tweaking to the graphics drivers to achieve such amazing results."
Just like how we don't compare ATI and Nvidia cards by their GFLOP's nor triangles per second, we should keep in mind that performance is dependant on both hardware and drivers - and varies with games just as some games naturally play better with Nvidia cards and some perform better with ATI/AMD cards. Drivers make a world of difference. Looks like Google/PowerVR/TI have done their job.

STi489 said:
For me it's the screen and ICS ....Why the crappy gpu and only 5meg camera and sub par audio is beyond me.....I don't play many games but the gpu in the s2 woulda been nice..I sold my Vibrant and need a phone now might not wait and just get gs2..The gpu in the nexus is very dissapointing ...Why the newer high end device would be speced lower than the older s2 is just dumb imo.
I did find a store that imports them and is expected the 28th for $749 shipped......The gs2 will cost me $444 local tmo.....Decisions Decisions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once again, MP means jack **** EXCEPT picture size. Do your research before you comment. As some comparisons have said its only a little below the iPhone 4s in quality, and guess what? That's not due to MP.
Sent from my Xoom using xda premium

That review was pretty good.

nexus vs. droid 4?

looking to switch from an epic 4g to either a nexus or droid 4 (both are only $99). Can anyone give input on which you think would be the better of the two and why? The phone is used for calls, a few apps here and there but mainly for email and internet surfing (and tethering from time to time).
I do like having the full slide out keyboard, but it's not something that would kill me if it was missing as I have to use the on screen keyboards for my work iphone... It is handy but not a deciding factor - any info is appreciated!

Nexus all the way! Bad ass screen and ICS!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

If you don't need the hardware keyboard, I don't see how you ever consider the Droid 4 over the Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus absolutely crushes it.
Honestly if you're gonna compare a Moto device to the GN you should be comparing the RAZR MAXX to the Galaxy Nexus.

i don't think there are any other phones with slide out keyboards worth a crap on verizon other than the droid, is there? The samsung stratosphere, but it looked to be old technology.
if anyone can, could you check out the phones listed for verizon on wirefly.com and tell me which one is the best model? i work in the IT field with double bachelor's degrees, but couldn't tell you the first thing about these damn phones other than elementary specs because every time i turn the computer on there are new ones coming out.
The sprint lady said we had until March 13th or 14th iirc to get out of the contract with no termination fee so whatever we decide on, it has to be done before then

selfinfliction said:
i don't think there are any other phones with slide out keyboards worth a crap on verizon other than the droid, is there? The samsung stratosphere, but it looked to be old technology.
if anyone can, could you check out the phones listed for verizon on wirefly.com and tell me which one is the best model? i work in the IT field with double bachelor's degrees, but couldn't tell you the first thing about these damn phones other than elementary specs because every time i turn the computer on there are new ones coming out.
The sprint lady said we had until March 13th or 14th iirc to get out of the contract with no termination fee so whatever we decide on, it has to be done before then
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said above, if you don't need the keyboard, the Nexus is the winner all the way. The only reason to get the Droid 4 is the keyboard honestly. Because if you didn't need the keyboard it'd be between the RAZR MAXX and the GN, and even then unless you need the battery, the GN wins again.

Droid 4 has terrible ghosting when it comes to their screen. Check the Androidpolice review of the D4. It has a video demonstrating it.

Galaxy Nexus is a pretty bad ass device. I was coming from an Epic 4G Touch on Sprint and while that phone spec wise is better then the GN, there is just something about this phone that just makes it a winner.
The GN was was to big of a device for my wife so I got her an HTC Rezound. Still a little big for her but definitely better then the GN. The Rezound has a dual core 1.5ghz processor and a 720p screen resolution. Camera is also pretty good on that phone.
This is my first Nexus device and I must say I am liking the pure Android experience.

after some more research, i think we're going to hold off. we were looking at the specs of current phones compared to our epic's from 2010 and there isn't much that has changed other than the addition of dual core cpu's. it would really be a waste for us to get new phones now and be stuck with them for two years when the galaxy s3 and a few other quad core phones with possibly 16mp cameras will be coming out this summer.
having an original ICS phone would be good, but not enough to make us sacrifice getting outdated hardware for it. I was actually really surprised to see the nexus to have such low specs with all of the anxiety they produced in december.

martonikaj said:
If you don't need the hardware keyboard, I don't see how you ever consider the Droid 4 over the Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus absolutely crushes it.
Honestly if you're gonna compare a Moto device to the GN you should be comparing the RAZR MAXX to the Galaxy Nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said.

selfinfliction said:
after some more research, i think we're going to hold off. we were looking at the specs of current phones compared to our epic's from 2010 and there isn't much that has changed other than the addition of dual core cpu's. it would really be a waste for us to get new phones now and be stuck with them for two years when the galaxy s3 and a few other quad core phones with possibly 16mp cameras will be coming out this summer.
having an original ICS phone would be good, but not enough to make us sacrifice getting outdated hardware for it. I was actually really surprised to see the nexus to have such low specs with all of the anxiety they produced in december.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While the genex doesn't have the greatest hardware specs, it will have the longest support life. Most phones are lucky to get one software update, the nexus line will have software updates to the latest version of android for quite some time. Plus ICS is optimized for the genex hardware.
By far the best phone I have had, even with the stock rom.

As someone who's used both, the ONLY thing the D4 has is it's physical keyboard. The functionality of the Nexus versus the D4 isn't even in the same league! I switched over from the DROID series to the Nexus just recently and couldn't be any more satisfied.

axion68 said:
While the genex doesn't have the greatest hardware specs, it will have the longest support life. Most phones are lucky to get one software update, the nexus line will have software updates to the latest version of android for quite some time. Plus ICS is optimized for the genex hardware.
By far the best phone I have had, even with the stock rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm sure it is a great phone, but these are some of the same camera specs that were on phones literally from 2010 and if i buy something that already has antiquated hardware this year, then i'll be stuck with it until 2014 and that's just not a good decision on my part.

Coming from a Droid X that has ran everything from Apex to Tranquility. Simply put, the Galaxy Nexus is the best phone on the market because of Ice Cream Sandwich. It is everything people make it out to be. I've only had the phone for about a week, and I will only buy Nexus phones from here on out. I'm running Android 4.0.4 unlocked and rooted. You do not need to change kernels or Rom the phone. ICS is perfect. I might consider overclocking in the future as I've read that the CPU in the Galaxy Nexus was underclocked from factory.

selfinfliction said:
after some more research, i think we're going to hold off. we were looking at the specs of current phones compared to our epic's from 2010 and there isn't much that has changed other than the addition of dual core cpu's. it would really be a waste for us to get new phones now and be stuck with them for two years when the galaxy s3 and a few other quad core phones with possibly 16mp cameras will be coming out this summer.
having an original ICS phone would be good, but not enough to make us sacrifice getting outdated hardware for it. I was actually really surprised to see the nexus to have such low specs with all of the anxiety they produced in december.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Laughable, you don't the deserve a great device like the Galaxy Nexus.
Let me give you a few hints too:
1. The Galaxy S 3 doesn't have to be quad core, we have already seen Qualcomm's Krait destroy Tegra 3, quad core is just a gimmick.
Samsung are making dual core Exynos processor which might or might not appear in the Galaxy S 3.
2. The part where you said 16 megapixel camera was very funny.
I highly doubt you would ever print anything that big, not that your printer would be big enough anyway, also there would be no benefit of having that resolution on the phone.
But I guess it's ok if you like big useless numbers?
---------- Post added at 12:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------
[email protected] said:
Would love to know what you will be able to due with a quad core phone that you cannot do with a dual core phone. How much faster do we really need these processors? These are mobile operating systems that don't even take advantage of dual cores none the less quad cores.
My wife has a Rezound, dual core 1.5ghz processor and an EVO View Tab single core 1.5ghz processor. Do you think her Rezound does anything her tab can't? Do you think one feels faster then the other? I am not even sure they benchmark any differently although I haven't tested them up to each other.
Bottom line, single cores can get the job done plus when quad core phones get released you will start hearing about octo cores or something.
Do you think a webpage will open up quicker with a quad core device? Nope...The only thing it might help with is 3D gaming but no developer is going to limit their games to only quad cores anyway because that would take away from there profits of everyone else who does not own a quad core phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, even 3D gaming wouldn't benefit too much from a quad core, only if the game was physics or AI heavy.

At this point waiting for the galaxy 3 would be smart. Especially with the simultaneous release rumors.

dario3040 said:
Laughable, you don't the deserve a great device like the Galaxy Nexus.
Let me give you a few hints too:
1. The Galaxy S 3 doesn't have to be quad core, we have already seen Qualcomm's Krait destroy Tegra 3, quad core is just a gimmick.
Samsung are making dual core Exynos processor which might or might not appear in the Galaxy S 3.
2. The part where you said 16 megapixel camera was very funny.
I highly doubt you would ever print anything that big, not that your printer would be big enough anyway, also there would be no benefit of having that resolution on the phone.
But I guess it's ok if you like big useless numbers?
---------- Post added at 12:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------
Nah, even 3D gaming wouldn't benefit too much from a quad core, only if the game was physics or AI heavy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you 15 years old? I don't "deserve" to have a specific phone? that's such a childish comment, the rest of your post doesn't even deserve an acknowledgement by dissecting it and providing the proper information.

[email protected] said:
Would love to know what you will be able to due with a quad core phone that you cannot do with a dual core phone. How much faster do we really need these processors? These are mobile operating systems that don't even take advantage of dual cores none the less quad cores.
My wife has a Rezound, dual core 1.5ghz processor and an EVO View Tab single core 1.5ghz processor. Do you think her Rezound does anything her tab can't? Do you think one feels faster then the other? I am not even sure they benchmark any differently although I haven't tested them up to each other.
Bottom line, single cores can get the job done plus when quad core phones get released you will start hearing about octo cores or something.
Do you think a webpage will open up quicker with a quad core device? Nope...The only thing it might help with is 3D gaming but no developer is going to limit their games to only quad cores anyway because that would take away from there profits of everyone else who does not own a quad core phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh i agree that phones now do a decent job, heck i'm still happy with my epic 4g that's nearly 2 years old. but the thing is, why would i pay the same price for antiquated equipment now (the nexus) when I know for a fact that much better stuff is coming out in a few months? That's like going to a car lot and buying a 2009 camaro for $45,000 when you can wait a few months and buy a 2010 corvette for $45,000. see what i mean? it just doesn't make good sense when i've got a phone that already works for what i need it to do.
but there is something that no one is considering here, what everyone keeps comparing these quad core phones to is dual core and single core processors running SINGLE THREAD applications, because there are not that many multi-threaded apps out for phones yet. I'm going to be stuck with whatever I get for 2 years out, and will guarantee that by the end of this year as apps get more complex and programmers get deeper into their thing, they will start using multi threads on most stuff, especially the droid OS itself.
i'm not sure how old you are(you may have seen this develop as well), but i've been working in the computer industry for over 13 years now and this is the identical issue as what happened when multi-core cpu's came out for computers. people were screaming bloody murder and how senseless multiple cores were on a computer and now i don't even think the cheapest cpu's are single core. I couldn't tell you how many times that people were hating on the multi-core cpu's talking about how their single core p4's were the best. As soon as they started programming multi-thread applications, those guys put their heads back in the ostrich holes because they knew they were wrong

selfinfliction said:
oh i agree that phones now do a decent job, heck i'm still happy with my epic 4g that's nearly 2 years old. but the thing is, why would i pay the same price for antiquated equipment now (the nexus) when I know for a fact that much better stuff is coming out in a few months? That's like going to a car lot and buying a 2009 camaro for $45,000 when you can wait a few months and buy a 2010 corvette for $45,000. see what i mean? it just doesn't make good sense when i've got a phone that already works for what i need it to do.
but there is something that no one is considering here, what everyone keeps comparing these quad core phones to is dual core and single core processors running SINGLE THREAD applications, because there are not that many multi-threaded apps out for phones yet. I'm going to be stuck with whatever I get for 2 years out, and will guarantee that by the end of this year as apps get more complex and programmers get deeper into their thing, they will start using multi threads on most stuff, especially the droid OS itself.
i'm not sure how old you are(you may have seen this develop as well), but i've been working in the computer industry for over 13 years now and this is the identical issue as what happened when multi-core cpu's came out for computers. people were screaming bloody murder and how senseless multiple cores were on a computer and now i don't even think the cheapest cpu's are single core. I couldn't tell you how many times that people were hating on the multi-core cpu's talking about how their single core p4's were the best. As soon as they started programming multi-thread applications, those guys put their heads back in the ostrich holes because they knew they were wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mr been in the industry for 13 years... I been in it for like 4 years and even I know that about the only multithreaded mainstream programs used in desktops are computer games and even then its rare

TheRiceKing said:
Mr been in the industry for 13 years... I been in it for like 4 years and even I know that about the only multithreaded mainstream programs used in desktops are computer games and even then its rare
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there are plenty of database applications that utilize multi-threads, we actually have a couple of GIS mapping programs and plugins that use 16 cores at a time. ( you'd be surprised how processing intensive 500-1000mb maps with 50 or 75 layers is ) I can't get into the specifics of it, but there are hundreds if not thousands of every day applications that take advantage of simultaneous multithreading. what i manage is just a microscopic amount of what is available.
You'll have to forgive me because i'm not up on phones too much but i would say i'm fairly decent with computers, after all i do have an associates in network systems, a bachelors in information systems security, and am finishing up with my masters of information systems in June. Just these damn phones change so much and i don't have time to keep up with anything that doesn't have to do with school or work.
I really didn't mean to offend anyone about their nexus if this is where the thread is going, just because i don't think it's a good deal for me, doesn't mean it's not a good deal for someone else. heck, i've really been super happy with my epic since i switched it over to ICS, that makes a world of difference even on an old phone so i'm sure it runs great on the nexus as well.

Next generation CPU and GPU is here (snapdragon S4) and behinde the corner (exynos 5)

Doesn't it bother you? I really want the Note 2, but to think devices are shipped now with SnapDragon S4 Pro, 4 cores A15, 28NM with Adreno 320, and soon Exynox 5 Dual, also A15, 32NM and Mali-T604 really bother me. This is why I've waited for HTC's phablet, but it wasn't released yesterday
What do you think? I know the Note 2 has great performance, but soon others will have better technology... And I'm going to buy mine (if I'll buy) on December - right before CES 2013!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali_(GPU)

i'm going back and forth between getting the note 2 and waiting a phone with the exynos 5250/new mali gpu.

I feel like my galaxy nexus is already as fast as it can possibly get, and I'm sure the note 2 is even faster. I don't think I will need the newer tech at least for my use I won't
Sent from my Verizon Nexus

There will always be something better,in some way, than whatever you have/buy.
The note 2 is still overall the best device for me so I'm getting it.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA Premium HD app

you will keep waiting that way. once the exynos 5 dualcore is there you will be waiting for the quadcore version. something better is always around the corner. you say you will buy a new phone in december, so just come back in december, choose the phone that is best for you at that moment, and buy it.

DubelBoom said:
Doesn't it bother you? I really want the Note 2, but to think devices are shipped now with SnapDragon S4 Pro, 4 cores A15, 28NM with Adreno 320, and soon Exynox 5 Dual, also A15, 32NM and Mali-T604 really bother me. This is why I've waited for HTC's phablet, but it wasn't released yesterday
What do you think? I know the Note 2 has great performance, but soon others will have better technology... And I'm going to buy mine (if I'll buy) on December - right before CES 2013!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali_(GPU)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the tech world, there's always going to be the next big thing. How long should one wait is a matter of personal preference. For me, I get excited by new technology, but I always shop behind the curve, to get the best possible deal.
Here, in the US, the carriers make us sign contracts in return for subsidized pricing. So a $600-$800 phone is sold to us for $200-$300. After a few months, price drops of $50-$100 are very common. That is the time when I buy.
My first smartphone (EVO 4G) was released in April 2010 for $200. I purchased mine in Dec. 2010 for $100. Was the phone old? Sure, but did I care? No. It worked just fine, and a year later (Nov. 2011) I scored a Photon (released in April 2011) on Cragslist.
I am hoping the Note II gets released soon (October) so I can buy it in Dec./Jan. It is rumored to be around $250-$300 and by waiting a few months I can hopefully save a few $$.
It will still work and be more powerful than most devices on the market. Even if HTC, LG and others come out with a super-phone with the QC S4, it doesn't render the Note II obsolete.
So what if the HTC Quad can beat the Note II by a few points in some benchmark.
The Note has far more compelling features for me. As long as it can do the work, I don't care how fast or slow my device is. And with that 3000 maH battery, I don't foresee a problem in device usage time either.

If youre gonna have the phone a long time, 2 year + then i think you should wait and buy the top of the line.
If you change phone every year or more dont worry.. Just buy a new when a killerphone arrive
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app

The Note II will be a powerhouse for years, and by they time it isn't you'll already have moved on to something else.

you are all right about there will always be a newer technology around the corner, but the snapdragon S4 Pro is already here!!
i don't care about the benchmarks, i only want games to work smooth. on my Desire HD games get stuck and lag, so i want top line phone, so i could keep it for about 2 years.
sadly, im not old enough to decide by my self to sell and by a new phone, if i was, every year i would sell my current phone (in israel) and by a new one at the USA. this way i save a lot of money
the problem with the Mali-400MP is that its old... it is the GPU on the S2!!! i dont want to buy technology from more than a year ago!

GPUs and CPUs have already progressed to the point where the law of diminishing returns is starting to take effect in the realm of mobile phones. You can only push so many pixels onto a handheld screen before our eyes can't tell the difference, and the Android OS currently only needs a certain amount of gflops to do what it needs to do smoothly. I don't play PC-level demanding games on my phone, otherwise I would think differently - but right now, I'm mostly just concerned about browser preformance and the OS running without lag even with all of the widgets and programs that I need running in the background. I think the Galaxy Note II should be able to accomplish that easily. I, too, would like to see a GPU better than the Mali-400MP in the SGN2, but as long as it can handle android games and render webpages quickly, then I don't think it should be a big factor in your decision.
I think improvements in battery life, RAM, and screen are mainly what I'm looking for in this generation of phones. For the Galaxy Note II, the first two were substantially improved so I'm fairly content with that. I just don't see any better alternatives out there. A possible alternative would be the HTC 5" phone which is going to be announced soon, but I don't know all of the details on that yet. I'm not expecting much out of that phone though because, while HTC has good build quality and specs, they have been going down the path of sacrificing battery life, locking bootloaders, no SD-card, no removable battery, etc... The Galaxy Note II doesn't have these problems, and the one shortcoming (it doesn't have a Exynos 5 Dual with a Mali-T604) isn't really that big of a deal to me.
TL;DR: The SGN2 is probably the best phone you can get in the near future if you don't play extremely graphically-intensive games on your phone.

I don't play a lot of heavy games as Modern Combat 3, Asphalt 6 etc. but, when I play these games I want them to work smooth! And I'm not sure the Mali-400MP could do it in a year from now.

The new Mali-T604 will have OpenGL ES 3.0 support (Mali-400MP only supports up to 2.0). Does anyone how much this will affect performance for later releases? I would imagine that the SGN2 would still be able to play 99% of games released within the 2 years with a decent frame rate.
I don't really like playing games on my phone because the interface is holding it back in my opinion. Well, at least for FPS and anything that requires precision and more than 2 buttons.

Well my adreno 205 rage.
I can play with adreno 205 all 2012 games..
Nova 3 without problems,Max Payne without any problems..

RobyRc said:
Well my adreno 205 rage.
I can play with adreno 205 all 2012 games..
Nova 3 without problems,Max Payne without any problems..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my phone also have Adreno 205, and its terrible! games like Jetpack Joyride and Granny Smith are laggy..

DubelBoom said:
I don't play a lot of heavy games as Modern Combat 3, Asphalt 6 etc. but, when I play these games I want them to work smooth! And I'm not sure the Mali-400MP could do it in a year from now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who knows what we are doing a year from now.
Faster CPUs don't mean that much right now in some ways, because Android doesn't probably take advantage of multithreading.
It's quite possible that a year from now, threading is improved, and we see a serious performance increase with the same hardware.
Also notice this review:
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/09/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-hands-on-bigger-got-better/
specifically this quote:
The biggest improvement, though, is the phone’s performance. It absolutely flies, and it’s incredibly smooth. Whether that’s due to the 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor or simply the addition of Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) we don’t know, but I tried hard to make it stutter and lag, and I couldn’t.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This comes from a guy who said the Note was 'very not good', partially due to its lag.
You can be sure he went into the Note 2 determined to prove he's still right and the Note concept still sucks.
The fact that he failed is pretty encouraging.
- Frank

ChodTheWacko said:
Who knows what we are doing a year from now.
Faster CPUs don't mean that much right now in some ways, because Android doesn't probably take advantage of multithreading.
It's quite possible that a year from now, threading is improved, and we see a serious performance increase with the same hardware.
Also notice this review:
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/09/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-hands-on-bigger-got-better/
specifically this quote:
This comes from a guy who said the Note was 'very not good', partially due to its lag.
You can be sure he went into the Note 2 determined to prove he's still right and the Note concept still sucks.
The fact that he failed is pretty encouraging.
- Frank
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know its great, and the CPU is awesome, no complains. My problem is the GPU, its.......old!

But everything always gonna look old to you unless you are Apple fanboy/girl. I don't mean that negatively, but let's face it. By the time SoC manufacturor announce new chip, a phone manufacturor have to wait a few months to get their hand on the chip, then a few months later, engineering unit is out. By the time the production unit hit the shelf then that is like half a year already, by then another SoC company gonna announce something new. If all the SoC and phone manufacturors act like Apple and keep everything secret then may be you won't feel that way but that's simply because you are kept in the dark.

someone0 said:
But everything always gonna look old to you unless you are Apple fanboy/girl. I don't mean that negatively, but let's face it. By the time SoC manufacturor announce new chip, a phone manufacturor have to wait a few months to get their hand on the chip, then a few months later, engineering unit is out. By the time the production unit hit the shelf then that is like half a year already, by then another SoC company gonna announce something new. If all the SoC and phone manufacturors act like Apple and keep everything secret then may be you won't feel that way but that's simply because you are kept in the dark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know, but the Mali-400MP was shipped with the Galaxy S2! This is very old in "smartphones years".

Man you talk about the mali400 being old like it experienced the great depression. How depressing. It is still a nice and widely supported gpu. The adreno320 is prbably better but doesnt get as much support which would be a bummer for the gamers. If you really want to wait for the t604 find somewhere else to talk and whine about that. The mali is coming whether you like it or not and i am quite sure many are happy with the decision.
need more high def music...

DubelBoom said:
I know, but the Mali-400MP was shipped with the Galaxy S2! This is very old in "smartphones years".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It it concerns you that much, I don't know what to tell you. Just don't get the Note I guess.
I don't think anyone can prove/disprove theories on how the Note 2 will be in the future.
- Frank

How long do you think before the Note 2 gets/feels outdated?

Im sure this question doesnt really get thrown around alot considering the Note 2 is still a relatively new release. However, im curious to know how long before it starts to feel "outdated" just like the Galaxy S3. Im sure im not the only one who feels that way towards the S3 Int version. I mean one of the reason i switched to a Note 2 was because of the bigger screen and the extra 1GB Ram...feels like this could be future proof atleast for some time but thats also what i felt about the S3 when i first got it until they started releasing phones with 2gigs and full HD screens. What do you guys think?

When samsung releases note 3 I think.. and thats about 3rd to 4th quarter next year..
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---------- Post added at 07:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 PM ----------
And also not so many apps today optimize quad core processor.. and when that time comes note 2 is still running smoothly because what you are holding right now is not yet fully optimize.. wait until all developers optimize their apps and you will see the real note 2..
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Just hit thanks its free anyway

I'd say when the Note 3 comes out or a worthy equal from a competitor
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Yeah but doesn't it put you off sometimes when your phone hasn't even been through half of its product cycle and already you start seeing leaks of its successor and then suddenly all the spot light is taken away from your current device. I'm proud of showing my friends how much better is the note 2 compared to his one x and the spot light helps.
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bushako said:
Yeah but doesn't it put you off sometimes when your phone hasn't even been through half of its product cycle and already you start seeing leaks of its successor and then suddenly all the spot light is taken away from your current device. I'm proud of showing my friends how much better is the note 2 compared to his one x and the spot light helps.
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It is just a device and it is all in your mind. Get over it.

I think its already outdated...
I keep trying to reassure myself by telling myself that the software support in xda is awesome...
I guess I will have to stick to this device a little longer...
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bushako said:
Yeah but doesn't it put you off sometimes when your phone hasn't even been through half of its product cycle and already you start seeing leaks of its successor and then suddenly all the spot light is taken away from your current device. I'm proud of showing my friends how much better is the note 2 compared to his one x and the spot light helps.
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I have both note 2 and one x as well as an s3, and the hox screen is by far the best amongst the 3 in terms of crispness in my opinion.
But back on topic haha, i think it is good that technology is moving so fast. Just means better stuff for us to upgrade to in a year. The note 2 is powerful enough to withstand the changes that will occur in the next 12 months at the very least.
Try not to look at it as being in the spotlight, because regardless of what samsung or anyone else bring, the note 2 is still so unique that it can stand on it own until something else of similar size and with a stylus comes along
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gpgalanis said:
It is just a device and it is all in your mind. Get over it.
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I wish it were true for everyone but fortunately not everyone thinks alike. I see it a bit more than just a device..It should be able to work as fluidly as it was when I first had it at least for the few years ahead, and keep up with newer apps that demand more hardware resources. I like to have the greatest and the latest or at least try, but that's me
edwinpang said:
I think its already outdated...
I keep trying to reassure myself by telling myself that the software support in xda is awesome...
I guess I will have to stick to this device a little longer...
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Yupe I tell that to myself too from time to time...
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Now and for some time in the future, the specs of our devices should suffice. Get a new battery in a year, keep installing new updates and enjoy your awesome phone

bushako said:
Im sure this question doesnt really get thrown around alot considering the Note 2 is still a relatively new release. However, im curious to know how long before it starts to feel "outdated" just like the Galaxy S3. Im sure im not the only one who feels that way towards the S3 Int version. I mean one of the reason i switched to a Note 2 was because of the bigger screen and the extra 1GB Ram...feels like this could be future proof atleast for some time but thats also what i felt about the S3 when i first got it until they started releasing phones with 2gigs and full HD screens. What do you guys think?
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I've used the note (1) for almost a year and wouldn't have bought note 2 if it wasn't for my kid needing a new phone (my note 1). As I still feel the Note 1 is still in the game, especially when JB is released, I don't think I will feel my note 2 being outdated for atleast 2 years.
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Adde79 said:
I've used the note (1) for almost a year and wouldn't have bought note 2 if it wasn't for my kid needing a new phone (my note 1). As I still feel the Note 1 is still in the game, especially when JB is released, I don't think I will feel my note 2 being outdated for atleast 2 years.
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Hehe. In my case it was Mom who got my old HTC Desire. (She loves it.)
The Note 2 has just the right size for me and - compared to the Desire - more space than I'd even know what to do with, so my guess is I'll still be happy with it in 2 years. But who knows what they'll throw on the market in the near future...

When the s4 is released, my note 2 will probably become a secondary device.....depending on the actual specs released on the s4.
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Until Note 2 keeps getting updates and new features I'll be more than happy to be with it.
The moment ,say Key Lime Pie(unlikely) or a later version, is not released for us, the phone will feel outdated. Cause the quad core specs should hold up for a couple of years and all that is needed are constant updates giving way to new features.
Thats what i feel.

It will probably be awhile before we start seeing more cores utilized properly aside from games. There aren't that many heavy duty apps for mobiles. Even apps that take up a lot of ram don't need a lot of horse power. We need some distributed networking stuff and some real Photoshop and video/audio conversion apps to utilize the cores.
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@rbiter said:
It will probably be awhile before we start seeing more cores utilized properly aside from games. There aren't that many heavy duty apps for mobiles. Even apps that take up a lot of ram don't need a lot of horse power. We need some distributed networking stuff and some real Photoshop and video/audio conversion apps to utilize the cores.
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My thoughts exactly.

There are a few aspects which I consider when buying a phone, and for determining if a phone is outdated or not.
I'll give you my thoughts on when the Note II will be "outdated" - keep in mind this is relative and subject to your own opinion.
The Note II is a great device and in my opinion, it will still be great to use for the coming 2 years (which is standard contract length).
The following aspects are which I use to determine if a phone is outdated:
Battery
The Note II has a decent battery, 3100 mAh is very good for any phone. But the capacity is relative to the hardware of the phone; because of the screen size and quad-core CPU you cannot compare this 1:1 with, say, a 4 inch dual-core phone. The hardware of the Note II drains alot more battery capacity than a 4 inch dual-core phone would. Nonetheless, you can get 36-40 hours out of the battery, which still is better than most phones nowadays.
Screen
The screen of the Note II isn't it's strongest aspect. Sure, the 5.5" 1280x720 screen is nice, but what is important is the ppi (pixels per inch). The Note II has 267 ppi. In a few months there will be some phones with a 5" 1920x1080 screen, resulting in 443 ppi. This is alot better than the Note II. For now the Note II has a good screen, but it will be less attractive once the 5" 1920x1080 phones are released.
The screen won't be damaged by normal use, which is good.
CPU
An Exynos 4412 quad-core CPU at 1.6 GHz is a very good CPU. One of the best at the present moment. However, the coming Intel CPU's in Android phones will give it a run for it's money.
GPU
The Note II comes with a quad-core Mali-400MP GPU clocked at 400 MHz. This will provide the Note II with all the graphics processing power it needs and won't be surpassed soon. It's supposed to render as well as the PS3 and XBox 360. However, NVidia's Tegra 4 (not released yet) will be better.
Memory
2 GB RAM is very good, and any phone won't need more for quite a while.
Build quality
It might feel a little cheap, but it is quite strong and well-made. I am using it without a case (but with flip cover) and after about 2 months, it is still undamaged. This may vary between users but for me, it's a plus.
Development possibilities
The Note II is easy to root and there is active development going on. No downside here besides the fact that once rooted on stock ROM, you can no longer recieve OTA updates from Samsung.
Camera
The 8 MP camerica is ok. There are already better camera's in some other phones, but alot of the currently available phones have worse camera's.
Update likeliness
Samsung will surely keep the phone updated with the latest Android versions available. No worries about not being able to have the latest Android version on your phone - and if Samsung decides to stop updating, the active development community will probably provide you with a custom ROM of the latest version.
In conclusion: in the coming few months the Note II will be surpassed by other phones. However, it is a decent phone and can surely last you 2 years without losing much of it's power. So, yes, in terms of specifications, it will be outdated by the end of 2013. However, it will still be a great device and in terms of consumer satisfaction, it will not be outdated for atleast 2 years.

@rbiter said:
It will probably be awhile before we start seeing more cores utilized properly aside from games. There aren't that many heavy duty apps for mobiles. Even apps that take up a lot of ram don't need a lot of horse power. We need some distributed networking stuff and some real Photoshop and video/audio conversion apps to utilize the cores.
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Im curious though, since when was dual core never enough that they had the need to increase the number of cores. Not that im complaining but isnt the main issue with experiencing some sluggishness is due to the apps running in some sort of a virtual environment( forgive me if i use the wrong terms here)? I figured why not just increase the clock speed and improve the OS to be able to fully utilize what resources are available from the hardware to its maximum potential. The way i see it...hardware wise they have taken huge leaps where as software needs alot of catching up to do...and that gap is still ever increasing.

bushako said:
Im curious though, since when was dual core never enough that they had the need to increase the number of cores. Not that im complaining but isnt the main issue with experiencing some sluggishness is due to the apps running in some sort of a virtual environment( forgive me if i use the wrong terms here)? I figured why not just increase the clock speed and improve the OS to be able to fully utilize what resources are available from the hardware to its maximum potential. The way i see it...hardware wise they have taken huge leaps where as software needs alot of catching up to do...and that gap is still ever increasing.
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Same goes for x86 architecture. There are a lot more apps that use it, that really benefit from it too, but some of the lesser apps that utilize use it in a faux way that doesn't really benefit from it. A lot of it is education and engineering but the other part of it is storage is still the bottleneck. Ssd's are still kind of slow unless utilized in good raid array. The current Intel core CPU's can decimate all the bits thrown at it in most mainstream systems.
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I got a note 2 for myself and an S3 as a present to my mom (she didn't want the big size at all) for me the note 2 specs are top notch.
For CPU I think the exynos 4412 quad is the best second to that is probably the snap dragon s4 quad
Ram 2 gigs is pretty much the standard for smart phones now and don't think will change in quite some time.
screen is beautiful. Tbh when you look closely with note 2 and s3 side by side the s3 is better but that's because of the higher ppi
Don't forget the s pen is a huge selling point no other phone except the note 1, 2 has it. Especially with all the awesome Features of It.

@rbiter said:
Same goes for x86 architecture. There are a lot more apps that use it, that really benefit from it too, but some of the lesser apps that utilize use it in a faux way that doesn't really benefit from it. A lot of it is education and engineering but the other part of it is storage is still the bottleneck. Ssd's are still kind of slow unless utilized in good raid array. The current Intel core CPU's can decimate all the bits thrown at it in most mainstream systems.
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So in other words unless there aren't many apps being developed that require more powerful processors and ram then there's really not that much to look forward to with the upcoming s4 performance wise other than an increase in display size, pixel density and perhaps battery life... I can't imagine how much more improvements can be done over the current performance of the note 2. This thing is literally by far the best phone experience since my last iphone device.
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