HTC One (M8): Metal vs plastic - difference in quality, or personal preference?

[likebutta]

There's been a lot of talk from HTC One fanboys over the past year.

Awesome way to start a post.

 

[spawndoodling]

I guess I should ditch my metal watch because it is supposed to travel with me wherever I go... Lol

Posted via Android Central App

Okay, touche, but I more so meant that comparison to say that when it comes to smartphones, functionality and durability still trumps design nine times out of ten. Most people are going to put a case on their phone from day one - as am I. I'd rather have a working phone hiding behind an ugly case than a broken phone that's brushed in premium metal. Which is, again, why I don't think design matters as much as some have led on.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[worknman]

Re: Metal vs plastic - difference in quality, or personal preference?

Respectfully, you're missing the point of what I said. Quality, in the capacity we're speaking of, is subjective. That is because some of the qualities that appeal to people (aesthetics, feel, cost, etc) cannot be benchmarked other than via a survey. If you want to gauge which is stronger, etc, then you need to specify..

When I speak of quality, I am speaking of things that can be objectively measured/quantified. Anything else is subjective and falls under the realm of personal preference. So if you say 'a metal phone is of a higher quality than a plastic one', it's gotta be something specific you can point to, besides your own personal bias towards metal. Otherwise, it's like you saying 'a black phone is of a higher quality than a white one', which sounds REALLY dumb.

 

[B0WIE]

Re: Metal vs plastic - difference in quality, or personal preference?

When I speak of quality, I am speaking of things that can be objectively measured/quantified. Anything else is subjective and falls under the realm of personal preference. So if you say 'a metal phone is of a higher quality than a plastic one', it's gotta be something specific you can point to, besides your own personal bias towards metal. Otherwise, it's like you saying 'a black phone is of a higher quality than a white one', which sounds REALLY dumb.

You're just perpetuating an argument at this point for the sake of being "right" and blatantly ignoring the actual facts and examples stated. So, rather than repeat myself, I'll bow out and let you have the last word.

 

[Haalcyon]

The argument for metal just doesn't hold up on my end. Smartphones are supposed to travel with you at all times, like a wallet. They are not furniture, or paintings, or cars. Design is great and all but if your smartphone can't take a beating, I don't see the point. Even if you have been fortunate enough not to have dropped your phone by now, you probably will inevitably - juggling groceries, running to catch a train, pulling your phone out of your pocket. This is not a reason why plastic excels over metal. It's a reason why people buy cases for their phones.

If I'm going to put a big Otterbox over my phone, I do not see why the hell it matters that I have an aluminum brushed metal finish with a chiseled to perfection unibody casing.

And that's how I see the HTC One vs. Galaxy argument. I haven't made up my mind on which I'm going to buy when my contract is up in June, but material won't be at the top of the list. Is the One gorgeous? Yes. Is the GS5 the best looking phone on the planet? No. But if one has a much superior camera to the other, or if one performs much better than the other, I'll be sold. At the end of the day, both will be dressed up in an Otterbox case a week into my purchase and I'll likely never see the actual phone again until I'm ready to trade it in for a new one.

So the One's build quality might indeed and likely does feel 'more premium.' but a large segment of the market for smartphones - myself included - simply will not care when it comes to that decision. No premium feel is going to make me sacrifice a good camera or good performance.

Posted via Android Central App

Nor should it. Premium build materials are just icing on the proverbial cake.


via the phone

 

[Habiib]

I guess I should ditch my metal watch because it is supposed to travel with me wherever I go... Lol

Posted via Android Central App

My car is made of metal and it travels with me wherever I go. Time to ditch my car and go steal a big wheel...lol. It's all relative I guess. I'm curious about if the M8 and another plastic phone were to be given to random non-technical people for them to handle, which one they would think was more expensive (solely based on look and feel).

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Haalcyon]

I think the belief ( mistaken IMO ) is that plastic is selected for phones because it withstands drops better. I think plastic is selected solely because it means higher profit margins and any contribution to durability it may provide is just a convenient side-effect. As far as drops? That, to me, is what cases are for.


via the phone

 

[dpham00]

If Samsung wanted higher profit margin then they could hedge used cheaper plastic. The quality of the plastic that they use is pretty good, imo.

dpham00, Android Central Moderator
Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[worknman]

If Samsung wanted higher profit margin then they could hedge used cheaper plastic. The quality of the plastic that they use is pretty good, imo.

Ya, I just don't hear a whole lot of people complaining that their 'cheap plastic' Samsung phones are falling apart. They at least manage to make the battery replaceable, which trumps any aesthetic advantage that metal might have, at least for me anyway.