Worth getting Desire now (to last 2 years)?

[bigapple2]

Getting a new phone at end of August, one that will need to last me two years. I know a phone usually goes out of date within a year but I'd like a phone that will make a decent attempt at staying in, via updates or whatever.

I'm really attracted to the Desire, but it is already 6 months old and I am worried that the hardware is already out of date. Should I get the Desire or should I start looking at some of the newer phones to continue the next two years?

If you think I should look at other phones, please suggest them. I also have my eye on the SGS, but the dev community behind the Desire (and the lack of apparent bugs on it, the SGS is fraught with them) keeps pulling me back to the Desire.

 

[DMXXX]

SGS has better hardware (better GPU, CPU and screen). However if you can live with the AMOLED being problematic in sunlight and you are not a very BIG mobile gamer (Desire is great for gaming just not as good as the SGS), Desire has got the edge IMO with the better build quality, nice looks and apparently less bugs(can't comment). As far as being out of date goes I think that Desire will be capable for a fair amount of time with Froyo coming out soon.

There are of course other good Android smartphones (Droid X, Evo 4G, Incredible). I suggest you try out a few before buying. I really don't think you go very wrong with high a end Android smartphone. Just don't get an X10.

 

[andyf941]

Google 'HTC Desire HD'. There are strong rumours an 'upspec'd' version is due out in October, you might want to consider waiting for that, I am

 

[sudkcoce]

I would say YES, it's very worth having

About the screen legibility in sunlight, I don't really get it. I have read an entire book on the beach with no problem on my desire. Maybe some people don't know how to set it to max brightness...

 

[DaddyCee]

or have it set to automatically adjust the brightness.

 

[jabtas]

With reference to using in bright sunlight
Bright sun = sunglasses, and if you happen to be wearing sunglasses with polarising lenses
This will greatly affect the brightness of the screen with the viewing angle, this is true for any other LCD/LED screen (TV, laptop, phone etc)

 

[mikebell]

What is "out of date" exactly? Before I got my Desire, I was using a Sony W880i for years and years quite happily.

With regard to putting things off, I heard a rumour that some large scale computing projects (that take years and years to run) put off buying hardware because if they waited, the speed of hardware would increase so much in that time that they would actually get the result of their computation sooner!

Likewise, sending slumbering astronauts off to the nearest star is not a brilliant idea, because by the time they've woken up 40,000 years later, they will be awakened by the people who arrived there first courtesy of warp drive.

By definition there will always be newer and better phones, so if the time is right for you, just get it.

 

[Anthony1]

It would help enormously if we knew which country you were in and maybe even where.

I'd guess at New York by your user name, so I can't really comment on what phones are available to you, unfortunately

 

[wuthton]

The next generation will be toting 1.5ghz processors/Android 3.0, which are unlikely to be available before the new year.

 

[bigapple2]

The username was randomly chosen - I'm actually based in Manchester UK.

I asked the same question over at xda-devs and one of the moderators simply said to wait 3 weeks and reconsider then (closer to the date I actually get the phone). My plan now is to wait and see if the SGS bugs are fixed by then. If not, I shall get the Desire.

Of course, I'm keeping an eye on other news. I am following the Desire HD quite closely as well.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Deleted User]

I was in a similar position, I could upgrade from last Sunday but my contract wasn't up until the end of October. I've been lurking on these forums for a few weeks and obviously reading the rumours about the 'new' HD Desire.

I couldn't wait though and received my black Desire from Orange yesterday. Honestly, it's the best device/gadget/phone I've ever owned. The thought of waiting for something new with it's own inevitable teething issues (all/most phones have them) and having to deal with them without a massive user-base of nerds to turn to is just not an option for me.

Yes it is 6 months old but often pieces of equipment as powerful as this is need time to mature, for folks to get to know them, hack them, customise and to receive official update.

I have no regrets whatsoever in my purchase and even though I know something will come out to trump it, I don't want a handset any bigger than this one or anything that will consume the battery any more than it does already. Bigger screens and faster processors will definitely affect battery performance and that's a deal-breaker for me.

 

[Anthony1]

The Desire isn't six months old. It was only just released in April. That makes it a little over three months old.

 

[Jason71]

I would say if you want a phone from the current crop to last as long as possible then
Desire and SGS are the best options because they have the best hardware and probably will have the best support.
If you are prepared to wait for something better then fair enough there will be something better, then something better after that. but there is something to be said for having a phone that is a few months old. all the major bugs have come to light and are either fixed or you know you will have to live with them and you can make an informed choice. Get a phone day one and you never know. SGS GPS is a good example we still don't know yet if its hardware or software and if its hardware......

 

[Jammy]

It can be overclocked to 1.2GHz ;P

 

[SUroot]

sending slumbering astronauts off to the nearest star is not a brilliant idea, because by the time they've woken up 40,000 years later, they will be awakened by the people who arrived there first courtesy of warp drive.

...and this is what is wrong with society today. Courtesy, or lack there of. Personally I'd like to think they'd pick em up as they go passed.

 

[Jammy]

The Desire isn't six months old. It was only just released in April. That makes it a little over three months old.

It's still 6 month old hardware - ie, similar to the N1.

 

[Si Pie]

Every single phone I have got I have been bored with after 2 weeks. Not so with the Desire, there seems to be so many apps and functions that it can do almost anything I want.

There will be better speced phones released but the Desire is smooth enough already. Unless a really flashy new interface was released or somehow more demands were put on the phone, I can't see why you'd need a better phone out of necessity.

 

[mikebell]

...and this is what is wrong with society today. Courtesy, or lack there of. Personally I'd like to think they'd pick em up as they go passed.

Didn't you know that all hitch-hikers are murderers? Check out "There's Something About Mary"

 

[no fit state]

Why does it need to last 2 years? I stick to 12 months contracts only. Never had a phone that last much more than 12 months anyway.

 

[zaim87]

I got the desire a cpl days ago, and its an awesome phone. i thought about waiting as well, but there are new phone coming out every so often and you could keep waiting. I'm glad i bought it

 

[SupremeBeaver]

I'll be waiting for the Desire HD which is rumored to be released in Ocotober.. not too long.

 

[JustAUserName]

Getting a new phone at end of August, one that will need to last me two years. I know a phone usually goes out of date within a year but I'd like a phone that will make a decent attempt at staying in, via updates or whatever.

I'm really attracted to the Desire, but it is already 6 months old and I am worried that the hardware is already out of date. Should I get the Desire or should I start looking at some of the newer phones to continue the next two years?

If you think I should look at other phones, please suggest them. I also have my eye on the SGS, but the dev community behind the Desire (and the lack of apparent bugs on it, the SGS is fraught with them) keeps pulling me back to the Desire.

If you keep putting it off you'll never buy anything.

If you like the phone and can afford it, just buy it.