Well today is the day.

[Razeus]

Saying goodbye to my iPhone 4S I've had since launch. Since the preview of iOS7, I've determined that it's a catch-up update for features already found in Android. So I'm going to buy a Galaxy S4, mostly because of the bigger screen. I was going to wait until the iPhone 5S is release, but I don't see Apple doing anything drastic to the hardware - only making it comparable to S4/HTC One in terms of performance.

While I feel the iPhone 5S will have a better camera, I still think the S4 is the better option for me - mostly due to the bigger screen. I really was hoping the 5S would be wider (as well as taller), but after playing with my sisters iPhone 5 and a co-workers S4, S4 wins on the screen.

I own pretty much everything Apple makes except for the Mac Pro (the iMac does just fine ) so this is going to be weird. I just need phone that let's me set my own default apps, has better app inter-communication, and bigger screen, the 3 main features I was hoping Apple would do, even it it meant scraping their existing plans for the design of the iPhone 5S.

Wish me luck! Don't worry, I'm not parted with my beloved iPad 4th gen!

 

[El3ctronics]

Saying goodbye to my iPhone 4S I've had since launch. Since the preview of iOS7, I've determined that it's a catch-up update for features already found in Android. So I'm going to buy a Galaxy S4, mostly because of the bigger screen. I was going to wait until the iPhone 5S is release, but I don't see Apple doing anything drastic to the hardware - only making it comparable to S4/HTC One in terms of performance.

While I feel the iPhone 5S will have a better camera, I still think the S4 is the better option for me - mostly due to the bigger screen. I really was hoping the 5S would be wider (as well as taller), but after playing with my sisters iPhone 5 and a co-workers S4, S4 wins on the screen.

I own pretty much everything Apple makes except for the Mac Pro (the iMac does just fine ) so this is going to be weird. I just need phone that let's me set my own default apps, has better app inter-communication, and bigger screen, the 3 main features I was hoping Apple would do, even it it meant scraping their existing plans for the design of the iPhone 5S.

Wish me luck! Don't worry, I'm not parted with my beloved iPad 4th gen!

Go with the HTC One and thank me later.

 

[onthecouchagain]

The 5" screen of the S4 really is quite spectacular. And in a body that is ergonomically amazing to hold and wield. Something about how thin and light it is makes it such an easy device to handle without compromising the screen. It's really well done.

I'm an HTC One owner, but I just wanted to add my comment after seeing so many posts about people choosing the S4 because of the screen. It really is nice.

 

[ChazUK]

Good luck with the move and if you get stuck with anything there are plenty of good people in this board that can help.

 

[Razeus]

Go with the HTC One and thank me later.

Why do you say that? I was actually going for that one, but the camera bothers me due to the low rez pics. I've read reviews but I'm still not convinced.

 

[MRU]

Why do you say that? I was actually going for that one, but the camera bothers me due to the low rez pics. I've read reviews but I'm still not convinced.

What kind of 'photos' do you shoot ? If you are into seascapes, landscapes and mountain ranges then yes the res will be a big hit.

If you are a partying social snapper - upload to Facebook - capture friends and family on night outs kind of camera person (basically far cooler than most of us) then the low light shots will be better.

But yeah the S4 has a far better camera overall. More suited for wider uses.

 

[daveathall]

I have an S4 and would recommend it in a heartbeat. Enjoy your new phone.

 

[Razeus]

What kind of 'photos' do you shoot ? If you are into seascapes, landscapes and mountain ranges then yes the res will be a big hit.

If you are a partying social snapper - upload to Facebook - capture friends and family on night outs kind of camera person (basically far cooler than most of us) then the low light shots will be better.

But yeah the S4 has a far better camera overall. More suited for wider uses.

all kinds of photos. street photography, shots of my 1 year old baby, mom & baby shots, still-photography of stuff, hanging out in a bar, etc. My issue is that I print alot of these, but not often. With the HTC One, I don't think I could get an 8x10 out of the photos (for which I use a real camera anyway), but I think the best I could get is 5x7. I'm thinking apps will make up any difference between the cameras. I rather opt for higher resolution and adjust with an app if need to.

 

[MRU]

all kinds of photos. street photography, shots of my 1 year old baby, mom & baby shots, still-photography of stuff, hanging out in a bar, etc. My issue is that I print alot of these, but not often. With the HTC One, I don't think I could get an 8x10 out of the photos (for which I use a real camera anyway), but I think the best I could get is 5x7. I'm thinking apps will make up any difference between the cameras. I rather opt for higher resolution and adjust with an app if need to.

Yep the HTC One will disappoint you if you are looking to print 10x8 and above.

Sounds like the camera is very important to you - if so and you are open to both devices I'd get the S4.

Maybe look at the S4 active if you want a more metal like enclosure (though again your coming down from 13-8mp with the S4 active over the standard S4).....

 

[The Game 161]

I have an S4 and would recommend it in a heartbeat. Enjoy your new phone.

yep ditto

amazing device.

 

[Razeus]

Yep the HTC One will disappoint you if you are looking to print 10x8 and above.

Sounds like the camera is very important to you - if so and you are open to both devices I'd get the S4.

Maybe look at the S4 active if you want a more metal like enclosure (though again your coming down from 13-8mp with the S4 active over the standard S4).....

Yes, the HTC One is REALLY attractive and I was going to get that one. I was hung up on the camera. Add to that fact that these cell phones take photos in 16x9 ratio and I usually crop to a 3:2 ratio, which I think I'd loose too much resolution on the HTC One. I really wish they went at least with an 8MP version of whatever it is they were trying to do. 4MP is too little - and yes I understand big megapixels and such.

Plus, I'm going to put the phone in a case so the design of the HTC One goes out of the window on that front. But combine the lack of IQ on the camera (for my needs), HTC's reputation for slow phone updates, and the battery life (I see the S4 fairs better on battery, but not as good as iPhones, but I'll compromise), S4 is a better phone overall - ESPECIALLY when it comes with the latest version of Android (4.2.2) out of the box.

 

[TacticalDesire]

Make sure you turn off all the S features you don't use.

 

[jamezr]

Yes, the HTC One is REALLY attractive and I was going to get that one. I was hung up on the camera. Add to that fact that these cell phones take photos in 16x9 ratio and I usually crop to a 3:2 ratio, which I think I'd loose too much resolution on the HTC One. I really wish they went at least with an 8MP version of whatever it is they were trying to do. 4MP is too little - and yes I understand big megapixels and such.

Plus, I'm going to put the phone in a case so the design of the HTC One goes out of the window on that front. But combine the lack of IQ on the camera (for my needs), HTC's reputation for slow phone updates, and the battery life (I see the S4 fairs better on battery, but not as good as iPhones, but I'll compromise), S4 is a better phone overall - ESPECIALLY when it comes with the latest version of Android (4.2.2) out of the box.

I love my S4...i have a 32GB micro SD card in it to store music and movies....
But really you cannot go wrong with either phone. The HTC One and the Galaxy S4 are BOTH great phones!

 

[El3ctronics]

Having tested both phones for quite a while before purchasing, I will adamantly agree with your assessment that the S4 has the better camera. But to me, that was the only major advantage of the S4 over the HTC One. To me, Sense is far superior to touchwiz, the S4 lagged quite a bit compared to the buttery smoothness of the One, the build quality isn't even worth mentioning b/c the S4 feels like a toy while the One feels like the most premium device on the market, and the HTC screen is far more accurate than the AMOLED on the S4 (not to mention significantly easier to see outdoors).

When I was comparing both devices, the S4 had some additional features that I personally would never use. But you have to determine what factors are most important to you. For me, it wasn't even a close comparison as I think the HTC One is the far superior device overall...but I agree that I wish they used a higher megapixel camera.

 

[ceva321]

the Galaxy S4 is a technological wonder , so jealous !!! enjoy

 

[tech4all]

all kinds of photos. street photography, shots of my 1 year old baby, mom & baby shots, still-photography of stuff, hanging out in a bar, etc. My issue is that I print alot of these, but not often. With the HTC One, I don't think I could get an 8x10 out of the photos (for which I use a real camera anyway), but I think the best I could get is 5x7. I'm thinking apps will make up any difference between the cameras. I rather opt for higher resolution and adjust with an app if need to.

Just thinking aloud here...

If you have a baby, you might want to consider investing in a lower end dSLR. Better image quality, more options, flashes, etc. Yes that's more money, but if it's for a baby I think it's worth it. I dunno, probably a bit extreme, but just wanted to throw that out there.

Enjoy your phone whichever you decide to get.

 

[Razeus]

Just thinking aloud here...

If you have a baby, you might want to consider investing in a lower end dSLR. Better image quality, more options, flashes, etc. Yes that's more money, but if it's for a baby I think it's worth it. I dunno, probably a bit extreme, but just wanted to throw that out there.

Enjoy your phone whichever you decide to get.

I have a D800, 35mm 1.4 Sigma, 70-200 VRII and 85mm 1.8G. I think I got that covered. trust me, we have PLENTY of photos of him on both cameras, and producing more everyday.

----------

the Galaxy S4 is a technological wonder , so jealous !!! enjoy

So far so good. I'm downloadiing my apps and getting my log ins set (the tedious part. Can't wait to actually use it. Luckily I use alot of Google services so everything Google is already there (contacts, calendars, etc.) I'm going on a trip this weekend with my wifey to a beach so I'll have plenty of time to test it out there.

 

[mattopotamus]

The 5" screen of the S4 really is quite spectacular. And in a body that is ergonomically amazing to hold and wield. Something about how thin and light it is makes it such an easy device to handle without compromising the screen. It's really well done.

I'm an HTC One owner, but I just wanted to add my comment after seeing so many posts about people choosing the S4 because of the screen. It really is nice.

This always gets so overlooked. People think, "eww cheap plastic" when in reality it feels so great in the hand. The weight and thinness is a perfect combo IMO.

 

[Razeus]

This always gets so overlooked. People think, "eww cheap plastic" when in reality it feels so great in the hand. The weight and thinness is a perfect combo IMO.

The S4 actually feels fine to me in my hand. But since I'm using an otterbox, he really doesn't matter, but the HTC One does look a lot nicer, but the S4 is no slouch.

 

[El3ctronics]

I don't know what in the world you guys are talking about. The S4 felt like a toy or a piece of junk in my hand. The phone is simply too wide, the back is too flat, and it simply doesn't feel substantial. For a $650 device (off contract) I expect a phone to work and feel significantly better. The S4 is a huge fail IMO and I truly believe it's Samsung's marketing budget that is brainwashing people to accept mediocrity.

 

[onthecouchagain]

This always gets so overlooked. People think, "eww cheap plastic" when in reality it feels so great in the hand. The weight and thinness is a perfect combo IMO.

Yeah. I was really shocked when I first picked up my friend's S4 (first time holding it without the security attachment on the back). It instantly felt good. And more importantly, the screen felt very comfortable to use one handed.

 

[ceva321]

I have a D800, 35mm 1.4 Sigma, 70-200 VRII and 85mm 1.8G. I think I got that covered. trust me, we have PLENTY of photos of him on both cameras, and producing more everyday.

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...Can't wait to actually use it. Luckily I use alot of Google services so everything Google is already there (contacts, calendars, etc.) ...

I love Google, like you all my contacts, calendar, etc are also on Google, and the fact that I have 3 cellphones (all active) makes it easier to add in one and in seconds they all have updated info

btw the Otterbox is such a bulky case....

 

[otismotive77]

same here, had been using iphone since the release of iphone 3, last year when i got to play with my friend's GS3, i was amazed by that android phone, that's when i switched to android and since then apple hasn't been able to snatch me back.

 

[blackhand1001]

Make sure you get the snapdragon s4 and not the exynos one. If yo'ure buying the international unlocked one you want is the i9505 and not the i9500. An added bonus to the i9505 is that you'll be able to run google edition Roms and touchwiz Roms.

 

[3bs]

Make sure you get the snapdragon s4 and not the exynos one. If yo'ure buying the international unlocked one you want is the i9505 and not the i9500. An added bonus to the i9505 is that you'll be able to run google edition Roms and touchwiz Roms.

So it's been officially confirmed the Google edition will have the same hardware as the i9505?