HTC 10 vs. Samsung Galaxy S7

[Bearcats98]

S7 edge is the best out there now.. I would HIGHLY suggest you get a warranty. It looks like the buy the phone from costco and add the square trade deal is the best. I'm going through Samsung for $129 + 75 deductible. Already broke my screen, wish I had the warranty then =-/

True accident or a freak incident?

 

[BuffOrange]

I'm sure this is a dumb question but where do those of you off contract buy your Samsungs? I'm on the T-mobile prepaid and there just doesn't seem to be an easy way to get one. Amazon never has the version that's fully compatible. Best Buy & Tmobile won't sell it to a prepaid customer.

 

[B0WIE]

Honestly it's a super duper close call between the S7 and the HTC 10. They almost cancel each other out. I would say this though, the Exynos S7 trumps everything. That's where the comparison ends. Snapdragon for snapdragon and I may lean towards the HTC 10. Exynos involved and I'm definitely picking the galaxy S7. Just me 2 cents.

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I agree, they seem to be about equal in quality but of the last 4 times I compared a Sammy to an HTC, I preferred the HTC 3 of the 4. I think they are just more clever when it comes to the "little things". I'm still pretty open minded about this next one though I'm already liking the pics better, audio is likely to be better, as will the UI so I'll probably be picking the 10.

 

[srkmagnus]

I am weighing same decision. I have heard some mention htc phones run better long-term, and Samsung phones slow down over time due to touch wiz, etc. Any validity to that, others with similar experience?

That's more to do with what the user installs to bog down the system rather than the OS itself. As a general rule you should go through and clean it up. Remove things no longer in use and consider a reset from time to time just to start fresh. Always backup before you do.

 

[Adranalyne]

The 10 is just an M9 with an updated processor that doesn't overheat and a better camera. That still equals a good phone, but I don't think it competes with the S7 Edge at all. HTC went to the well one too many times, paid dearly for it last year, and really didn't do enough this year to make it different. I want HTC to succeed, but with AT&T skipping out (most likely because they aren't interested in taking a loss) and it not being available for months after the S7, it's most likely going to be another rough year for HTC.

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[Bpschoon81]

Some info on screen (HTC 10 vs. the competition)

HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - HTC 10 vs GS7 Edge vs 6s Plus vs Nexus 6P Part 2: Screens

That gentleman asserts that the gs7 speaker is better than the 10's. He is the first I've heard say that

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[Bearcats98]

That gentleman asserts that the gs7 speaker is better than the 10's. He is the first I've heard say that

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I thought AMOLED were supposed to be good in direct light and LCD's wash out?

And people scream about bezels. Of those four S7 seems to do the best job then 10 then the other two are W A Y behind that curve.

 

[Habiib]

The 10 is just an M9 with an updated processor that doesn't overheat and a better camera. That still equals a good phone, but I don't think it competes with the S7 Edge at all. HTC went to the well one too many times, paid dearly for it last year, and really didn't do enough this year to make it different. I want HTC to succeed, but with AT&T skipping out (most likely because they aren't interested in taking a loss) and it not being available for months after the S7, it's most likely going to be another rough year for HTC.

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When looking at the M10 as the sum of its parts compared to the M9, on paper I see improvements in the following areas, making the M10 a complete overhaul of the M9:

1. Updated Processor
2. Quick charge 3.1
3. USB type C
4. FF camera + OIS
6. Improved Main camera
5. SLCD 5 display
6. Completely new internal audio hw + signal processing
7. Improved battery life

I still hold the belief that the 10 will be a sales failure, relatively speaking (glowing reviews or not). The product itself won't be the cause of the lackluster response from the general public, but rather it not being a Samsung or Apple product. No matter if the 10 was released before, during, and after the S7, it would have been completely eclipsed by it, so I don't see a scenario where the releases timing would have been advantageous for HTC. All my opinion of course.

Also I can guarantee that the 10 won't come close to winning a single comparison test against the S7, especially on the tech/consumer sites with high public visibility (i.e., CNET, Verge, Consumer Reports, .etc).

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[Adranalyne]

When looking at the M10 as the sum of its parts compared to the M9, on paper I see improvements in the following areas, making the M10 a complete overhaul of the M9:

1. Updated Processor
2. Quick charge 3.1
3. USB type C
4. FF camera + OIS
6. Improved Main camera
5. SLCD 5 display
6. Completely new internal audio hw + signal processing
7. Improved battery life

I still hold the belief that the 10 will be a sales failure, relatively speaking (glowing reviews or not). The product itself won't be the cause of the lackluster response from the general public, but rather it not being a Samsung or Apple product. No matter if the 10 was released before, during, and after the S7, it would have been completely eclipsed by it, so I don't see a scenario where the releases timing would have been advantageous for HTC. All my opinion of course.

Also I can guarantee that the 10 won't come close to winning a single comparison test against the S7, especially on the tech/consumer sites with high public visibility (i.e., CNET, Verge, Consumer Reports, .etc).

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I can agree with all that. The way I see it, HTC has made the same phone 4 times in a row with varying internals and minor tweaks to the design. They seem hell bent on turning what they started with the M7 a winner, but year after year they keep losing money and sales are dreadful. While I appreciate the strides they've made, especially with the camera, they just aren't innovating and changing their approach to provide something truly different.

HTC seems to want to be the most Nexus-like Android OEM, but that approach just doesn't make sense in a world where the actual Nexus has gotten much, much better (thanks, Huawei) and it's quite a bit cheaper. They seem to create their devices based on what reviewers want and miss that key differentiator that could make it truly stand out. Good at almost everything, but not great at anything won't cut it against phones like the S7 Edge and iPhone 6S. If you aren't a fan of either of those devices, the $200 cheaper Nexus 6P has better software, quicker updates, a larger battery, and a larger screen.

I wish HTC took a chance and went different with this device instead of just improving upon the same formula they've been going with for 4 iterations now.

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[Habiib]

I can agree with all that. The way I see it, HTC has made the same phone 4 times in a row with varying internals and minor tweaks to the design. They seem hell bent on turning what they started with the M7 a winner, but year after year they keep losing money and sales are dreadful. While I appreciate the strides they've made, especially with the camera, they just aren't innovating and changing their approach to provide something truly different.

HTC seems to want to be the most Nexus-like Android OEM, but that approach just doesn't make sense in a world where the actual Nexus has gotten much, much better (thanks, Huawei) and it's quite a bit cheaper. They seem to create their devices based on what reviewers want and miss that key differentiator that could make it truly stand out. Good at almost everything, but not great at anything won't cut it against phones like the S7 Edge and iPhone 6S. If you aren't a fan of either of those devices, the $200 cheaper Nexus 6P has better software, quicker updates, a larger battery, and a larger screen.

I wish HTC took a chance and went different with this device instead of just improving upon the same formula they've been going with for 4 iterations now.

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HTC could have came out with revolutionary design changes and features for each iteration of the M-series flagship devices and would gain little ground. Innovation, signature features, etc. aren't HTC's ticket to success. I see the public's perception of HTC like this; clone the S7 and brand one as a Samsung and the other as an HTC, set them directly across from each other in a store and I'd bet that the Samsung version would get the most traffic and sales by a long shot. (2¢)

As is the case with the OP, I'll be making a decision for my next purchase. Without using either device, off top I see the audio prowess, quick charge 3.1, more cohesive software experience (including integration with other software services), and ff shooter as the main reasons I'd choose the HTC 10. I'd choose the S7 for its display and abundance of 3rd-party accessories.

 

[Adranalyne]

HTC could have came out with revolutionary design changes and features for each iteration of the M-series flagship devices and would gain little ground. Innovation, signature features, etc. aren't HTC's ticket to success. I see the public's perception of HTC like this; clone the S7 and brand one as a Samsung and the other as an HTC, set them directly across from each other in a store and I'd bet that the Samsung version would get the most traffic and sales by a long shot. (2¢)

As is the case with the OP, I'll be making a decision for my next purchase. Without using either device, off top I see the audio prowess, quick charge 3.1, more cohesive software experience (including integration with other software services), and ff shooter as the main reasons I'd choose the HTC 10. I'd choose the S7 for its display and abundance of 3rd-party accessories.

But they released a $699 phone that isn't better than it's competitors. Yeah, the camera is better, but it isn't better than the S7 or probably even the G5. The battery life is apparently hit or miss and isn't something that sets it apart. The screen is improved, but it can't stand next to the S7. There's literally zero about this phone, software included, that says "You should buy me over a Galaxy or an iPhone". And you can buy a Nexus that's every bit as good with actual stock Android for $200 less.

I'm not sure what their bottom line is, but I can't imagine they can take too many more abysmal quarters. I can't see this phone helping them.

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[Habiib]

But they released a $699 phone that isn't better than it's competitors. Yeah, the camera is better, but it isn't better than the S7 or probably even the G5. The battery life is apparently hit or miss and isn't something that sets it apart. The screen is improved, but it can't stand next to the S7. There's literally zero about this phone, software included, that says "You should buy me over a Galaxy or an iPhone".

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I think you're missing the point. No matter what this phone or any HTC phone for that matter has that says it's a superior product and should be purchased instead of its competitors, it prob won't sell well (due to certain factors). Also it will still be overlooked in favor of a Samsung or Apple product even if it's light-years ahead of them and a better value. There's no version of this scenario where HTC would be at an advantage and the product isn't to blame.

I'm hoping this (comparisons) doesn't turn into a case where the areas where the HTC 10 has the advantage, it's either downplayed (deemed a non-factor) or ignored completely. Hands down I feel that its biggest differentiators are its audio, front facing shooter, and unified approach to the software experience (performance optimisations, social networking integration, and bloat reduction), all of which are better than its competitors. Yet I don't see claims of other flagships not being worth their asking price since they lag behind in those categories (if that applies). Other areas where it doesn't completely excel aren't ones where I see it being outclassed by a large margin.

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[Adranalyne]

I think you're missing the point. No matter what this phone or any HTC phone for that matter has that says it's a superior product and should be purchased instead of its competitors, it prob won't sell well (due to certain factors). Also it will still be overlooked in favor of a Samsung or Apple product even if it's light-years ahead of them and a better value. There's no version of this scenario where HTC would be at an advantage and the product isn't to blame.

I'm hoping this (comparisons) doesn't turn into a case where the areas where the HTC 10 has the advantage, it's either downplayed (deemed a non-factor) or ignored completely. Hands down I feel that its biggest differentiators are its audio, front facing shooter, and unified approach to the software experience (performance optimisations, social networking integration, and bloat reduction), all of which are better than its competitors. Yet I don't see claims of other flagships not being worth their asking price since they lag behind in those categories (if that applies). Other areas where it doesn't completely excel aren't ones where I see it being outclassed by a large margin.

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Because the audio advantage, the front facing camera advantage, and the software (which I don't consider an advantage) aren't game changers at all, nor are they significant. I'm sure there's people who disagree, the ones who will buy the phone, but saying that they'd fail no matter what just isn't accurate. The 10 -isn't- better than those phones and that's the problem. If all you can hang your hat on is audio, which I think is a step back from previous iterations, and OIS on the front facing camera, you lost without even getting in the ring. They make beautiful devices, but their core ideas about what they want to deliver are waaaaay off. This is the company who said you could get 2 day battery life out of this phone, yet getting a day is apparently a struggle. So not only is it not class leading, it's decidedly average.

If all you do is update the hardware for a 4th time, keep the same type of design, and offer absolutely zero to differentiate yourself from your competitors, you deserve to fail. The frustrating part is that they could do so much better and just keep repeating the same mistakes.

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[Habiib]

...but saying that they'd fail no matter what just isn't accurate.

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Dude I think you wrong on that one. Being indisputably the best smartphone on the market might win the HTC 10 accolades, but it surely won't translate into solid sales. The battery could last 72 hours with 24 hours SOT and the camera could be powerful enough to take a picture of Neil Armstrong's footprint on the moon and it would still lose to Apple and Samsung.

Seems like if the areas where the HTC 10 excels carry little weight, then HTC wasted its time and should have instead focused on having the best display based on (?) criteria and having a camera that's not just better based on (?) criteria, but miles ahead of the competition. That's what I take away from this discussion.

Of course this entire dialogue is going to be reduced to trying to identify which criteria need to be met on order for one device to be deemed superior to another...not to mention the weighting applied to each, thus changing the relevance of said criteria.

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[bhatech]

HTC 10 for a overall better experience phone with quicker updates (non carrier version), cleaner software.

S7 if you want better ecosystem support around accessories, wireless charging, water resistant and not too worried about software experience, OS updates.

Personally used the edge for around a month, touchwiz performed fine but just wasn't my cup of tea. My personal choice is HTC 10. At the end S7 will be major seller and HTC 10 will be a well reviewed, received phone by most of them with very less sales.

 

[Adranalyne]

Dude I think you wrong on that one. Being indisputably the best smartphone on the market might win the HTC 10 accolades, but it surely won't translate into solid sales. The battery could last 72 hours with 24 hours SOT and the camera could be powerful enough to take a picture of Neil Armstrong's footprint on the moon and it would still lose to Apple and Samsung.

Seems like if the areas where the HTC 10 excels carry little weight, then HTC wasted its time and should have instead focused on having the best display based on (?) criteria and having a camera that's not just better based on (?) criteria, but miles ahead of the competition. That's what I take away from this discussion.

Of course this entire dialogue is going to be reduced to trying to identify which criteria need to be met on order for one device to be deemed superior to another...not to mention the weighting applied to each, thus changing the relevance of said criteria.

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I'm not saying that this phone would outsell either of them, but how do they expect to right the ship? The S2 gave Samsung some notoriety because it was excellent for it's time. They pushed that further with the S3, marketed the hell out of it, and the rest is history. It offered something can't miss---HTC got there with the M7 and it's design, but struck out in other areas. Had they released a better camera and excellent battery life on the M8, they may have had a chance with this idea. They didn't. The camera still sucked and the battery wasn't anything special, which means they missed their shot. They punctuated that with the M9 debacle and now they think doing what they should have done with the M8 in 2014 with the 10 is going to fix this. It isn't.

Fact is, the 10 is a good phone that's going to continue to sink HTC because they're about 2 years too late with this. Stick this next to an S7 Edge or an iPhone 6S and people aren't going to buy the Galaxy or iPhone because of name recognition----they're both better phones period and that's why they'll buy them.

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[Habiib]

.

Fact is, the 10 is a good phone that's going to continue to sink HTC because they're about 2 years too late with this. Stick this next to an S7 Edge or an iPhone 6S and people aren't going to buy the Galaxy or iPhone because of name recognition----they're both better phones period and that's why they'll buy them.

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With the S7, in addition to the display (max brightness, contrast ratio, color profile choices) and IP rating, in which other functional areas does it have a run away advantage over the 10 thus far or at least brings something new to the table. In fact which innovative features does the S7 have that isn't offered by any other manufacturer?

To assert that the "better" device will yield better sales is a red herring in the worst way possible when judging the merits a device.

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[Adranalyne]

With the S7, in addition to the display (max brightness, contrast ratio, color profile choices) and IP rating, in which other functional areas does it have a run away advantage over the 10 thus far or at least brings something new to the table. In fact which innovative features does the S7 have that isn't offered by any other manufacturer?

To assert that the "better" device will yield better sales is a red herring in the worst way possible when judging the merits a device.

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I'm going to use the Edge here because I've been referencing it and the size difference between the two is minimal. It's far and away better on battery life and can fast charge wirelessly on almost any standard. This isn't a runaway difference, but the camera is better in not only results, but speed. The Edge display, while not overly popular with reviewers, is seemingly very popular amongst consumers. And it's useful, especially in this iteration. When you buy the Edge, you're getting the best display, best camera, and one of the best performing phones with excellent battery life. In addition, they added the IP68 rating, the SD card, fast wireless charging, Samsung Pay, and put it in a 5.5 inch device that feels much smaller. There's just no real weakness here outside of how the carriers get involved in software updates/bloatware.

The better device allows for better marketing opportunities that tend to yield results. HTC has a horrid track record with marketing, but they didn't have much to work with. Well outside of the M7----that was innovative in it's design and opened a lot of eyes.

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[aha]

I used to be set on s7 edge, but it's such a fragile phone. Not to mention the problem seems to be reported widely that the edge is too easy to be touched unintentionally. Finger print magnet is another downside.

On the contrary, HTC 10 seems to be a sturdy phone, great audio, lean software, efficient on battery. I don't know.

 

[RadiantDuck]

I used to be set on s7 edge, but it's such a fragile phone. Not to mention the problem seems to be reported widely that the edge is too easy to be touched unintentionally. Finger print magnet is another downside.

On the contrary, HTC 10 seems to be a sturdy phone, great audio, lean software, efficient on battery. I don't know.

Agreed. I was interested in the edge but there are so many instances of glass breakages that it's put me off. For me it's the 10 vs the s7 and the fact that the 10 is metal is a huge plus for me. In my view any phone that might have its glass break just by putting it down or falling out a pocket while sitting on the floor can't truly be the best phone.

That said, in all the side by side photos the s7's screen does look nicer

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