Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC Desire

[batvette]

So here are the differences, starting with a startling one:

Samsung Talk Time: 9 hours

HTC Talk Time: 16 hours

Samsung Processor: 1.5 dual core

HTC Processor: 1.4 dual core

Samsung Display: 4.8" AMOLED(no Gorilla glass?)

HTC Display: 4.5" qHD (gorilla glass 2)

Samsung camera: 8 mp

HTC camera: 5 mp

Samsung size: 5.4" x 2.8" x .3"

HTC size: 5.3" x 2.67" x .39"

Samsung Price: $299-399

HTC Price: $195-279
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Any other significant specs please add.

For me, that battery life is a huge deal, I wonder if one is off? I'd like to hear inputs on the display, the size of phone/size of display is a tossup, I think the S3 is a tad large for me but the phone is all screen, The HTC is not a lot smaller AND seems a lot thicker. Is that how the battery life comes into play? What about the AMOLED vs qHD? I hear the S3 is vibrant but dim. Anyone?

Camera resolution may or may not matter. I have a Nikon S4 6 mp camera that's 7 years old and smokes most modern point and shoots with 2-2.5x the resolution, digital photography is more about the lens to sensor technicals than anything and the sensor itself may even be better to be less MP. The whole camera industry is a crapshoot anyway, the best mfrs often have dogs and vice versa.

Then there's price, if you can get the HTC on sale (195 at VM, limited time) it's significant. If it's 279 while the S3 is 299 (now at radioshack through christmas) it's not.

I also consider production#'s and popularity- I don't want an obscure orphan- no support, no community, no accessories. The S3 has that- will the HTC? Has anyone heard that HTC is in trouble? Is it true?

And the wild card... Radio Shack no-contract just released the S4. ($550). If VM gets it too, will the S3 price plummet, possibly below its $250 black friday levels? They're due for a new Android flagship, aren't they? $550 is too rich for me but the point is that evens the price for the S3.

I'm getting a new phone this week. I have choices.

 

[jmatherly411]

The Galaxy S3 has gorilla glass 2 as well, and not to mention you get 16GB of internal storage out of the box without the SD card while the HTC Desire only has 8GB of internal storage. Galaxy S3 is now running Android 4.3, HTC Desire is on 4.2.2 correct me if I'm wrong. S3 has 2GB of RAM while the Desire has 1GB of RAM, 1GB of RAM makes a big difference in performance. Both phones are capable of LTE if your in an LTE market. S3 Super AMOLED display is HD and no its not dim very bright if you crank up the brightness, images are sharp, crisp, and clear no matter what the brightness level is.

 

[batvette]

Got the S3, the "popular phone" benefit already realized.... walked out of radio shack to the 99c only store, wasn't looking for them but found cases and screen protectors for 99c. Bought 3!

 

[mikeca]

I've had the Desire activated for about a week now and can say the battery life is definintely decent. The Samsung likely has a slightly better screen and Camera. The extra internal memory on the Galaxy may make a difference as well. The Desire is blazing fast and smooth (though I've had some issues with the Virgin Mobile ID app that keeps trying to install and fails but eventually mellows out).

Very fast at switching between wifi and mobile data comapared to my last phone (Kyocera Rise), in fact it's a huge upgrade from the Rise!

The big plus on the HTC is the speakers are the bomb, the sound is incredible both when listening to music / vids. and also phone calls. This thing rocks and I'm pretty sure the Galaxy can't touch it in this area!

Blinkfeed is also pretty cool but that's going to be a personal like / dislike.

Both are great phones so.... no wrong choices here.

 

[batvette]

On the sound the S3 is VERY loud however it's just one speaker and pointed away from you so it's not really optimized... but again shockingly loud for what it is.