Droid dna or maxx hd

[johnnyshinta]

I currently have a droid dna but I'm considering switching to the maxx hd. My phone has a bigger better scree, 4 cores instead of 2, and 2gb of ram over 1gb. But for some reason the maxx hd just seems cooler. Anyone have any advice?

 

[ericinaz]

I went from the GS3 to the DNA a few weeks ago. Loved the screen size, feel in hand and look but hated the battery and limited storage. Took it back and got a maxx hd. I was a little sad to go down in screen size a d cpu but after a day of use my GS3 would be at 20% battery while the DNA would be almost dead. This maxx hd is at 70% by the end of a day. I have never noticed a slow down in the phone. I did get it after the JB update with butter and that may help. That makes the screen a non issue to me. I am awaiting the GS4 and know I will be very happy with this maxx til then.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Android Central Forums

 

[Megaroad]

The DNA has a bigger, higher res screen and probably runs more smoothly. Nice form factor too, with the curving back. The Maxx HD has better battery life, more storage, an awesome notification light, and has the softkeys which give you a more stock-like experience and can be modded if you're interested in rooting etc. Tough decision.

 

[Dreamliner330]

^Soft keys are a reason NOT to get the MAXX HD. Using screen space for buttons is incredibly stupid. All the ROMS and MODS for the DNA (to which there are many) have button remap options, such as long press and such for alternate actions.

I just switched from the MAXX HD to the DNA. I switched because I really HATE the crappy AMOLED screen in the GS3/MAXX HD. I can literally scale out an entire desktop version of a web page on the DNA and see every single letter, no matter how small it is.

I also switched because the MAXX HD had become almost unusably laggy. I amost noticed MORE lag on the MAXX HD on my OG MAXX.

I'm a bit bummed that the DNA does not have a micro SD slot, but in reality, the audio quality of the sound coming out of the headphone jack on almost all Android phones is pretty horrible. Very few use Wolfson DAC's, so the audio quality is pretty crappy.

I do not like the battery life of the DNA. If I can figure out the awful lag. I might switch back. But the screen is incredibly beautiful.

MAXX HD / Galaxy S3 have the same crappy screen:

I might switch back if I can smooth out the issues I'm having with my MAXX HD.

 

[anon(5484072)]

This screen isn't crappy. Well, not unless you have amazing vision where your eyes can zoom in on the screen.

I understand that the DNA has a nice 1080p screen, but unless you're watching HD movies (which you would have to watch from the cloud, cause that ain't fittin on your phone), the difference is hardly noticeable.

And yes, I have used a DNA before, side by side with a maxx hd at the Verizon store.

 

[Dreamliner330]

This screen isn't crappy. Well, not unless you have amazing vision where your eyes can zoom in on the screen.

I understand that the DNA has a nice 1080p screen, but unless you're watching HD movies (which you would have to watch from the cloud, cause that ain't fittin on your phone), the difference is hardly noticeable.

And yes, I have used a DNA before, side by side with a maxx hd at the Verizon store.

I own both, PenTile AMOLED sucks. It's clarity is awful. Just look at the picture. Even the Note 2 without PenTile looks better than the RAZR HD/ S3... Even with a lower ppi. LCD would look even better.

The poor performance of PenTile and AMOLED is more noticeable with small text. It's less noticeable on videos and pictures.

The difference is night and day. I'm so glad that even Google stopped using it in their Nexus device. AMOLED sucks plain and simple.

I'd never watch a movie on a phone, screen is way too small. I cared about the sd card until I realized that almost all Android phones have a horrible DAC and sound crappy out of the headphone jack. I use a Cowon music player with an Wolfson DAC and FLAC files.

I may go back to the maxx, though with Juice defender, I'm 11 hours in at 47%. I need to get through a full day. The MAXX could do it, but it can't do 2 days, so charging every night will happen regardless.

I really hate the AMOLED screen, but if I have signal issues or battery issues ill switch back.

If they slapped a 3300mah battery, sd card and Wolfson DAC into the DNA, I'd be so happy.

 

[Mellimel22]

Well I love my amoled screen on my Gnex ymmv

Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus rockin 4.2.1 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tommy Clarkson]

Personally I enjoy the fact at the end of the day I'm not running around looking for a charger being a Maxx HD owner. Also, I like being able to put a SD card in my phone.

The Maxx HD is a solid device, wouldn't have it any other way.. I don't plan on upgrading or buying a new phone again for awhile, therefore its nice knowing I have one that will hold up and last.

Its also a ease on my mind knowing Google & Moto are working so close together now. Updates should come at ease. HTC seems too struggle in the updates & battery department. I use too own the Thunderbolt, it may of just of been a bad first impression with the HTC brand though.

 

[Megaroad]

[SUP][/SUP]

^Soft keys are a reason NOT to get the MAXX HD.

I disagree. I think in general Android's multi-button navigation design is questionable (a special button dedicated to recent apps? Come on...they can't figure out some other way for people access that function?), but if you're going to have that design then it's better to have it on-screen and changeable instead of built into the hardware. I've been going back and forth between running 3, 4, or 5 softkeys, and also using a ROM a lot of the time that has no navbar at all (in portrait - I'm hoping they release a version with no navbar in landscape too). For that ROM, you can navigate with LMT.

Samsung's long-press-home for recent apps is a good idea, I think, but it's silly that they have one mechanical button and two capacitive buttons - inconsistent.

 

[Dreamliner330]

[SUP][/SUP]but if you're going to have that design then it's better to have it on-screen and changeable instead of built into the hardware. I've been going back and forth between running 3, 4, or 5 softkeys, and also using a ROM a lot of the time that has no navbar at all (in portrait - I'm hoping they release a version with no navbar in landscape too). For that ROM, you can navigate with LMT..

Agree to disagree I guess. I just feel in an area where screen real estate is a premium, using ~10% of the screen for buttons is incredibly stupid. I also think the address bar in Chrome should hide itself, similar to the Google Search bar.

When you can visually see more web page content on an iPhone 5 screen, you know you've got issues (and this is ignoring they poor clarity of the RAZR that make small letters illegible, I'm simply referring to amount of vertical content.)


I've switched back to the MAXX, the battery life just isn't enough in the DNA. The screen looks great on the DNA. I guess I'd rather deal with a crappy screen than battery issues. The Droid DNA, iPhone 4/4S, 5, Atrix HD, EVO LTE, HTC One X/XL all have better screens than the RAZR/S3, and they are all RGB LCD. PenTile AMOLED is vastly inferior in terms of clarity. Not opinion, fact.

Alas, I put up with the screen for the battery; function over fashion...I guess.

 

[Megaroad]

Agree to disagree I guess. I just feel in an area where screen real estate is a premium, using ~10% of the screen for buttons is incredibly stupid. I also think the address bar in Chrome should hide itself, similar to the Google Search bar.

When you can visually see more web page content on an iPhone 5 screen, you know you've got issues (and this is ignoring they poor clarity of the RAZR that make small letters illegible, I'm simply referring to amount of vertical content.)


I've switched back to the MAXX, the battery life just isn't enough in the DNA. The screen looks great on the DNA. I guess I'd rather deal with a crappy screen than battery issues. The Droid DNA, iPhone 4/4S, 5, Atrix HD, EVO LTE, HTC One X/XL all have better screens than the RAZR/S3, and they are all RGB LCD. PenTile AMOLED is vastly inferior in terms of clarity. Not opinion, fact.

Alas, I put up with the screen for the battery; function over fashion...I guess.

I came from a Droid 2, so the Maxx HD screen looks great to me. I do think the Iphone 5, One X, and DNA have nicer screens - I think that's an LCD vs. LED issue.

I'm enjoying tweaking the setup on an ongoing basis, so I'm enjoying the fact that I can tweat the navigation somewhat too, both functionally and aesthetically.

I just wonder why Google thinks 3 navigation buttons is the sweet spot. You could have only 1 and make it physical like Apple, or if not they could really make use of the space and have 4 or 5 and make the controls more functional instead of having issues like inconsistent menu placement. It's weird that they've got a persistent set of navigation buttons yet apps still all handle Back and Menu differently. Maybe that will be refined in Key Lime Pie. If they're going with 3, I would think Back/Home/Menu would be the way to go, and just make long-press home = recent apps like Samsung does.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as far as reasons for choosing the Maxx HD - it's the only phone with strong battery life, so it wins regardless of other factors.

 

[nocaldawg]

^Soft keys are a reason NOT to get the MAXX HD. Using screen space for buttons is incredibly stupid. All the ROMS and MODS for the DNA (to which there are many) have button remap options, such as long press and such for alternate actions.

I just switched from the MAXX HD to the DNA. I switched because I really HATE the crappy AMOLED screen in the GS3/MAXX HD. I can literally scale out an entire desktop version of a web page on the DNA and see every single letter, no matter how small it is.

I also switched because the MAXX HD had become almost unusably laggy. I amost noticed MORE lag on the MAXX HD on my OG MAXX.

I'm a bit bummed that the DNA does not have a micro SD slot, but in reality, the audio quality of the sound coming out of the headphone jack on almost all Android phones is pretty horrible. Very few use Wolfson DAC's, so the audio quality is pretty crappy.

I do not like the battery life of the DNA. If I can figure out the awful lag. I might switch back. But the screen is incredibly beautiful.

MAXX HD / Galaxy S3 have the same crappy screen:

http://imageshack.us/a/img37/6103/dnanotes3.jpg


I might switch back if I can smooth out the issues I'm having with my MAXX HD.

When you macro zoom both look crappy. DNA wins on screen and little else imho. The Razr Maxx HD is not perfect, but this is the best smartphone I have ever owned on an overall basis. And that battery. That is the killer feature...You can't use the other features if you are away from the charge if you are always worrying about power consumption...

 

[Dreamliner330]

When you macro zoom both look crappy. DNA wins on screen and little else imho. The Razr Maxx HD is not perfect, but this is the best smartphone I have ever owned on an overall basis. And that battery. That is the killer feature...You can't use the other features if you are away from the charge if you are always worrying about power consumption...

Agreed. What's really frustrating to me is the Motorola Atrix HD on AT&T uses a LCD screen and looks gorgeous, it's virtually identical in spec to the RAZR HD; in fact, people actually modded those phones and installed the MAXX battery.

It's obvious that Motorola can use a phenomenal screen (Atrix HD), it just bugs me they didn't use it in the MAXX HD, as LCD is significantly superior than AMOLED in terms of display clarity.

 

[Megaroad]

Full screen in both portrait and landscape now works with a mod for the Fuzion ROM.

 

[Dreamliner330]

^I've had trouble finding ROM's that 100% work, any luck?

 

[Megaroad]

^I've had trouble finding ROM's that 100% work, any luck?

Hmm, I mean I've noticed little issues here and there, but the ones I'm using generally work without any big problems. I've been using Fuzion, Vitreous, and Inflikted. Fuzion is the one that can now go full screen.