Galaxy S4's general stability vs its competitors

[GMasonDragonDad]

I will be up for an upgrade in a few months. Currently running a Droid X2 which requires a reboot (due to a memory leak) every 4-6 days. Before that, I had a Droid 2's power on/off button stop working after a phone lockup and had to pull out the battery to get it to power off. I have read countless reviews of phones, and general stability (needing a reboot) is rarely mentioned. My wife's iPhone 4 is rock stable with all her apps running.

Currently looking at

Galaxy S4 - great screen, 2 gigs ram, replaceable battery / memory card, but wonder if the gigs of samsung and verizon apps will cause general stability issues??

Razr Maxx HD - Biggest battery but burned twice in the past. found a blurb from on Moto support site basically saying "recommend a reboot every few days to keep running optimally" which is unacceptable to me.

HTC One (when Verizon gets it). Hear mixed reviews of HTC's quality in general.

iPhone 5(s) - small screen and don't really want to be associated with apple products due to their fanboys, but if it gives me a stable product.. I will consider.

 

[fatboy97]

I will be up for an upgrade in a few months. Currently running a Droid X2 which requires a reboot (due to a memory leak) every 4-6 days. Before that, I had a Droid 2's power on/off button stop working after a phone lockup and had to pull out the battery to get it to power off. I have read countless reviews of phones, and general stability (needing a reboot) is rarely mentioned. My wife's iPhone 4 is rock stable with all her apps running.

iPhone is an option if you like your OS to just stop running additional apps, or should I say terminates an app because the currently running app needs more memory and the OS starts terminating the largest running app not currently in focus by the OS.

Currently looking at

Galaxy S4 - great screen, 2 gigs ram, replaceable battery / memory card, but wonder if the gigs of samsung and verizon apps will cause general stability issues??

Put enough apps on any mobile smartphone and you will have issues, even on an iPhone or iPad. Personally, I have not seen any stability issue, but I knew what apps I like and what apps I was going to put on this device before I purchased it.

Razr Maxx HD - Biggest battery but burned twice in the past. found a blurb from on Moto support site basically saying "recommend a reboot every few days to keep running optimally" which is unacceptable to me.

Why is this unacceptable? I'm not saying I reboot very often, but what is unacceptable about rebooting once a week or so?

HTC One (when Verizon gets it). Hear mixed reviews of HTC's quality in general.

I'm sure if you read enough reviews you will find some people that have mixed reviews on any device... I have owned HTC in the past, and this is my first Samsung device.

iPhone 5(s) - small screen and don't really want to be associated with apple products due to their fanboys, but if it gives me a stable product.. I will consider.

I have already said part of my issues with Apple, and don't want this to be an Android vs Apple thread... it's definitely your own choice and an option, just not one I would really want to make.

 

[DS1331]

I can only comment on HTC one which is the coolest best phone I've ever had and the screen speakers and no lag responsiveness and the iPhone 5 which like you said is a rock solid fast and reliable phone. But it all depends on what you need your phone for I miss my blackberry bold so much cause of all the work emails I do every day. But the HTC is a cross between business and pleasure and badass build material


Sent from my HTC One using AC Forums mobile app

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

I have two very elderly parents who I am keeping an eye over, a child in 2nd grade, and my wife's schedule. My Droid 2 locked up during a health emergency of my wife and after dropping wife off at emergency room, I had to go phone shopping with a five year old. ER said it would be best to not have small child exposed to the germs. Last winter, both my parents were in hospital and had surgery, and my Droid X2 got unstable during the frequent in/out of email, text, calls, and browser.

Wife's iphone has vonage extensions, viber, facebook, and a few other message apps running, and is stable. I put viber on my X2, and it rebooted every two days. I was hoping the 2 gigs on ram (as oppose to the 512Meg of my X2) would help. but after suffering with Motoblur, and hearing about issues with Touchwiz and Sense along with Verizon's bloatware, I am just tired of ongoing issues. Maybe I am just getting to old to keep tinkering? but the my main purpose of a phone is to place calls and basic messaging/scheduling and browsing which I want most during stressful situations that I will encounter as my parents continue to age.

I have been in IT for 25 years. I supported windows and its problems while all the linux geeks bragged about uptime. since android is based on linux, I was hoping it would be more stable. As I read forums, I am not encouraged about all the hot new phones and their "features". IOS is BORING and Version 7 looks too "girly". I will catch a whole lot of crap if I cross over.. I am frustrated that a less cluttered, big screened, weather protected, massive battery along with uptime measured in months.. is not offered.

I'll go Apple before I deal with Microsoft and its recent Win8 BS!

 

[snookasnoo]

Your my age or older but don't want Apple products because of their fanboys...right...have you ever read this or any other Android forum? Full gof teenagers whining about Apple yet have no idea what they are talking about.

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

I want a large screen for easy reading, and easier typing on a virtual keyboard..(not getting any younger myself). I was excited about Razr Maxx HD, but took interest in G4 with its glowing reviews and replaceable battery and that it is not from Motorola. iPhone 5 is against everything I want.. except for actual running stability for core phone functions.. Thinking that after the 5s is released, The 5 will drop to $100, and maybe get a Mophie battery case for it to double the runtime and protect against my slippery fingers.. Unless somebody can provide another Verizon option.

The fanboys crack me up.. and after fighting against Apple since Window 3.1 days.. it is kind of a an old habit.. The first machine I purchased was a Mac Plus.. so I was a "Mac"head at one time.. Dos/Window skills were needed to advance my IT career..

 

[fatboy97]

I want a large screen for easy reading, and easier typing on a virtual keyboard..(not getting any younger myself). I was excited about Razr Maxx HD, but took interest in G4 with its glowing reviews and replaceable battery and that it is not from Motorola. iPhone 5 is against everything I want.. except for actual running stability for core phone functions.. Thinking that after the 5s is released, The 5 will drop to $100, and maybe get a Mophie battery case for it to double the runtime and protect against my slippery fingers.. Unless somebody can provide another Verizon option.

The fanboys crack me up.. and after fighting against Apple since Window 3.1 days.. it is kind of a an old habit.. The first machine I purchased was a Mac Plus.. so I was a "Mac"head at one time.. Dos/Window skills were needed to advance my IT career..

First you don't like HTC reviews, next you don't like Motorola because of non-removable batteries (I guess that is the unacceptable part above), and of course there is the Apple "fanboys" that you don't like. And I'm fairly sure it was just a slight mistype when you said something about a G4... and maybe meant the S4. Doesn't sound like you are happy with anything.

I guess this is just a good rant thread for you, because it really doesn't sound like you have a question... just a lot of opinions about devices and manufactures.

 

[fatboy97]

Your my age or older but don't want Apple products because of their fanboys...right...have you ever read this or any other Android forum? Full gof teenagers whining about Apple yet have no idea what they are talking about.

I'm no teenager... not even close!!!

 

[DS1331]

I have two very elderly parents who I am keeping an eye over, a child in 2nd grade, and my wife's schedule. My Droid 2 locked up during a health emergency of my wife and after dropping wife off at emergency room, I had to go phone shopping with a five year old. ER said it would be best to not have small child exposed to the germs. Last winter, both my parents were in hospital and had surgery, and my Droid X2 got unstable during the frequent in/out of email, text, calls, and browser.

Wife's iphone has vonage extensions, viber, facebook, and a few other message apps running, and is stable. I put viber on my X2, and it rebooted every two days. I was hoping the 2 gigs on ram (as oppose to the 512Meg of my X2) would help. but after suffering with Motoblur, and hearing about issues with Touchwiz and Sense along with Verizon's bloatware, I am just tired of ongoing issues. Maybe I am just getting to old to keep tinkering? but the my main purpose of a phone is to place calls and basic messaging/scheduling and browsing which I want most during stressful situations that I will encounter as my parents continue to age.

I have been in IT for 25 years. I supported windows and its problems while all the linux geeks bragged about uptime. since android is based on linux, I was hoping it would be more stable. As I read forums, I am not encouraged about all the hot new phones and their "features". IOS is BORING and Version 7 looks too "girly". I will catch a whole lot of crap if I cross over.. I am frustrated that a less cluttered, big screened, weather protected, massive battery along with uptime measured in months.. is not offered.

I'll go Apple before I deal with Microsoft and its recent Win8 BS!

Loll Only solution is blackberry. I love blackberry phones!

Sent from my HTC One using AC Forums mobile app

 

[ddsdavid]

BlackBerry stable? I spewed my coffee on that one. My last blackberry required multiple battery pulls daily. I have a 4S and an S4 and would have to say they both benefit from a reboot every 10 days or so. Never had either just lock up like my last blackberry.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[DS1331]

Not sure my newer bold 9930 was perfect never froze or had to pull battery

Sent from my HTC One using AC Forums mobile app

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

I was thinking "Galaxy 4" (G4) instead of "Galaxy S4" Sorry... I am not an Apple fanboy here to make trouble!! I do not have a Mac! "The Mrs" has an iPhone 4 and iPad (that my kid loves). I have been a Microsoft die hard due to my IT background.. ok?

My question is concerning information about general operating stability with current Verizon products. There are pros and cons to each model and manufacture and I'm trying to determine what is best for me since I may have a literal life or death calls during a medical emergency from 90+ year old parents. No reviewer talks about such issues during the countless product reviews that I have read. Forums from Verizon/Amazon/manufacturers/andriod devoted are full of folks with issues, so I am trying to get a general feel of this forum's actual user experiences. If all the current generation of Verizon's Android phones require weekly reboots.. then that goes into my decision process.

My Droid 2 was stable with 2.2, then 2.3 "upgrade" hosed it big time with daily hangs and reboots. Verizon had me factory reset my phone and acted like it was an unknown issue.. My X2 boots with 120+ megs of free ram.. then slides down to 40's over the next few days while running stock applications of Gmail , browser and text messaging.. I am tired of having to think about it, and my blood boils when I see Blockbuster, Skype and a few other uninstallable applications running as my phone runs out of memory and reboots. I am eligible for an upgrade late August and doing basic research while I wait to see what the next few models will bring. The i<thing> is also on the table of choices.

Thank you all for any information that you can provide.

 

[garublador]

My Droid 2 was stable with 2.2, then 2.3 "upgrade" hosed it big time with daily hangs and reboots. Verizon had me factory reset my phone and acted like it was an unknown issue.. My X2 boots with 120+ megs of free ram.. then slides down to 40's over the next few days while running stock applications of Gmail , browser and text messaging.. I am tired of having to think about it, and my blood boils when I see Blockbuster, Skype and a few other uninstallable applications running as my phone runs out of memory and reboots. I am eligible for an upgrade late August and doing basic research while I wait to see what the next few models will bring. The i<thing> is also on the table of choices.

Thank you all for any information that you can provide.

I moved from a Droid X2 to the Galaxy S4 when it came to Verizon (May 23rd, IIRC) and the stability difference is night and day. There were two times early on when I rebooted because Google Now wasn't seeing my internet connection properly and one other time since then. I may be remembering this wrong, but I believe my wife's iPhone 5 has needed one reboot in that same time. My X2 rebooted itself almost daily.

One thing that is nice about the latest Android versions are that you can disable apps that you can't uninstall. You won't get your storage back from them but they also won't be running in the background for no reason.

It's pretty early on in the S4's life and I remember my X2 functioning pretty well early on as well, but you can still find people with Galaxy S2's that are running well (I'm not sure the same can be said for the X2), so I have more faith that the S4 will hold up for the next 2 years.

 

[majorpayne]

I want a large screen for easy reading, and easier typing on a virtual keyboard..(not getting any younger myself). I was excited about Razr Maxx HD, but took interest in G4 with its glowing reviews and replaceable battery and that it is not from Motorola. iPhone 5 is against everything I want.. except for actual running stability for core phone functions.. Thinking that after the 5s is released, The 5 will drop to $100, and maybe get a Mophie battery case for it to double the runtime and protect against my slippery fingers.. Unless somebody can provide another Verizon option.

The fanboys crack me up.. and after fighting against Apple since Window 3.1 days.. it is kind of a an old habit.. The first machine I purchased was a Mac Plus.. so I was a "Mac"head at one time.. Dos/Window skills were needed to advance my IT career..

I currently have a GS4s. I haven't rebooted my phone in 7 days and I have no plans of rebooting it. I do not have any issues with the core functions of my phone

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

I will be up for an upgrade in a few months. Currently running a Droid X2 which requires a reboot (due to a memory leak) every 4-6 days. Before that, I had a Droid 2's power on/off button stop working after a phone lockup and had to pull out the battery to get it to power off. I have read countless reviews of phones, and general stability (needing a reboot) is rarely mentioned. My wife's iPhone 4 is rock stable with all her apps running.

Currently looking at

Galaxy S4 - great screen, 2 gigs ram, replaceable battery / memory card, but wonder if the gigs of samsung and verizon apps will cause general stability issues??

Razr Maxx HD - Biggest battery but burned twice in the past. found a blurb from on Moto support site basically saying "recommend a reboot every few days to keep running optimally" which is unacceptable to me.

HTC One (when Verizon gets it). Hear mixed reviews of HTC's quality in general.

iPhone 5(s) - small screen and don't really want to be associated with apple products due to their fanboys, but if it gives me a stable product.. I will consider.

My 2?...

I've owned Android phones from all of the big 3 -- Samsung, HTC, and Motorola. Here's my take on each manufacturer's device (this is VERY general, and not specific to any device):

Motorola
PROS: Great radio. In my experience, Moto phones get the best reception out of any of the other Android makers out there. If you live or work in "fringe" areas, this may be something to consider. Granted, I'm not saying HTC or Samsung have *bad* reception, just that Motorolas seem to do better. The obvious other advantage with the Razr Maxx is the huge battery.

CONS: The UI. I've never really liked the UI on Moto android phones. Doesn't seem to add nearly as many features as Sense or Touchwiz, yet doesn't even come close to running vanilla android either.

HTC
PROS: Sense. Some folks are huge fans of HTC's Sense UI...some aren't. Is this really even a "pro"...that's up to you I guess. I haven't really had a chance to play around with the latest version on the One, but reviews seem pretty positive. The other positive feature of the One is it's metal casing, which some prefer to plastic casing used my most other manufacturers. With the One, you also have the higher quality speakers.

CONS: Battery. Again, I'm not familiar enough with the HTC One itself, but in generally HTC devices have a reputation for having small batteries and short battery life compared to competitors

Samsung
PROS: There's a reason the Galaxy line of phones is the top selling Android device. The UI is nice blend of features and usability without deviating from the traditional android experience too much (opinion). The camera is superb. Removable battery and SD card support. Great screen. Battery life is noticeably better than any HTC phone I've ever owned.

CONS: Radio. If I had to list one con about the samsung devices I've owned (the S3 and now the S4), is that compared to HTC, Motorola, and even Apple devices, the signal strength and data reception aren't as good. 99.9% of the time this is a non-issue for me, since I live and work in areas that have great 4G signals, and I don't usually have to worry about it, but there have been times when traveling that I've noticed that my friends with iPhones and Motorola phones are getting data signals while I'm struggling to get web pages to load.


Again, these are just very general statements...I can't stress enough that you should do your own research on whatever specific models you are considering before making a decision.

Keep in mind too that the Droid Razr Maxx HD was released last October, and it is a bit behind the One or S4 spec-wise. If you choose to go that route, you may want to what new devices Motorola has on the Verizon come August when your update is available.

Also, just another comment regarding the reboots you mention above. I've never had the "need" to do regular reboots with my S4 due to memory leaks or anything like that, but with any phone it's probably not a bad idea to reboot it every now and then (once a week?) just to "refresh" the system (yes, even iPhones). Of course, the great thing about the S4, at least my S4, is that it reboots in less than a minute, which is much better than waiting the several minutes it used to take for many of my older phones to reboot

 

[MikeLip]

Never had a problem with the Maxx HD. I'm using one now in place of the S4 since the HD doesn't stutter. But I haven't seen any stbility problems with any of the phones you mention. Also take a look at a DNA. Runs like a swiss watch. If you're willing to look at other OSs, give WIndows Phone 8 a good look. It's awesome. Rock stable and smooth.

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

Never had a problem with the Maxx HD. I'm using one now in place of the S4 since the HD doesn't stutter. But I haven't seen any stbility problems with any of the phones you mention. Also take a look at a DNA. Runs like a swiss watch. If you're willing to look at other OSs, give WIndows Phone 8 a good look. It's awesome. Rock stable and smooth.

I have seen reviews of Nokia Lumia phones. I just have issues with Steve Ballmer and his forcing Windows 8 Metro/Modern interface on folks with real computers. :-X

 

[nancybout]

IPhone is way too small and I literally got Bored senseless lol.. Get an HTC Samsung anything.I love my galaxy note 2... And I have 2 upgrades elgible but not rushing right now. Waiting till sept Oct...


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

 

[fatboy97]

There is always something new just around the corner... no matter when you buy a newer device another better one will be coming out in a month or two. So just keep waiting. Maybe someday there will one up to your rigid standards.

 

[MikeLip]

I have seen reviews of Nokia Lumia phones. I just have issues with Steve Ballmer and his forcing Windows 8 Metro/Modern interface on folks with real computers. :-X

Yeah, I heard that complaint when DOS3.2 came out. Heck, I heard people make similar complaints when CP/M was obsoleted. Screw this PC junk. Give me back a DecCluster.