Thunderbolt vs Bionic

[BlackOtaku]

In your situation, you already have a Nexus S, arguably the best Android phone on the market today. Not everyone can say the same. For you, yes, you should hold out until at least Christmas time this year before getting a new phone.

However, for the general populace, your xkcd comic doesn't make sense. The problem with the comic is that undergoing surgery to put USB wiring inside your body is a more or less permanent thing compared to buying a phone, which you can replace on a whim as you've demonstrated yourself.

If you buy a Thunderbolt off-contract, you can always sell it and buy the Bionic later. If you buy a one-year contract, then you can upgrade to a much better phone than the Bionic spring time next year. If you buy a two-year contract only is it even remotely similar to the situation in the comic you provided, but even then you can still sell the device and buy a new one at full retail.

There's no problem future-proofing your phone at all, but it is kind of a moot point since you aren't required to stick yourself into an inflexible two-year contract. If you have the money you can spend slightly more every year to avoid being stuck with a relative brick of a phone 12 to 15 months into your contract.

Really every quarter there is always going to be something better: Q4 2011 will provide some solid devices that will make you think "crap, I shouldn't have bought that Bionic." You might as well just suck it up and upgrade every single chance you get without holding out for too long.

I'm not that bothered by being behind the curve, even if it's less than a month after I get the phone; I bought the Nexus S even after reading the incessant raging over it's lack of a dual-core CPU and the nagging threads at XDA "You know the LG Star (as it was called then, nowadays it's the Optimus 2X) is coming out in like, a matter of months right? Are you gonna take your Nexus back yet? Are ya? Are ya? *repeat ad nauseum*" because I had made up my mind and decided it was best for what I wanted it for. I got the whole "It doesn't have dual-core!" thing from a friend IRL, but I just simply told him that dual-core phones could wait until I upgraded on Verizon. I'm in no hurry to jump on the dual-core bandwagon even now, but it's gonna be nice to have it. Now I'll be up for upgrade about the same time the Bionic comes out, and I'm excited; sure, it's got the dual core, and that's nice, but it's also got a lot of other things I like too. I've settled on it, and I'll be happy with it for the two years I'll spend with it (because from a monetary perspective, I don't see a one year contract happening; I might have to pass on the Bionic entirely if Amazon doesn't stick to their $150 2yr. price). Let me just summarize with this; I prefer the Bionic, so I'll be getting it. Thunderbolt's nice too, but I'd have more buyer's remorse with it; I'm not fond of HTC's design choices and it doesn't feel more powerful enough than my Nexus S.

The xkcd comic, on a final note was simply to address the issue of full hardware support; I don't mind if I'll have to wait awhile before full support is rolled out to it. I'm kinda used to going without it in some regards (being a Linux user myself) but considering that I see myself with this thing for the next two years anyway, it'll probably happen soon enough for me to enjoy the benefits of it.

Now, I feel like I'm hogging the thread to some extent. What's everyone else leaning towards?

 

[Mapex]

In the end, it comes down to what you want.

Do you want unmatched performance and better battery savings (although currently in its unoptimized state the Bionic fails in this regard)? Do you prefer having a barebones experience that relies solely on your own efforts to maximize (assuming they even unlock the bootloader)? Get the Bionic.

Do you want a better user experience, complete with various consumer-oriented background services, a kickstand, and a powerful back speaker, from a manufacturer known for its speedy OS updates relative to the competition? Do you wish to be guaranteed to have the best of the best from a device that possesses the most mature technology of its kind (even if it means giving up next-gen)? Get the Thunderbolt.

Do you want both? Get the Thunderbolt then sell it later for a dual-core, DDR2 device later.

I'm going to one-year a T-Bolt and upgrade post-CES/MWC next year when devices are released that turn this year's Atrix and Bionic into Droid Erises. By then multi-core technologies will actually be utilized properly by the software so the jump in performance will be more noticeable and very welcome.

 

[Martin030908]

just wanna say, great thread folks. some good discussion going on.

 

[StinkyPete]

I think this would be an easier discussion if they were both out now - at the same time.

Since they are not and the Bionic's specs are not confirmed... it is really a "buy now" versus "wait and see" discussion.

When the Bionic comes out, there will be another phone on Verizon's horizon that will have a little better / different specs - and we will be having this same discussion again with a Bionic vs ______ thread...

 

[kparks]

DROID BIONIC Advantages over Thunderbolt:

Better battery (1930 mAh compared to the Thunderbolt's 1400 mAh)

or just get the TBolt extended battery HTC does a great job with there extended battery take the DINC for example looks great!!

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Also, even though it's a bigger battery on the Bionic, but doesn't it need it since it's dual core? And actually runs Tegra 2?

 

[Martin030908]

Also, even though it's a bigger battery on the Bionic, but doesn't it need it since it's dual core? And actually runs Tegra 2?

dual core is supposed to use less power to run than a single core. Each core is to handle less of a load, requiring less of a power consumption, iirc.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Also, even though it's a bigger battery on the Bionic, but doesn't it need it since it's dual core? And actually runs Tegra 2?

dual core is supposed to use less power to run than a single core. Each core is to handle less of a load, requiring less of a power consumption, iirc.

Ahhh ok. Hmmm, I can't remember, I also heard the Bionic is a big phone, is the Thunderbolt as big?

 

[Martin030908]

They're both a 4.3" screen

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Hmmm ok. Sorry if these are stupid questions, just making sure of some things. That's all.

 

[Martin030908]

Hmmm ok. Sorry if these are stupid questions, just making sure of some things. That's all.

not at all.

A lot of us tend to treat are next smartphone purchase as a life or death matter!! (not really, but you get what I mean)

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Well, technically, I still need to make even one Android purchase first lol. So it kinda means something to me a bit.

 

[Martin030908]

Well, technically, I still need to make even one Android purchase first lol. So it kinda means something to me a bit.

Well you're in for a treat regardless what you decide on.
As I'm sure you've noticed (and in case you haven't)... there is always something 'better' on the horizon, so don't let that side of things affect your choice!

I'd def recommend getting your hands on both a Moto and HTC device to help aid your decision.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

I'm a person that always notices how tech speeds up in computers, since I've been making my own computers for about 7 years now and I stay on top of all that pretty well, so I understand the whole thing of Moore's Law and so on. But I want something I can use now and even in the future (as in be able to still use the phone perfectly fine even after the 2 years are up and I don't have to buy another phone).

 

[Martin030908]

I'm a person that always notices how tech speeds up in computers, since I've been making my own computers for about 7 years now and I stay on top of all that pretty well, so I understand the whole thing of Moore's Law and so on. But I want something I can use now and even in the future (as in be able to still use the phone perfectly fine even after the 2 years are up and I don't have to buy another phone).

As someone who builds my own PC's too I completely understand. Just because I do doesn't mean I want to do it every 6 months!

Most of the tech in the smartphones now, while it will be trumped in 6 months, has plenty of power to last two years. Just a matter of it you can hold off from the temptation of what's new