Droid Razr Maxx HD vs GS3

[Obsoleet]

I need a new corporate phone, which do you recommend? I'm leaning towards the GS3 because it's going to probably be rock solid stable coming from Samsung and having so much marketing muscle behind it.. I'm guessing I'll get less 'force app closed' errors.

I also use this for a pager and corporate email (no sync at all during working hours, push outside of working hours).

Right now I have a Tbolt which has been a total piece of crap and has been so bad in battery life and stability (it crashed just using Pandora at work last week..) that it almost pushed me to the iPhone5. But I think I'm over that phase as it was underwhelming.

What would you go for the Maxx or the S3? My first Android phone was the original Droid and it was ok. I'd probably activate take that over this Tbolt.

 

[dguy6789]

Likely to be a case of the Maxx having better hardware overall and S3 having better software. Maxx imo is better

 

[Obsoleet]

It seems that way. I have far more faith in Samsung over Motorola anyday. I in fact think Moto makes junk most of the time and wouldn't even consider the Maxx HD if it didn't have that battery.
HTC I won't purchase again the rest of my life. Done and done and a FU to HTC.

I don't know how legit this is but according to this site, the Maxx got 1.5hours more than the iPhone5 & GS3. 1.5hours is a lot, but really, for having a ~50% larger battery that's shameful. Definitely not scaling at 1:1, unless the iPhone5/GS3 are just that efficient. Which is probably the case.
http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2012/09/26/iphone-5-vs-samsung-galaxy-s3-battery-life-confrontation/

Also, the GS3 is the only one of the elite 'superphones' that has a removable battery. If you wanted you could pop in one of those 4200mAh batteries if you dont mind the bulk. Though the Maxx phones do it a lot sexier.

 

[bearxor]

I'd probably pick the RAZR MAXX HD.

The skin is the closest you get to pure android without buying a Nexus and the device hides a large battery really well. We use a lot of original RAZR MAXX's at my office and are pretty happy with them. Plus it looks like Motorola is getting really serious about trying to keep pace with OS releases.

 

[ponyo]

Tough choice but I would probably choose Maxx HD. If it was my personal device, I would choose GS3. I like removable battery and unlocked boot loader. Plus I like Touchwiz and 2gb ram could come in handy. And it's cheaper. But if work is paying for it, they can pay the $300 for Maxx HD. I wouldn't root or install any custom ROM on a corporate device so locked bootloader wouldn't be an issue. Maxx HD should have about 50% better battery life than GS3 which isn't too shabby itself. Motorola is known for their excellent cell radio so no worries there.

 

[ponyo]

That battery test was done with old Maxx. The new Maxx HD should have even better battery life with S4 and newer LTE radio.

 

[shortylickens]

I like the better battery life found in the Maxx, and the Maxx HD should be better.

 

[you2]

I would wait and see how the reception is on the maxx hd. The G3s has serious problems with 3g and weak signals; the razr was pretty decent here (as well as 4g). To be honest I would actually wait for the htc dl-x to see how it pans out (should be out in a few weeks).

 

[God Mode]

I wish I had Verizon. I played around with the Maxx yesterday and the phone is sweet. No idea on longterm use.

 

[lothar]

Tough choice but I would probably choose Maxx HD. If it was my personal device, I would choose GS3. I like removable battery and unlocked boot loader. Plus I like Touchwiz and 2gb ram could come in handy. And it's cheaper. But if work is paying for it, they can pay the $300 for Maxx HD. I wouldn't root or install any custom ROM on a corporate device so locked bootloader wouldn't be an issue. Maxx HD should have about 50% better battery life than GS3 which isn't too shabby itself. Motorola is known for their excellent cell radio so no worries there.

This.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

if razr max didnt have a nonremoveable battery, i would take motorola over samsung for sure

 

[dagamer34]

I'd vote the Maxx. The number of people who actually use the removable battery feature and remember to change both of them at the same time so it would be useful is so small, it's not something you should actually rely on. Plus, the battery itself cant be charged unless its in the phone. But it's very easy to take advantage of having a larger internal battery, and the skin on the latest RAZR phones from Motorola is definitely the least offensive I've seen.

No one likes juggling multiple batteries which is why as much as people on AnandTech seem to dislike sealed batteries, having a larger internal battery is far more useful to the average person.

 

[shortylickens]

I'd vote the Maxx. The number of people who actually use the removable battery feature and remember to change both of them at the same time so it would be useful is so small, it's not something you should actually rely on. Plus, the battery itself cant be charged unless its in the phone. But it's very easy to take advantage of having a larger internal battery, and the skin on the latest RAZR phones from Motorola is definitely the least offensive I've seen.

No one likes juggling multiple batteries which is why as much as people on AnandTech seem to dislike sealed batteries, having a larger internal battery is far more useful to the average person.

I would be one of those people IF the docking station could charge the phone and a spare at the same time. I have that for my HD7 and I like it.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Friend at work has the Maxx HD and another has the M, I like the M much better (smaller/less border).

Still went with GS3.....

 

[bearxor]

Friend at work has the Maxx HD and another has the M, I like the M much better (smaller/less border).

Still went with GS3.....

Yeah, I would say that if the battery life wasn't an option, you should pick the M. The only reason to pick a RAZR MAXX right now is for the battery. The M is a better or similar phone in every other way.

But the RAZR MAXX HD will be out soon as well. I'm sure it will be $300 on contract so the price might put it out of consideration.

 

[soccerballtux]

I'd probably pick the RAZR MAXX HD.

The skin is the closest you get to pure android without buying a Nexus and the device hides a large battery really well. We use a lot of original RAZR MAXX's at my office and are pretty happy with them. Plus it looks like Motorola is getting really serious about trying to keep pace with OS releases.

joking right?
they're not upgrading the Atrix, Electrify, or Photon 4G to ICS.
The Atrix is a Dual core phone with 1GB RAM, came out last year, and was marketed as the world's most powerful smartphone.

OP: I don't like motorola because of this, and because their component quality (namely the capacitive screens resolution at detecting finger touch) is not as high as other manufacturers. Example Droid, Droid 2, Droid 3, Droid 4, Atrix 4G, Droid Bionic. I didn't notice this problem on the Razr but I have noticed it on every other phone they have released.

 

[screecwe]

Friend at work has the Maxx HD and another has the M, I like the M much better (smaller/less border).

Still went with GS3.....

How can your friend have a Maxx HD? It's not out yet. Perhaps you're thinking of the Razr Maxx..

 

[shortylickens]

joking right?
they're not upgrading the Atrix, Electrify, or Photon 4G to ICS.
The Atrix is a Dual core phone with 1GB RAM, came out last year, and was marketed as the world's most powerful smartphone.

It was only the most powerful smartphone for about a month. And it was long before ICS was out.

I think he meant getting serious since Google took over and that means only the more recent phones. Moto's problem is they have way too many models with only minor differences between them. Getting a new OS prepared for hardware that wasnt originally designed to use it is a lot of work. Making that OS function a crapload of handsets might not be a good use of their time and money. Google's business model is based around making money from ads, not selling hardware or software. I think I can understand them focusing on more recent phones and ditching the rest. Remember, Moto made the promises, now Google has to keep them. Its not a perfect system.

And again I renew my argument that buying hardware in the hopes it might run future software is not a wise investment. When the Atrix was released nobody knew what Android 4 was even going to be like.
Apple has been better about updating old devices but they really only have one phone per generation. And their latest OS is riddled with bugs so perhaps people should have avoided the update if possible.

 

[shortylickens]

How can your friend have a Maxx HD? It's not out yet. Perhaps you're thinking of the Razr Maxx..

Maybe he got a pre-release version to test and play.

 

[bearxor]

joking right?
they're not upgrading the Atrix, Electrify, or Photon 4G to ICS.
The Atrix is a Dual core phone with 1GB RAM, came out last year, and was marketed as the world's most powerful smartphone.

OP: I don't like motorola because of this, and because their component quality (namely the capacitive screens resolution at detecting finger touch) is not as high as other manufacturers. Example Droid, Droid 2, Droid 3, Droid 4, Atrix 4G, Droid Bionic. I didn't notice this problem on the Razr but I have noticed it on every other phone they have released.

The Atrix is almost two years old now (jan-febish 2011, right?), that's forever in the Android world. Not only that but, unlike Apple, Motorola has no clue (or at least didn't) what Android will look like in a year or two. On top of that, it's a dual-core Tegra 2, not exactly the speediest dual-core chipset. And every manufacturer markets their phone as the most powerful.

But what I meant was that Motorola seemed pretty open and forthcoming in thier last press conference about thier failures with software upgrades and they are seemingly working hard to get better. I'm willing to listen to you if you come out and say you made a mistake and you're going to try to do better. I am still going to be hesitant until you show that you're better. That's why I'm cautiously optimistic about Motorola right now.

 

[Vdubchaos]

How can your friend have a Maxx HD? It's not out yet. Perhaps you're thinking of the Razr Maxx..

Sorry correct
Motorola has too many phones hehe

 

[Infrnl]

Friend at work has the Maxx HD and another has the M, I like the M much better (smaller/less border).

Still went with GS3.....

How can your friend have a Maxx HD? It's not out yet. Perhaps you're thinking of the Razr Maxx..

Sorry correct
Motorola has too many phones hehe

I have a buddy at work that had the razr maxx and currently has the razr m. He said tha battery life on the M is much better than his maxx was. He plans to get the HD maxx when it comes out on the 18th.
The razr HD's should have a small bezel like the M with even better battery life. I honestly think the HD's are much better looking.
I want to try the Note 2 and Maxx HD but i'm on att and not sure if I want to switch to verizon. Gs3 is also another viable option.

 

[screecwe]

Sorry correct
Motorola has too many phones hehe

I hear ya. But yah, they do look quite different from each other.

Razr Maxx :

Razr Maxx HD :

 

[bearxor]

Your first picture isn't a RAZR MAXX, it's just a RAZR.

 

[screecwe]

Your first picture isn't a RAZR MAXX, it's just a RAZR.

Thanks, someone had it mislabeled. Should have looked closer.