HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Nexus 4

[lopri]

This metal v. plastic thing is getting old. And it's not like HTC doesn't make plastic phones. As a matter of fact, HTC Butterfly/DNA was the phone that introduced me to the HTC brand for its beautiful display. I don't think that phone is a garbage or ugly because it's not made of metal. (For the record, I like glass better than plastic or metal ^_^ , which is why I prefer iPhone 4 design over iPhone 5. And I like the Nexus 4's construction better than the HTC One or the S4)

Metal/glass/plastic is not going to be settled and people will feel differently and they will have all legitimate justifications for the preferences. Which is why I think it's better to leave that up to individuals, and discuss what's under the hood.

Edit: And it's also why I did not list removable battery or SD card slot in the list (post #57) People have different needs and wants, and those needs/wants will not find a common ground. I could have added wireless charging and glove-touching, though.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Look at this awesome engineering here

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/26/samsung-galaxy-s4-teardown/

Slim, elegant, lightweight, and extremely easy to take apart and repair by yourself. This is an engineering beauty.

 

[ChronoReverse]

This is one thing Samsung does really well. They pack the most into a smaller and lighter package while maintaining repairability. It's icing that there's a larger removable battery and storage.

Now if only they'd pack in a nice front facing speaker or two...

 

[lopri]

Also some people remind me of those who criticized iPhone 5 for being too light, and thus having "cheap feeling." Well, I don't care much to iPhone 5's design, but its light weight is a plus, not a negative in my mind.

 

[lopri]

Look at this awesome engineering here

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/26/samsung-galaxy-s4-teardown/

Slim, elegant, lightweight, and extremely easy to take apart and repair by yourself. This is an engineering beauty.

Yah that's another thing that I looked into while doing my research on the One. It didn't exactly give me confidence on its supposedly high "build quality." (duct tapes? glue?) See for yourselves.

HTC One Teardown

iPhone 5 Teardown

Galaxy S4 Teardown

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

This metal v. plastic thing is getting old. And it's not like HTC doesn't make plastic phones. As a matter of fact, HTC Butterfly/DNA was the phone that introduced me to the HTC brand for its beautiful display. I don't think that phone is a garbage or ugly because it's not made of metal. (For the record, I like glass better than plastic or metal ^_^ , which is why I prefer iPhone 4 design over iPhone 5. And I like the Nexus 4's construction better than the HTC One or the S4)

Metal/glass/plastic is not going to be settled and people will feel differently and they will have all legitimate justifications for the preferences. Which is why I think it's better to leave that up to individuals, and discuss what's under the hood.

Edit: And it's also why I did not list removable battery or SD card slot in the list (post #57) People have different needs and wants, and those needs/wants will not find a common ground. I could have added wireless charging and glove-touching, though.

The plastics used in the one X and it's variants are a lot more premium feeling than that flimsy plastics used in the galaxies.
Heck, even the textured plastic in the galaxy nexus felt nicer.

 

[WelshBloke]

The plastics used in the one X and it's variants are a lot more premium feeling than that flimsy plastics used in the galaxies.
Heck, even the textured plastic in the galaxy nexus felt nicer.

Its really down to personal preference though. Theres no intrinsic reason why aluminium, glass or plastic is the better material for a phone (durability aside).

I genuinely prefer the way my S3 feels in my hand than the way the HTC One feels in my hand. I found the angular edges of the One quite uncomfortable and I really, really like the way the S3's screen flows down to the edge of the phone.

That doesn't mean that the S3 is a better phone than the One it just means it suits me better and its the same with people who really, really like a metal bodied phone.

 

[blairharrington]

why? I'll take a metal phone that gets wear and tear over a plastic one that looks newer for longer. Aluminum and glass do provide a premium look and feel. I like iOS more than Android but I bought a Nexus 4 because of the look and feel, glass imho is the best for phones. I loved my iPhone 4 to death and was sad when it finally passed away.

Feel matters a hell of a lot more to me than looks. I also don't find plastic backings to feel that bad in my hand. Certainly better than the glass back of the iPhone 4 which I used for over two years.

If you like using glass backed phones, that's fine. Everybody is different. But plastic gets a ridiculously bad rap IMO when it comes to phones. Personally the only thing better than plastic is Kevlar. Aluminum and glass are not good choices IMO.

 

[Kamrooz]

After having a Galaxy S Vibrant for 3 years, I honestly say I don't mind the plastic feel. At first I was dumbfounded on how light it felt and a little cheap...But the quality of the phone in general has been fantastic. From the screen down to the reliability....

Just waiting for the S4 preorders to open up on the 29th on t-mobiles site >_<....I need a new phone badddd =*(.

 

[lopri]

The plastics used in the one X and it's variants are a lot more premium feeling than that flimsy plastics used in the galaxies.
Heck, even the textured plastic in the galaxy nexus felt nicer.

I don't suppose you claim that your "feeling" is somehow universal? And how about Blackberry Z10? Flimsy garbage, too?

 

[lopri]

I think one factor that affects all the critics is that their work allow them to change/upgrade their phones every other month. But if you're looking for a phone for your parent that will last at least 2 years and hopefully more, then your point of view (including "feelings") might be slightly different than those of reviewers.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Its really down to personal preference though. Theres no intrinsic reason why aluminium, glass or plastic is the better material for a phone (durability aside).

I genuinely prefer the way my S3 feels in my hand than the way the HTC One feels in my hand. I found the angular edges of the One quite uncomfortable and I really, really like the way the S3's screen flows down to the edge of the phone.

That doesn't mean that the S3 is a better phone than the One it just means it suits me better and its the same with people who really, really like a metal bodied phone.

1. Aluminum is more valuable than plastic hence the perception that it is better. Better material for making phones? That's up for debate. But almost everywhere else, it is more desirable (aluminum trim in car interiors for instance).
2. How it feels in your hands also has to do with shape (and size) of the phone

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

I don't suppose you claim that your "feeling" is somehow universal? And how about Blackberry Z10? Flimsy garbage, too?

Never said it was universal but I'm pretty sure the large majority will agree that Samsung does not feel like a premium device. In fact EVERY review I've read has stated this.
Have not seen a z10 in person yet so I can't comment.

 

[blairharrington]

The backings of both the Z10 and HTC First feel great in the hand and I believe they are both plastic.

Kudos to HTC for making the One's backing curved. The iPhone 5 IMO does not feel good when handled without a case because it is flat. Same goes with the iPhone 4.

 

[WelshBloke]

1. Aluminum is more valuable than plastic hence the perception that it is better. Better material for making phones? That's up for debate. But almost everywhere else, it is more desirable (aluminum trim in car interiors for instance).

Aluminium is the third most common element on the planet, its not rare or particularly valuable. It costs about $0.07 an ounce. Its a pure fashion choice whether you find it more desirable.

2. How it feels in your hands also has to do with shape (and size) of the phone

Yep, also down to personal preference. Like I said theres no one material thats better.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Aluminium is the third most common element on the planet, its not rare or particularly valuable. It costs about $0.07 an ounce. Its a pure fashion choice whether you find it more desirable.



Yep, also down to personal preference. Like I said theres no one material thats better.

Are u seriously trying to convince me that plastic is more premium than aluminum?

 

[WelshBloke]

Are u seriously trying to convince me that plastic is more premium than aluminum?

Define premium.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Define premium.

of higher quality than normal.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Some extra information that's useful instead of inflammatory.


The AT&T model so far appears to be bootloader locked as CF-Auto-Root doesn't work for the AT&T model but does for the Sprint model.

HOWEVER, root has already been achieve via a different means so there's no problem after all: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2252248

 

[Crono]

Yes, the plastic versus aluminum thing is getting old.
There's no reason (other than pinching pennies... and they are making tons of money) for Samsung to not make good plastic bodies. HTC and Nokia both do. The S4 is a premium priced phone. No one should be talking about the, "well, everyone just puts a case on it, anyway". Quantify "everyone". And Samsung doesn't go home crying if they had to put a little more effort into design or a redesign. It looks and feels essentially the same as the S3. And plenty of reviewers have said it doesn't feel that good. You know it's not good when "slimy" or "slippery" are the adjectives being used. Whether it's "good enough" isn't the issue. It's whether a) Samsung can afford to make it better (they can) and b) Would people be happier if it were a better plastic case? (they would). If Samsung had radically improved the exterior design and material feel of the S4, no one would be complaining that Samsung should have saved the $1 or whatever increase in cost (which would probably end up in their pockets, anyway) and left the phone looking the same. I'm sure of this, as many, many SGS users have criticized the iPhones for this. Hell, Samsung has made fun of Apple for failing to innovate - has everyone forgotten the commercials already?

Aluminum is a preference, sure. Not every phone needs to be aluminum. But when there is a tangible benefit to it - or at least some attention to aesthetics and material quality, beyond what cheap phone manufacturers can do. It's a $600 - $700 phone for crying out loud! The One is even cheaper off contract (correct me if I'm wrong) and it doesn't look, feel, or run like a cheap phone in any regard, even if the Samsung Galaxy S4 can beat it on specs. That's what it comes down to. It's like buying a high end car that looks like crap and has a plasticky interior. Sure, the horsepower and handling might be there, but if you are paying for it, don't you expect more?

Why this annoys me is because HTC is challenging other smartphones. If we tell the manufacturers that cheap feeling phones are okay, they won't innovate on that front. I'm glad to see HTC and Nokia stepping up (Apple has in the past) - I know Nokia is coming out with aluminum body phones later. Samsung has been an innovator and continues to cram a lot of features in their phones, but it's about time they improved body design on the S series. Otherwise someone will gladly take their shiny new crown like they did from Apple.

I can see the commercials already. Samsung Galaxy S4: "Meet the new boss. Looks the same as the old boss."

 

[Hunt3rj2]

For anyone trying to claim that the GS4 packs a bigger battery into a thinner package, it's important to note that the One's stacked construction means that there's a curve that doesn't need to be there.

The One packs more battery per unit volume than the GS4. Period.

 

[ChronoReverse]

For anyone trying to claim that the GS4 packs a bigger battery into a thinner package, it's important to note that the One's stacked construction means that there's a curve that doesn't need to be there.

The One packs more battery per unit volume than the GS4. Period.

I like how you're trying to twist a design compromise into a plus for the One. And even to the point of asserting something without any proof.

What's the volume of the One? What's the volume of the GS4? Or did you just pull that assertion out of a hat (or the place where forumites like to pull "statistics" out of)?

 

[WelshBloke]

of higher quality than normal.

So then we get back to subjectivity and I ask you why making a phone out of aluminium necessarily makes it higher quality.

 

[dawheat]

For anyone trying to claim that the GS4 packs a bigger battery into a thinner package, it's important to note that the One's stacked construction means that there's a curve that doesn't need to be there.

The One packs more battery per unit volume than the GS4. Period.

You really don't need to be stupid to support the One - it's a great phone. But this is just going full retard.

So the S4 is a better phone b/c it has more battery per unit weight than the One? Period?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Some extra information that's useful instead of inflammatory.


The AT&T model so far appears to be bootloader locked as CF-Auto-Root doesn't work for the AT&T model but does for the Sprint model.

HOWEVER, root has already been achieve via a different means so there's no problem after all: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2252248

Meh same exploit I used on my Prime. Better than nothing and will let users freeze Samsung bloat, but still ROMs can't be flashed...