Android Noob: HTC Inspire or Motorola Atrix?

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
I currently have an iPhone 3G, which thanks to various iOS updates, is getting almost unusable. The novelty of the iPhone (and my other Apple products in general) wore off a long time ago so I'm considering a move to Android.

I'm sticking with AT&T, FYI. I've been looking at their Android offerings and I have it narrowed down to either the HTC Inspire or the Motorola Atrix. Both seem to get equally good reviews, so I'm looking for some personal opinions.

I'm not interested in Windows Phone, but I'm open to any other suggestions that you guys have.

EDIT: I've never really looked at Android anything before, so I'm pretty much a total noob. Is there anything I should know or take into consideration? Does Android function differently/better/worse on certain handsets?
 

SunnyD

Belgian Waffler
Jan 2, 2001
32,674
146
106
www.neftastic.com
The Atrix is pretty locked down from what I understand. If you're okay with the stock OS though, it's arguably the better of the two phones, plus you can get that nifty dock thing I guess. But you're also stuck in Blur land... so it's a wash.

If you can hold out a couple more months, most carriers will push out their summer refresh on phones. You might be inundated with better choices.
 

s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
9,427
16
81
Atrix gives you dual-core (Inspire is single), fingerprint reader, and better battery life. Inspire gives you more moddability (Atrix has a locked bootloader) and a somewhat larger screen.

There's been some progress on opening up the Atrix, but I'm not sure the magic bullet will ever actually appear.

If renewing contract I'd actually get the iPhone4 (or whichever has the most resale value over contract price), sell it, and import a SGS2. Inspire-sized screen but much more vivid and with perfect blacks, dual-core like the Atrix but even faster on GPU, and a big Euro-based modding community.

IMO the Infuse is a better single-core phone than the Inspire (bigger/better screen & battery), but the Samsung-familiar dev community is mostly either sticking with the Captivate or waiting for the SGS2.
 
Last edited:

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
My contract is up around December so I have plenty of time. I wasn't planning on getting anything until at least September/October so I'll wait for some refreshes.

I'm too big into modding – as long as I can get some basic apps (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), listen to music, get email, and surf the web, I'm fine.
 

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
Also, any word on a release date for the SGS2? Looks pretty kick-ass, definitely something that I'd consider getting.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
The SGS2 will be called the AT&T Attain. I am waiting for it too, might be phone of the year if Apple ends up crapping out a 4GS.
 

GT1999

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
5,261
1
71
I have the Inspire and I like it. I prefer not to root but you do have the option. Just note that it doesn't have a front facing camera or two cpus.
 

Icepick

Diamond Member
Nov 1, 2004
3,663
4
81
Also, any word on a release date for the SGS2? Looks pretty kick-ass, definitely something that I'd consider getting.

The SGS2 is the best phone that I've heard rumours of to date. My prediction is that we won't see it on Sprint until September at the earliest. Since you're on AT&T I'd predict that it will be available when you're ready to upgrade in December.

You'd be crazy to make up your mind on which phone to upgrade to in December right now. The wildcards will be that nobody knows what these phones will cost or how many issues they'll have at launch. There will be other choices by the time December rolls around as well.
 

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
The SGS2 is the best phone that I've heard rumours of to date. My prediction is that we won't see it on Sprint until September at the earliest. Since you're on AT&T I'd predict that it will be available when you're ready to upgrade in December.

You'd be crazy to make up your mind on which phone to upgrade to in December right now. The wildcards will be that nobody knows what these phones will cost or how many issues they'll have at launch. There will be other choices by the time December rolls around as well.

From what I've been reading I'm inclined to agree with you. I'm going to wait until my contract is just about up before I decide. Something tells me that there's not going to be a midnight lineup for the SGS2 (like there will be fore the iPhone 4GS). :p
 

zenit55

Junior Member
Apr 15, 2011
6
0
0
I really didnt like Atrix for one reason - PenTile screen. Makes text look jagged as hell.
Original Galaxy S had the same issue. For a lot of people it is not a problem, but it drives me absolutely nuts.
 

Zeze

Lifer
Mar 4, 2011
11,395
1,188
126
From what I've been reading I'm inclined to agree with you. I'm going to wait until my contract is just about up before I decide. Something tells me that there's not going to be a midnight lineup for the SGS2 (like there will be fore the iPhone 4GS). :p

I think Evo3D trumps SGS2 hands down.

I want Evo3D because it's a beast of a phone offering 1.2Ghz dual-core. It will be the fastest phone out on the market for sometime, at least til end of 2011.

I'll be upgrading from my humble Blackberry Tour and am looking for an all-in-one portable multimedia machine.

Galaxy S II has 480 x 800 resolution = 384,000 pixels
3D Evo has 540 x 960 = 518,400 pixels.

That's a whopping 35.2% more pixel count than Galaxy. People say Galaxy has a nicer screen quality, but there's no away around the sheer resolution difference.

Evo3D's aspect ratio is perfect quarter-HD (qHD). So all youtube vids, movies and media will be displayed perfectly.
 
Oct 25, 2006
11,036
11
91
I think Evo3D trumps SGS2 hands down.

I want Evo3D because it's a beast of a phone offering 1.2Ghz dual-core. It will be the fastest phone out on the market for sometime, at least til end of 2011.

I'll be upgrading from my humble Blackberry Tour and am looking for an all-in-one portable multimedia machine.

Galaxy S II has 480 x 800 resolution = 384,000 pixels
3D Evo has 540 x 960 = 518,400 pixels.

That's a whopping 35.2% more pixel count than Galaxy. People say Galaxy has a nicer screen quality, but there's no away around the sheer resolution difference.

Evo3D's aspect ratio is perfect quarter-HD (qHD). So all youtube vids, movies and media will be displayed perfectly.

The sheer benefits that Super AMOLED + gives you far far FAR outweigh a resolution difference that becomes undiscernable from more than 6" away.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
The SGS2 has a lot of subpixel improvements that make the resolution differences not so cut and dry. Plus the extra resolution of the EVO 3d means its GPU will have more trouble with games- more pixels to push.
 

s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
9,427
16
81
Way too early to think about this now if you're holding out until upgrade day.
 

lothar

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2000
6,674
7
76
I think Evo3D trumps SGS2 hands down.

I want Evo3D because it's a beast of a phone offering 1.2Ghz dual-core. It will be the fastest phone out on the market for sometime, at least til end of 2011.

I'll be upgrading from my humble Blackberry Tour and am looking for an all-in-one portable multimedia machine.

Galaxy S II has 480 x 800 resolution = 384,000 pixels
3D Evo has 540 x 960 = 518,400 pixels.

That's a whopping 35.2% more pixel count than Galaxy. People say Galaxy has a nicer screen quality, but there's no away around the sheer resolution difference.

Evo3D's aspect ratio is perfect quarter-HD (qHD). So all youtube vids, movies and media will be displayed perfectly.
No, it will not. Stop spreading FUD.
Richard Yardell has an AT account now? :hmm:
 

obidamnkenobi

Golden Member
Sep 16, 2010
1,407
423
136
Any word yet on how looked down will the GS2 be? I.e. what are the chances Cyanogen will get on there..? From what I've read I think prefer not to Touch my Wiz..

Every time I consider getting an android phone I end up with the Nexus S as the one I would want (but then I end up never getting one:p). Unlocked, works in Europe (where I travel once a year), stock android/mod friendly, and no carrier gunk.

edit: to kinda answer your question; I looked at AT&T Android phones a bit seriously short time ago too, and the went between the Inspire and the Atrix. Inspire looked good, and cheap-ish, but there were some reports that the battery wasn't great. Some said they where fine with it but I decided I didn't want to try it. The Atrix is good, and pretty decent battery by all reports. But the boot loader is looked so no custom rooms, and rooting was also problematic I think (don't know enough about it to tell). I'd want that mostly for tethering. So in the end I decided there is no perfect phone so I don't want to spend $800+ on it, yet. (phone + contract, which is the real price)

If you don't want to do custom stuff, rooms tethering etc, and are ok with the Moto skin the Atrix seemed ok I guess
 
Last edited:

evident

Lifer
Apr 5, 2005
12,110
727
126
if i had to get one today, i'd lean towards the atrix, but since the SGS2 is coming out soon i'm holding my horses.
 

alent1234

Diamond Member
Dec 15, 2002
3,915
0
0
traded my 3GS for an INspire. Atrix is OK but the huge Inspire screen is better for me. i'll buy dual core in 18 months when they are free with a 2 year contract.

so far no issues of slow performance for me

if you want a big screen and dual core check out the samsung infuse
 

you2

Diamond Member
Apr 2, 2002
6,653
1,670
136
Atrix has a lot of issues (from what I've read) perhaps better to avoid.
 

obidamnkenobi

Golden Member
Sep 16, 2010
1,407
423
136
Atrix has a lot of issues (from what I've read) perhaps better to avoid.

what issues? From what I read it was one of the better android phones out, and the best on AT&T. Except of course that it has Moto skin crap on there, but they all have that..

If the GS2 is indeed unlocked, and moddable that one might be hard to resists on contract compared to full price nexus. And a nexus 3 will probably not come until end of the year or into next year.
 

Mide

Golden Member
Mar 27, 2008
1,547
0
71
I had an Atrix for about a week but promply returned it. The problems I remembered were:
1) The device would randomly restart itself.
2) Although the screen has a higher res than my current Captivate, it makes the icons look really small. That and the contrast of the screen were actually worse than a SAMOLED display.
3) UI was laggy but that was probably because Motorola's blur sucks.
4) Overall it just wasn't worth the price. I'd go for the Inspire or wait for the GS2