Considering the Fascinate... but should I consider the Incredible?

[ppazz1101]

I'm new to the Android phone market. I currently have an HTC Touch Pro 2 running WinMo 6.5 (barf). I'm not exactly an average user. I tried to make my TP2 bearable by running custom ROMs. Thankfully, my company now approved the use of Android devices, so I can give up on WinMo.

So now my question is which device do I go with on Verizon... the Droid Incredible or the Samsung Fascinate. I really liked the Fascinate at the store when I looked at it. I know about the Bing "issue" and the general lack of enthusiasm for TW. But which device would you guys recommend? I want to say Fascinate. I just hear so many good things about Sense. Is it really that great or can I root and use other launchers to have a better experience on the Fascinate?

No opinion will go unread in here.

[phoenix927]

I would suggest the fascinate. The incredible is thing of the past now. The fact that HTC would put a sub par processor and no deticated GPU alone is reason enough to stay away. Also, the incredible isnt even going to be using an AMOLED anymore. The newer models will have a LCD screen.

The Bing issue isnt that big of a problem for the Fascinate because with a simple root you can use google again and remove all the crap bloatware.

Im using a Droid X now but am honestly considering switching to a Fascinate. The Droid X is just almost too large for me. Dont get me wrong its a great phone, but there is just something about the Fascinate.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[ppazz1101]

Thanks. I agree that the Bing issue isn't much of an issue to me.

[tobytl]

...The fact that HTC would put a sub par processor and no deticated GPU alone is reason enough to stay away. Also, the incredible isnt even going to be using an AMOLED anymore. The newer models will have a LCD screen....

Err? ... The CPUs in all of our current high end phones are pretty much the same (Cortex-A8 with _minor_ tweaks), and the CPU performance is pretty much equal (per clock). The Snapdragons Scorpion CPU is actually the only exception, in that they essentially remade the Cortex-A8 as their own design with extended SiMD extensions to the ARMv7 instruction set. But it still performs in line with a standard Cortex-A8 in real world applications. And it does in fact have a dedicated GPU, the Adreno 200 (AMD z430). But that's the sub par part. Or more technically, the drivers are sub par, the chip itself is actually fairly decent.

As for SAMOLED vs SLCD: Spot the difference: HTC Desire's SLCD versus AMOLED -- Engadget

[ppazz1101]

...The fact that HTC would put a sub par processor and no deticated GPU alone is reason enough to stay away. Also, the incredible isnt even going to be using an AMOLED anymore. The newer models will have a LCD screen....

Err? ... The CPUs in all of our current high end phones are pretty much the same (Cortex-A8 with _minor_ tweaks), and the CPU performance is pretty much equal (per clock). The Snapdragons Scorpion CPU is actually the only exception, in that they essentially remade the Cortex-A8 as their own design with extended SiMD extensions to the ARMv7 instruction set. But it still performs in line with a standard Cortex-A8 in real world applications. And it does in fact have a dedicated GPU, the Adreno 200 (AMD z430). But that's the sub par part. Or more technically, the drivers are sub par, the chip itself is actually fairly decent.

As for SAMOLED vs SLCD: Spot the difference: HTC Desire's SLCD versus AMOLED -- Engadget

Actually, that's the difference between HTC's AMOLED and SLCD. The Incredible has the AMOLED right now. However, the Fascinate has the Super AMOLED, which is even better than the HTC AMOLED.

[tobytl]

Yea, sorry, got too excited with the s's . It was in response to the comment about the Incredible dumping AMOLED in favor of SLCD, and the implication that it was a bad thing. Which isn't true, SLCD is better than standard AMOLED, but it's close. And some outlets are already selling the SLCD Incredibles, Best Buy being one. And the only improvement in SAMOLED was to marry the glass to the display, thus reducing glare and improving viewing angles, the actual display technology is still the same.

That said, I still think if those are your only options, you should go with the Fascinate. Personally, I prefer (S)LCD over (S)AMOLED, but the rest of the hardware is better on the Fascinate (especially the GPU). For me, it's a toss up with the edge to the Fascinate, for most people it'd be a no brainer. I was just clarifying the comparison as the info provided on the Incredible in the post I quoted was wrong.

And there are options if you want the "Sense Experience" (at least the widgets, which is the only good part of Sense to most people). You can put LauncherProPlus on the Fascinate, or any android phone, and get very Sense-like widgets.

[dricacho]

I have Launcherpro Plus and my Fascinate is VERY Sense-like.

[Googleaddict]

You should get the Fascinate. Better processor, screen, gpu, ect. I'm going to get my Fascinate very soon

[Signum]

i had the incredible, now have the fascinate.

both very good devices.

[Taino Warrior]

End less you know how to root your phone get the fascinate, I have the fascinate phone i tried to root no success it running slow Bing sucks badly GPS is a nightmare I'm going back to Droid X.