[sbudaj]

I'm ready to upgrade from my Bionic which has served me very well.

I can't decide which to get.

Help!

Thanks.

[Aquila]

+ on the S4
Removable Battery
Expandable Storage
Better Screen

- on the S4
Touchwiz
Buttons
Bloatware
Radios

+ on the Maxx
32GB internal storage
Battery Life
Software
Radios
Kevlar

- on the Maxx
Bootloader (not confirmed)
Not out yet
Less accessories than the S4

[Dreamliner330]

Of those choices, I'd take the MAXX for sure. Samsung's radio issues are no joke. I'm torn between the HTC One+Mophie vs Droid MAXX.

[Serial Fordicator]

Samsung. Touchwhiz is great. Moto needs to break out of their shell. No % on battery, enclosed storage and battery.

Now add samsung with 32gb internal + a 64gb SD. Wow

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

[Serial Fordicator]

+ on the S4
Removable Battery
Expandable Storage
Better Screen

- on the S4
Touchwiz
Buttons
Bloatware
Radios

+ on the Maxx
32GB internal storage
Battery Life
Software
Radios
Kevlar

- on the Maxx
Bootloader (not confirmed)
Not out yet
Less accessories than the S4

You can get an s4 with 32 GB of internal too

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

[Dreamliner330]

^Touchwiz is absolutely awful. Play with a S4 for 5 minutes and you can see what a stuttering nightmare it is. Yuck.

Who cares about a removable battery. It's so silly to carry around an extra battery...then go through the hassle of charging 2 batteries every night and fumbling around with de-casing the phone to put a new battery in every day...no thanks.

Agree on Micro SD though. But Google wants cloud storage...which is really stupid when a HD digital copy is 5GB+.

[Aquila]

You can get an s4 with 32 GB of internal too

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Good call, I didn't play with the color selection on Verizon's site. On the default one it's 16GB only but if you select black or white 32GB is an option. Thanks!

[Serial Fordicator]

^Touchwiz is absolutely awful. Play with a S4 for 5 minutes and you can see what a stuttering nightmare it is. Yuck.

Who cares about a removable battery. It's so silly to carry around an extra battery...then go through the hassle of charging 2 batteries every night and fumbling around with de-casing the phone to put a new battery in every day...no thanks.

Agree on Micro SD though. But Google wants cloud storage...which is really stupid when a HD digital copy is 5GB+.

I'd have to disagree. I prefer it to blur for features.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

[Haalcyon]

From someone that has the 32GB S4 I can recommend it. The screen is really
nice...as is the expandable storage and swappable/upgradeable battery. It just seems like there's more to love for less $$ with
the S4.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using AC Forums mobile app

[KWKSLVR]

Of those choices, I'd take the MAXX for sure. Samsung's radio issues are no joke. I'm torn between the HTC One+Mophie vs Droid MAXX.

I second the notion about Samsung's radios. I've had an original SGS and an GNex. The radios/GPS on the SGS were horrible (especially the GPS). The GNex was a big improvement, but literally every other phone on Verizon seems to do a better job. Voice quality is also pretty crappy. I know most phones are pretty crappy, but through the years of cell phone usage, the only manufacturer I've seen that can hold a candle to RIM's radio's is Motorola. Motorola also always seems to have really, really awesome speaker phones.

I'm leaning towards the Maxx. I'm really happy with my GNex still, for the most part, but if I can't get another Nexus on Verizon then I'd rather have something as close to stock as possible. 4.2 + Touchwiz just makes for a laggy experience. I'm hoping that the new Droid's don't suffer from 4.2's bloat. As far as the bootloader thing goes, I'm hoping that there's a change in how Motorola does their locking. It's not likely, but it's worth hoping for. In the end, if I can get a polished version of CM on it, I'd probably be happy with it.

The big pluses for me on the Maxx are: Battery, 32GB Storage, Call Quality (hopefully), Stockish Android, All the voice stuff. 16GB's of storage is a total joke to me. I need the extra storage for all of my music, audio books, etc.

[Haalcyon]

I've had no issues with my AT&T's radios. What should I be looking for?

Sent from my Element Eclipsed S4

[KWKSLVR]

Samsung's radio's are typically weaker than, well, everyone's. Typically you can only tell in rural/fringe area's. It's a huge help (sarcasm) in the battery life department.

[Haalcyon]

Samsung's radio's are typically weaker than, well, everyone's. Typically you can only tell in rural/fringe area's. It's a huge help (sarcasm) in the battery life department.

It's a good thing I have AT&T and live near Washington DC. The signal is always strong with me.

Sent from me LTE Note 8.0

[Dreamliner330]

I second the notion about Samsung's radios. I've had an original SGS and an GNex. The radios/GPS on the SGS were horrible (especially the GPS). The GNex was a big improvement, but literally every other phone on Verizon seems to do a better job.

I had the Verizon GNEX 2 hours before my first dropped call.

Motorola also always seems to have really, really awesome speaker phones.

Agreed, Samsung really used to struggle with an echo problem on their speakerphones...

I'm leaning towards the Maxx. I'm really happy with my GNex still, for the most part, but if I can't get another Nexus on Verizon then I'd rather have something as close to stock as possible.

This is why I'm contemplating the HTC One, with a Google Edition ROM, its stock Android.

In the end, if I can get a polished version of CM on it, I'd probably be happy with it.

The S4 is way way way more likely to have a stable version of CM, its already in the works. The RAZR/RAZR HD has never had a stable completed version of CM because of kernel issues. I don't see that changing with the DMAXX.

The big pluses for me on the Maxx are: Battery, 32GB Storage, Call Quality (hopefully), Stockish Android, All the voice stuff. 16GB's of storage is a total joke to me. I need the extra storage for all of my music, audio books, etc.

How Google ever thought cloud storage was the answer is beyond me. With HD movies being 5GB+ a piece, music collections being huge and carriers charger per GB, cloud will never work.

I don't understand why phones haven't hit 100GB+

I've had no issues with my AT&T's radios. What should I be looking for?

If you don't have any issues with AT&T or Samsung, then you're like a unicorn..or Yoda. I'd stay put. I've had major issues with AT&T and Samsung (separately).

It's a good thing I have AT&T and live near Washington DC. The signal is always strong with me.0

[Snareman]

Samsung. Touchwhiz is great. Moto needs to break out of their shell. No % on battery, enclosed storage and battery.

Now add samsung with 32gb internal + a 64gb SD. Wow

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I'd have to disagree. I prefer it to blur for features.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I use Nova launcher so I don't really care about either of these. I do wish they would get the battery % up there so I don't have to get a separate app for it. Everyone else has it. The info is obviously in the phone. Just put it up there for us.

[Snareman]

Who cares about a removable battery. It's so silly to carry around an extra battery...then go through the hassle of charging 2 batteries every night and fumbling around with de-casing the phone to put a new battery in every day...no thanks.

Agree on Micro SD though. But Google wants cloud storage...which is really stupid when a HD digital copy is 5GB+.

I cared a lot about the removeable battery when I was still on my GNex. The battery would never make it through a busy day. On vacation I'd always bring 1-2 extra batteries since I wasn't near a charger throughout the day like I am at work. I had chargers everywhere because I needed them everywhere. Because of those experiences I told myself I'd never get a phone without a removeable battery. Its one of the things that kept me away from an iphone. But now with my RMHD I have no need for a removable battery and that's what will get it to pretty much only consider the new Maxx.

[Haalcyon]

I just don't think I can ever go back to a phone with less than 320ppi and preferably not less than a 5" screen. I'm hoping the Note 3 bests both of these specs and keeps the removable battery. If so, sold my S4 will be.

Sent from me LTE Note 8.0

[Nelson Guerrero]

I have the original Droid Razr Maxx (flashed to cm 10.1.2) and its been great to me but I got an updgrade in August... Im debating the Droid Maxx or the Galaxy S4....

Im really leaning towards the Galaxy S4. I have a 64gb sd card with about 50 gb of music. The Droid Maxx not having an micro sd slot is a super negative for me.

I think im going to end up getting the Galaxy S4. And the whole battery thing, they have a 7500 mah battery for the S4 which is basically double the Maxx battery. Thats the great thing about the S4. You have options to put whatever battery size you like and microSD card slot.

I have heard bad things about touch wiz though... but if your able to flash a rom then it should be okay right?

[Snareman]

I have the original Droid Razr Maxx (flashed to cm 10.1.2) and its been great to me but I got an updgrade in August... Im debating the Droid Maxx or the Galaxy S4....

Im really leaning towards the Galaxy S4. I have a 64gb sd card with about 50 gb of music. The Droid Maxx not having an micro sd slot is a super negative for me.

I think im going to end up getting the Galaxy S4. And the whole battery thing, they have a 7500 mah battery for the S4 which is basically double the Maxx battery. Thats the great thing about the S4. You have options to put whatever battery size you like and microSD card slot.

I have heard bad things about touch wiz though... but if your able to flash a rom then it should be okay right?

And just how fat and heavy does that make the phone?

[Haalcyon]

And just how fat and heavy does that make the phone?

Heavier but nothing uncomfortable to most I'd imagine, it's nice to have the option.

Sent from my Element Eclipsed S4

[Dreamliner330]

I have heard bad things about touch wiz though... but if your able to flash a rom then it should be okay right?

Touchwiz is awful. But with CM or the Google Edition ROM, it is excellent.

And just how fat and heavy does that make the phone?

It's a Zero Lemon battery and comes with a tpu case. It's actually a pretty nice concept, but reviews say it negatively affects signal strength, which isn't strong to begin with.

[Serial Fordicator]

Touchwiz is awful. But with CM or the Google Edition ROM, it is excellent.

It's a Zero Lemon battery and comes with a tpu case. It's actually a pretty nice concept, but reviews say it negatively affects signal strength, which isn't strong to begin with.

Play with both at the store. I like touchwhiz and will continue to use Samsung due to the features. See which phone you prefer.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

[Serial Fordicator]

Everyone talks about lag, but I just don't notice it. I have rooted and flashed all kinds of ROMs but there was always something wrong with a feature or the phones would just reset. I guess to each their own.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

[robstunner]

Everyone talks about lag, but I just don't notice it. I have rooted and flashed all kinds of ROMs but there was always something wrong with a feature or the phones would just reset. I guess to each their own.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I have no lag, however I'm on the GoldenEye ROM running off the latest international base. I really want to like the new droids (judging from how I'm here reading) but I just don't get why the phone ships with a 720p 5" display. It's as if they are on the same path of having a good phone with a sub par screen and sub par camera. Both versions of the last had the same problem. The S4 only loses to the droid maxx in on board battery size. (However I love my swappable battery)



Why 720p Motorola. Why!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[KWKSLVR]

My issue with the Google Edition phones is cost. $600 for a stockish device isn't worth it to me when you can grab 2 N4's for the same money. The Nexus 4 is still an awesome device.

Part of the price you pay for a device that has TouchWiz, or Sense or Motoblur is that you're paying for that company's "enhancements" to Android. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the options are out there. But paying that much for a device that is just "mostly" stock essentially just get an unlocked bootloader is too steep for my checking account. I'm glad they're there, but personally, I'll pass.