what a let down TB sucks!

[.46caliber]

I'm somewhat confused about the processor info floating around out there. The HTC website identifies the Snapdragon MSM8655 as only being 1ghz. However, Quallcomm's website shows their "flagship" Snapdragon MSM8655 processor as being 1.2ghz. Would HTC/Verizon underclock the processor?

I've been shopping around for my first Android phone (coming from a BB Storm 2) and have been holding out for the LTE phones to drop. Thinking the Thunderbolt will be it or I may hold out for the Bionic.

That's the general consensus. The chip is built for 1.2, but they're probably clocking it down for battery's sake since they're only putting a 1400 mAH battery in the device. The original Droid was built with a .6 GHz, but was underclocked at first to .55 GHz.

This should mean that once the "alternative developers" get cracking, we should see, God willing, a CyanogenMod 7 with a kernel that will let us go to 1.2GHz. Then later, I wouldn't be surprised to see custom kernels built for even more.

 

[KB3MMX]

Im not changing the inc for this specs

AndroidSPIN ? Exclusive: Hands on with the HTC Thunderbolt 4G

Agreed! !

No super AMOLED screen, PUNY battery & last years processor technology.......FAIL!!!

 

[Droid800]

Agreed! !

No super AMOLED screen, PUNY battery & last years processor technology.......FAIL!!!

What are you talking about? The TB's processor is current-generation.

 

[briankeith513]

What are you talking about? The TB's processor is current-generation.

I guess he means dual core, or at least 1.2 ghz. And I concur, it sucks compared to the other upcoming top of the lines android phones.

 

[Droid800]

I guess he means dual core, or at least 1.2 ghz. And I concur, it sucks compared to the other upcoming top of the lines android phones.

You guys should know by now that clock speed doesn't mean a damn thing. You should also know that Android can't actually take advantage of dual-core processing yet, so no one knows how rough the first implementations of it are going to be.

There are plenty of things to criticize about the TBolt; the processor isn't one of them.

 

[briankeith513]

You guys should know by now that clock speed doesn't mean a damn thing. You should also know that Android can't actually take advantage of dual-core processing yet, so no one knows how rough the first implementations of it are going to be.

There are plenty of things to criticize about the TBolt; the processor isn't one of them.

Clock speed means nothing? When you say unintelligent things like that, it may make people not listen to anything that you say. Speed/power always means something, but there's more to it than just speed and power. People said the same thing last year about 1Ghz processors, yet it's been proven to be better. Even if Android can't take advantage of dual core at this very moment, when there are android software updates, ie 2.3, 2.4, etc, and newer apps that take advantage of the dual core, phones that have dual core will be ready. So, if you have a Thunderbolt, your phone will be left in the dust.

 

[sicieler]

Clock speed means nothing? When you say unintelligent things like that, it may make people not listen to anything that you say. Speed/power always means something, but there's more to it than just speed and power. People said the same thing last year about 1Ghz processors, yet it's been proven to be better. Even if Android can't take advantage of dual core at this very moment, when there are android software updates, ie 2.3, 2.4, etc, and newer apps that take advantage of the dual core, phones that have dual core will be ready. So, if you have a Thunderbolt, your phone will be left in the dust.

Clock speed is important, but it by no means is the most important thing. look at the g2 for example, its killing some of the 1Ghz phones (Evo, Incredible) and it only shipped with an 800Mhz processor.

 

[bkorver]

So, if you have a Thunderbolt, your phone will be left in the dust.

I couldn't disagree more. There will always be something a little faster and little prettier coming out every couple of months from now until the end of time. With Verizon changing their NE2 policy and cracking down on the upgrade cycle, my next phone is one I am going to have to live with for the next 20 months unless I can convince my wife I need access to 6 or 7 hundred bucks.

So I have to ask myself, what am I REALLY going to use it for. Web browsing and apps. The TBolt I'm sure will handle that to my satisfaction. I have had a DInc from day one and it's the only phone I haven't grown tired of after a few months. Why is that? Maybe it's because it's fast and powerful enough to do what I want. Maybe it's because I can load a new ROM and have a completely different feel to my phone whenever I choose. It could even be because I can change my splash screen or boot animation on a whim. I can't do that with a locked bootloader.

I don't know about you, but I haven't actually seen how fast any of these devices runs in my house, or at the store for that matter. It's not proven that the 1 gig dual core is SIGNIFIGANTLY faster than the second generation Snapdragon (which is NOT last year's tech, by the way) running Gingerbread. To utilize a dual core processor, the operating system must be able to recognize multi-threading and the apps must have simultaneous multi-threading technology (SMT) written into their code, otherwise it doesn't mean a damn thing. They are selling you the tech equivilant of underbody rust protection! By this time next year, it may be an entirely different landscape and we will all be looking at the "Next best thing", but until then...

I know a few guys with the original G1 who manage somehow to get by. We can speculate all we want but I think this is very far from a FAIL by HTC.

 

[rigorx]

With Verizon changing their NE2 policy and cracking down on the upgrade cycle, my next phone is one I am going to have to live with for the next 20 months unless I can convince my wife I need access to 6 or 7 hundred bucks.

Hey bud... an extra $70 up front on your next phone costs could go a long way.

Besides having the best network, the 2nd best thing about VZW is that they offer 1 year contracts; but enough people don't pay attention or utilize it.

A new high end phone generally retails for about $599. Verizon regularly offers the latest new high end phones for $199 w/ a 2 year contract. However, you can pay just an additional $70, bringing your total to $269, and only have a 1 year contract.

$199 = 66% discount. Locked in for 2 years (actually 20 months)
$269 = 55% discount. Locked in for 1 year (actually 10 months)

If you purchase an exciting new high end phone shortly after it comes out, you can easily sell it for at least the $269 you paid for it 10 months ago, if not more. So essentially $70 more up front gives you a ton more flexibility, and not feeling like you're stuck with a phone for too long.

Something to think about.

 

[bkorver]

rigorx,

I may end up taking your advice. Hopefully by next year this time dual core might mean something...

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[mclarryjr]

1 year contracts are the way to go if you have a problem wanting every new device like myself

 

[briankeith513]

1 year contracts are the way to go if you have a problem wanting every new device like myself

Especially with the new policies due to having the Iphone.

 

[Droid800]

1 year contracts are the way to go if you have a problem wanting every new device like myself

The part that sucks is that Verizon is the only carrier I know of that actually does one year contracts. I agree though, the shorter the contract, the better.

 

[Droid800]

Clock speed means nothing? When you say unintelligent things like that, it may make people not listen to anything that you say. Speed/power always means something, but there's more to it than just speed and power. People said the same thing last year about 1Ghz processors, yet it's been proven to be better. Even if Android can't take advantage of dual core at this very moment, when there are android software updates, ie 2.3, 2.4, etc, and newer apps that take advantage of the dual core, phones that have dual core will be ready. So, if you have a Thunderbolt, your phone will be left in the dust.

Thats about the most inaccurate thing I've ever read.

The 800mhz processor is AS fast as the 1ghz hummingbird, and faster than ANY of the older 1ghz Snapdragon processors out there. The 1ghz in my MyTouch 4g is a BEAST, consistently posting numbers that shame EVERY other major device out there.

The clock speed is only part of the equation; the other part is how efficiently the phone handles processes. The newer processors essentially speed through more data than any of their predecessors. (The best example that I've heard is that the pipe for data processing is larger on the new processors, so they do more with less effort)

And just for kicks: I just posted a 1750 in the Quadrant benchmark, double the Galaxy S phones, more than the nexus one, and more than EVERY other blockbuster phone that's out there. I ran the same test on the 800mhz G2 the other day in a Tmobile store (so the phone had been running for a long time and was laggy), and it posted over an 1800 on the same test. And that's with 200 less mhz.

 

[verwon]

The part that sucks is that Verizon is the only carrier I know of that actually does one year contracts. I agree though, the shorter the contract, the better.

Sprint does them, but then the phones cost more.

Posted from my eVo!

 

[Upstreammiami]

didn't expect on getting so many replys on my thread

 

[CallerHoller]

Thats about the most inaccurate thing I've ever read.

The 800mhz processor is AS fast as the 1ghz hummingbird, and faster than ANY of the older 1ghz Snapdragon processors out there. The 1ghz in my MyTouch 4g is a BEAST, consistently posting numbers that shame EVERY other major device out there.

The clock speed is only part of the equation; the other part is how efficiently the phone handles processes. The newer processors essentially speed through more data than any of their predecessors. (The best example that I've heard is that the pipe for data processing is larger on the new processors, so they do more with less effort)

And just for kicks: I just posted a 1750 in the Quadrant benchmark, double the Galaxy S phones, more than the nexus one, and more than EVERY other blockbuster phone that's out there. I ran the same test on the 800mhz G2 the other day in a Tmobile store (so the phone had been running for a long time and was laggy), and it posted over an 1800 on the same test. And that's with 200 less mhz.

I hope you're right. I was disheartened when I saw the specs were the same as the year old Inc and X.
I do know that my friends G2 is really fast with 800mhz and 4G. So I'm hopeful.

I can't complain though. I'm upgrading from a D1.

 

[Droid800]

I hope you're right. I was disheartened when I saw the specs were the same as the year old Inc and X.
I do know that my friends G2 is really fast with 800mhz and 4G. So I'm hopeful.

I can't complain though. I'm upgrading from a D1.

The on paper specs are the same. The actual user experience will be night and day.

 

[Bushido Brown]

I hope you're right. I was disheartened when I saw the specs were the same as the year old Inc and X.
I do know that my friends G2 is really fast with 800mhz and 4G. So I'm hopeful.

I can't complain though. I'm upgrading from a D1.

They're not the same

 

[karnovaran]

They're not the same

Exactly. Familiarize yourselves with this table, people:

Snapdragon (System on Chip) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Incredible is QSD8650 - 1GHz, 65nm, Adreno 200
Thunderbolt is MSM8644 - 1GHz, 45nm, Adreno 205

Bottom line - more efficient plus hardware acceleration in the GPU.

I have an Incredible and will likely make the jump to the Thunderbolt. Dual-core would be nice, but this 2nd gen Snapdragon will more than suffice.