Moto X/D2 vs Samsung Fascinate Question

[ThaiBoy02]

Im not sure if I am posting in the correct forum but i wanted to get a sense of what the android community thinks is a better upgrade...
I have had my Moto Droid since launch and I am eligible for an upgrade and i am having a tough time between the moto x/d2(essentially same phone) and the Samsung Fascinate? Is there any real advantage of one over the other??

 

[Deleted User]

The X and D2 are definitely not the same phone. They don't feel like the same phone and don't handle like the same phone and don't sit in your pocket like the same phone. Form factor is important.

Fascinate has a more open architecture (no locked down bootloader, so the kernel can be replaced). Smaller form factor and screen. I think 4" is about the perfect size for a phone screen, but I don't like the AMOLED screen. It looks grainy to me (the pentile matrix is distracting and I like to read a lot on my screen), and the unnaturally saturated colors aren't really nice for anything except the app icons. Plus the GPS and cell radios are weaker than the ones in the X. On the other hand, the audio and camera quality are much better than the X.

The X has better build quality, no stupid slippery back (for the love of God, why do cell manufacturers insist on building things that we hold in our hands to be made of hard, glossy, slippery plastic?), noise cancelling mics, great cell and GPS radios, and a bigger screen that displays text better and doesn't have heavy-handed saturation. Those things make it a win for me, but if you value smaller size, camera quality and music audio quality (NOT cell phone call quality) - or if it's a deal breaker that the X has a locked bootloader - then the Fascinate is better.

 

[nj02vette]

The X and D2 are definitely not the same phone. They don't feel like the same phone and don't handle like the same phone and don't sit in your pocket like the same phone. Form factor is important.

Fascinate has a more open architecture (no locked down bootloader, so the kernel can be replaced). Smaller form factor and screen. I think 4" is about the perfect size for a phone screen, but I don't like the AMOLED screen. It looks grainy to me (the pentile matrix is distracting and I like to read a lot on my screen), and the unnaturally saturated colors aren't really nice for anything except the app icons. Plus the GPS and cell radios are weaker than the ones in the X. On the other hand, the audio and camera quality are much better than the X.

The X has better build quality, no stupid slippery back (for the love of God, why do cell manufacturers insist on building things that we hold in our hands to be made of hard, glossy, slippery plastic?), noise cancelling mics, great cell and GPS radios, and a bigger screen that displays text better and doesn't have heavy-handed saturation. Those things make it a win for me, but if you value smaller size, camera quality and music audio quality (NOT cell phone call quality) - or if it's a deal breaker that the X has a locked bootloader - then the Fascinate is better.

Pretty well said.

Some things I want to add. Droid 2 is the only choice to consider if you absolutely must have a physical keyboard. Under the hood, the Droid X and Droid 2 are very similar, but the X has better upgrades like 8MP camera and 720p video, 16GB flash card and HDMI out. Not to mention the most important thing, 4.3in screen. I like the form factor and thinness of the Droid X. My wife had to have the keyboard and went Droid 2.

As for the Fascinate, it has a superior GPU. So for some intensive games, the Fascinate is the better choice. But that performance comes at a cost, battery life is approx half that of the Droid X while watching videos or web browsing. But forget using the Facinate as a reliable GPS device. No message waiting indicator either.

Also Droids have Android 2.2, and can view Flash websites. Fascinate and all Galaxy S class phones are stuck on 2.1. No doubt that will change in the future, but when?

Also, even though the Droids have locked bootloaders, they can still be rooted and there are plenty of ROMs available for them.

You can't go wrong with either choice, just pick what's best for you. Choice is king in the Android world, something you don't get with fruit.

 

[quickaudi]

to echo the above, the X and the 2 are definitely not even close to the same phone

side by side, the X screen absolutely dwarfs the 2's screen, and while I'm sure it's the greatest thing ever, I found the slideout keyboard to be extremely slow on the 2

 

[ThaiBoy02]

Well I dont plan on messing with Rooting or anything. I mostly use my phone for webbrowsing, videos, and social networking i.e. twitter/facebook, occasional GPS usage. I really dont use my phone for games as i have a 360 and PS3 for that......

 

[Deleted User]

Under those criteria, I'd probably lean towards the X. The larger screen and standard LCD matrix makes reading/web browsing nicer, especially reading text which you do a lot of with social networking, the larger screen is good for movies/videos, and the GPS on the Fascinate is troubled so the X is more reliable in that regard.

 

[ThaiBoy02]

Has the XX gotten the OTA update for 2.2 yet or is it still on 2.1?

 

[ThaiBoy02]

Has the DX gotten the OTA update for 2.2 yet or is it still running on 2.1?

 

[Deleted User]

The DX got the OTA 2.2 update a while back.

 

[ThaiBoy02]

Is video streaming like youtube faster one DX or SF?

 

[nj02vette]

Is video streaming like youtube faster one DX or SF?

Neither. They are both on Verizon's network, which is the bottleneck for streaming.

Each display Youtube fine, no model is faster than the other.

 

[apinkel]

Here's my take on it:

The X has better build quality, a higher resolution screen, better battery life and better reception and call quality (ingoing and outgoing voice quality). It has a locked bootloader that prevents loading of non-moto kernels (including upcoming gingerbread kernels).

The fascinate takes better quality video and pictures, the black level and contrast ratio of the fascinate's screen makes it pop more (but it's less accurate), it's got a better form factor then the X. It does have a wonky GPS... there's an update that's supposed to fix it... again. If GPS is important to you I highly suggest you wait for that update to drop and verify it works before taking the leap.

I think the X has the best "phone" of any smartphone. The core functions (phone, gps, speaker, etc.) all seem really solid. The fascinate is an excellent media device.

 

[Roll-Tide]

i haven't read the entire thread yet, but I can tell you from experience.....i had the fascinate, returned it because it had HORRIBLE call quality. Google samsung fascinate call quality and read about that, there's plenty of people with the same problem. Basically, the Fascinate is prettier and has a better screen, takes slightly better videos...but for everything else, the X is where it's at. Haven't had one problem since switching to the X...a friend has the D2 and has also not had any problems with his. I think samsung still has some work to do, the screen they have figured out but for using the actual PHONE, not so much.

 

[Lars]

Exchange server support on the X is much better than the SF. You can't move emails in folders and open pdfs on the sf via email.

 

[MutantCheese]

I have both the SF and the DX. I use the DX daily, and the SF is my backup. Lack of 2.2 and GPS issues kill the SF for me. Once those issues are resolved, I may reactivate the SF. Not sure tho cause I'm enjoying the solid feel of the DX in comparison to the slippery plastic feel of the SF.

 

[HadouGhost]

I would disagree on the fascinate having a better camera. I had the vibrant and raved about the camera. Now im not saying the x camera is better because its 8mp vs 5mp because that would be ill informed. look up the megapixel myth. Anyway. after playing with the X camera alot, i like it better. The UI of the fascinate / galaxy s is better but the quality i find the X to be better. Colors are perfect and spot on and with a flash you can get 'decent' pics at night as opposed to the galaxy s where at night anything outside of 2 foot is uncapturable. And trust me, i was HUGE on the camera of the galaxy s phones.

 

[khsjsilver]

Neither. They are both on Verizon's network, which is the bottleneck for streaming.

Each display Youtube fine, no model is fater than the other.

This is not necessarily true.

While they are both on the Verizon network and both should be the same for streaming, the Droid X has a problem maintaining the 3g network. This is a much talked about flaw in the phone that many users of the Droid X experience. It is a very popular topic of complaint on the Motorola Owner's Forum. My phone regularly drops the 3g signal to 1x and it is not due to Verizon's signal. I have a Verizon Blackberry. I can have the Blackberry in my left hand, Droid X in my right. The signal on the X regularly drops from 3g to 1x while the Blackberry never waivers off 3g.

While I have the Droid X, my daughter has the Facinate. She doesn't have 3g problems that my X does. Also, there are many software flaws on the X that are not on the Facinate.

 

[MutantCheese]

My Fascinate would drop 3G more than my DroidX does.

 

[Deleted User]

The signal on the X regularly drops from 3g to 1x while the Blackberry never waivers off 3g.

I had this issue when I first got the phone. I wouldn't say it was "regular" but it did happen. Since the 2.2 update, though, I don't believe I have even seen the 1x icon except when the signal is just being murdered by a metal building or something of that nature.

My point being that this is an issue that seems to affect some people, but not others, so while it should absolutely be noted, I wouldn't go as far as to say "the droid x has this problem." You could say, "some people have this problem."

Also, there are many software flaws on the X that are not on the Facinate.

And vice versa... there is no free lunch.

 

[nj02vette]

This is not necessarily true.

While they are both on the Verizon network and both should be the same for streaming, the Droid X has a problem maintaining the 3g network. This is a much talked about flaw in the phone that many users of the Droid X experience. It is a very popular topic of complaint on the Motorola Owner's Forum. My phone regularly drops the 3g signal to 1x and it is not due to Verizon's signal. I have a Verizon Blackberry. I can have the Blackberry in my left hand, Droid X in my right. The signal on the X regularly drops from 3g to 1x while the Blackberry never waivers off 3g.

While I have the Droid X, my daughter has the Facinate. She doesn't have 3g problems that my X does. Also, there are many software flaws on the X that are not on the Facinate.

This is completely subjective opinion.

I've rarely had issues with 3G on my X, so does my opinion trump yours? Every phone has issues, the X isn't alone there.

And for someone to claim that there are software flaws on the X that aren't on the Fascinate is being disingenuous. There are also many flaws on the Fascinate that aren't on the X.
GPS barely works
Lag bug
File system issues

Some owners have had issues with thier X, yet others have had no issues. No phone is perfect, only find the perfect one for you.

 

[MutantCheese]

... No phone is perfect, only find the perfect one for you.

Which is what makes Android's "fragmentation" so great IMO. There is a phone for every need, not just one model that you have to learn to live with.

 

[eraursls1984]

This is not necessarily true.

While they are both on the Verizon network and both should be the same for streaming, the Droid X has a problem maintaining the 3g network. This is a much talked about flaw in the phone that many users of the Droid X experience. It is a very popular topic of complaint on the Motorola Owner's Forum. My phone regularly drops the 3g signal to 1x and it is not due to Verizon's signal. I have a Verizon Blackberry. I can have the Blackberry in my left hand, Droid X in my right. The signal on the X regularly drops from 3g to 1x while the Blackberry never waivers off 3g.

While I have the Droid X, my daughter has the Facinate. She doesn't have 3g problems that my X does. Also, there are many software flaws on the X that are not on the Facinate.

This is not necessarily true

My X got just as good a signal as my old blackberry while on 2.1, now on 2.2 it gets better signal. In my office my X rarely drops to 1x where my blackberry would drop to 1x very often and lose signal completely on a daily basis. "the X" doesn't have signal problems, "some X's" have signal problems, just like all the problems you mention with the X. "the facinate" doesn't have problems but some do.

 

[jdmp10]

I am also on Verizon contemplating these two phones as my next upgrade but my 1 yr contract is up in about a month and my question is, does anyone think with fairly good certainty that a competent competitor to these two phones will be released in the next 2 months on Verizon? I do like the G2 on T-Mobile but would prefer to stay on Verizon even though its pricier. I am favoring the Droid X since its a more solid phone overall and with all the points already addressed that is in the X's favor.

What do you guys think?

 

[cdmoore74]

Here's my take on it:

The X has better build quality, a higher resolution screen, better battery life and better reception and call quality (ingoing and outgoing voice quality). It has a locked bootloader that prevents loading of non-moto kernels (including upcoming gingerbread kernels).

The fascinate takes better quality video and pictures, the black level and contrast ratio of the fascinate's screen makes it pop more (but it's less accurate), it's got a better form factor then the X. It does have a wonky GPS... there's an update that's supposed to fix it... again. If GPS is important to you I highly suggest you wait for that update to drop and verify it works before taking the leap.

I think the X has the best "phone" of any smartphone. The core functions (phone, gps, speaker, etc.) all seem really solid. The fascinate is an excellent media device.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I have the X and the wife has the fascinate.

 

[nj02vette]

I am also on Verizon contemplating these two phones as my next upgrade but my 1 yr contract is up in about a month and my question is, does anyone think with fairly good certainty that a competent competitor to these two phones will be released in the next 2 months on Verizon? I do like the G2 on T-Mobile but would prefer to stay on Verizon even though its pricier. I am favoring the Droid X since its a more solid phone overall and with all the points already addressed that is in the X's favor.

What do you guys think?

Your in the X forum asking this question, and you'll probably get a different opinion in the Fascinate forum.

IMHO, the X hardware and build quality is the best out there. Only thing the Fascinate has over the X is the superior GPU. Everything else is either a draw or in the X's favor, especially considering anything having to do with the devices primary function, that of a phone.

As for new devices, there are always going to be new phones. As soons as you buy it, a new one will be along in a few months, and if you wait, then a new one after that. Only thing that somewhat interests me right now is the new HTC HD phone with 4.3in screen. However, it will still have a Snapdragon SoC with the same terrible Adreno GPU as the Droid Incredible. So it will basically be a Verizon Evo, with all the same terrible performance and battery life. Don't see anything that would make me give up the Droid X at this time. LTE phones might, but you won't be able to buy them until late Q1'11 or more likely Q2'11.