Evo 3D 'pro' reviews

[novox77]

.

The following are links to hands-on reviews of the Evo 3D, which is scheduled for launch on JUNE 24, 2011.

Wired Review: July 13, 2011
http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/07/evo3d/
__________________________________________________


PCWorld Review: June 21, 2011
HTC EVO 3D Phone Review | PCWorld
__________________________________________________


Examiner.com Review: June 20, 2011
Review: Sprint EVO 3D is a masterful device in 3D and 2D - Los Angeles Gadgets | Examiner.com
__________________________________________________


IntoMobile Review: June 20, 2011
HTC EVO 3D Review: Does a third dimension belong in the EVO line?
__________________________________________________


Phone Arena Review: June 19, 2011
HTC EVO 3D Review - Phone Arena
__________________________________________________


Consumer Reports Review: June 19, 2011
First Look review: HTC Evo 3D is eye-popping fun, if a strain
__________________________________________________


Slashgear Review: June 18, 2011
HTC EVO 3D Review - SlashGear
__________________________________________________


PhoneDog Review: June 17, 2011
HTC EVO 3D First Impressions | PhoneDog
http://www.phonedog.com/videos/htc-evo-3d-video-review-part-1/
http://www.phonedog.com/videos/htc-evo-3d-video-review-part-2/
__________________________________________________


GigaOm Review: June 17, 2011
HTC Evo 3D first look video, no glasses required - Mobile Technology News
__________________________________________________


InfoSync Review: June 17, 2011
HTC EVO 3D Review
__________________________________________________


MSNBC Gadgetbox Review: June 17, 2011
Gadgetbox - EVO 3D is no gimmick superphone
__________________________________________________


PCMag Review: June 16, 2011
HTC EVO 3D (Sprint) Review & Rating | PCMag.com
__________________________________________________


Gizmodo Review: June 16, 2011
HTC Evo 3D: Oh My God Make It Stop Hurting
__________________________________________________


Laptopmag Review: June 16, 2011
HTC EVO 3D Review | Smartphone Reviews | Sprint Smartphone Reviews
HTC EVO 3D (Sprint) - Benchmark Test Results
__________________________________________________


Engadget Review: June 15, 2011
HTC EVO 3D review -- Engadget
__________________________________________________


'This Is My Next' Review: June 15, 2011
HTC EVO 3D review | This is my next...
__________________________________________________


BGR Review: June 15, 2011
HTC EVO 3D review
__________________________________________________


CNET Review: June 15, 2011
HTC Evo 3D Review - Watch CNET's Video Review
__________________________________________________


Wall Street Journal Review: June 15, 2011
A Review of the Evo 3D - WSJ.com
__________________________________________________


Hannah from Sprint demos Evo 3D at CTIA: March 23, 2011
YouTube - ‪CTIA 2011: Sprint HTC EVO 3D Hands-On Demo‬‏
__________________________________________________


​

 

[ebolamonkey3]

I can't wait anymore! We're only 10 days from the 24th, where are the official reviews??

 

[peterpopanut]

I can't wait anymore! We're only 10 days from the 24th, where are the official reviews??

I know! As soon as I saw the thread, I was like, 'FINALLY! Reviewers have finally gotten their demo phones in the mail!'

Oh well... at least I can let the YouTube servers rest a while and just keep hitting refresh on this thread...

 

[ArmageddonX]

Awesome!

 

[jerofld]

I know! As soon as I saw the thread, I was like, 'FINALLY! Reviewers have finally gotten their demo phones in the mail!'

Oh well... at least I can let the YouTube servers rest a while and just keep hitting refresh on this thread...

LOL, like Google doesn't have the bandwidth. GMusic seems to be evidence enough that they have lots of hard drive and server farms.

 

[novox77]

yeah sorry guys, I don't have any NEW reviews for all us regulars around here. I was just getting organized because I'm anticipating more to come in the next few weeks. If any of you find any new ones, or a really good previous review that you think is worthwhile to add, let me know.

 

[peterpopanut]

LOL, like Google doesn't have the bandwidth. GMusic seems to be evidence enough that they have lots of hard drive and server farms.

Lol yeah I know they do... but idk why people keep posting old reviews on YouTube. At least on here, I'll pretty much know that it's something new.

 

[Jceinc]

God the dude in the video with Hannah is ANNOYING!

 

[toad6386]

yeah sorry guys, I don't have any NEW reviews for all us regulars around here. I was just getting organized because I'm anticipating more to come in the next few weeks. If any of you find any new ones, or a really good previous review that you think is worthwhile to add, let me know.

What a tease! My pulse rate quickened, eyes widened, then.... nada. Really hoping that the phones'll ship early, and the Sprint stores wil call preorders to come and get'em! (Yeah, but I can dream, can't I??? )

 

[rivera02]

LG Optimus 3D review: Is 3D worth all the fuss?

LG Optimus 3d review. Pretty much what I expected to be honest, but it definitely won't stop me from picking up the evo on launch day.

 

[cobalt]

LG Optimus 3D review: Is 3D worth all the fuss?

LG Optimus 3d review. Pretty much what I expected to be honest, but it definitely won't stop me from picking up the evo on launch day.

Hmm... My translation of the review: "Stereoscopic 3D isn't for everyone, and it's kind of gimmicky. It's a good phone, sure, but I wouldn't purchase it because I don't want 3D." They basically said that the phone dims in 3D mode (we know that), but it's fine in 3D. They said the battery life was fine, but worse when turning on 3D. It didn't seem to raise the cost of the device. An autostereoscopic-capable display is just one more feature which, in this case, didn't seem to hurt anything by its inclusion.

I hope more reviewers consider an added feature like this as an optional bonus, not a definite negative.

 

[rivera02]

Hmm... My translation of the review: "Stereoscopic 3D isn't for everyone, and it's kind of gimmicky. It's a good phone, sure, but I wouldn't purchase it because I don't want 3D." They basically said that the phone dims in 3D mode (we know that), but it's fine in 3D. They said the battery life was fine, but worse when turning on 3D. It didn't seem to raise the cost of the device. An autostereoscopic-capable display is just one more feature which, in this case, didn't seem to hurt anything by its inclusion.

I hope more reviewers consider an added feature like this as an optional bonus, not a definite negative.

My thoughts exactly. I figured it was a given that heavy use of the 3d function would kill battery life, and I know it's gimmicky, but it's not why I'm buying the phone. It's like saying, "without this feature that you never have to use if you don't want to this would be a great phone, but it's there so I can't recommend it."

 

[Android 17]

I don't mean to nitpick, but I wouldn't consider the Engadget video to be a review.

I'm sure within a few days they'll post an actual review on the website, which I am looking forward to.

 

[novox77]

I don't mean to nitpick, but I wouldn't consider the Engadget video to be a review.

I'm sure within a few days they'll post an actual review on the website, which I am looking forward to.

agreed. consider those old CTIA hands-on videos space fillers until we have real reviews, and I'll remove them later. For now, they are there for newcomers that might not have seen any coverage of the phone.

 

[Jackietreehorn]

So, here's a phonescoop review, but it's a bit cringe worthy...


Review: HTC EVO 3D (Phone Scoop)

My biggest gripe with the EVO 3D is the wireless performance, It's bad enough that the WiMax radio barely worked, but add to that poor 3G performance, and poor voice performance, and you've almost killed off all the reasons to buy any phone. Crummy battery life doesn't help, either.

Aside from the 3D features, the EVO 3D's best feature is HTC's Sense 3.0 user interface. Sense 3.0 is fantastic, and makes the EVO 3D a highly capable and customizable smartphone.

In the end, it boils down to what's most important for you. If you value performance of the wireless radio more than anything else, the EVO 3D is not for you. If you don't mind some sketchy behavior and are lusting after that 3D camera, I won't blame you.

The WHOLE review isn't nearly that bad, and it was tested in NY and NJ (I don't have a clue how coverage is there), but it's certainly not all rosy in this particular reviewers eyes.

 

[NeoteriX]

So, here's a phonescoop review, but it's a bit cringe worthy...


Review: HTC EVO 3D (Phone Scoop)



The WHOLE review isn't nearly that bad, and it was tested in NY and NJ (I don't have a clue how coverage is there), but it's certainly not all rosy in this particular reviewers eyes.

I live and work in the heart of Manhattan, and I get rock solid 3G and 4G service both at home and in my office. I do know 4G can still be spotty in the city though, so I'm curious as to where specifically they tested.

I plan on keeping my 4G after I get a 3D so I'll be sure to let everyone know how the wireless quality compares. I believe I've read they both use the same WiMax chip (from the FCC filings)

 

[ArmageddonX]

The report of a poor 3g/4g signal are disconcerting... however this is the first I've heard of it. I'm going to make sure to keep a close eye on this in future reviews.

 

[Android 17]

It's hard to tell for sure, but I'm betting the reviewer in that particular article either has a faulty phone, or has problems with the wireless signal.

It's highly unlikely that Sprint would ship a phone that has such inherent hardware problems.

It just seems more plausible to believe that.

 

[toolwarrior]

It's hard to tell for sure, but I'm betting the reviewer in that particular article either has a faulty phone, or has problems with the wireless signal.

It's highly unlikely that Sprint would ship a phone that has such inherent hardware problems.

It just seems more plausible to believe that.

Android... while I hope you are correct, we can not make this assumption. We all need to take a very critical and analytic approach to the 3D performance from here on out. As the previous poster mentioned, this is a concern, regardless of the source and we need to look at it very closely. After all the waiting and the hype (or lack there of) and the suspense, I have to admit that my heart sank when I read this. It definately changes my "I'm getting this phone no matter what" approach. Now my engineering thought process is kicking in and we all should carefully look and report on this. We owe it to our fellow forum readers.

 

[ebolamonkey3]

The report of a poor 3g/4g signal are disconcerting... however this is the first I've heard of it. I'm going to make sure to keep a close eye on this in future reviews.

Definitely. A phone with bad connection and bad voice quality simply isn't a good phone.

But on the bright side, the reviewer said the screen is one of the best he's ever seen, and the same goes for the camera in 2D and 3D.

This coupled with the fact that the 3vo has the same 4G radio as the Evo, I am optimistic.

 

[RichboyJhae]

Expect an unboxing video today. Bob from Wirefly announced it in a comment. It's really cool how they did the Eco-Box last year, but I'm really hoping that this year we get a cool box for the EVO 3D.

 

[you2]

Well this has me concern (esp the comment on call reception).
-
Signal

Hmm. First, WiMax performance. The 4G radio can find Sprint's WiMax network, but not very consistently. Using the phone in New York City on two separate occasions, it connected to the WiMax network lickety-split, held onto it for a minute, and then dropped it. I wasn't able to reconnect to the 4G network for several moments. The rest of the time I was in NYC, the signal waffled between 4G and 3G, as though it couldn't decide which network it preferred. Data speeds and browser performance were, understandably, inconsistent. When it was connected to WiMax, it was fast. When it wasn't, things slowed down.

As for 3G, out in NJ where 4G isn't live yet, I was able to spend a weekend with the EVO 3D using EVDO-only coverage. How well did this work? In a word: disaster. The EVO 3D barely held onto one bar most of the time. This led to missed calls, plenty of repeat dials, and several dropped calls. Not good. As for 3G data performance, it was better than voice performance for sure. Speeds were decent, and 3G browsing sessions were acceptably quick, even with only one bar. At my home in NJ, one bar is pretty typical for Sprint. It performed on par with other Sprint 3G devices.
-
As well as this (though this might be a direct by product of poor reception; hard to tell):
Sound

Sound is a bit of a mixed bag with the EVO 3D. Earpiece volume is great. Phone calls are plenty loud in your ear, and border on painful when the volume is set to the max. A mid-level setting is appropriate for most environments. Call quality, however, wasn't so great. Voices were often garbled, making me ask those with whom I spoke to repeat themselves. The speakerphone was also capable of producing plenty of volume, but the garbled quality of calls were magnified here. Ringers and alert tones could be set to maddeningly loud volumes, and the vibrate alert was strong enough to make the EVO 3D dance across my desk.
-
Last but least it seems battery life is a bit of an issue:
-
My biggest gripe with the EVO 3D is the wireless performance, It's bad enough that the WiMax radio barely worked, but add to that poor 3G performance, and poor voice performance, and you've almost killed off all the reasons to buy any phone. Crummy battery life doesn't help, either.
-
However battery life might be better if you don't drop reception as scanning for reception seems to be expensive on these phones (my non-data phone can kill itself in an hour or two if I go some where with no reception).

So, here's a phonescoop review, but it's a bit cringe worthy...


Review: HTC EVO 3D (Phone Scoop)



The WHOLE review isn't nearly that bad, and it was tested in NY and NJ (I don't have a clue how coverage is there), but it's certainly not all rosy in this particular reviewers eyes.

 

[you2]

Well he said the 3g reception was normal compared to other devices he has used. The biggest issue (for me) was the dropped calls; though 4g might be an issue.
-
This might be an antenna issue not sure. Also remember the nexus 4g has a bit of an issue with 4g. I can tolerate some 4g issues but dropped calls is a bit of a problem.

The report of a poor 3g/4g signal are disconcerting... however this is the first I've heard of it. I'm going to make sure to keep a close eye on this in future reviews.

 

[PyroSporker]

The report of a poor 3g/4g signal are disconcerting... however this is the first I've heard of it. I'm going to make sure to keep a close eye on this in future reviews.

Well he said the 3g reception was normal compared to other devices he has used. The biggest issue (for me) was the dropped calls; though 4g might be an issue.
-
This might be an antenna issue not sure. Also remember the nexus 4g has a bit of an issue with 4g. I can tolerate some 4g issues but dropped calls is a bit of a problem.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. He has a history of bad Sprint connection at his house and his typical review areas. Also he seems rather hard on HTC Hardware all around when it comes to his reviews.

Evo 4G Shift
"In my home it captured two bars of signal strength, though that immediately jumped to three if I went outside. It lost all contact with Sprint's network in my basement, but this is typical of Sprint phones that I've tested. It also lost contact with the network in my local supermarket. When it was actively connected, though, I didn't miss any calls. Data speeds were mostly good, with a few noticeable slow downs here and there.

Turning on the 4G radio takes about one minute. Once it is active, it will find and connect to Sprint's WiMax network (if present). Sprint doesn't offer WiMax where I live, but I was able to take the EVO Shift 4G into New York City, where I tested it a bit.[Driving I'm guessing, or near the tall buildings] WiMax performance was spotty. It would connect to the WiMax network, only to lose it a few seconds later. It was rare that it maintained a solid connection for more than 10 minutes at a time. During that 10 minutes, web browsing was noticeably faster than browsing via 3G. Manhattan is a challenging environment for any cellular device, but I was disappointed with how the EVO Shift 4G performed in 4G mode."

Kyocera Echo
"Signal performance is all over the map with the Echo. It never consistently held onto Sprint's network. Sitting on my desk, it would show 5 bars, then drop to 2, then go back up to 4, then dwindle down to 0. In my basement, it alternately dropped the network entirely, and then displayed full signal strength. The Echo dropped a number of calls, and several required redialing before they could go through. Data connections were also spotty. Sometimes it connected right away, other times it stalled badly. Signal performance was quite poor on a trip into Manhattan. For example, the Echo took a long time to reconnect to the network after emerging from subway tunnels."
...
"Call quality with the Echo was spotty. Earpiece volume was plenty loud, but calls suffered from a lot of scratchy static. I had the sound drop out entirely a number of times, and the clarity was simply not good. Those with whom I spoke said that I sounded distant."

I also noticed in reading through his other reviews that he seems like an all around tough guy to please. I'm not trying to put him down, he just seems somewhat negative and un-professional at times. In fact I actually appreciate that about him because he is not giving a free pass to anyone and looking at things with a realistic eye. He comes off like a typical everyday guy rather than someone all high and mighty?

Side note; one of the photos in the Evo 3D gallery is of the HTC Sensation on top of his Apple laptop in front of what looks to be an Apple Desktop. He also team reviewed the iphone, 3G, and 3GS along with the countless other products from many different manufacturers. I'm not trying to call him out or start a discussion about Apple products or its users I just though it should be considered food for thought. Please, spare me and everyone else here, and don't open that can of worms.

The photos he took are very disappointing to me. They look really poor, like there is a smudge on the glass or out of focus or something. Almost as if there was a soft light filter used, giving that soft vignette like you would see in an overly emotional scene from a 50's movie.

Once other reviews roll in hopefully we can come to an average and consider this one an outlier.

 

[you2]

If you read his review of the sensation; you see that signal strength is stronger but he still has serious issues with garbled voice communication (distortion for sound). Battery life on the sensation was ok but not great. Oh well I'll have to check this one out in person even if the signal issue is specific to him the issue with phone calls (sound distortion) is not great.