HTC 10 or S7

[Jaymie1989]

I'm looking for opinions in my next android phone. Currently have the HTC One M8 rooted and on CM13 I do have Xposed installed but only use YouTube modules ATM.

I am keen on the S7 but I know Xposed is an issue. Think I'm fine with that.
I'm also quite interested in the HTC 10 as well.

What are you most likely to recommended?

I will be on the carrier EE, I like to take pics of my kids, tend to watch films on it and of course music.
I played with both today at a phone store and I like both. I think I'm leaning more towards the S7 as the interface is different than the HTC.

 

[Hadron]

Both will do what you want, so it's very much a matter of personal preference. Personally I prefer the size of the S7, the build and software of the 10, but those are my preferences not yours.

 

[Bg260]

If your plan is to run xposed or a custom ROM, I would check the status of the bootloader before making a purchase. I believe most US versions of the S7 are locked down. Can't speak for the International variants though.

 

[Hadron]

EE are UK. Not sure how locked-down an EE handset would be as I always buy unlocked phones, but then if you buy from Carphonewarehouse rather than EE themselves you can get an unlocked model on an EE contract/upgrade, so that's not a problem (and if you care about updates I'd personally always avoid a carrier-branded handset). However UK S7s will have Exynos SoCs rather than Qualcomm chips used in the US versions, which means that some of the custom software options will differ - best would be to visit the relevant XDA forum to check the root and ROM options for that model.

 

[Bg260]

Yes you can buy a carrier unlocked (SIM unlocked) phone. An unlocked device means it's not locked to a particular carrier: you can insert a different SIM card to change to a different carrier, and it will work. A locked device will not connect to another carrier if you change the SIM card.

The bootloader is the first thing that runs when you turn the phone on: it's responsible for loading the core Android code, so that Android can load itself and run. A locked bootloader uses digital signatures to verify the Android code it's loading, which means it will only boot a ROM (firmware image) that's signed by the device manufacturer. In contrast, an unlocked bootloader will load any ROM. Unlocking a locked bootloader will wipe all user data (but not the ROM) from the device. This is a security mechanism, so you can't get at the data on a phone by installing your own ROM on it. Samsung is notorious for having locked bootloaders. HTC will let you unlock the bootloader while maintaining write protection S-ON. Unlocking a bootloader will also likely void any warranty.

For me it would be a question of 6p or wait for Oneplus 3

 

[Jaymie1989]

I will be buying it unlocked.

I like the feel of both but the display of the OS more on the S7 and the HTC 10 looks basically the same as my CM13 on my One M8. I'm leaning towards the S7 but I still want the freedom of customization such as different ROMs. There are ROMs available on both devices but I know Samsung are more strict.

So I think I want the HTC 10 lol

 

[Bg260]

Also note that while a bootloader may currently be unlockable, this may change with an OEM update.
And yes HTC is known for having an AOSPish ROM.

Cheers

 

[Hadron]

I am confident that bootloader unlocking won't be a problem with the HTC - they've had a very consistent policy on bootloader unlocking for many years. I wouldn't really expect it to change for a non-carrier Samsung either though.

 

[chanchan05]

I am a Samsung guy, but there's just too little actual difference between the S7 and the HTC10 in terms if performance that I'd rather suggest you stick to HTC, especially if you're an audiophile. While I am content with the sound quality of Samsung phones, on paper the HTC has a much better onboard sound chip, and according to user reports, this translates to a noticeable difference in quality, plus the loudspeakers on the 10 are better. The Samsung Exynos chip however gives the S7 a slight edge in processing speed/power, as well as battery life.