Traded my Maxx HD for an S3. So far, so good.

[roach]

BIG BIG MISTAKE,wife had so many problems with hers as all her girlfriends,too many itims to list between all of them.When you hold a MAXX and then hold the S3 "Bamm" that should give you a signal. Like BMW (Razr) & LEXUS (S3)
Thats just my opinion.

 

[jntdroid]

Made the same trade a few weeks ago and have been more than happy.

- never had any reception or call issues. JB radios even better...

- battery life gets me a full day...not the MHD, but is more than sufficient

- I have 3 young kids... I use my phone camera a LOT...

The whole new Razr lineup is awesome. But for me the S3 has been an excellent choice.

On another note... If you're into rooting, the S3 has incredible dev support. Given its specs, I kinda think of it like my own Nexus 4.

Sent from my S3

 

[geoff5093]

I had the GS3 for 2 days and the MAXX HD for a week, trying to find a suitable replacement for my Thunderbolt (Both phones I returned).

The GS3 was a great phone for the time, fast, great display, great camera, etc. However I hated the slick back plastic, I came really close to dropping the phone several times. The signal is slightly worse than other phones, last night me and a friend were at the movies, she has a GS3 on Verizon and I have a Thunderbolt. My Thunderbolt was getting 1-2 bars fluctuating between no data, to 1x, to 3G, where she was not getting any service at all (she even put the phone next to mine and no luck). Battery life was fair, it could last a day but I hate going into the night with only 20% battery left, as you never know if something will happen where you won't be able to charge your phone for several hours.

The MAXX HD improved on a lot of these, but I use the camera quite a bit, so that was a major deal breaker for me. Even in bright light the photos were awful. The ergonomics IMO were horrible as well, when I held the phone the sharp edges (relatively speaking compared to the GS3) made it uncomfortable to hold for an extended period of time. The edges as well as the squarish design made it look like I had a deck of cards in my pocket, whereas the GS3 with its tapered edges made it more comfortable and more discrete.

All in all neither phone was worth the $600-$650 I paid, and ended up returning them. I tested out the Note 2 and while it's a HUGE step up from the GS3, it's slightly too large and doesn't fit in places like my cars cup holder that I usually use to store phones in. I'm hoping the DNA is that perfect device.

 

[PowrDroid]

I hate going into the night with only 20% battery left, as you never know if something will happen where you won't be able to charge your phone for several hours.

Then you won't like the DNA and its 2,020 mAh battery.

 

[huskur]

Very good and thorough post.

In my own opinion though, camera quality isn't a trade-off for the battery life on the MAXX HD. As long as you don't use task killer apps, this phone can easily last 2-3 days on a single charge. If I wanted to take awesome pictures on my phone, I would probably go buy a decent camera whose job is to take good pictures.

Yes, but then you would not be using your phone.

 

[Mule65]

My camera works great. Not sure what the problem is.

 

[geoff5093]

Then you won't like the DNA and its 2,020 mAh battery.

Yeah I am a bit worried, but I'm hoping I can manage, lol.

My camera works great. Not sure what the problem is.

The camera works, but it just doesn't work that well.

 

[bsweetness]

Yeah I am a bit worried, but I'm hoping I can manage, lol.

I'd start worrying a little bit more. Several of the early reviews talked about decent battery life, but they rushed those reviews out before they were able to have any substantial time with it. Some of the big tech sites are starting to weigh in - Engadget, The Verge - and they're not impressed with the battery life. Especially The Verge. They said the battery life is "terrible." Ha, ha.

They certainly put the phone through more of a stress test than most people will during the course of a normal day, but if you're medium to heavy user, I'd expect to be looking for a charger sometime in the afternoon.

I've found the battery life on the S3 to be exceptional. I came from the MAXX, and while that phone certainly would last longer, I really haven't missed it. That's especially the case because the S3 has a removable battery. I completely agree about not wanting the phone to be at 20% before you the evening since you don't know what will come up, so that's why I pop in a spare fully charged battery and then hit the town!