Is the S3 "last year's" technology?

DragonSlayer95 · May 15, 2013

ScandaLeX said:
Since they look alike you can get the S3 & tell yourself you have the S4.....

I couldn't resist that.

Until you look at the back of the phone if it isn't wrapped

MasterCylinder · May 15, 2013

My number one advice at all times - it's a handset. Hold each one in your hands, goof around with them, and just trust your gut instincts.

That's always worked for me.

That's the way I found my S3. At first I was stuck looking at specs, but after handling it for about the 4th time, My gut said "Yeeaaaah!" I like the feel of it, the stock sounds and the Windmills! Plus the removable battery and sdcard slot.

I think the OP, coming from probably an iPhone 4(s), will find the S3 miles above that device - more capable and powerful, and with the upgrade in screen size, I'm sure he'll be tickled pink for the life of the phone, no matter which one he gets.

SebaKL · May 15, 2013

I really don't have much to add, most of the above replies covered everything and more.
I just like to urge you, to hold on with getting the S4 for a while, if you can.

Seem like the early release is a bit of a rush model. With more problems surfacing across different forums daily. I'm guilty of making the same mistake time and time again. My S3 was the first batch, and came with the infamous Sudden Death Syndrome prone chip, and did in fact suffer the faith as predicted. 6 months down the line, the phone died. So was my Note 2, exactly 6 months after I opened the box.

The S4 also comes right now only in the 16GB flavor, out of which, just 8gb is available for your use, as the rest is required for the OS and all the cool, new features. While you can easily expend the memory with SD card, some apps still require large storage and 8gb might not be sufficient, given you can't move apps to SD card.
There are also known built quality problems with the bezel cracking, wifi connectivity issues, headphones problem and clicking noises at certain volume (regardless headphone brand), well known to S2 and S3 users, the random auto reboots, camera causing phone to reboot, etc...

S3 is a great phone and I love, and even tho I'm sucker for all the new S4 features, and I'm super itchy to lay my hands on it a.s.a.p., I will however wait, till the 32 or 64gb (hopefully rectified by then) models will be available.

cheers

CrimsonPride · May 16, 2013

SebaKL said:
I really don't have much to add, most of the above replies covered everything and more.
I just like to urge you, to hold on with getting the S4 for a while, if you can.

Seem like the early release is a bit of a rush model. With more problems surfacing across different forums daily. I'm guilty of making the same mistake time and time again. My S3 was the first batch, and came with the infamous Sudden Death Syndrome prone chip, and did in fact suffer the faith as predicted. 6 months down the line, the phone died. So was my Note 2, exactly 6 months after I opened the box.

The S4 also comes right now only in the 16GB flavor, out of which, just 8gb is available for your use, as the rest is required for the OS and all the cool, new features. While you can easily expend the memory with SD card, some apps still require large storage and 8gb might not be sufficient, given you can't move apps to SD card.
There are also known built quality problems with the bezel cracking, wifi connectivity issues, headphones problem and clicking noises at certain volume (regardless headphone brand), well known to S2 and S3 users, the random auto reboots, camera causing phone to reboot, etc...

S3 is a great phone and I love, and even tho I'm sucker for all the new S4 features, and I'm super itchy to lay my hands on it a.s.a.p., I will however wait, till the 32 or 64gb (hopefully rectified by then) models will be available.

cheers

the 32gb version is available now on at&t. and ive never heard of any of these problems you mentioned. i have not seen anyone mention the headphone problem, the bezel cracking, any wifi issues or anything at all on the s4 forums here. and i have not had any of these either. I was a release day owner on the s4, s3, s2 and the s(captivate) and never had any problems with early models, and i really doubt that will start now, eventhough there is always a chance of getting a defective model.

EarlyMon · May 16, 2013

CrimsonPride said:
the 32gb version is available now on at&t. and ive never heard of any of these problems you mentioned. i have not seen anyone mention the headphone problem, the bezel cracking, any wifi issues or anything at all on the s4 forums here. and i have not had any of these either. I was a release day owner on the s4, s3, s2 and the s(captivate) and never had any problems with early models, and i really doubt that will start now, eventhough there is always a chance of getting a defective model.

I stand corrected on the 32 GB, thanks.

Respectfully, the SGS4 forum here does have a sticky thread on wifi issues. Like the SGS3 at launch, it can be picky about router configurations for some people. Captivate had GPS complaints at launch.

All new devices seem to have growing pains. Not the end of the world, but real for some or many, and unnoticed by others.

Hadron · May 16, 2013

MasterCylinder said:
That's the way I found my S3. At first I was stuck looking at specs, but after handling it for about the 4th time, My gut said "Yeeaaaah!" I like the feel of it

It was actually the other way round for me: I liked the S3's specs, but could never get comfortable holding it.

It's nicer when it works out than when it doesn't, but either way emphasises the importance of trying before buying.

SebaKL · May 16, 2013

CrimsonPride said:
the 32gb version is available now on at&t. and ive never heard of any of these problems you mentioned. i have not seen anyone mention the headphone problem, the bezel cracking, any wifi issues or anything at all on the s4 forums here. and i have not had any of these either. I was a release day owner on the s4, s3, s2 and the s(captivate) and never had any problems with early models, and i really doubt that will start now, eventhough there is always a chance of getting a defective model.

I'm sorry to burst your "happy" bubble, but world doesn't end at shores of the USA. For pretty much anyone else, The 32GB wasn't even announced yet, and there are no approximate dates of it's arrival in most of the countries.

As for the " i have not seen anyone mention the headphone problem", that's straight up lie.

1. S4 Headphones problem.

Currently discussed by many users, across various forums, from AA to XDA:
Android Authority

XDA

and given it's a relativity new device, give it some time to allow for more problems to surface. Just because you don't share them, it doesn't make them not real or not existing.

S3 notorious bezel cracks.

S3 bezel images. I bought total 5 of the 16gb white S3, two for myself and 3 as gifts. They all have cracks in exact same place, about an inch under the volume rocker, and there is vast number of customer worldwide, facing the exact same problem. I also bought in a period of 5 months, so it can't be just one effected batch.

And very much the same S4 issue , just give it couple of weeks and there will be more.
My wife bought one on the launch day, 3 days later the corners had very fine crack lines. I return the device and requested a refund, and will wait for later batch to arrive, as I said above, I had that happen to all my S3 white models before, and I'm not alone as the phone cracks in the exact same place, in various countries, from various carries and users. Clearly not a case of mishandling.

Hadron · May 16, 2013

Well CrimsonPride did specify one carrier for the 32GB.

And it's not a lie that (s)he hadn't heard of the issues. Early has already pointed out that others are seeing them.

CrimsonPride · May 16, 2013

SebaKL said:
I'm sorry to burst your "happy" bubble, but world doesn't end at shores of the USA. For pretty much anyone else, The 32GB wasn't even announced yet, and there are no approximate dates of it's arrival in most of the countries.

As for the " i have not seen anyone mention the headphone problem", that's straight up lie.

1. S4 Headphones problem.

Currently discussed by many users, across various forums, from AA to XDA:
Android Authority

XDA

and given it's a relativity new device, give it some time to allow for more problems to surface. Just because you don't share them, it doesn't make them not real or not existing.

S3 notorious bezel cracks.

S3 bezel images. I bought total 5 of the 16gb white S3, two for myself and 3 as gifts. They all have cracks in exact same place, about an inch under the volume rocker, and there is vast number of customer worldwide, facing the exact same problem. I also bought in a period of 5 months, so it can't be just one effected batch.

And very much the same S4 issue , just give it couple of weeks and there will be more.
My wife bought one on the launch day, 3 days later the corners had very fine crack lines. I return the device and requested a refund, and will wait for later batch to arrive, as I said above, I had that happen to all my S3 white models before, and I'm not alone as the phone cracks in the exact same place, in various countries, from various carries and users. Clearly not a case of mishandling.

Yes i did specify at&t, which can be used internationally, so if someone really wants more than 16gb, they can get it, unless they are on sprint or verizon. And i was also well aware of the cracking bezel on the s3, and im sure samsung is as well. To this point, i have not seen a single mention of it happening, not saying it will not, but i have not seen it. I never said these other problems do not happen, but they seem to be very sparse compared to what many phones have at release. And as i said, i get most of my information from the s4 forum here, and I had missed the wifi problems which was in a sticky, but i have not seen a single mention of the headphone problem, and i have not had this problem when using headphones daily. All i was doing was giving people here my experience with the phone and what other people here had said, and i may be in a "happy bubble," i was just giving me honest experience. No need for you to come back all offensive about it.

Hadron · May 16, 2013

SebaKL said:
"No, there is no rain in here, so there must not be rain anywhere else"...

And that was my point. That member had not seen the issues, so your use of the word "lie" was unjustified.

And it had been made clear that others did see them an hour before your post, ie 2 posts above...

EarlyMon · May 16, 2013

I missed the snarky remark about the lie.

Sorry about that folks.

The personal attacks and holier than thou catcalling ends here and now.

MasterCylinder · May 16, 2013

Hadron said:
It was actually the other way round for me: I liked the S3's specs, but could never get comfortable holding it.

It's nicer when it works out than when it doesn't, but either way emphasises the importance of trying before buying.

Some people say the S3 has a "cheap plastic" feel to it. It doesn't really feel like that to me. With the shiny paint and texture on the back, it feels all of one piece of a cut piece of glass to me. In fact, I like that feel so much I spend about half of my time using the phone without a case. I have a Rocketfish leather case with a belt clip to hold it when I'm using it like that. This is not as convenient as using a case like the Puregear Hybrid Cover I use, with a clip and a kickstand, which is not so easy to come by any more.

I'll also have to admit it feels like a wet piece of soap always trying to slip out of your hand when it's naked.

Of course, when you take the back off, that's when you realize that is a really thin but strong piece of plastic on there. I think THAT'S what people are complaining about when they call it plasticy. (My spell checker doesn't like that word

) It's actually a clever design if you think about it - it is so thin and strong, and it doesn't add weight. It's easy to get off, maybe too easy. I guess it does pop off when dropped sometimes. The HTC 1 is using this to market against with it's "All Metal" design.

I've discovered that tapping the back with your fingernail also reveals that plastic-ness. Does the S4 have the same kind of back? It doesn't bother me. (So far.)

Bearsyzf · May 16, 2013

i say go for the S3 , it is awesome and you'll say money by getting it cheap since the S4 is out ..... and i still think you would be getting a great phone with more possibilities than you can probably even use.

Gomjaba · May 16, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
I always tell people your upgrade is your one chance to get a deeply discounted phone. Get the best available at the time, because youre going to have it for 2 years.

Take the ip4 for example, its ffree with a contact, but its already 2 generations (about to be 3) old. By the time your next upgrade is ready you'll be 5 phones behind and could be frustrated by the limitations at that point.

With that being said, the s3 and s4 are similar, and i was overall unimpressed with the s4. Wouldnt sell the s3 for it, but if i had an upgrade it and the htc one would be considered

Totally agree. I wouldn't sell my S3 either for an S4, but mine is now broken and my contract is up for renewal in a few months. Only reason I will go for a S4.

Hadron · May 16, 2013

MasterCylinder said:
Some people don't like the "cheap plastic" feel of the S3.

For me it's actually the size/shape. I don't have large hands, and the current big phones are right at the limit of comfortable one-handed use for me, so small differences in size or shape make the difference between ok or not.

MasterCylinder · May 17, 2013

Hadron said:
For me it's actually the size/shape. I don't have large hands, and the current big phones are right at the limit of comfortable one-handed use for me, so small differences in size or shape make the difference between ok or not.

Ah! Fair enough. I have huge hands and I love to handle this device.

It's interesting to note that Motorola has made a mission statement about their phones strategy for the future in that they have declared they're not going to follow the battle of bigger is better, but are going to find what they think is the "right" size for a phone and concentrate on quality. I guess Apple has done the same thing so far.

benchbear · May 17, 2013

...and couldn't be happier.
Plus, ironically, had a video chat with my son last night - him on his S4 and me on my S3 - and he was having problems with connecting to his router. And watching his battery life. Does that sound familiar?

The learning curve for droid (coming from ATT iPhone) is a bit steeper than I'd anticipated, but it seems worthwhile to me, given all the interesting features that Samsung has built in.

Bottom line: I suspect that if I looked at my S3 right next to a shiny new S4, I'd "get" the differences, and perhaps have a bit of tech envy. But I suspect the goodness of the S3 is going to hold me for two years...and then I'll step up to an S5 or S6. Heh heh. I like this phone so much, I'm getting one for my wife.
Finally, I'm glad to see that the Galaxy has such a passionate, helpful, OPINIONATED community. That's a real plus, in my books. Thanks!!

EarlyMon · May 17, 2013

Congrats!

Ok, next step on the learning curve and your pro tip for today - we don't say droid.

That's a trademark for a Verizon-branded series of phones, and a non-representative fraction of what we're all about.

Now you know.

By the way, try Boat Browser. It's pretty good.

PDubs · May 17, 2013

Great decision! My wife and I were at the same position last year and signed a new two year contract with the S3: could not be happier at that price point. Two years prior, we did the flagship phone thing and tried to make a more economical decision this time around. You definitely won't regret getting the S3.

rcsrich · May 17, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
My major gripe with most nexus devices was the less than steller specs. I can't say that about this phone

Good point...

rcsrich · May 17, 2013

funkylogik said:
Totally mate. id much rather have a low priced year old flagship than a brand new low-mid range phone (if anything, because the dev' support will already be thriving. And accessories)
Ive said it before but when my wife surprised me by ordering me an s3 at UK launch, it was an s2 or Gnex i really wanted but she just remembered the word "galaxy" lol.
of course im glad now. Those are still great phones but the s3 was a major step up and its pretty future proof for probably another couple of years. The s4, although its a step up from the s3, doesnt seem like so much of a step :thumbup:

Id recomment that people thinking about buying the s3 or s4 just buy an s3 handset outright instead of getting tied into a contract on the s4 with the evil carriers/operators (although i realise that doesnt give as much freedom as it should in north america yet)

I think lots of people WANT to go contract-free here, it's just that $400-600 upfront cost for a flagship phone off contract that scares a lot of people off. I kind of like how T-Mo is doing it now where they will let you pay for the phone over 2 years if you want & not as much up front- at least you can see what money is going toward the phone vs. your service & if you get a nice fat tax return or run into some money, you can pay the phone off early.

funkylogik · May 17, 2013

Yeah i think the UK o2 carrier is doing something similar. Seems a lot fairer

Is the S3 "last year's" technology?

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