Debating iPhone 4s vs Rezound - going to the source

[strickforce]

Ok, so here is the deal -

I am an avid phone enthusiast and always seem to have a different phone every month. I have been with Android based phones since OG, and have owned almost all of them. Recently, I switched to the darkside and got an iPhone 4s. Now - I love both platforms for different reasons.

I love ALL of the photo editing apps on the iPhone - its insane what I can do with pictures on the iPhone and how great the quality is.

My gripe with Android is the lack-there-of in this ONE department (which as a family man is a larger department these days). Now, I have posted my iPhone on CL trying to trade it for either a rezound or GN - and I found someoen taht wants to trade me his rezound - I am literally trying to figure out if I really want to do it or not, and need you guys to help me make the choice that I want to make (get the rezound).

4G is not so much of a big deal for me - I am either at home, or at work and at both I have wifi - if I am driving around, I dont really mind not having a 4G connection to stream a netflix movie, because well, I just dont fit that end user market - (yeah I know web browsing will be much faster) -

Anywho - what I need convincing on is speed and camera. I have played around with the device in a verizon store, and was pleasently suprised at how well the camera worked (although there still dont seem to be any compartive apps for photo editing as there are on the iphone, unless someone knows more about it?) Speed - say all you want about the speed of android phones, but the closest Android phone that I ever had that 'speed' wise was comparable to how butter smooth web browsing is on the iphone was the HTC Sensation, and that was overclocked... It drives me nuts that something as basic as swiping between screens, or browsing the net 'stutters' - the phone I used in the store was PLENTY fast with the screensn, but still did seem to 'stutter' when browsing the web - is that fixed with root/oc'd roms? or is it still an issue?

I am going to respond to this guy, but plan on trading tomorrow for the phone, depending on how I think things through tonight.

Would love any and all comments

 

[vickery1956]

I have the Rezound and love it! Go with Rezound. It is one amazing phone!

 

[strickforce]

Yeah, but how are the speed issues when browsing the web? Doesnt it sutter?

 

[quinngoldie]

I have an iPhone 4S for work and I just recently got my Rezound for my personal phone. I prefer the Rezound over the iPhone for various reasons, and none of them have to do with it being 4g because like you, I'm usually on wifi wherever I am. As far as camera quality is concerned, I have found the Rezound's camera to be better both in quality and the fact that it's more user-friendly.

 

[VidJunky]

I don't know what your talking about with the stutter, and admittedly I'm not a speed freak. I did pick the Zound based on it's specs 60% brand 20% reviews 15% and everything else 5%. There are several face offs on YouTube here is one against the iPhone. Right at the 10 minute mark is a speed test. I think you'll be impressed. As far as the actual browser the closest I can get is just vs. iPhone 4, not the s. The vid isn't the highest quality and he gets some of the specs wrong, but you can see them side by side.

GL
Hope to see you on the Rezound Forum.

 

[boomerbsg]

no stutter here when browsing the web..
Have a look at picsay pro for editing your pics..

And if family photos are important don't use a phone camera... Go get a nice point and shoot.

Cheers

 

[wythme2]

I switched over from an iPhone, I personally love the android os, and after 4 different android phones, I think the resound wins hands down over the iPhone. Speed is awesome. Camera is awesome and the customization is so much better than the iPhone.

 

[strickforce]

Thanks guys - as far as point and shoot - this iPhone is my point and shoot - with all the fancy dslr apps out there I can go out with the fam, take tons of pics, have them looking professional and photoshopped in no time and then finish it all off with a quick iMovie slides how - that I guess is the biggest thing I will miss. :/

Have not tried picsay, does it let you customize and add filters?

I will check out those video comparisons regarding speed as well. Thanks

 

[chucknine]

I think you make sacrifices either way.The rezound is not smoother than the iPhone but it comes close.The larger 720 p screen + the camera are a selling point for me.I only have an iPod touch to compare to and the only thing it does better than my phone is music.I haven't messed with picture editing much but videos can be clipped and shortened.Also it takes screenshots(I know iPhone has that),has DLNA(which is pretty cool for watching videos or pics on your tv)and the lock screen is awsome and usefull for getting to apps quickly.I would choose the rezound over the iPhone any day.

 

[anonymous9458679834576]

Funny you should mention this post. I have a Galaxy Nexus w/ VZW that I am trading in. I love the phone but there are some serious shortcomings. The lack of a cutting edge camera sensor and "real" extended battery make this phone a non-starter now that I've had it for a few weeks. I'm taking advantage of VZW's extended return policy (see below) but couldn't decide between the 4S and the Rezound. After reading these comments and putting a Rezound in my hands today I can tell you that I'll be picking one up. The 4S is nice and I have iPhone envy but I'd lose too much by switching platforms.

Google Maps? Gone - I'd be lost in seconds
Flash? Gone - for me this is a big deal
Big screen? Gone - I've had a 4.3" or bigger since the original X and love the size
Baked in Google everything? - Duh..gone!
Losing 4G isn't a deal breaker but why bother going from one phone with battery issues to another?

My two cents: Get the Rezound and don't look back

VZW return policy: Phones purchased between 11/15/11 and 12/28 are eligible for a return by 1/15/12 subject to a $35 restocking fee

-T

 

[yapkuen]

Google Maps? Gone - I'd be lost in seconds

Isn't the iPhone's Maps application just Google Maps delivered through Apple's UI? Admittedly, it doesn't have Google Navigation.

 

[dpham00]

the 4S is very smooth switching between screens. It also has very plain screens (no real widgets) and a very light basic interface. it isn't a bad interface, but it isn't as customizable as say the rezound. which is better is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[twolastnames]

Stock camera has 11 filters, and a bunch of frames as well, this is after the fact processing. There is also 8 setting for shooting pics as well, 2 of them specifically for low light, as well as 13 filters while shooting. Setting up a slideshow is pretty easy, and with Astro, or other file browsing progam, moving each group of pics is pretty easy. By no means is there a ton of editing features, but the stock HTC camera has quite a bit, most of which was stolen for ICS. Also, the shutter speed on the rezound is perfect. Instant (like the nexus) makes it hard to get the autofocus perfect. There is just the tiniest bit of lag, just for the autofocus to make one last adjustment (.05 seconds, tops)

The stock browser is a joke. Dolphin Mini, x-scope (my favorite), firefox are all better by quite a bit. Also, rooting, and putting one of scroslers roms on, cleanROM or SenselessROM speed up the entire phone just a tiny bit. You can also flash a different kearnel, which you can overclock or use to help save battery.

I've never owned an IPHONE, so I can't compare the two, but I think the sensation and rezound are sister phones, rezound has a better camera and 720p screen, and most everything else is the same, correct?

 

[strickforce]

Sensation XL or sensation? The normal sensation I believe is only a 1.2ghz and snapdragon 2. Isn't the rezound 1.5ghz and sd3?

 

[smokinHawk]

i had the ipone 4 for a short time (3gs before that) and took it back to get the htc inspire cause the iphone coulndt do the things i wanted it to do as the htc inspire could.
when i switched to verizon i got the motorla razr, but it crapped out on my and decided i liked sense so much better so i got the rezound.
I am very happy with it battery life lasted longer too. but the screen was better with the razr, plus lighter and thinner was nice. 9but now i got the extended battery with the rezound)
comparing the iphone 4 with rezound i personally prefer the rezound as i like sense better and having the ability to do more then the iphone could. but the ipone does have a better camera, mostly in poor light situations and shutter speed.the ipones operating system is also easier to figure out for those that cant pick up on thinks quickly like my friend who switched to a razr from the iphone and constantly es about not be able to figure out things on the razr and have it die constantly.
there are some people that should use the iphone for easibility.

 

[JeffDenver]

the 4S is very smooth switching between screens. It also has very plain screens (no real widgets) and a very light basic interface. it isn't a bad interface, but it isn't as customizable as say the rezound. which is better is in the eye of the beholder.

I set up Google Maps on my Roommates 3G. It is not a real app...it is basically a shortcut to a special mobile-version of the website. No, it does not work remotely as well as the Android app IMO (but beggars cant be choosers...and it does work).

As for comparisons...the iPhone will be faster for games, but the Rezound will be faster for everything else (by a wide margin). The Rezound has a far better screen...not just in terms of resolution, but in PPI as well. Despite being physically bigger, it STILL has better detail than the Retina display, and that is a big deal IMO.

The Rezound has more memory and better multi-tasking, and you can use widgets and live wallpapers on it. You can sideload apps and go thorough alternative markets if you want. The Camera is better (still shots are at least as good, and video is much better...it will do 1080p video). The Rezound has expandable storage (SD). The front camera is also significantly better than the iPhone's.

I know you dont care about 4G, but the GPS on this phone is incredible. When using Google Maps it locks onto my location instantly, even when I am inside a building. I have never even seen that with other Android phones before. My OG Droid would take 15 to 30 seconds to lock my location and sometimes longer.

 

[xxfallacyxx]

My friend has an iPhone 4S and he ooo's and aaa's over my screen whenever I play something HD on it.

The screen really is that much better than the iPhone. The camera has been better as well, especially on macro shots. My girlfriend used to carry around a digital camera, she's since stopped as my phone camera takes better photos than the digital.

 

[idiotekniques]

the GPS is excellent on this. paired with Google Maps turn by turn and pre-caching map areas to lower data usage it is amazing for navigation with the ridiculously sharp screen resolution. the speakerphone is quite loud which rounds out the features needed for a superb GPS unit.

the camera is very good, but turn off some BS settings like Auto-Enhance and sharpening if you use the cameras native app. once i did that it is excellent. this is a great thread at XDA by someone who did a lot of testing of what settings are best on the rezound camera:

Camera tips to take better pictures - xda-developers

i find picsaypro is a fantastic picture editing app for android also.

fyi i do not find stuttering in web browsing. i do find it in screen swiping and it pisses me off to no end. this happens with both ADW launcher as well as ADW EX. i am rooted and bloat frozen. happened before and after rooting. with or without SET CPU running on the ON DEMAND setting.

the screen is amazing. battery life is ok and it helps that i use wifi a lot and keep 4g turned off most of the time. i don't really need 4G. and compared to theiPhone 4G is gravy anyway. at least you have it there. but with 4G on it really sucks down the battery. what's good about the Rezound is the battery is so thin i keep one in my wallet fully charged. also gravy compared to the iPhone. with the iPhone or Razr if you run out of juice you are done until you find a way to charge. most other Android phones you can swap in another battery. i find that a huge plus.

 

[cckgz4]

Keep the iPhone if you know Android doesn't have any photo editing apps that are on par with apple

sent from the MyTouch 4G

 

[JeffDenver]

Yeah, I have found 4G to be largely overhyped. The main thing I like about it is just that you can use data and voice at the same time.