Fascinate vs droid x

[Wolfedude88]

Fascinate won, but just barely. I'm still keeping my X!

CNET Prizefight - Fascinate vs Droid X

The only thing I can really disagree with is the call quality, it has been perfect on my X, have heard a lot of complaints from people with the Fascinate.

 

[rehpyc]

a) it's CNET
b) lol at them giving the fascinate a higher call quality score
c) they shoulda tested the GPS on both ;]

not to say either phone is better since they really just come down to what your most important preferences are, but lol@cnet

 

[SirKronan]

a) it's CNET
b) lol at them giving the fascinate a higher call quality score
c) they shoulda tested the GPS on both ;]

not to say either phone is better since they really just come down to what your most important preferences are, but lol@cnet

Yep. They are totally a tie in my book.

 

[dmcrowe]

I switched from the Fascinate to the DX too. I liked the Fascinate size and screen, but there were enough small things that bothered me on the Fascinate that I don't miss it.

Fascinate Pro (vs DX):
1) Size. Slightly smaller and easier to hold. Thin and light.
2) screen. I didn't mind the colors and the contrast is great. Also very usable in direct sunlight.


Fascinate Con:
1) No notification LED!
2) Software. Most of the software didn't seem quite ready. Most was OK but simply didn't have the polish that the Droid X and Incredible had. Biggest gripes - email (Hotmail) client was very slow. Calendar defaults to Phone appointments and not Google with no way to change it.
3) Bing.

Frankly, I didn't have an issue with call clarity on the Fascinate, but after switching to the DX I've noticed it's better. Both are better than the Incredible. (not that the incredible was terrible).

I'm keeping the Fascinate as a backup in case my wife or I lose/break our current phones. I suspect the Fascinate will improve greatly with the Froyo update. Also, I'm sure the guys at XDA and the Voodoo project will work their usual magic. I prefer to NOT root my phones, but I will if it becomes really necessary.

I tend to agree with an article I read somewhere - the Fascinate is great hardware with poorly implemented software. If a Froyo or other updates corrects the software issues, then the Fascinate could very well be the best Android phone out right now - and it still won't have the notification light. As it is, the DX works better for me right now but honestly,both are very nice phones.

 

[rwrife]

I have both, currently use the X because it's way more reliable....but here's a quick pro/con list that I came up with:

Fascinate Pros: amazing screen, super fast, very thin, very light weight, gyroscopes are super accurate, touch screen is very responsive and accurate

Fascinate Cons: lack of ram (could hurt in future updates), unreliable gps, tiny power button, camera not as good as X, bing (can be fixed), color scheme (some apps have white text on white background), battery life, buggy launcher & widgets (can be fixed), horrible signal reception (I get no service on the FS where I get 2 bars on the X)

Droid X Pros: screen size is awesome, battery life is pretty good, multi-touch keyboard, physical navigation buttons (if you like them), camera button, nice power button, amazing camera, reception is amazing, call quality is amazing, pretty close to stock android, the extra 54 pixels

Droid X Cons: heavy, cancerous growth around the camera, lags at times, the extra 54 pixels

When it came down to it, I couldn't pick up the FS and make a phone call, get directions or do a lot of my day to day tasks with confidence that the phone is going to work. Too many times I picked up the phone and either it wouldn't have service, navigation buttons wouldn't work or some software glitch would cause problems....so I use the X as my primary phone and haven't had many issues.

 

[SirKronan]

a) it's CNET
b) lol at them giving the fascinate a higher call quality score
c) they shoulda tested the GPS on both ;]

not to say either phone is better since they really just come down to what your most important preferences are, but lol@cnet

You know, now that I went and watched it, I actually think they did an ok job. It's funny that they declare Samsung the winner by a mere .2 margin. That's not a very clear winner in my book, and still pretty much a tie!! Funny how they still call it the "winner". Although at the end they said both phones present a "win" on Verizon right now. That's definitely true.

 

[Kevmueller]

The X basically lost because of it "looks", it feel behind by a full point. Some of the cons they had about the X, are actually things I like. Also readying rwrife's pros for the X and negatives on the Fascinate I would buy the X 10 times out of 10, but that is what I am looking for.

We have an upgrade coming and I think I finally have my wife talked in to switching from BB to Android and she likes the Fascinate, it is what she is looking for in a phone. Both are great phones.

 

[rehpyc]

You know, now that I went and watched it, I actually think they did an ok job. It's funny that they declare Samsung the winner by a mere .2 margin. That's not a very clear winner in my book, and still pretty much a tie!! Funny how they still call it the "winner". Although at the end they said both phones present a "win" on Verizon right now. That's definitely true.

I mainly laughed because the DX undoubtedly has the better call quality, yet they had the Fascinate with the higher score. I've never cared for CNET reviews, so this just lines up with the rest.

I think by now we've collectively stated relatively the same pros/cons of each phone over a hundred times on these forums :\

 

[SirKronan]

I mainly laughed because the DX undoubtedly has the better call quality, yet they had the Fascinate with the higher score. I've never cared for CNET reviews, so this just lines up with the rest.

I think by now we've collectively stated relatively the same pros/cons of each phone over a hundred times on these forums :\

I had great call quality on both phones, and continue to get great call quality on the Fascinate. But I agree that the edge goes to the Motorola DX in this round. I'm surprised they didn't agree. Again, this is not because the Fascinate has poor quality, because the call quality is actually great on the Fascinate.

The call quality on the DX is just phenomenal. Multiple editorial reviews compare it to a good land line. That's literally what it sounded like to me, too. I didn't think the overall review was bad at all, but I am as surprised as you are that they gave the edge to the Fascinate in call quality.

I still call these phones a tie. I miss the rubber back on the X, but that phone is so uncomfortable to operate and hold in the hand .... arg.

 

[chris2k5]

Both are great phones. Droid X serves me very well but the Fascinate's Super AMOLED is absolutely gorgeous. I just couldn't get over Samsung's mistakes with hardware though.

Not a big fan of plastic on the Samsung after I used the Droid X's metal body with soft touch material. It is like trying to drive a Ford Focus after driving a Lexus for years.

 

[theineffablebob]

The Fascinate doesn't have a notification LED? That's a deal breaker. The LED on my Droid X is extremely useful for knowing when I have new e-mails or texts without having to turn on the screen.

 

[nosaj]

I tried the captivate when i had ATT (done this month) the screen is awesome but the phone is trash. The first one was bad and crashed apps all the time multiple times in a row. the second one had crappy GPS. I have switched to Verizon and foolishly got a fascinate. again beautiful screen but the GPS is a joke. My Droid X is on the way.

 

[SirKronan]

I tried the captivate when i had ATT (done this month) the screen is awesome but the phone is trash. The first one was bad and crashed apps all the time multiple times in a row. the second one had crappy GPS. I have switched to Verizon and foolishly got a fascinate. again beautiful screen but the GPS is a joke. My Droid X is on the way.

Can't believe how hit and miss the Fascinate is... Mine works great still. Even the GPS works. I just turn on the GPS, then load the app I want to use it. Never gives me a lick of trouble in that order. And the phone works fine. I don't get weird echoes, and seldom drop calls.

Modded and customized the way I have it, I get two days on a charge pretty regularly.

 

[jacko1]

I had both for a few weeks and I returned the fascinate
the x is a better device. Samsung still has 2.1 and signal issues fluctuations
battery life is ok GPS sucks unless you root and install dj05
Samsung has poor support screen is nice but I rather have function over
factor and voice call sound is horrible
don't ask how I got both devices but I have friends in high places

 

[jbhumph]

I've been able to play around with the Fascinate quite a bit and it is a gorgeous phone. Flat out, you could not go wrong with a DX or Fascinate.

That being said, IMO, the biggest factor in not getting a Fascinate for me is the battery life. The DX with extended battery lasts me at least a day with HEAVY use. It's very difficult to kill the battery.

I like knowing I have something that will last a long time and I don't have to worry when I'm down to 40% battery life

 

[jreed2560]

I guess to some people the "pretty" factor is enough for them to like a phone, and it doesn't matter how many specs or facts you throw at them, they aren't going to change their minds. But coming from someone in the cellular industry and having the opportunity to actually carry both devices.

X = 2.2 +
Fascinate 2.1 -

x 8mp camera +
fascinate 5mp camera -
(like it or not, that matters to some people)

X = 8gb internal memory +
Fascinate = 2gb internal memory -

X = 512 ram +
Fascinate 384 ram -

add to the fact that 2.3 is on the horizon, and motorola has an excelent track record of pushing out updates to their phones +
Samsung has a horrible track record of upgrading the software -

Now the Fascinate does have a more "vibrant" screen which is a mixed bag. Some like it some don't so you honestly have to consider that a wash.

Rooting to me seemed easier on the X. And so does fixing the problems if you mess up. You have a decent list of roms to choose from on either side. And even though you are stuck with moto's kernel you can still overclock, undervolt, etc... I honestly don't think its that bad of a thing about it being locked down. Coming from the eris, although aosp roms are nice in theory, they don't always mean a more stable, more functional device. I'm not really here to dissuade anyone from buying a fascinate, because like I said if you are going to like it, you are going to like it and nobody can tell you otherwise. I have used both devices so just my 2 cents!

 

[nitsuj17]

H

I guess to some people the "pretty" factor is enough for them to like a phone, and it doesn't matter how many specs or facts you throw at them, they aren't going to change their minds. But coming from someone in the cellular industry and having the opportunity to actually carry both devices.

X = 2.2 +
Fascinate 2.1 -

x 8mp camera +
fascinate 5mp camera -
(like it or not, that matters to some people)

X = 8gb internal memory +
Fascinate = 2gb internal memory -

X = 512 ram +
Fascinate 384 ram -

add to the fact that 2.3 is on the horizon, and motorola has an excelent track record of pushing out updates to their phones +
Samsung has a horrible track record of upgrading the software -

Now the Fascinate does have a more "vibrant" screen which is a mixed bag. Some like it some don't so you honestly have to consider that a wash.

Rooting to me seemed easier on the X. And so does fixing the problems if you mess up. You have a decent list of roms to choose from on either side. And even though you are stuck with moto's kernel you can still overclock, undervolt, etc... I honestly don't think its that bad of a thing about it being locked down. Coming from the eris, although aosp roms are nice in theory, they don't always mean a more stable, more functional device. I'm not really here to dissuade anyone from buying a fascinate, because like I said if you are going to like it, you are going to like it and nobody can tell you otherwise. I have used both devices so just my 2 cents!

Valid points i would just point out that the fascinate does have 512 mb of memory....but only 384 is available as the rest is dedicated to video

I do think the x is a very good phone....but will never again support motorola due their polices toward the root community

Everyone has different takes on that i suppose...,but every dollar spent on the motrola droid line by consumers gives implicit support to their device lockdown

 

[jreed2560]

H

Valid points i would just point out that the fascinate does have 512 mb of memory....but only 384 is available as the rest is dedicated to video

I do think the x is a very good phone....but will never again support motorola due their polices toward the root community

Everyone has different takes on that i suppose...,but every dollar spent on the motrola droid line by consumers gives implicit support to their device lockdown

Respect!

 

[chris2k5]

As much as I love my Droid X, I am never buying Motorola again for their lockdown on the phone. Android is all about openness and they totally went against it for the stupidest reasons.

If I wanted a locked down experience, I would've gone with the trusty iPhone 4 (great phone by the way).

From now on I think I will go with Samsung or HTC as long as they don't lock down the phones. HTC will have priority with me for HTC Sense and being very OPEN.

 

[jreed2560]

Don't get too high and mighty with htc. They had their little tricks with the g2. Also EVERY mfg. Locks down phones, we've just had easier times breaking thru. Unless you have a pure google phone ala nexus one or nexus s, or a of droid 1 you have purchased a phone with "something" in place to try to.prevent you from hacking it. Moto has just found a new and better way to do it do it

 

[nitsuj17]

Don't get too high and mighty with htc. They had their little tricks with the g2. Also EVERY mfg. Locks down phones, we've just had easier times breaking thru. Unless you have a pure google phone ala nexus one or nexus s, or a of droid 1 you have purchased a phone with "something" in place to try to.prevent you from hacking it. Moto has just found a new and better way to do it do it

very true....virtually every android device is locked down to some degree...and really htc is getting better....and better....and better at nand lock...dont be shocked that if they keep trying it, one day they ll succeed (or it ll take so long to crack that its a nonstarter)

even samsung "locked" the bootloader on the galaxy s phones...but did the most half-assed job of it they possibly could and it was bypassed in like a day

motorola just seems committed to spending a lot of money in encrypting the bootloader....i guess on their balance sheets it made sense somewhere...but certainly not in the good will department

if motorola ever abandons the omap processors though, then it may be interesting as it would seem TI is heavily involved in the encryption process....and it would remain to be seen what would happen on the first generation of a non-TI motorola product

 

[jroc]

^Ahhh u reminded me of something I read somewhere. Is the bootloader gonna be easier to bypass in Tegra 2 phones? I know the current Tegra 2 tablet(s) are easy so far, but tablets might be a different beast. Maybe Motorola cant lock it down as tight as they did with the OMAP..

Definitely something to think about. I might make your comment a thread topic somewhere...lol

 

[Kaleb Randleaxe]

My biggest turn-off on the Fascinate? To be honest, it's 'cause it's a Samsung phone. All of their phones look like plastic-y, cheap feature phones.

 

[SirKronan]

My biggest turn-off on the Fascinate? To be honest, it's 'cause it's a Samsung phone. All of their phones like like plastic-y, cheap feature phones.

It's actually built surprisingly solid. The screen can take a decent beating before breaking, and lightweightness certainly doesn't always equate to weakness. I prefer the backing of the DX, but it's so un-ergonomic it hurts my hand to use it one-handed for a long time, such as when driving or rocking my 11 month old to sleep. The samsung because it's lightweight and much more ergonomic, is a lot handier for this.

The problem? Still no 2.2. And some folks still have call quality issues. I have never had call quality issues or GPS issues to date with my fascinate. It's very hit and miss. The percentage of problems from respondents is a little higher than I would hope from a device as awesome, technically, as the Galaxy S. I have friends that complain about the DX, too, but it seems to be a bit lower percentage.

 

[Frisco]

Why don't you just play with both and decide for yourself? Everybody would have different reasons for liking one or the other.

+1.

Some will do that and decide on the X, some the Fascinate.

I chose the Fascinate over the X after hanging around that store for about half an hour, going back and forth.. I simply found myself looking forward to getting back to the Fascinate after a while; so there was my decision.

ymmv..