December 5, 2012 By 15 Comments

HTC One X + vs Samsung Galaxy S3

Let’s be honest; HTC and Samsung’s flagship devices do not have much to choose between them. Both are extremely powerful handsets that boast the latest and greatest tech available in a smartphone today. I am going to compare some of the features between the two warrior handsets as this question is a frequently asked one here at Clove: What’s the difference between the HTC One X + and the Samsung Galaxy S3?

OS: The HTC One X + comes with the latest Android OS (4.1 Jelly Bean) compared to that of the S3 (4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) although there is an update now available for the S3 which allows you to upgrade to Jelly Bean.

Processor: The SGS3 is running on a 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Quad-Core processor to that of the One X + which is powered by a larger 1.7GHz Tegra 3 Quad-Core processor. To be quite honest; there is not too much to choose between the two when it comes to processor speed. However, the HTC One X + runs 60% faster than the original One X which is a very notable improvement.

Display: The One X + has a 4.7 inch Super LCD 2 display with a 1280 x 720 resolution and 312 ppi. The SGS3 has a slightly larger screen at 4.8 inches featuring a Super AMOLED display with resolution of 1280 x 720 and 306 ppi. Both devices feature Corning Gorilla Glass 2 displays, the pixels per inch are slightly higher on the One X + plus; but again the difference is hardly significant.

Storage: The storage is where potential users will be swayed to one device in particular. The One X + has a massive internal storage (64GB) comparable to that of the S3 (16GB), although the HTC One X + has no MicroSD slot which may be a deciding factor for many when making that final decision on the two devices.

Camera: Both handsets feature an 8-megapixel rear facing camera with LED flash. Again, both feature 1080p video recording. The cameras are almost identical in quality and precision; the only slight difference would be on the front facing cameras: the S3 features a 1.9 megapixel front facing shooter with 720p video capture for video calling compared to that of the One X + which is at a slight disadvantage with a 1.6 megapixel camera and 720p video capture. Of course there is a lot to consider when it comes to comparing cameras on smartphones, but again the two really are neck-and-neck in most areas.

Design: Although I have always been a fan of the HTC form factor, I can definitely see a vast improvement with the SGS3 compared to its predecessor the SGS2. The SGS2 had a very lightweight and almost plastically feel to it. The SGS3 has definitely got a more of a solid feel but is still some way behind the One X + when it comes to the aesthetics of the two devices in my opinion.

Conclusion: To be honest I find it very hard to choose between the two, they’re both top end smartphones that can offer a lot to their user. I think the ultimate decision may come down to the MicroSD issue with the One X + but then the design of the One X + outweighs the SGS3 so it really is a personal choice that only you the consumer can make. As many of you will have purchased a One X + or an SGS3 we would love to hear why you opted for your chosen handset?

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November 7, 2012 By

Motorola RAZR i Hardware Comparison

Size comparison of the RAZR i against other smartphones.

See what the Motorola;a RAZR i looks like in terms of size against other smartphones on the market.

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November 4, 2012 By

HTC One X+ v HTC One X

See what the differences are between the 2 smartphones

You would be excused for wondering what the differences are between the HTC One X+ and the HTC One X.  Well if you would like to know, check out the video below.

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October 10, 2012 By

Sony Xperia T Hardware Comparison

See how the Sony Xperia T compares in size to some of the other leading smartphones on the market.

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September 11, 2012 By

Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 vs. Galaxy Note 10.1

Choice can be a good or a bad thing depending on your perspective. Samsung have two 10 inch Android tablets available right now, so is this catering to our needs or just plain confusing?

Samsung are a prolific hardware manufacturer and release a lot of products (not just in the mobile industry) every year. The choice in range is great for those who love to pour over spec sheets and find the perfect fit but for some it can be confusing. At the time of writing Samsung have the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and the Galaxy Note 10.1 both sitting in almost the same place in the tablet market and for those who struggle or maybe just don’t have the time, figuring out which is better or just right for you may be tough. So let’s put them side by side and try to pick a winner.

Operating System

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
Version Android 4.0 ICS (upgrade to Jelly Bean expected soon) Android 4.0 ICS (upgrade to Jelly Bean expected soon)
Skin TouchWiz TouchWiz

Result – DRAW As expected both devices are running the highest available version of Android that Samsung are currently supporting with their TouchWiz skin. An official stable 4.1 release for either device is not yet available but expect them both to appear at similar times.

Raw Power

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
Processor 1 GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 1.4 GHz quad-core Exynos 4412
RAM 1 GB 2 GB

Result – Note 10.1 No two ways about it, the Note 10.1 is way ahead of the Tab 2 10.1 in terms of punching power. It’s worth noting that several reviews also mark the Note 10.1 as setting new benchmark highs for graphics performance on an Android Tablet.

Display

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
Resolution WXGA 1280 x 800 WXGA 1280 x 800
Glass Corning Gorilla Glass Corning Gorilla Glass

Result – DRAW It’s the same display which is to be expected with both tablets being in the same range from the same manufacturer. Not much to say here apart from it’s a high quality, bright and scratch resistant screen on both devices.

Connectivity

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
Bluetooth 3.0 4.0
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 a/b/g/n
DLNA No No
Power / USB Connector Proprietary 30 pin Proprietary 30 pin
Card slot MicroSD MicroSD

Result – Note 10.1 Practically the same but the Note 10.1 edges things by including Bluetooth 4 support. It’s not a massive difference but version 4 includes new low energy protocols which makes the Note 10.1 more suitable as a constant Bluetooth hub or for those who regularly use Bluetooth apps for sharing data between devices.

Camera

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
Megapixels 3 MP 5 MP
Flash LED Flash & autofocus LED Flash & autofocus
Front Facing Camera 0.3 MP 1.9 MP

Result – Note 10.1 The Note 10.1 also takes this round with both main and front facing cameras having an improved resolution.

Design

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
Dimensions (inches) 10.1 x 6.9 x 0.38 10.3 x 7.1 x 0.35
Weight 588g 597g

Result – DRAW Although the Tab 2 is the marginally smaller and lighter of the two devices, the Note 10.1 has to include a slot for the S-Pen stylus to fit which invariably adds a bit of width but the tablet as a whole is actually slightly thinner. The differences and the reasons for them effectively cancel each other out. Coming from the same Galaxy range means both devices look and feel quite similar and colour is always a personal choice. I wouldn’t pick between these two on looks alone for sure.

Battery

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
Capacity 7000 mAh 7000 mAh
Removable Yes Yes

Result – DRAW Like the display round, what we have here is the same Samsung part being used. As always the actual battery life and performance of each device is going to vary depending on personal use – time spent on 3G / WiFi, gaming, using high power background applications etc. The higher clocked quad-core processor in the Note 10.1 has the potential to drain the battery faster than the Tab 2’s dual-core offering, which may be worth considering.

Price

  Tab 2 10.1 Note 10.1
16 GB WiFi £264 ex VAT £335 ex VAT
16 GB WiFi / 3G £349 ex VAT £420 ex VAT

Result – Tab 2 10.1 The Tab 2 is the cheaper device and Samsung have intentionally made it so to ease differentiating the two tablets. The reasons for this can be seen in the basic power specs alone along with the Note 10.1’s higher end camera, inclusion of the S-Pen and extra software that makes use of it.

Conclusion

The two tablets are actually quite tough to pull apart; in terms of the average user experience many would be hard pushed to tell the difference due to the identical operating system, interface and similar design. The differences lie where the power user will be interested. A faster processor and increased memory ensures the Note 10.1 has a longer lifespan and will remain ‘relevant’ as a higher end product for a longer time. Also as Android continues to develop and more powerful apps are released, the extra power will be better utilised whilst the Tab 2 10.1 is left behind.

Also no comparison here would be complete without another mention of the Note 10.1’s S-Pen. Samsung’s stylus makes writing, note taking and drawing a breeze and offers a much richer interaction. Its inclusion arguably justifies the extra cost over a Tab 2 10.1 with the same storage space without taking into account the increased power.

At the end of the day the proof is in the price. If you want a high quality 10 inch Android tablet for today and also want to save a bit of cash then you can’t really go wrong with the Tab 2 10.1. However if you want the knowledge that you’ve bought the best available device in the range, as future proofed as possible and with an extra toy on the side to show off with then spend that little bit extra and go for the Note 10.1.

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