Should I get the Skyrocket or the original Galaxy S2?

[chmcke01]

I am on AT&T because while Verizon has about the same coverage, maybe even a little better in some select areas, but it is more expensive because I only get the $15 data plan from AT&T and Verizons cheapest is twice that.

Anyway, I currently have an iPhone 4 and I am eligible for upgrade on December 5th. I really want to ditch Apple for something with more freedom, and most importantly, Flash (I need to watch Flash videos a lot for school). I started looking mid September and was dead set on the Galaxy S2. Then, around the time the iPhone 4S was announced I stumbled upon rumors of the "Nexus Prime" and was intrigued. I watched the announcement of the Galaxy Nexus live on Youtube and loved it.

I was torn though, I like the looks and screen size of the Galaxy Nexus better than the SGS2 but I am worried about the lack of Gorilla Glass and everything I am reading says the physical hardware of the Nexus is one or two steps down from the SGS2.

Now the SGS2 Skyrocket LTE has been thrown into the mix and I am even more unsure. This has a bigger screen which I like, but from what I am told has an inferior processor and GPU to the ones used in the original SGS2.

I can only afford to get a new phone on upgrade, so whichever phone I choose I will have for about two years. I will mostly use it to surf the web, email, text, take pictures, and watch videos. I hope to keep whichever one I choose loaded with the next 10-20 episodes of whatever show I am watching (I pick a show and then watch it in its entirety from episode one until the finale, or until the most recent episode). I will also need to watch some Flash videos on Blackboard for school.

I do not live in an LTE area (I live in Kentucky) but as I said I will keep the phone for 2 years so I wouldn't be totally surprised if LTE came this way before I am eligible for an upgrade again.

Considering all of this, which phone seems the best? Which of these three phones would you get if you were me?

 

[SteveISU]

Get the regular S2

 

[titanoman]

It depends on what you mean by "the regular S2". T-mobile's S2's are better than the "the regulars" w/ the larger screen and processors.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

 

[chmcke01]

It depends on what you mean by "the regular S2". T-mobile's S2's are better than the "the regulars" w/ the larger screen and processors.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

As I said, I am on AT&T so by regular S2 I am referring to the original AT&T Galaxy S2 (I believe it is named the Attain or something like that).

 

[titanoman]

As I said, I am on AT&T so by regular S2 I am referring to the original AT&T Galaxy S2 (I believe it is named the Attain or something like that).

My bad. Sorry.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

 

[GravityDroid]

Hi,

I'm in the same boat as you are, and have gone through the exact same situation you have over the past month or so deciding which android to get.

Personally I'm getting the Skyrocket over the original and here's why:

- I live in an LTE area, and would like the increased speed this phone will offer with that.
- I've played with the original S2 at the at&t store, and it felt too narrow, 4.5 felt perfect when I played with it, I want that increased screen size, the extra real estate makes a huge difference to me. Increased experience with games, browsing, etc.
- The skyrocket, according to at&t's website will have 1.3gb of ram as opposed to 1 on the original.
- Let's be rational about this for a second, do these arguments about an "inferior" processor really matter? Are you really going to loose sleep over the processor being "inferior" when you can't even notice it in your daily use? I'm not worried about it in the least.

So there you go. Try to find rational arguments on the topic, I've noticed over the last few days that there are a LOT of whiny original GS2 owners who are hell bent saying anything bad about this phone they can because they're beginning to feel like their devices are going to become obsolete because of it (not saying they are). It's pathetic to be honest.

 

[Reggie]

Since you can't get a new phone till December there will be lots of info out on the Skyrocket by then. But since you are on a limited data plan I am not sure LTE serves you that well. I like the bigger screen and I have read mixed reviews on the chip used in this phone. I tried the T-Mobil version of the Galaxy S2 which uses that chip I think and it seemed quite quick and has the same screen.
I get my upgrade next Monday after the release of the skyrocket. I plan to get it even though northern Co does not have LTE yet but I know the transmitters are LTE ready - it is just the backbone that has to be enabled.

 

[Shermdiggity]

This is a great question and one that I'm wrestling with right now. I was one of those who got the SGSII on AT&T on October 2nd. In fact, i was like second in line....still mad that other person beat me!

Anyway, I'm very happy with my SGSII. I am though, quite ticked off at AT&T for announcing an upgraded model of the phone within a month of the previous one hitting the market. Normally, I'm not the guy to chase the next phone with better specs. However, the timing on this one was 29 days by my count, it is an upgrade of the same model, and it is on the same carrier. That is a lot to ignore.

Some are saying, "I don't have LTE in my area so I don't care" or "LTE is gonna kill the battery". For me, I only buy a phone every 18-24 months, so I want to feel good that the tech in my phone is going to last and be relevant during that timeframe. My area doesn't have LTE now, but it will get it within a reasonable amount of time....plus I travel a bit to the cities that either have or will soon have LTE. In addition, we don't know for sure that "LTE is gonna kill the battery" at AT&T. They've said multiple times their LTE phones will work differently than those of Verizon which require powering 2 independent radios, using what they're coining as "circuit switch fall back" technology. So, with the additional battery capacity of 1850 vs. 1600 and this new technology, I'm not sure that we can say for sure that "LTE is gonna kill the battery".

The next thing is the processor. Again, I love my SGSII with its Exynos chip. That said, if the SGSII Skyrocket has, as assumed the 1.5 Ghz Snapdragon processor, will I really notice a difference in real-world usage? I dunno. If somebody has a definitive example of real-world usage being worse on the 1.5Ghz processor than the 1.2 Exynos, please let me know....seriously, I'm really curious and seeking information here.

Lastly, there is the size....4.5 vs. 4.3. Right now, 4.3 seems perfect for me. However, if the case of the 4.5 isn't appreciably bigger and they've been able to increase the screen size without enlarging the case much, I may not really feel that the phone is bigger. If this is true, then I may have a winner.

While I can't "future proof" my phone, I really do want to give myself the highest probability of using a phone for the 18-24 months that isn't a dinosaur and will serve my needs. I'll be in the store on Sunday playing around with the new phone trying to figure this out.

Anybody have any other thoughts? Help a brotha out, please!

 

[CZ Eddie]

If you like to use custom ROM's or are a high end Android gamer, then I'd go with the OG SG II.

If not, then I'd get the Skyrocket.

 

[Hortobkt]

its still going to have the exynos from what Ive read

 

[Tom S.]

I wouldn't worry about the processor so much. Touchwiz 4.0 is pretty quick if you want to stick with the default launcher.

 

[ppeklak]

I wouldn't worry about the processor so much. Touchwiz 4.0 is pretty quick if you want to stick with the default launcher. If I remember correctly, the Galaxy Nexus has a Qualcomm CPU also. I believe they developed ICS on the Galaxy Nexus with hardware acceleration with that chipset in mind. It may be for that reason it has a Qualcomm. You may get a quicker ICS ugrade.

Galaxy Nexus is an OMAP 4460. I'd either get a phone with OMAP for ICS or Exynos...screw S3 chips.

 

[planoman]

I live in the Dallas area and travel frequently to Houston, San Antonio and Austin for business. I bought the SGSII on launch day (Oct 2) and returned it last week because I was pretty convinced a good LTE phone was coming to AT&T in Novemember. I really want LTE if I can keep my unlimited data and the battery life is acceptable. I am in sales and cannot just plug in anytime I want.

I have seen all of the discussions back and forth on whether to return the SGSII or keep the SGSII etc. I know I want LTE so the SGSII is no longer an option. I bought a Atrix 2 off contract to have and keep as a back up. (I really like it).

I have heard in many threads that the skyrocket will be close in specs to the T mobile version of the SGSII with an LTE radio. I have read in amusment several people dismissing this phone because the processor. Tonight I went to a T Mobile store to check out their SGSII.

1. I thought the size was fine. It was a bit bigger and heavier than my Atrix 2 but felt fine in my hands and I was able to use one handed just fine.

2. The screen looked very nice. I know the resolution is 480x 800 which is the same as the ATT SGSII but on a larger screen. My Atrix 2 has a significantly higher resolution than these phones so the icons looked huge to me but I had a Captivate, so I understand the screen technology. I did not see any pixelation that would bother me. Overall no issues with the screen for me.

3. "Snappiness"- It was snappy and I did not notice any lag putting it through the screens and app drawer etc. It responded very well. (Remember, I also had the famous Exynos processor for 3 weeks) This is with the Qualcomm processor everyone is throwing under the bus right?

4. Quadrant- I downloaded and ran quadrant twice and the average was 2250. I then ran a Quadrant on my Atrix 2 which has a TI OMAP dual core and it averaged 2200. My Atrix UI is very fluid and I have no issues with lag at all. I might give a slight edge to the SGSII (which had a 3200) that I had over my Atrix 2, but certainly not enough to lose sleep over.

5. The Skyrocket will have LTE. There will be absolutely no doubt on which phone loads data faster. It will quite simply blow the SGSII out of the water on tasks like downloading/updating apps, video calls, Netflix without wifi etc.

So my question for the processor gurus out there is "what will I not be able to do with this Qualcomm processor that will keep me up at night?" I doubt I will be able to see any differences in practical performance but I have no doubt that when I show an SGSII owner the speed of the network their jaw will drop!

Of course my final test is battery life! My Atrix 2 excels here. I will wait to see the reports on battery life before grabing a skyrocket.

Am I missing somthing important in the processor debate or is it really overblown?

PS I bet my Atrix 2 gets ICS before any of the SGSII's do! lol!

 

[Tom S.]

I live in the Dallas area and travel frequently to Houston, San Antonio and Austin for business. I bought the SGSII on launch day (Oct 2) and returned it last week because I was pretty convinced a good LTE phone was coming to AT&T in Novemember. I really want LTE if I can keep my unlimited data and the battery life is acceptable. I am in sales and cannot just plug in anytime I want.

I have seen all of the discussions back and forth on whether to return the SGSII or keep the SGSII etc. I know I want LTE so the SGSII is no longer an option. I bought a Atrix 2 off contract to have and keep as a back up. (I really like it).

I have heard in many threads that the skyrocket will be close in specs to the T mobile version of the SGSII with an LTE radio. I have read in amusment several people dismissing this phone because the processor. Tonight I went to a T Mobile store to check out their SGSII.

1. I thought the size was fine. It was a bit bigger and heavier than my Atrix 2 but felt fine in my hands and I was able to use one handed just fine.

2. The screen looked very nice. I know the resolution is 480x 800 which is the same as the ATT SGSII but on a larger screen. My Atrix 2 has a significantly higher resolution than these phones so the icons looked huge to me but I had a Captivate, so I undestand the screen technology. I did not see any pixelation that would bother me. Overall no issues with the screen for me.

3. "Snappiness"- It was snappy and I did not notice any lag putting it through the screens and app drawer etc. It responded very well. (Remember, I also had the famous Exynos processor for 3 weeks) This is with the Qualcomm processor everyone is throwing under the bus right?

4. Quadrant- I downloaded and ran quadrant twice and the average was 2250. I then ran a Quadrant on my Atrix 2 which has a TI OMAP dual core and it averaged 2200. My Atrix UI is very fluid and I have no issues with lag at all. I might give a slight edge to the SGSII that I had over my Atrix 2, but certainly not enough to lose sleep over.

5. The Skyrocket will have LTE. There will be absolutely no doubt on which phone loads data faster. It will quite simply blow the SGSII out of the water on tasks like downloading/updating apps, video calls, Netflix without wifi etc.

So my question for the processor gurus out there is "what will I not be able to do with this Qualcomm processor that will keep me up at night?" I doubt I will be able to see any differences in practical performance but I have no doubt that when I show an SGSII owner the speed of the network their jaw will drop!

Of course my final test is battery life! My Atrix 2 excels here. I will wait to see the reports on battery life before grabing a skyrocket.

Am I missing somthing important in the processor debate or is it really overblown?

I don't think you're missing anything. It's like the cameras, mp don't so much as the sensors. You can keep your unlimited plan if you upgrade to LTE. I verified that in a chat and on the phone with AT&T.

If it's terrible, you have 30 days to send it back. I'm getting it because I live in DC. I have the SGSII now and it is a great phone

 

[GravityDroid]

So my question for the processor gurus out there is "what will I not be able to do with this Qualcomm processor that will keep me up at night?" I doubt I will be able to see any differences in practical performance but I have no doubt that when I show an SGSII owner the speed of the network their jaw will drop!

Absolutely nothing. I can't like this enough. This whole "Oh noes its a Qualcomm, run for the hills!" is just ridiculous. I'm sorry but its nothing but disgruntled OG GS2 owners trying to make themselves feel better about their own phone. I'm going to my local t-mobile store tomorrow to check out the gs2 phone as you did, and I expect nothing but great things.
It's a high end processor, not a graham cracker for gods sake, its performance is going to be just as amazing as the legendary exynos apparently is, nothing is wrong with it.
The LTE on this Skyrocket will however make a noticeable difference.

 

[ricktat]

I head from a Samsung rep ( he is the brother of my sister in laws neighbor from her old house that she moved from 12 years ago) that the Exynos = Chuck Norris and the Snappy = Barney Fife:-\

And remember this was from my source at Samsung.O

 

[planoman]

I head from a Samsung rep ( he is the brother of my sister in laws neighbor from her old house that she moved from 12 years ago) that the Exynos = Chuck Norris and the Snappy = Barney Fife:-\

And remember this was from my source at Samsung.O

Yes and give Barney LTE and he will blow Chuck out of the water on data speeds.

It will be like Indiana Jones watching that Muscleman with the sword go through all his moves with a sword and then Indiana pulls out a gun and shoots him dead! I'll take the bullet from a rusty gun over a sleek shiny sword any day. Do not bring a processor to a data speed fight. HSPA+ will lose to LTE every time!

It's about LTE speed, not processor speed. It is like a i7 processor on dial up versus a celeron on fios. Which do you want?

If you live in LTE area, you should go see how fast their LTE is. ATT has a android tablet at the stores now. Go check it out!

 

[Nchaka]

The Skyrocket while LTE capable is also able to get HSPA+ at max theoretical speeds. So if you don't have LTE in your area yet, you should be able to still get higher data speeds. Also by December, AT&T may announce they are getting the Nexus and It may have LTE. Plus the Verizon version will have been out and you can see the reviews on here.

 

[chmcke01]

The Skyrocket while LTE capable is also able to get HSPA+ at max theoretical speeds. So if you don't have LTE in your area yet, you should be able to still get higher data speeds. Also by December, AT&T may announce they are getting the Nexus and It may have LTE. Plus the Verizon version will have been out and you can see the reviews on here.

I just got off the phone with AT&T to try to clear a few things up. First off, the guy said he had never heard of the Galaxy Nexus (was worth a try I guess). My area just has regular 3G speeds for data (get about 2 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up). The rep told me that it is expected to take until mid to late 2013 for LTE to reach my area. So, at best I will have LTE for a couple of months before I am eligible for an upgrade again.

However, they did say that we will get some HSPA+ coverage (1 tower) by the end of December and full HSPA+ coverage (3 more towers, so a total of 4) by the end of March 2012.

So, once I do have HSPA+ in my area, if I were to hold the original AT&T Galaxy S2 in my left hand, and had the Galaxy S2 Skyrocket in my right, would the Skyrocket be faster even though we were just in an HSPA+ coverage area?

 

[NegativeBeef]

Absolutely nothing. I can't like this enough. This whole "Oh noes its a Qualcomm, run for the hills!" is just ridiculous.

The Qualcomm has been proven to be slower than the Exynos. And not only is the CPU slower the GPU is slower as well.

I'm sorry but its nothing but disgruntled OG GS2 owners trying to make themselves feel better about their own phone.

And how do you know this? I actually thought about getting the Skyrocket until I found out it was using a Crapdragon. Many current GS2 felt the same way. How is that disgruntled? Perhaps it's YOU that's disgruntled because the skyrocket will sport inferior hardware and you're just trying to make yourself feel better.