Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

S4 or One

  • Samsung Galaxy S4

    Votes: 71 38.8%
  • HTC One

    Votes: 112 61.2%

  • Total voters
    183

thehustleman

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2013
1,123
1
Easy. HTC One. Much better screen, design and build quality.

You haven't seen the drop test have you?

The very first drop the speaker grill popped off.

How can you speak on build quality of a phone you don't even have?

If history repeats itself Samsung will have the better build quality again
 

swerve147

macrumors 6502a
Jan 12, 2013
840
117
Can't say I've enjoyed reading this thread at all, with all the bickering back and forth. It's nice to have a choice though, I guess?

In any case I voted for the One, based solely on my past experiences with HTC. My last Android was a Rezound and tbh I regret selling it off for the IP5. It's still one of my favorites. Before that my main phone was WP7. I started with a Samsung Focus. And while I thought it was OK overall, I dropped it naked 3 ft. onto concrete and a chunk of the plastic housing flew clean off. I replaced it with an HTC Surround and the build quality was light years better.

BTW I'm not to concerned about expandable storage (Having plenty of cloud storage to begin with) or sealed battery (have an New Trent external).
 

Beeplance

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2012
1,564
500
Definitely the HTC one, this phone is just so damn good looking, on par with the iphone 5 if not better looking. I just find the samsung galaxy 4, including the s3, outright ugly looking with that plastic body and the Touchwiz UI. As a flagship phone for the top Android company, i can't believe they couldn't put more effort into designing something at least decent looking. The s4 has some pretty neat features though, but i would never use a phone this ugly.

Ugly or not, it's a matter of personal preference. Just because you yourself don't like the look of the S IV does not mean other people feel the same way.
 

F123D

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
3,776
16
Del Mar, CA
I can see why some would choose the One due to its material and build but if you slap a plastic case on it, that pretty much negates that reasoning.
 

thehustleman

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2013
1,123
1
I can see why some would choose the One due to its material and build but if you slap a plastic case on it, that pretty much negates that reasoning.

There you go with that logical thinking stuff, get out of here with that crazy talk!
 

Peterg2

macrumors 6502a
Jan 28, 2008
818
15
Montreal, Canada
There you go with that logical thinking stuff, get out of here with that crazy talk!

It is an example of Manichean thinking - black and white. However, matters are often somewhat different. Many people will, for example, only slap on a case when they are out and about, preferring to go caseless at home or in the office. See what I am getting at? :) I have gone from a case 100% of the time to going naked and finally it is now 50/50, all with the same phone.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
I plan to use the One naked and caseless as I do all my phones. I'll only stick on a thin generic static screen protector. Nothing else.

At most, I'll use a nice pouch from DODOcases or Etsy or something.

Ditto for the S4 if I get that instead.
 

aerok

macrumors 65816
Oct 29, 2011
1,491
139
I would say HTC One but because for me, battery life is number 1, I gave up on it.

The screen on the One X was marvellous, best screen I have ever used... To think the screen on the One is better is scary...

----------

Yeah christ, that would take like 7 seconds

Haha you gave me a good laugh :D
 

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
6,107
129
McKinney, TX
Yeah christ, that would take like 7 seconds

I never said it would take a lot of time....frankly, I don't care how long it would take. None of those features appeal to me (at least, none of the ones I can't get through apps already anyway) so they don't enter into my decision making.

What does is the fact that, despite your objections, all those software features crammed into a skin on top of the OS WILL bloat the software. And Android already isn't the best at optimizing software (given it's open nature, I don't expect it to be).

Really, its comical the level of "sheepness" some Samsung fans are obtaining. We're getting to the point where Samsung has become the new Apple in that anything negative said is met with hostility.....hell, you could even be talking about another Android (like HTC) and you still get berated for not liking Samsung.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Really, its comical the level of "sheepness" some Samsung fans are obtaining. We're getting to the point where Samsung has become the new Apple in that anything negative said is met with hostility.....hell, you could even be talking about another Android (like HTC) and you still get berated for not liking Samsung.

You're in a thread where the poll has the HTC One winning by quite a large margin.

There is no Samsung sheep. Samsung wishes they had that sort of fan base. They're building it, but there are tons who criticize and hate Samsung (sometimes just out of sheer loyalty to Apple).

But there are also tons who recognize what they're doing in the smartphone landscape, too. And maybe those same people don't understand these false-fears of "too big to fit in pocket or use one handed" or these claims of "there's too many features. It's confusing."

When people point out the benefit of larger devices in exchange for comfortable one handed use, or point out that it's perfectly feasible to put a large device in pockets, or that one can simply turn off features that aren't desired in less than 7 seconds, this is not being sheep. This is just being logical.
 

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
6,107
129
McKinney, TX
You're in a thread where the poll has the HTC One winning by quite a large margin.

There is no Samsung sheep. Samsung wishes they had that sort of fan base. They're building it, but there are tons who criticize and hate Samsung (sometimes just out of sheer loyalty to Apple).

But there are also tons who recognize what they're doing in the smartphone landscape, too. And maybe those same people don't understand these false-fears of "too big to fit in pocket or use one handed" or these claims of "there's too many features. It's confusing."

When people point out the benefit of larger devices in exchange for comfortable one handed use, or point out that it's perfectly feasible to put a large device in pockets, or that one can simply turn off features that aren't desired in less than 7 seconds, this is not being sheep. This is just being logical.

Not the point....at least not the one I'm attempting to make.

9 times out of 10, there is NO sacrifice when it comes to a bigger screen. Those who say they don't want it because they can't use it comfortably are met with anecdotal evidence that "I can use my GS3 with one hand just fine, something must be wrong with you".

Personally, its not that I can't FIT my phone in my pocket, but that a larger device is quite cumbersome in my pocket - especially since I wear dress slacks to work. Again, met with derogatory comments and labeled an iSheep.

And as I've said, its not about the TIME it takes to turn off the features. I don't see any of those features as useful, therefore they don't add any benefit for me - all they do is sit there (after I turn them all off) and take up space in the OS - regardless of what ya'll say - that bloats the software.

See, the issue I have isn't in the specific comments you quote, but the fact that they are generalizations that don't address the specific points made. This is hugely ironic given Apple fans are the first people members of the Android (largely Samsung) community love to sneer at for making similar generalizations (iOS is smoother, the iPhone has a better build quality, etc..).

I'm not saying there isn't blind idiocy on the Apple side....I'm trying to get people to realize it comes from BOTH sides.....a fact many choose to ignore (ala Apple fanboys).

Like I said - ironic.....Samsung has tried, and I think, succeeded in creating their own version of the following they mock in many of their ads. And its not just a "Samsung vs. Apple" or "Android vs. iOS" anymore.....its Samsung vs. everything - including HTC.

Ironic is all.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Not the point....at least not the one I'm attempting to make.

9 times out of 10, there is NO sacrifice when it comes to a bigger screen. Those who say they don't want it because they can't use it comfortably are met with anecdotal evidence that "I can use my GS3 with one hand just fine, something must be wrong with you".

Personally, its not that I can't FIT my phone in my pocket, but that a larger device is quite cumbersome in my pocket - especially since I wear dress slacks to work. Again, met with derogatory comments and labeled an iSheep.

And as I've said, its not about the TIME it takes to turn off the features. I don't see any of those features as useful, therefore they don't add any benefit for me - all they do is sit there (after I turn them all off) and take up space in the OS - regardless of what ya'll say - that bloats the software.

See, the issue I have isn't in the specific comments you quote, but the fact that they are generalizations that don't address the specific points made. This is hugely ironic given Apple fans are the first people members of the Android (largely Samsung) community love to sneer at for making similar generalizations (iOS is smoother, the iPhone has a better build quality, etc..).

I'm not saying there isn't blind idiocy on the Apple side....I'm trying to get people to realize it comes from BOTH sides.....a fact many choose to ignore (ala Apple fanboys).

Like I said - ironic.....Samsung has tried, and I think, succeeded in creating their own version of the following they mock in many of their ads. And its not just a "Samsung vs. Apple" or "Android vs. iOS" anymore.....its Samsung vs. everything - including HTC.

Ironic is all.

Fair enough.

I should amend my comment by saying I don't think blind Samsung loyalists don't exist or won't start existing in mass.

Just that when you say "sheep" it invokes and implies it's the same largeness and gravity to what's known as "iSheep" and i just think that's far from accurate. No one claims Samsung devices "just work," for example -- an Apple term that I think has done far more harm than good.

Samsung has their bases covered in so many ways except for maybe one thing: premium build quality, which is something they could have and should have gotten right this year. As I've said a number of times, that's a big part of why I don't want the S4. I don't want them to get away with it again, this one area they need to figure out without compromising a user replaceable battery.

When it comes down to it, it's just easier to criticize Apple (their iPhone, that is) who does not have their bases as covered and have a phone and operating system that caters to a very specific group (large as that group may be) of users. I think the problem with the iPhone can be summed up in one short phrase: lack of choice.

It's harder to criticize Samsung when they are able to cater to a larger range of preferences, user-types. Android in general allows this. They give the user the choice (hardware-wise and software-wise). And it's empowering.
 

jrswizzle

macrumors 603
Aug 23, 2012
6,107
129
McKinney, TX
Fair enough.

I should amend my comment by saying I don't think blind Samsung loyalists don't exist or won't start existing in mass.

Just that when you say "sheep" it invokes and implies it's the same largeness and gravity to what's known as "iSheep" and i just think that's far from accurate. No one claims Samsung devices "just work," for example -- an Apple term that I think has done far more harm than good.

Samsung has their bases covered in so many ways except for maybe one thing: premium build quality, which is something they could have and should have gotten right this year. As I've said a number of times, that's a big part of why I don't want the S4. I don't want them to get away with it again, this one area they need to figure out without compromising a user replaceable battery.

When it comes down to it, it's just easier to criticize Apple who does not have their bases as covered and have a phone and operating system that caters to a very specific group (large as that group may be) of users. I think the problem with the iPhone can be summed up in one short phrase: lack of choice.

It's harder to criticize Samsung when they are able to cater to a larger range of preferences. Android in general allows this.

The fallacy in this is thinking Apple wants it any other way.....does their computer line cater to a wide variety of people? I would say its much more niche than the iPhone is.

Apple doesn't offer a lot of choice in that the OS is the way the OS will be. But I also think there is plenty of choice within the confines of the "walled garden" and if you CHOOSE to play there, you do so with the understanding of that.

I don't think a longer features/spec sheet necessarily means MORE preferences are catered to....my preferences have nothing to do with a spec sheet or the feature itself (say translation - which is and has been widely available in various apps). Implementation has a lot to do with it and in this sense, Samsung is as closed as Apple is - and as EVERY OEM is.....they all have their philosophies - things they feel give them an edge or the best possible product to reach the widest audience.....

My biggest question with this "choice" thing is - if Apple doesn't offer the features you want, you have the CHOICE to pick another smartphone - lord knows there are plenty out there, all with various feature sets that cater to different people.

Thinking there is a "one phone to rule them all" isn't valid....and I don't believe (since it's never been their style) Apple cares much about creating one. They simply want to create the best possible experience they can within their company values. You don't like those values/philosophies, you're free to move on.
 

Donvald

macrumors member
Jan 31, 2013
45
0
I consider myself to be a samsung fan but not a fanboy. Why? I had blackberries htcs nokias and a sony and my current phone is the only one i havent regretted Purchasing It . It does what is says in the tin so to speak

Blind loyalty is i find nothing to do with a product but rather the individual and these types of forums are rife with such people. I wouldn't attribute iPhone or android or BlackBerry users represented by those on forums. We are talking millions upon millions of users for various platforms. They are hardly represented by fanboys.

So I say treat the person as an individual rather than as representative of a platform.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
The fallacy in this is thinking Apple wants it any other way.....does their computer line cater to a wide variety of people? I would say its much more niche than the iPhone is.

Apple doesn't offer a lot of choice in that the OS is the way the OS will be. But I also think there is plenty of choice within the confines of the "walled garden" and if you CHOOSE to play there, you do so with the understanding of that.

I don't think a longer features/spec sheet necessarily means MORE preferences are catered to....my preferences have nothing to do with a spec sheet or the feature itself (say translation - which is and has been widely available in various apps). Implementation has a lot to do with it and in this sense, Samsung is as closed as Apple is - and as EVERY OEM is.....they all have their philosophies - things they feel give them an edge or the best possible product to reach the widest audience.....

My biggest question with this "choice" thing is - if Apple doesn't offer the features you want, you have the CHOICE to pick another smartphone - lord knows there are plenty out there, all with various feature sets that cater to different people.

Thinking there is a "one phone to rule them all" isn't valid....and I don't believe (since it's never been their style) Apple cares much about creating one. They simply want to create the best possible experience they can within their company values. You don't like those values/philosophies, you're free to move on.

Not one phone for rule them all? Tell that to apple!

And apple does offer choices in all their other line ups. Look at the current generation of each of their products (except maybe the Mac Pro for obvious reasons). There are at least two different versions in sizes. Look at the current generation of the iPhone. There is only one size.

Looks like apple is in line to change that this year at least with a cheaper model.

No one is arguing this isn't how apple wants it. People are arguing that it sucks we don't have a choice. You keep pointing out the obvious that we have a choice to leave. Duh. If that's the only choice that's pretty crappy for people who want a larger device but still want to remain in apples ecosystem. We see those sorts of users all the time. It's a shame for them.
 

Donvald

macrumors member
Jan 31, 2013
45
0
I'm actually quite surprised the HTC One is winning given Samsung's popularity.

I suspect some voters simply prefer the look of it!

I'm not surprised. I also won't be surprised when I doesn't sell in numbers that reflect the apparent popularity.

HTC are an underdog and Samsung are the new Apple. The Internet loves an underdog..

That a not to say the hype isn't justified but I'm sure we can remember how to HTC one x sold last year against the sg3. It wasn't a contest but I you read the web you'd easily come away thinking it was all over bar the buying.

Bottom line is that people remember a good phone experience and remember even longer a poor one. 2 year contract is a long time with a poor phone.

There's a reason why apple and Samsung are the market leaders and its due to consistency and customer satisfaction. HTC has a way to go before they reach those satisfaction levels. They need to stick with their high end phones and support the hell out of them.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
:rolleyes:

out of context....

Remind me what original idea Samsung had? I know everyone loves to point out Apple hasn't come up with anything on their own....I'd love to hear about all of Samsung's "innovative ideas".....

Samsung and Apple as a whole or just their mobile phone departments? I don't think either have done anything that innovative but Samsung has some cool stuff when it comes to medical equipment and appliances especially in AV. Both these companies modify existing inventions to be better.
 

9th Wonder

macrumors member
Mar 24, 2013
35
0
Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, or T-Mobile iPhone 5?

I'm a heavy app user and I'll probably jailbreak my iPhone 5 if I do decide to buy it.
 

9th Wonder

macrumors member
Mar 24, 2013
35
0
My understanding is that there is no jailbreak currently for 6.1.3. Unless I'm wrong?

You are indeed correct. However, there have been mixed responses on the current iOS platform on the tweaked T-mobile version. Some people are getting 6.1.3, while others are getting 6.1.2.
 

tjl3

macrumors 6502a
Mar 8, 2012
595
4
Perfect thread to post my thoughts on both =D

I came away from a few hours at Best Buy impressed with both the One and GS4. This coming from someone with an iPhone bias! The GS4 made more of an impression on me, while parts of the One's design left me indifferent.


After handling the One first, I agree w/ most in that it is an amazing screen. It was crisp, bright, and sharp. Maybe it's because I prefer IPS, but I felt it was the best on the market. The phone was snappy and fast, possibly the fastest I've ever used. The biggest thing I never liked about HTC was Sense. It feels dated, and the One is no different. And when I first laid eyes on the One, it was a thing of beauty, but it felt odd in the hands. The front is smaller than the back, so the sides are slanted out (if that makes sense). This plus the plastic feel on the side made it a little awkward to use. Surprisingly I never noticed this detail in the shots of the One and no one's ever commented about it.

Moving on to the GS4, as soon as I picked it up I was blown away. While I feel the HTC One had the best display, the GS4 comes close: the colors are just amazing on this screen. The only knock on it would be that I had to tune it to full brightness to get the screen to look this good. On auto and a little dimmer and the screen didn't seem to compete w/ either the One or iPhone 5. And I have to agree w/ others that this phone has an amazing feel of quality. I'd say that it feels as good and better than my iPhone 5! I also enjoyed the Touchwiz interface a lot this time around. In terms of speed, the GS4 was really sluggish. While system things (settings, camera, photos) were ok, the phone had trouble especially in multitasking and web browsing. I found that with all the S features turned off it performed as expected from the fastest processor and GPU (altho it was only a couple minutes with it turned off). The S features just seem too gimmicky. Hovering in the web browser was hit or miss, and I can't find a use case for waving one's hand over the phone to control it b/c it is not very robust either. With S scroll, the Samsung rep was talking to me (about how the GS4 was the only 4.2.2 JB phone, the first 1080p screen, and the best camera) the web browser got stuck scrolling up and down. And I would have to agree w/ some of the reviews out there about the black version. The pattern is really obvious, so much that it made the black GS4 look tacky. But the white one looks super sleek.

For the GS4, these are just minor complaints that could be fixed w/ software. I came away thinking this is a great device, if not the best right now.

edit: posted in haste + editing in car = fail
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.