For Verizon network, help me choose Bionic or 4S

[Bateluer]

is there a reason why?

Building a massive LTE network isn't cheap. They usually drop in price pretty quickly though.

AP and Google Labs commented on Moto's Droid of the Month release schedule though.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/0...flooding-the-market-with-thousands-of-phones/

Makes sense, since Moto replaced the Bionic a month after its release and basically replaced the Razr with the Razr MAXX in the same time table.

 

[dguy6789]

It's interesting to see so many people recommend the 4S over the Bionic just because the Bionic isn't the newest phone out. You'd think that the phone loses specifications or performance with every release that has come after it or something. The Bionic has a better CPU than the 4S, double the RAM, a larger screen, HDMI out, removable/expandable battery, MicroSD support, 4G LTE support, better talk time battery life(better everything battery life with extended battery), and it runs Android with an ICS update confirmed to be on the way.

The 4S has a slightly higher resolution screen, a much smaller screen, a better camera, a better GPU, and Siri.

It's honestly a no brainer to me just because of 4G LTE support. Every other benefit of the Bionic is just icing on the cake.

People posting that the Bionic is outdated and the Razr is the way to go are so contradictory; they are identical. They both have dual core Omap 4 processors(1.2ghz vs 1ghz, not a noticeable difference), the same GPU, 1GB of ram, the exact same camera, the exact same 3G and 4G radios, the same amount of storage, same screen size, same resolution. How can anyone possibly say that the Bionic is not viable but the Razr is the way to go? The real difference is with the Razr you sacrifice the option to use a spare or an extended battery(Bionic with extended battery blows every phone out of the water in battery life performance) to get an AMOLED display instead of an LCD and a thinner profile. That is clearly a compromise and not a trait of a phone that could be called "way better".

 

[kyrax12]

It's interesting to see so many people recommend the 4S over the Bionic just because the Bionic isn't the newest phone out. You'd think that the phone loses specifications or performance with every release that has come after it or something. The Bionic has a better CPU than the 4S, double the RAM, a larger screen, HDMI out, removable/expandable battery, MicroSD support, 4G LTE support, better talk time battery life(better everything battery life with extended battery), and it runs Android with an ICS update confirmed to be on the way.

The 4S has a slightly higher resolution screen, a much smaller screen, a better camera, a better GPU, and Siri.

It's honestly a no brainer to me just because of 4G LTE support. Every other benefit of the Bionic is just icing on the cake.

People posting that the Bionic is outdated and the Razr is the way to go are so contradictory; they are identical. They both have dual core Omap 4 processors(1.2ghz vs 1ghz, not a noticeable difference), the same GPU, 1GB of ram, the exact same camera, the exact same 3G and 4G radios, the same amount of storage, same screen size, same resolution. How can anyone possibly say that the Bionic is not viable but the Razr is the way to go? The real difference is with the Razr you sacrifice the option to use a spare or an extended battery(Bionic with extended battery blows every phone out of the water in battery life performance) to get an AMOLED display instead of an LCD and a thinner profile. That is clearly a compromise and not a trait of a phone that could be called "way better".

You also forgot that iOS is more optimized than Android. I heard by far more problems with the Android OS than iOS from various sites.
Just because Bionic has a better CPU than the IPhone 4s doesn't mean it is faster. Android does require a lot more brute on the hardware part while iOS doesn't.
The Smaller screen size is a plus and a minus. The 3.5 inch screen may be small but it is right for a lot of people. Plus, smaller phones like the Iphone has a much better grip so it is more ergonomic than the bionic.

 

[Red Storm]

OP your best bet is to go to a Verizon store and actually try the phones out yourself. All of us here have differing opinions on what the right size for a phone is, so you need to see for yourself what you like best. We can help you out more on the software side. Each OS has things that set it apart from the other. Plus there are other things to consider. The iPhone is going to give you better battery life in a stock vs. stock comparison, but at the tradeoff of not having LTE speeds. Verizon's 3G is not very fast, so it's up to you to decide if you're okay with those slower speeds for the next two years.

 

[Insomniator]

It's interesting to see so many people recommend the 4S over the Bionic just because the Bionic isn't the newest phone out. You'd think that the phone loses specifications or performance with every release that has come after it or something. The Bionic has a better CPU than the 4S, double the RAM, a larger screen, HDMI out, removable/expandable battery, MicroSD support, 4G LTE support, better talk time battery life(better everything battery life with extended battery), and it runs Android with an ICS update confirmed to be on the way.

The 4S has a slightly higher resolution screen, a much smaller screen, a better camera, a better GPU, and Siri.

It's honestly a no brainer to me just because of 4G LTE support. Every other benefit of the Bionic is just icing on the cake.

People posting that the Bionic is outdated and the Razr is the way to go are so contradictory; they are identical. They both have dual core Omap 4 processors(1.2ghz vs 1ghz, not a noticeable difference), the same GPU, 1GB of ram, the exact same camera, the exact same 3G and 4G radios, the same amount of storage, same screen size, same resolution. How can anyone possibly say that the Bionic is not viable but the Razr is the way to go? The real difference is with the Razr you sacrifice the option to use a spare or an extended battery(Bionic with extended battery blows every phone out of the water in battery life performance) to get an AMOLED display instead of an LCD and a thinner profile. That is clearly a compromise and not a trait of a phone that could be called "way better".

I agree with the Razr due to the battery... but for the same price why would you not get the Rezound? Or for a little more the nexus? Both are superior to the Bionic.

You are on a two year plan... why buy a phone that is 6 months old for the same price. Hell with the track record of Android updates the Bionic might not even get ICS.

 

[Fire&Blood]

It's interesting to see so many people recommend the 4S over the Bionic just because the Bionic isn't the newest phone out. You'd think that the phone loses specifications or performance with every release that has come after it or something. The Bionic has a better CPU than the 4S, double the RAM, a larger screen, HDMI out, removable/expandable battery, MicroSD support, 4G LTE support, better talk time battery life(better everything battery life with extended battery), and it runs Android with an ICS update confirmed to be on the way.

The 4S has a slightly higher resolution screen, a much smaller screen, a better camera, a better GPU, and Siri.

It's honestly a no brainer to me just because of 4G LTE support. Every other benefit of the Bionic is just icing on the cake.

People posting that the Bionic is outdated and the Razr is the way to go are so contradictory; they are identical. They both have dual core Omap 4 processors(1.2ghz vs 1ghz, not a noticeable difference), the same GPU, 1GB of ram, the exact same camera, the exact same 3G and 4G radios, the same amount of storage, same screen size, same resolution. How can anyone possibly say that the Bionic is not viable but the Razr is the way to go? The real difference is with the Razr you sacrifice the option to use a spare or an extended battery(Bionic with extended battery blows every phone out of the water in battery life performance) to get an AMOLED display instead of an LCD and a thinner profile. That is clearly a compromise and not a trait of a phone that could be called "way better".

Neither the Bionic nor the Razr are a better buy than the 4S for platform agnostic buyer, G Nexus is on par, if not better. I'm actually surprised anyone would even spend a second debating between the 2.

There is no better iOS phone than 4S whereas G Nexus is well above both Bionic and Razr. 4S will remain the best iOS phone for another ~10 months while the Bionic nor the Razr never even challenged for the Android crown.
If the Bionic doesn't look outdated now with the 2010 OMAP4, sub-HD pentile display and skinned Gingerbread, it sure will age a lot quicker than iphone. And if LTE is indeed a decisive feature, than the G nexus meats that one and brings a few more of it's own.

 

[Bitek]

It's interesting to see so many people recommend the 4S over the Bionic just because the Bionic isn't the newest phone out. You'd think that the phone loses specifications or performance with every release that has come after it or something. The Bionic has a better CPU than the 4S, double the RAM, a larger screen, HDMI out, removable/expandable battery, MicroSD support, 4G LTE support, better talk time battery life(better everything battery life with extended battery), and it runs Android with an ICS update confirmed to be on the way.

The 4S has a slightly higher resolution screen, a much smaller screen, a better camera, a better GPU, and Siri.

It's honestly a no brainer to me just because of 4G LTE support. Every other benefit of the Bionic is just icing on the cake.

People posting that the Bionic is outdated and the Razr is the way to go are so contradictory; they are identical. They both have dual core Omap 4 processors(1.2ghz vs 1ghz, not a noticeable difference), the same GPU, 1GB of ram, the exact same camera, the exact same 3G and 4G radios, the same amount of storage, same screen size, same resolution. How can anyone possibly say that the Bionic is not viable but the Razr is the way to go? The real difference is with the Razr you sacrifice the option to use a spare or an extended battery(Bionic with extended battery blows every phone out of the water in battery life performance) to get an AMOLED display instead of an LCD and a thinner profile. That is clearly a compromise and not a trait of a phone that could be called "way better".

x2.

If I were to get a Razr, I would wait for the Razr MAXX (stupid name) jusrt announced at CES. Same RAZR, but with a 3300mah battery, but still a thin phone. I wouldn't say the Razr is better than the Bionic, just different. Both suffer from many of the same flaws and both have a locked bootloader, so lots of pissed off modders, and dwindling dev support. May not be an issue for you.
Personally I did not like the Razr. In making it thin, its really wide. Not a comfortable fit in my hands. Same crappy camera as the Bionic, and otherwise spec differences are negligible.
The voice quality is excellent on the bionic, and the speaker is really loud. Not discussed much, but I use it all the time.

The rezound is cool, unlocked bootloader, lots of devs, but IDK on the hardware qual. High number of people complaining about probs and need of returns, but this may be just the usual whining. Even though it is 1.5ghz, its a bit slow due to HTC sense Imo. The Bionic is snappy. Rezound has by far the best display tho. Nicer than the Nexus and iphone IMO. Camera is far superior to the Moto phones. A good custom ROM on this would be awesome.

Nexus is the most popular. Lots of devs and fanboys. Nice display, pure google phone, and only one w/ ICS right now. The speaker sucks and is quiet. Mixed reviews on the camera.


The big issue I have with Bionic is its plagued with data drops. Has not been fixed, and locked bootloader and lack of devs means only hope is for Moto and VZW to fix it. I couldn't recommend this phone due to this and the crappy camera. Otherwise great phone.

 

[lothar]

It's interesting to see so many people recommend the 4S over the Bionic just because the Bionic isn't the newest phone out. You'd think that the phone loses specifications or performance with every release that has come after it or something. The Bionic has a better CPU than the 4S, double the RAM, a larger screen, HDMI out, removable/expandable battery, MicroSD support, 4G LTE support, better talk time battery life(better everything battery life with extended battery), and it runs Android with an ICS update confirmed to be on the way.

The 4S has a slightly higher resolution screen, a much smaller screen, a better camera, a better GPU, and Siri.

It's honestly a no brainer to me just because of 4G LTE support. Every other benefit of the Bionic is just icing on the cake.

People posting that the Bionic is outdated and the Razr is the way to go are so contradictory; they are identical. They both have dual core Omap 4 processors(1.2ghz vs 1ghz, not a noticeable difference), the same GPU, 1GB of ram, the exact same camera, the exact same 3G and 4G radios, the same amount of storage, same screen size, same resolution. How can anyone possibly say that the Bionic is not viable but the Razr is the way to go? The real difference is with the Razr you sacrifice the option to use a spare or an extended battery(Bionic with extended battery blows every phone out of the water in battery life performance) to get an AMOLED display instead of an LCD and a thinner profile. That is clearly a compromise and not a trait of a phone that could be called "way better".

One would have to be crazy to get a Droid Bionic/Razr over a Galaxy Nexus today.

 

[Piano Man]

Galaxy Nexus or iPhone 4S. A big question here is, do you have unlimited data and live in a LTE market? If yes to both, hands down the Nexus. I'm currently at 30GB here, and got 4 days to go before the 1month mark goes by

 

[MrX8503]

It's interesting to see so many people recommend the 4S over the Bionic just because the Bionic isn't the newest phone out.

Well...the iPhone 4S is a better phone. If you want a better Android phone, it would be the Galaxy Nexus, not the Bionic.

 

[AHamick]

When I looked at both the Razr and GNexus at my local VZW store the GNexus had significant 4G issues compared to the Razr (Speed test had the GNexus DLing at ~5mbps and the Razr at !21mbps). The GNexus also only had 1 4G bar in the store whereas the Razr had 4.

Now I'm no phone guru and Ive only read a few conmparison reviews of both phones but for me the 4G connection issue is what is making me lean towards the Razr myself. Having an HD screen and ICS (and an unlocked phone, which I have zero knowledge on how to use) doesnt seem to be better than having stronger 4G connection and better call reception/sound quality

I dont own either phone and I am only basing this off reviews and my very limited hands on experience with both phones.

 

[shortylickens]

I woudlnt get a phone for 4G anyway.
America doesnt have real 4G, just enhanced 3G. And Verizon in particular has the least reliable 4G network right now. Good news is they dont charge extra for 4G. Bad news is its their biggest selling point and probably the main reason people are flocking to them. They have the flagship iphone and Android device right now along with two or three other kickass Android phones and people are attracted to that.

Heck, I'm still mad at Verizon for the last two years of BS, and even I am tempted by their double data plan going on right now.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Honestly, I'd wait 6 months and get the next iPhone, and go for something used at this point if you have to have a different phone now.

 

[classy]

I want to thank all of you guys , its been a big help.

I went and spent about 90 mins or so and looked at several phones. Here is what I found. The iphone for sheer build quality seemed to be a step ahead of all the other phones. HTC phones to me were the best hand feel phones. The Motorolas and the Samsungs felt bulky, they had that large calculator feel. I used the camera on each phone and surfed the web. Of the droid phones, I tried the razor, bionic, the Inspire, Rezound, and the Galaxy S2 and Sky Rocket S2.

I went to ATT as well where a couple of these phones were, because I can get my company to pick up my bill if I stay with ATT as well. But in using the phones, the iphone, rezound, and inspire just worked better. They scrolled better and the rezound when on the 4g network opened web pages as quick as a medium speed desktop. Using the camera on the rezound was as easy and as good as the one off of the Iphone. Using your fingers to zoom with the camera and the responsiveness of the screens were just better on the HTC phones then any of the other phones.

I didn't like the razor at all. It feels flimsy and just isn't as comfortable holding it as the other phones. The Samsungs were decent as well but the using the camera wasn't as smooth. The build quality was a little better than the HTC phones. One thing that I did notice was, surfing was better on the HTC phones. Pressing the screen to click buttons back and forth, even though they were small, it was easier with the HTC ones. When you would click on an area it was just accurate, unlike the other phones, including the Iphone.

So I will check out the nexus if I can find one, but it looks like I'll go with the Rezound. I liked the Iphone a lot. But it does have one flaw that can't be fixed. When using the droid phones with the larger screens, it is tough to go back to the iphone. Watching video on the iphone and rezound is pretty damn good to. Nice and clear. But apparently the rezound sucks for battery life though.

So I'll check out the Nexus, if not that one, then I'll pick either the Rezound or Iphone, but right now I am leaning toward the Rezound.

Again thanks all.

 

[Bateluer]

When I looked at both the Razr and GNexus at my local VZW store the GNexus had significant 4G issues compared to the Razr (Speed test had the GNexus DLing at ~5mbps and the Razr at !21mbps). The GNexus also only had 1 4G bar in the store whereas the Razr had 4.

Now I'm no phone guru and Ive only read a few conmparison reviews of both phones but for me the 4G connection issue is what is making me lean towards the Razr myself. Having an HD screen and ICS (and an unlocked phone, which I have zero knowledge on how to use) doesnt seem to be better than having stronger 4G connection and better call reception/sound quality

I dont own either phone and I am only basing this off reviews and my very limited hands on experience with both phones.

Keep in mind that the Nexus is currently the only LTE phone out that actually reports those signal bars correctly.

The entire point of this thread, Bionic vs 4S, is moot. The Bionic is an orphan phone, no one should be considering buying it at this time. Unless you pick it up used for ultra cheap. There's about 30 of them on Swappa right now, driving the price into the ditch. So many people want to drop that piece of crap for something better.

 

[smartpatrol]

Sorry to throw in yet another option, but AT&T is getting the Lumia 900 in March. That would be my clear choice if I were on AT&T.
http://m.bgr.com/2012/01/10/nokia-lumia-900-hands-on/

 

[lothar]

When I looked at both the Razr and GNexus at my local VZW store the GNexus had significant 4G issues compared to the Razr (Speed test had the GNexus DLing at ~5mbps and the Razr at !21mbps). The GNexus also only had 1 4G bar in the store whereas the Razr had 4.

Now I'm no phone guru and Ive only read a few conmparison reviews of both phones but for me the 4G connection issue is what is making me lean towards the Razr myself. Having an HD screen and ICS (and an unlocked phone, which I have zero knowledge on how to use) doesnt seem to be better than having stronger 4G connection and better call reception/sound quality

I dont own either phone and I am only basing this off reviews and my very limited hands on experience with both phones.

Comparing the number of "bars" on a phone does not a comparison make.

 

[AHamick]

Im sure it doesn't give a very accurate reading of a phone's capabilities, no. I was merely stating my very limited experience when playing with both phones in the store. The main focus wasnt the number of bars but that the speed test and 4G capability in the store location was less on the Nexus, thats all