Advice Needed: Thunderbolt w/ Verizon, or EVO 3D w/ Sprint

[CVSiN]

dual-core is irrelevant when your OS is not optimized for it

Gingerbread is.. which is what will ship on it.

The new Android 2.3 Gingerbread has new file system called ext 4 under the hood. This file is very common in Linux distributions. The ext4 file is making it’s way to the Android mobile OS after it has been running in Google’s massive data centers.

Starting from the new Google Nexus S, ext4 is attach to the system. This file is used to improve support and performance of the device running the OS. It helps to deal with large files and large storage, it is not a problem we experience in mobile though but it is surely an advantage.

Earlier the Android uses YAFFS file system to handle flash storage, but unfortunately it could only deal with single core device processor, so even if later it powered the dual core processor Android, it would not get high performance boost.

But with the ext4 file system, a single core Android device will get performance boost and even higher when it works with dual core processor. However, according to Theodore T’so as the ext4 developer that who is also a Google employee, this ext4 system file will increase the chance of data loss.

But don’t worry, when it finally goes to the market this issue surely has been fixed as vendors do extensive testing before shipping a product. For Android advanced user, you can grab custom ROMs for various phones that enable ext4 at XDA Developers forums.

 

[JS80]

Sprint unlimited plan flat out destroys Verizons..

And it's getting better every day for 4g cities.

I pay 90 bucks a month for unlimited everything. Verizon couldn't touch that.

but traveling could be an issue..

I'm planning on selling/giving away my EVO to get the 3D when it launches for sure.

Why we travelling an issue? We roam on VZ for free.

 

[zerocool84]

Why we travelling an issue? We roam on VZ for free.

Traveling to many other major countries.

 

[randomlinh]

But don’t worry, when it finally goes to the market this issue surely has been fixed as vendors do extensive testing before shipping a product. For Android advanced user, you can grab custom ROMs for various phones that enable ext4 at XDA Developers forums.

isn't gingerbread already out on the Nexus S at the least? I'd hope the issue is resolved already....

 

[RaistlinZ]

Will Android 2.3 be vastly superior to the current 2.2? I think the Thunderbolt is on 2.2 if I'm not mistaken.

 

[smartpatrol]

I would definitely not buy a single-core Android phone today with all these dual-core superphones just around the corner. Evo 3D makes so much more sense. Think about it:

- dual-core phones are actually more power efficient. . . or at least the Tegra 2 is. Should be interesting to see how the dual-core Snapdragon does. Not to mention, the Thunderbolt supposedly has terrible battery life

- you only have to wait until June, and you can get a phone with double the processing power for the same amount of money

- Sprint has the cheapest rates for unlimited data (tied with T-Mobile anyway)

Chuck, the janitor from my high school, signed my yearbook. This is what he wrote: "a night of pleasure isn't worth 30 years in jail." Well, I say this: instant gadget gratification isn't worth getting stuck for 2 years with the phone you only sorta wanted.

 

[fbrdphreak]

I would definitely not buy a single-core Android phone today with all these dual-core superphones just around the corner. Evo 3D makes so much more sense. Think about it:

- dual-core phones are actually more power efficient. . . or at least the Tegra 2 is. Should be interesting to see how the dual-core Snapdragon does. Not to mention, the Thunderbolt supposedly has terrible battery life

- you only have to wait until June, and you can get a phone with double the processing power for the same amount of money

- Sprint has the cheapest rates for unlimited data (tied with T-Mobile anyway)

Chuck, the janitor from my high school, signed my yearbook. This is what he wrote: "a night of pleasure isn't worth 30 years in jail." Well, I say this: instant gadget gratification isn't worth getting stuck for 2 years with the phone you only sorta wanted.

Interesting analysis there. Unfortunately, no.

Dual-core != more power efficient. I'd like you to back that up some how.

The Thunderbolt isn't particularly terrible for power usage. Yes, 4G uses more power. Unfortunately HTC included a relatively small 1400mAh battery. And when reviewers flog it using 4G constantly (video, web, etc), it will kill the battery in 3-5 hours. If that's what you do with any smartphone, you might get 5-7 hours if it has a really beefy battery? Hell, that battery capacity is the same as my Droid 1 and it's runtime ain't much worse than mine.

Dual-core != double the processing power

"Only have to wait until June" - that's more than 2 months, a long time if you're shopping NOW.

Sprint has a great deal in their plans for sure. But their "4G" network isn't especially fast and isn't everywhere either. And as far as waiting for June and networks go, by then Verizon might have moved to tiered data packages (which is where everyone is going).

The only thing the Evo 3D has going for it is the 1GB RAM and if you're into video, 1080p. The 3D effect is a bogus reason to buy a PHONE. And have you seen the design? Those dual cameras are an eyesore to say the least.

The Thunderbolt and Verizon in whole are far from perfect. But let's be realistic and not spread FUD & blatant inaccuracies, mmmmKay?

 

[smartpatrol]

Dual-core != more power efficient. I'd like you to back that up some how.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4165/the-motorola-atrix-4g-preview/8

See for yourself. The dual-core Atrix 4g kicks butt in terms of battery life, and even the Optimus 2X does pretty well. Tegra 2 and the Apple A5 are both extremely energy efficient. We'll see how the dual-core snapdragon does, but it's hard to imagine the Evo 3D having even worse battery life than the Thunderbolt.

Dual-core != double the processing power

You're right. The dual-core MSM8660 is running at 1.2 GHz, not 1 GHz, so it's more than double. Obviously I'm talking about theoretical processing power, but you're crazy if you think that Android won't find a use for that during the next 2 years.

"Only have to wait until June" - that's more than 2 months, a long time if you're shopping NOW.

It's not a long time compared to the 2 years you'll be stuck with the phone.

The only thing the Evo 3D has going for it is the 1GB RAM and if you're into video, 1080p. The 3D effect is a bogus reason to buy a PHONE. And have you seen the design? Those dual cameras are an eyesore to say the least.

And the cheaper data plan, higher-resolution screen, more powerful CPU, more powerful GPU, etc. I guess if you don't care about any of that, just get the Thunderbolt.

 

[Soccerman06]

Interesting analysis there. Unfortunately, no.

Dual-core != more power efficient. I'd like you to back that up some how.
Its more efficient at idle and load per core, in this case because of die shrink and core revisions, and if you dont need dual core you dont use both (assuming gating is done right). A dual core can be just as efficient as a single core with proper stepping. Look at Tegra 2 A9 vs single core A8 scorpion and power usage is much lower.

Dual-core != double the processing power
Yes it does actually, assuming coding is there. Android 2.2.1+ fully supports dual core, which means everything android does as well. Not to mention a flat 20% frequency per core increase for the Evo 3D

The only thing the Evo 3D has going for it is the 1GB RAM and if you're into video, 1080p. The 3D effect is a bogus reason to buy a PHONE. And have you seen the design? Those dual cameras are an eyesore to say the least.
Your taste is your taste, doesnt mean its right. How you suppose to shoot 3D without 2 cameras anyways? Its going to be Sprints flagship phone since Sprint seems to suck at getting good phones. Evo/shift, Galaxy S, Nexus S, those are the only quality smartphones in its near future and each of those will be replaced with new tech each year or so. Whether you like the product's rear appearance or not, theres not much of a selection.

The Thunderbolt and Verizon in whole are far from perfect. But let's be realistic and not spread FUD & blatant inaccuracies, mmmmKay?
Lets not spread FUD and blatant inaccuracies ok

see above.

Ive said this before, and Ill say it again, the reason phone tech is advancing so fast compared to computers is very simple, 2 years ago they were using 90-130nm tech, and next year we will see 22/28nm. The tech is simply catching up to times, it will slow down once it hits the same wall computer fabs.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Interesting analysis there. Unfortunately, no.

Dual-core != more power efficient. I'd like you to back that up some how.

The Thunderbolt isn't particularly terrible for power usage. Yes, 4G uses more power. Unfortunately HTC included a relatively small 1400mAh battery. And when reviewers flog it using 4G constantly (video, web, etc), it will kill the battery in 3-5 hours. If that's what you do with any smartphone, you might get 5-7 hours if it has a really beefy battery? Hell, that battery capacity is the same as my Droid 1 and it's runtime ain't much worse than mine.

Dual-core != double the processing power

"Only have to wait until June" - that's more than 2 months, a long time if you're shopping NOW.

Sprint has a great deal in their plans for sure. But their "4G" network isn't especially fast and isn't everywhere either. And as far as waiting for June and networks go, by then Verizon might have moved to tiered data packages (which is where everyone is going).

The only thing the Evo 3D has going for it is the 1GB RAM and if you're into video, 1080p. The 3D effect is a bogus reason to buy a PHONE. And have you seen the design? Those dual cameras are an eyesore to say the least.

The Thunderbolt and Verizon in whole are far from perfect. But let's be realistic and not spread FUD & blatant inaccuracies, mmmmKay?

I might be in the minority, but personally I like the design. ^_^ I'm more into the EVO 3D for the dual-cpu, higher res. screen, and more RAM. The 3D part is just an extra little feature as far as I'm concerned.

 

[fbrdphreak]

I guess you're right about power efficient. But I think we'll find that the dual-core phones don't offer longer runtime than other phones, despite them generally having higher capacity batteries (seems most single-core phones run ~1500mAh, while the dual-cores are 1800+)

I still expect to see the dual-core phones use more power at full tilt, as we have seen with most other dual-core processors when there's not a huge die shrink in between, plus the 4G radios will throw a wrench in things.

And again, my mistake on the wording there: yes, a dual-core chip offers twice the potential processing power. Just like putting a second engine in your car would offer twice the power. But that doesn't mean the phone is twice as fast and its benefit is relatively marginal right now. Just like putting a second engine in your car

2 months is a long time no matter how you put it and being stuck with it for 2 years is hogwash anyway. I've only had my Droid 1 for a little over a year (paid -$100 for it). I'm eligible for discounted upgrades at Verizon now. Want another phone in a year? Sell yours and buy one off contract/unlocked. Then you can sell that one. Contract discounts are not the end-all/be-all way to get a phone.

And of course, the Evo 3D or the Atrix 4G are only an option if you're on those carriers. I guess part of the difference here is that you guys seem to regard these phones as more of a toy, so it needs to have all the latest features & sparkly shiny things. I want consistency and reliability first and foremost. Accordingly, I look at my carrier first, then at the phone. While I don't think the Evo 3D is too special in the first place, Sprint is a non-starter for me. The same with AT&T. I'm more than happy with Verizon's performance in my area and I've got a year on my contract, so those aren't even options.

This discussion has been rather helpful though. I don't particularly care for Motorola's locked boot loader or the Bionic's 512MB RAM (even though it should be enough), but I care for the lower resolution screen and small battery of the Thunderbolt even less. Rumors are that the Bionic is weeks away from launch and I can afford to wait that long. I'll see how the Bionic fares in reviews and make my decision then. If the display and battery life aren't stellar, I will probably go for the Thunderbolt.

 

[MoxJr]

Does Sprint WIMAX even come close to Verizon LTE?

No

 

[CVSiN]

I might be in the minority, but personally I like the design. ^_^ I'm more into the EVO 3D for the dual-cpu, higher res. screen, and more RAM. The 3D part is just an extra little feature as far as I'm concerned.

same here..

and yeh that article I posted was before release but it had the pertinent info in it.

 

[A5]

Does Sprint WIMAX even come close to Verizon LTE?

No

It's not as good, but I wouldn't say it isn't "anywhere close". I certainly don't think there's a significant difference in day-to-day usability, unless your daily usage pattern involves downloading really large files (mine doesn't).

And they're both ahead of AT&T and T-Mo's 3G+ services.

 

[FerraraZ]

What happened to buying based on network? A telecom network is more important than ones phone. If you cant make or receive calls and data consistently then you just have a shiny turd.

I say track what your doing and where your doing it and make an assumption based off of that rather than which phone you like. Remember you have 30 days to try it out to see if you really wanna get locked into a contract.

 

[Zargon]

It's not as good, but I wouldn't say it isn't "anywhere close". I certainly don't think there's a significant difference in day-to-day usability, unless your daily usage pattern involves downloading really large files (mine doesn't).

And they're both ahead of AT&T and T-Mo's 3G+ services.

the rumor in IL is, if you arent in chicago, the only 4g you can get anytime soon is verizon, they are supposed to go statewide this fall

 

[Fingolfin269]

Traveling to many other major countries.

Yep that's the main reason I've finally decided I'm probably jumping ship from Sprint unless they can score a global phone I like very soon.

 

[kaerflog]

Thunder bolt is not a global phone.
Neither are any of Sprints highend phones.
Of Verizon upcoming phones, the Incredible S are global.
Don't know if the Galaxy II is.

 

[CVSiN]

What happened to buying based on network? A telecom network is more important than ones phone. If you cant make or receive calls and data consistently then you just have a shiny turd.

I say track what your doing and where your doing it and make an assumption based off of that rather than which phone you like. Remember you have 30 days to try it out to see if you really wanna get locked into a contract.

There is nothing wrong with Sprint at least here in Houston area..
good 4g coverage all over and good service and signal and no dropped calls anywhere.

Verizon costs more for the same thing.
Sprint is not the same turd they used to be service wise.

 

[stlc8tr]

Rumors are that the Bionic is weeks away from launch and I can afford to wait that long.

So 8-10 weeks is too long to wait for the Evo 3D but 4 weeks (or more) is OK for the Bionic?

 

[dguy6789]

So 8-10 weeks is too long to wait for the Evo 3D but 4 weeks (or more) is OK for the Bionic?

Completely different leagues of device.

 

[fbrdphreak]

So 8-10 weeks is too long to wait for the Evo 3D but 4 weeks (or more) is OK for the Bionic?

Considering I'm not going to Sprint, hell yes it is.

8 weeks might be too long - Verizon is expected to go to tiered 4G pricing "over the summer." One report puts the Bionic at "a few weeks" and another says May sometime (possibly later May).

But we're getting off topic - this thread is about Thunderbolt/Verizon vs Evo 3D/Sprint.

The only reason I'm not buying the Thunderbolt now is the larger battery & high res screen on the Bionic. Don't care much about dual-core and don't care for Motorola's locked boot loaders. Kind of a toss up at the moment for me

 

[stlc8tr]

Completely different leagues of device.

How so? They both feature qHD displays and dual core processors though I guess you would put the 1Ghz Tegra 2 ahead of the 1.2Ghz MSM8660 based on Anand's most recent benchmarks. But the Tegra 2 isn't "leagues" ahead, IMO.