Nexus S vs other rooted android devices

[Colekg]

Hello,

I am wondering what the difference is between getting a Nexus S and Mytouch 4g (or other android device) if I plan on rooting. Isn't it the case that if I root a Mytouch 4g with a custom ROM, that I will get a similar experience as if I rooted the Nexus S? What am I missing here? If some of the hardware specs are "better" on a device other than the Nexus S, why not just get that device and root/Rom/unlock it? I have not yet bought an android phone (currently rocking the 1st gen iphone on t-mobile unlocked and jailbroken) and want to get the best phone/android experience possible. Any clarification and help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

 

[AndreaCristiano]

Nexus S has pure google no bloatware, and the smoothest android experience . It will also get the updates the fastest, first and directly from google. You wont have to wait for your carrier or samsung in this case, it gets pushed directly from google to you

 

[quantumrand]

Nexus S has pure google no bloatware, and the smoothest android experience . It will also get the updates the fastest, first and directly from google. You wont have to wait for your carrier or samsung in this case, it gets pushed directly from google to you

That doesn't quite address the original question. If you're rooting your phone and installing a custom ROM, you can skip all the bloatware and such. Also, with custom ROMs, you don't have to wait for the manufacturer or carrier to release the updates. My last phone (the HTC Hero) was rooted with a 2.2 Froyo ROM back before the Hero even had an official 2.1 ROM.

Now where the Nexus S would be better than say a MyTouch 4G (apart from the hardware) is in the fact that the NS will be the first to get Custom ROM updates, since the official updates will be released for it, without needing to be ported. Also, because they won't need to be ported, they will generally be much more stable.

Lastly, the Nexus S should (and I say should because this isn't for certain yet) have a much stronger development community than the other phones, since it is targeted at that demographic.

 

[Colekg]

I see. I would maybe consider a getting something other that Nexus S if "4g" networks were more prevalent. But the Nexus does seem like a phone that will hold its own even with all of the new devices that will be coming out in the next few months. I just wonder of the hardware wont be able to hold up.?? Will I be able to install any custom ROM that is out there or does it have to be specifically designed fo the nexus s?

 

[quantumrand]

I see. I would maybe consider a getting something other that Nexus S if "4g" networks were more prevalent. But the Nexus does seem like a phone that will hold its own even with all of the new devices that will be coming out in the next few months. I just wonder of the hardware wont be able to hold up.?? Will I be able to install any custom ROM that is out there or does it have to be specifically designed fo the nexus s?

Custom ROMs are designed for specific phone models. Sometimes ROMs from other phones can be ported to a different device, but it generally takes a lot of work and usually have various bugs.

 

[WTF]

If you plan on rooting, there may not be a big difference - especially if you'll be loading a ROM. I have a rooted Droid X that has been OC/UV and runs great with the stock ROM, Blur and all. I've also tried loading GummyJar, a blur-less ROM that is supposed to be pretty close to vanilla Android, but I didn't see much of a difference and went back to stock since stock had some widgets that I constantly use that GJ didn't have. Each phone is different and has varying pluses and minuses, but rooting and ROMming levels the playing field to quite an extent IMO.

There are lots of good 3G phones out there now (I would recommend the Droid X), but if you wait a few months there will be some even better 4G models to choose from...good luck!

BTW, on my DX I'm seeing consistent scores of 17.50 Linpack and around 1800 on Quadrant as per the details above - not shabby