Samsung Epic 4G vs. HTC EVO 4G
As the first and second (respectively) 4G-capable devices to land on a U.S. carrier, the introduction of the HTC EVO 4G and Samsung Epic 4G mark the beginning of a new generation of wireless devices.
Both of these high-end devices are powered by Google’s Android operating system, and are capable of peak download speeds of up to 10 Mbps over Sprint’s next-generation 4G network.
By and large, these devices are highly comparable, although a few key differences do differentiate each device from the other. Which device will you pick, and why? Sound off in the comments below the chart.
Side-By-Side Comparison
|
 |
 |
|
HTC EVO 4G |
Samsung Epic 4G |
|
 |
|
| Wirefly’s Price (as of publish date) |
$119.99 |
$149.99 |
| Carrier |
Sprint |
Sprint |
| Operating System |
Android |
Android |
| Interface |
HTC Sense |
TouchWiz 3.0 |
| Display |
4.3″, 480 x 800 Pixels |
4″, 480 x 800Pixels |
| Data Speed |
3G/4G (WiMax) |
3G/4G (WiMax) |
| Global Roaming |
No |
No |
| WiFi |
802.11 b/g/n |
802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth |
Bluetooth 2.1 |
Bluetooth 3.0 |
| GPS |
aGPS |
aGPS |
| Mobile Hotspot |
Yes |
Yes |
| Camera |
8-megapixel, dual LED flash & autofocus |
5-megapixel, LED flash and autofocus |
Front-facing Camera for video chat
|
Yes |
Yes |
| Video Capture |
HD; Up to 720p |
HD; Up to 720p |
| HD Output |
micro HDMI |
None |
| Apps |
Android Market |
Android Market |
| Adobe Flash Support |
Adobe Flash Lite |
Adobe Flash Lite |
| Storage Space |
8GB microSD card pre-installed (support for up to 32GB microSD) |
16GB microSD pre-installed (support for up to 32GB microSD) |
| Keyboard |
Virtual QWERTY |
Virtual & slide-out physical QWERTY |
| Battery |
Up to 5 hours talk time; up to 146 hours standby |
|
| Processor |
1 GHz Snapdragon |
1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird |
| Memory |
RAM: 512MB; ROM: 1GB |
RAM: 512MB; ROM: 1GB |
| Microsoft Outlook Support |
Yes |
Yes |
| View Word Docs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Weight |
6 oz |
5.46 oz |
| Dimensions |
2.6″ x 4.8″ x 0.5″ |
2.54″ x 4.9″ x 0.56″ |
Key Differences
- User interface: Although both devices are powered by Android version 2.1, the Samsung Epic 4G is running Samsung’s TouchWiz 3.0 user interface while the EVO 4G is running HTC’s Sense user interface. TouchWiz and Sense differ in a number of ways, including the homescreen widgets available, appearance and some Android enhancements characteristic of each respective interface. Some might argue that HTC’s Sense user interface is more advanced and refined than Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. Overall, however, the core functionality of Android remains the same on both devices, and the choice between the two interfaces is undoubtedly one of personal preference.
- Keyboard: Both the Samsung Epic 4G and HTC EVO 4G have capable on-screen, virtual QWERTY keyboards. The Epic 4G, however, also has a great slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard. Certainly, for users preferring to use a physical keyboard, the presence of a physical QWERTY keyboard may make the Epic 4G the better pick.
- HDMI out: With an HDMI cable (sold separately), the HTC EVO 4G is capable of outputting HD video to a TV or projector. The EVO can display anything on the phone’s display, including video, when connected to a compatible TV or projector. Although the Samsung Epic 4G does offer video out via a 3.5mm headphone out cable (also sold separately), it does not provide HD-out capabilities.
- Display: The EVO 4G has a huge and gorgeous 4.3-inch display with 480 x 800 pixels. Because of its large display, the EVO is an ideal mobile device for movie-watching and web browsing. Although it is slightly smaller, the Epic 4G also has a large 4-inch display. The Epic 4G offers a vibrant Super AMOLED display that is arguably brighter than that of the EVO’s with richer colors.
- Camera: The HTC EVO 4G has an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and a bright dual LED flash. The Epic 4G has a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and a single LED flash. Certainly, megapixels are not the measure of a camera’s quality, although the EVO is capable of capturing higher resolution photos. Both devices are capable of recording HD-quality video, and both also sport front-facing cameras for video chat.
- Battery life: At the time of this comparison, the Epic 4G’s battery life has yet to be put to the test. That said, the Epic 4G’s Super AMOLED display and Hummingbird processor are likely to assist the device in achieving longer talk and standby times as compared to the HTC Evo 4G.
Shop Now for Phones from AT&T Wirelesss, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.
| Up to 450 min. usage; 500 hr. standby |
Related posts:
- Samsung Epic 4G vs. Nexus S Schmackdown!
- HTC EVO Shift 4G vs. Samsung Epic 4G
- HTC EVO Shift vs. Samsung Epic 4G – Speed Test
- Samsung Epic 4G vs. Samsung Intercept
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November 24, 2010
i have the epic and my sister has the evo. they both have the same apps. both phones are amazing and they are both better than the iphone considering you can skype and “fing” anywhere, whereas you need wireless with the iphone.
since so much of peoples lifes are based on texting, the epic is better with that because of the full sized keyboard. they both have “swipe” which is AMAZING for texting with 1 finger if you have only 1 hand free.
overall though, me and my sister both agree the epic is better than her evo because of the keyboard and better sound.
November 17, 2010
just look at it like
this the epic got a better screen procesor bigger memory card.accelsrometer. keyboard reads more files sd card easily accesible camera button 6axis more base memory due to htcs sense using a lot of the memory it its a superior phone it comes with a task killer built in media hub wether u like or not still an extra I had both tje battery also lasts longer its just better more features also that fivemp cameras better than the 8mp I bought that cord to play hdmi never use it 8 hotspots really who needs that many kickstand body glove makes a case with one for epic for 50 bucks all the extrasu get its worth o yeah plus swipe comes already joinstalled I had both im tellin u epics a bettef pic evos good but better pics color enriched videos far better processer plus all the rest its a no brainer
November 16, 2010
man shut up
November 16, 2010
I’m considering switching to Sprint and getting the evo. I’ve been a fan of HTC phones. haven’t had much luck with samsung’s previous phones. So HTC has my vote.
November 15, 2010
I love my Epic! I’ve been researching both the Epic & the Evo for a couple months now and asking friends about their phones. I love the screen display of the Epic the colors are spectacular. It took me a bit to get used to the Android system, but I like it now. I had a Palm Pre before and I admitt that the ease of switching apps was amazing. In that respect, I miss my Pre, but the Epic does so much more. The quality of phone calls is amazing as well as the ease in calling. I really like the visual voicemail function. I’m not a big gamer, but the games I like are great on the Epic. I had a very difficult time not playing and doing stuff with my phone at work, the first week I got it. I would highly recommend this phone to anyone.
November 8, 2010
I still dont know which to get I’m leaning towards Epic but the only thing that’s holding me back is people saying that Epic doesn’t have half the things the Evo has I’d like to know what they are. i don’t think i need a hdmi so that wouldn’t be a problem for me
November 3, 2010
I love my Evo ! I do like the slipe out key bored but i still wouldnt trade my Evo in even for that !
October 26, 2010
and what are you doing on here right now??? just aksin’
October 25, 2010
you big dummy why are you talking about ppl saying stuff about phones on a phone web site if you dont want to read them then dont get on the site….you prolly have the samsung instinct your the lame!!!!!
October 24, 2010
I love my evo . Is better than the epic. Way better!
October 29, 2010
Agreed I love mine to its way better then the,epic
October 22, 2010
So I have T-mobile currently, as I have an amazing unlimited plan with them. Unfortunately I’ll be moving to Alaska soon, and I will have to change to sprint as they are the best company that covers the area I’ll be in.
Anyway. I have a Samsung Vibrant, and I love it, but now I have to return it and go with sprint. So I went online and read many many reviews, including most of the ones on this page.
I’m going to buy the Epic, based on my research on the processor speed, screen resolution and clarity, overall quality of reception, call quality, and comfort. I think HTC has a long way to go before they get this cell phone game down.
October 12, 2010
Wow, I’m confused. Guess I’ll just keep my Pre for now. Nice little screen, nice little keyboard, multiple windows, and it’s paid for. But no 4G, no hotspot, and very limited apps.
October 7, 2010
I have used both phones extensively, and although they are very similar, I chose the Epic. Even after having the hero, and loving the sense UI. The two biggest things that made up my mind were, the processor, which yes you can see a difference all the time, not just with games, but also the fact that with the Epic, you can use the internet, as well as be on the phone at the same time due to having dual antennas. Very useful for me, as I am often on a phone call, and need to “Google” something at the same time. I was originally going to get the evo because everyone knows what it is, and is “oooo, and ahhhhh”, but the Epic in my opinion outperformed. The only time you can tell a difference between 5mp and 8mp is if you are blowing up a picture, and you are probably going to have a picture like that done professionally anyway. The front facing camera on the Epic, also seemed to take clearer pictures than the Evos even though the evo has a higher resolution.
October 7, 2010
i own both phones …origionally the evo but it doesent have very strong 3g signal and no 4g where im located on mountainhome air force base idaho, anyway it is extremley slow web browsing and does not stream youtube at all …the epic however does …why is this???
November 16, 2010
u probably didnt update the Evo to Fro-Yo (the newest android update)
November 16, 2010
I am so glad I read this. I went to the store today to try out both phones and spent about 1/2 an hour there trying them out . I noticed that the Epic went right to web browsing and pulled up youtube videos. I then tried the evo on 2 different phones and could not pull up one video. Then the sales person tried to pull up a video from his own phone and it would not work. He told me is was because the Evo was on snap dragon processor and epic was on hummingbird processor and some times you can not pull up videos on his Evo. Lame!
December 20, 2010
That’s very odd because I have a evo and it streams YouTube and my browsing is pretty fast you just might have low signal in your area
October 4, 2010
What truly amazes me regarding all these reviews of phones/smart-devices is that you people never actually review the phone aspect of well… the PHONE! When you go to do a review of a cellphone, rule #1, don’t forget to review THE PHONE!
I primarily use a phone to make phone calls, and while it is a plus to be able to do all these other nifty things with it (texting, web browsing, email, streaming music and videos) I still want to know about actual phone functionality, i.e.: not just call clarity (because clarity is usually about the same on these smart devices).
That said, I can personally tell you that the functionality of the phone and phone interface and dialing pad on the HTC Hero and EVO are the absolute WORST of any phone I have ever had the displeasure of using in my 15+ years of experience with cellphones.
* There is a huge lag on both the speed-dial and manual dialing on these HTC phones. The “pre-pend” function straight up sucks and the dialing mistypes or stutter-types constantly.
* I also absolutely hate how the HTC always “has to” completely black-out the screen within 10 to 15 seconds of placing a call (a crappy feature they don’t allow you to turn off or adjust), which sucks if you’re dealing with automated systems where you have to enter numerical selections.
* I also hate how HTC always has the dialing pad down and you have to #1) bring the screen back after it went black, and then #2) select to bring the dialing pad up, oh and #3) bring the screen back a second time because it will black-out again. Why the hell do they need to do this, to save the battery charge!? Because it doesn’t help increase the length of battery charge at all and is just another hoop one has to jump through when using the phone.
* And even if I’m not dealing with an automated system I still like to use things such as speaker-phone and mute, both of which are a hassle to use thanks to the piss poor way in which HTC set up the phone aspect of this phone.
Basically, HTC was so focused on making a smart-device that they almost forgot the phone part of the “phone”, and then hurried up and tacked it on at the last second as an afterthought.
I have owned several Samsung phones in the past and their call clarity and quality have been just fine (HTC was fine here too), but the actual dialing interface and intuitiveness of a Samsung has always been spot on for a phone, whilst HTC’s is atrocious.
I will be trying the Epic this time around because I want a phone to work as a phone should, and not just be some smart-device who only included the ability to make phone calls at the last second, as an ad hoc “courtesy”. Trust me, HTC’s phone is no courtesy, it’s an insult to those of us who still actually need to make a lot of phone calls.
~DRACULA
November 1, 2010
I entirely agree with everythiong you said concerning call interface and readily accessing dialpad/speakerphone/mute/etc DURING the call. Is this all kosher on the epic?
-WOLFMAN
November 24, 2010
in regards to your comments about the screen going off during a call. there is a sensor (well actually 2 sensors but only one i’ll discuss now) at the top of your phone called a proximity sensor. this is in place to save your battery. whenever you cover this sensor during a phone call that’s not on speakerphone then the screen will go off to preserve the battery. on the flipside as soon as your face (or whatever you’re covering it with) moves away from the sensor the screen will come back on. this proximity sensor is very common on smart phones now because of the MILLIONS of complaints that every phone gets in regards to battery life. the iphone was the first phone i ever saw that had a proximity sensor on it.
as with the dialing pad being down during a call, i mean that’s so trivial i don’t even know how you can bring that up as a downfall. all it takes is one simple touch of the key
October 3, 2010
I own both an EVO and an Epic. The EVO is FAR superior. Although the display on the EPIC is breathtaking, it’s not enough to make me choose it. The slider is a pain in the you know what. What to say about “Media Hub.” It’s just an icon that displays a ‘coming soon” message! It doesn’t give any clues as to when “soon” is!
Celtic26–you need to speak for yourself! I also am a 10+ year smartphone user who started on the Palm platform and who watched the evolution of smartphones from something used in specialized businesses (usually BlackBerries) and by geeks (usually Treos). Like it or not, and most people don’t, Apple changed EVERYTHING, making smartphones ubiquitous. I see 10 year olds now carrying iPhones and BlackBerries! And you know what? You NEVER could do EVERYTHING on a smartphone–certainly not a Treo. Although Blazer identified as IE, helping it get to try and render a lot of pages it wouldn’t have had a shot with had it not, MANY, MANY pages were not able to be rendered in Blazer, and using Opera mini was worse. The tiny keyboards are FAR more frustrating than a reasonable-sized onscreen, and both Android and iPhone have awesome error-recognition systems that make typing onscreen faster and easier than any Treo ever!
If you must continue to live in the past, at least don’t impose your crazy world-view on newbies, who don’t need to learn to depend on hardware keyboards when onscreen keyboards are far superior.
I LOVE my EVO–my Epic is for sale.
October 9, 2010
How much are you selling your epic for?
October 11, 2010
how much for ur Epic phone
October 17, 2010
How much?
October 31, 2010
iam about to get the evo the epic made me rethink my choice thanks for the reviews on both i love my hero so i guess ill get the evo. any input would be helpful.. p.s how much 4 tha epic curious.
November 21, 2010
How much and when can I get it. I use my EVO To Level Out my Desk!
November 23, 2010
How much u want for your Epic?
October 2, 2010
The article says that the Epic 4G has no HTMI output. That is incorrect. It has DLNA output which is like WiFi for HD video. and will allow you to stream to some of the newer TV’s. Google it.
October 1, 2010
Oh, I might also mention, I’m not sure about what headphones come with the evo, but the ones that came with the epic sound great, they have some sort of gel cover that works really well at noise cancellation. I’m using them right now and can’t hear any clicks from my keyboard. If they don’t have these kind of headphones with the evo I’ll be dissapointed…
I did notice it was strange talking on the phone with both of them as you can’t really hear yourself that well, sorta strange, so I just took one out.
October 1, 2010
Hi, just throwing my thoughts up here, I went and bought the Epic with the intention to trade, I was impressed by the screen and am liking it so far, but I’m really iffy on the keyboard. I just sold my iphone 3gs and am very used to the on-screen keyboard, I’d say this on-screen one is a bit harder to use, at least to start, but I actually find it either the same or more difficult to use the physical keyboard. I liked it at first, but after a while I noticed the buttons were a bit hard to push, and they way it’s laid out it felt like I was stretching to use the buttons. I’m going to have to try the evo, currently I’m leaning that direction right now. I think that the larger screen will be worth dropping the questionably valuable keyboard. If I have time I’ll come back and give a report of how it works for me!
I’d definitely say the bottom line is finding what phone is best for you individually!
September 30, 2010
So how long from now will Samsung release the Epic with the Android 2.2 OS? I went to a Sprint store today hopign to walk out with the EVO, but only got distracted with the Epic. I walked out empty-handed in order to do more research. Leaning towards the Epic, but want to solidify my decision with more input. If I did go with the Epic now, would I be disappointed should an updated OS on the Epic come out soon?
November 22, 2010
hi lisa. i looked up a video review for the samsung epic on CNET.com and it indicated that when android 2.2 is available you can update your epic to the android 2.2 OS.
November 25, 2010
The update for the Epic’s operating system is available now.
September 24, 2010
Hands down the Evo wins. not that I don’t like the samsung epic but c’mon, $50 bucks more for half the features the Evo has… they might as well call it the samsung sucker! haha
But i have both phones…Evo for personal and the Epic for work ( they upgraded our crackberry’s to it!)
Evo is great, had it since it first came out and the HDMI output works wonderfully well. Don’t care about media hub since u can find basically any show or movie online.
front face cam is very nice as well as the 8 not 5 mp camera which takes the best pictures i’ve seen since the iphone.
don’t care about swype b/c I have an APP for that, and the physical keyboard sounds nice, but once u try it, u begin to realize its flat and not that great to use.
EVO wins hands down.
bigger screen is better than brighter screen
8mp camera is better than 5 mp on the epic
HDMI is sweet on my 50″ which epic cant support.
supports 8 devices with wifi hotspot
Evo is just better smart phone, meant for smart people.
September 23, 2010
I have played with both the epic and the evo and though they are both great the evo has the edge. As fat asthe screen goes the epic seems to over exaggerate the colors making them look saturated and inaccurate. The bigger screen on the evo is surprisingly a noticable difference and feels less cramped. The processors are both very similar and both are very fast and honestly you won’t notice a difference unless you really get an accurate side by side comparison. Thee keyboard masked the epic twice as thick as the evo and thickness is a bigger issue that the .5 weight difference. The evo fellas more durable and I am using swype on an evo now so that shouldn’t be a turning point
October 22, 2010
Actually, the Epic is six-tenths of an inch thicker than the Evo, as stated in the technical specs of the comparison webpage you are commenting on.
October 22, 2010
Excuse me,I meant six one-hundreths.
September 22, 2010
Been a long time iphone user 3G and iphone4, hated the antenna issue & dropped calls. Dropped the phone and the back corner chipped off. Why did it have to be entirely glass?? Apple really messed up on this one. Plus I had to be on wifi to use facetime/video chat – sucks! The only thing I liked about it was the camera/video. Left AT&T. Bought the Epic. I didn’t use the QWERTY keyboard as much as I thought I would. Keys are too flat. The power button was in an awkward place (right corner). Didn’t really like TouchWiz UI. Aside from nice Hummingbird processor and awesome AMOLED screen, I went for the Evo. I like the larger screen size, the solid feel, and the Sense UI. I was surprised how much the battery life on android phones suck, but I now can buy an extended battery for the HTC.
September 22, 2010
All these reviews and I am more confussssed! Help! What phone do I buy? I am not a keyboard person so I don’t care if there is or isn’t. Most are saying the screen is better on the Epic. I want the better looking screen! Some say the Epic is faster, faster is good to me! What about voice activation through Blue-tooth? I ride a Motorcycle a little over 6,000 miles a year and being able to bring up a phone number by voice would be sweet! Does any of these over price phones do voice over Blue-tooth? Can the Epic be tethered to a lap top over USB for free? I know the Evo can be USB tethered. Decisions, Decisions!!!
September 21, 2010
I went into the Sprint store yesterday with the express goal of buying an HTC Evo. I’d done my research and I was SURE I wanted it. Well, as I was playing with the phone (for the first time) and struggling with the virtual keyboard – if you have long nails, way too many typing errors! – I overheard the Sprint sales guy talk about the Epic to another customer, saying it’s newer, blah blah. What? Another Android out that I didn’t know about? I just eavesdropped on the convo but kept trying out the Evo (which is pretty nice), and then, the sales guy slid out the QWERTY keyboard on the Epic. Suddenly, I was in doubt about the Evo. After all my online research, I had another choice with a bonus keyboard. What to do?
Long story short, I played around with both phones for an HOUR..exhausting, but if you’re going to throw down that much money for a phone you’ll most likely have 1-2 years, you’d better realllly like it. And here’s my experience of it:
The Epic screen is BEAUTIFUL. Me and the sales guy ran the same videos (several on Youtube, Sprint TV, cartoons, and movies) to test the screen/playback side-by-side and the Epic looked that much better. However, aside from the cartoon (which looked better on the Epic), Sprint TV news reels looked terribly pixelated on both, to the point that you couldn’t make out the faces of the celebrities onscreen. That was a huge disappointment, although between the two..the Epic did a slightly better job at streaming. Better processor on the Epic? (Yes, both have 1GHz, but one is Snapdragon and the other Hummingbrid..and I think the bird took down the dragon!).
The keyboard on the Epic is FLAT. I have a BBerry and the raised keyboard just lends itself to ease of typing, but the Epic keyboard requires a lot of turning and twisting of the phone to type on it (of course, first time for me on that phone, but it was uncomfortable). But the flatness of the keys were unimpressive and a hindrance to my deciding on the Epic. Back to the Evo, I tried typing on the virtual keyboard but my nails (which are just a bit long, not crazy acrylics) seemed to hit the keys before my fingertips (it’s again that you’re typing on a flat – a.k.a. screen – surface, instead of a raised one like the BBerry keyboard)..so I made a lot of mistakes on it. LOTS. Annoyingly so. I’m used to typing on my BBerry and not even having to watch my fingers at all; on the Evo, you’d better believe I’d have to watch where my fingertips were hitting. So between the two, I’d at least pick the Epic for the physical keyboard that, though flat, is still a bit easier to type on.
I played games on both and the loading time was slow (ok, this compared to my iPad at home), but the screen looked really nice, esp. on the Epic…which was a surprise. You guys, the Epic DOES have a nicer screen; the Evo looks washed out in comparison.
The difference in screen size (4.3 for Evo, and 4.0 for Epic) is very small, but it seems to make a visual difference. Plus, the Evo’s screen is straight/flat across, so you feel like you’re getting a LOT of screen real estate, while the Epic screen is rounded around the corners (wraps around the slide-out physical keyboard), so it makes the 4.0 screen look smaller – to me. It’s a matter of preference but between the two, it’s a draw on the screen. One’s a bit bigger (Evo), the other is prettier/brighter/crisper (Epic).
As far as the touch sensitivity of the screen: Evo won this one for me. It seemed to be more responsive to touch (and you can calibrate it to match your screen touch-ability), while the Epic seemed less responsive to touch (and I couldn’t find the touch calibration in the settings for this, though that doesn’t mean it’s not there). The home/return/search buttons on the bottom of the screen was rather slow to respond, on BOTH phones, but more responsive in the Epic. Go figure. But on-screen, the Evo’s touch response was slightly better (even though it lagged, too).
I couldn’t test out the cameras on either, because both required inserting the SD card, neither of which had one. But the screen size for the camera is, obviously, quite nice.
I tried surfing the internet on both…touch screen typing was uber-annoying, but neither was the keyboard on the Epic so amazing (I AM used to the BBerry keyboard, keep that in mind). And even though I was in the Sprint store, their reception was poor. However, the Epic seemed to maintain the 4G reception better than the Evo…and the phones were literally side-by-side. I tried to “preview” a movie (Iron Man) on the Evo and it kept saying it required 4G or Wifi to work, although the phone clearly showed 4G as being active, though it dropped it…a LOT. The 4G on the Epic seemed to hold reception and it streamed movies faster, maybe by 3 seconds..but still, it is a side-by-side (literally) comparison so both should’ve held about the same level of reception.
The touch-screen on the Evo, when surfing Google, was maddening. I wanted to click one thing, but it picked something above/below it (and I have small fingers). And remember, I’m used to touch screens because of my iPad…just not as small a screen, obviously. I gave up trying to surf the web on the Evo and moved to the Epic. It was a bit easier to work on that, due the physical keyboard, but this 3G/4G business? SLOW. Not as fast as one would have thought, for all the hype. I was trying to hop online to read reviews/comparisons on both phones and in the end, I turned to my BBerry to get things going! Perhaps it was partially the reception in the Sprint store (but aren’t they supposed to have REALLY good reception boosters in there??). In any case, surfing the web was not fun on either the Evo or the Epic, and when the requested pages finally came up, the font was way too small. Yes, you can pinch the screen to make it larger, but then you’re missing the outer text. Overall, web surfing received a B- on both phones.
Finally, I was nearly decided on the phones, and I was leaning towards the Epic – keyboard, better looking screen, faster streaming, holds reception better, and I’ve had Samsung phones before and they work beautifully. And then, I received an email on my BBerry, and the message indicator light went off. NICE. I love instant push email and message notification on my BBerry!
So I thought, wait…do either of these two Android phones have that basic capability? I asked the sales person and sure enough, they both have a message indicator light – the size of a pinhead! He literally had to cover the top of the phone with his hand to block out store lighting for us to be able to see this sad, tiny little green light kind of flashing – but only kinda. Um…that’s not good. For that, I might as well just turn on the screen and check for messages every time (how irritating).
So then I asked about push email. Oh yes, he said, it works great for Gmail…but not Yahoo. Excuse you? Yahoo is my MAIN email address, and I’ve used the same address for over 10 years (not changing it!) and there’s no push email? No, apparently you have to purchase Yahoo! Plus (at $19.99/year) in order for Yahoo to push email to an Android phone. This is technically not the Evo or Epic’s fault; it’s Yahoo’s issue. BUT, then I went back online (on my BBerry) and read that people have TONS of issues with email push on both phones (esp. the Evo). Many had suggested this/that app to make up for email push problems, but wait a minute…! I’m buying an Android phone that is supposed to be beyond this world, and I have to resort to third-party apps to make push email a possibility? Plus, I have to pay extra money a year to Yahoo to deliver push email to my Android? Really?!
So let’s look at this again: Touch-screen typing…is a pain. Streaming videos is a disappointment (pixelation-city!). 4G reception doesn’t hold that well (on the Evo); internet browsing is a pain on touch-screen and slower than expected all-around on BOTH phones. Message light indicator is so tiny, it might as well NOT be there. And push email doesn’t push 50% of the time (I read from many, many users), and the other times, you have to pay Yahoo extra money and buy several different apps to make your different email apps work. AND, Sprint charges $10 extra (even on the Everything Plans, like mine!) for 4G that is basically still in its infancy and unavailable in MOST places…so I’m paying for something I don’t even GET.
And I’d pick either phone…because? It’s pretty? It’s the “newest” thing? It’s an Android? I have money to burn?
After all this info/self-testing, I actually decided to walk out and re-think this whole phone purchase. I didn’t know the Epic was a contender (nor that it existed until I walked into the store), but did I LOVE either phone so much, I had to have it…once I played with them for an hour? No, I was more disappointed than anything.
And this is how I ended up here, searching for comparisons between the two, making sure I made the right decision or will be making the right decision about my upcoming phone purchase. Reading everyone’s comments here, I decided, the rest of you might as well know the in’s and out’s of what I dealt with using both phones.
So if it were up to me, and I had a gun to my head, OR someone was handing me a free phone…I’d pick the Epic. Yep, that’s right. But paying one phone (Epic) for $285 (incl tax) AFTER rebate (close to $385 out-of-pocket upfront) or the other phone (Evo) for $250 (incl tax) AFTER rebate (close to $350 out-of-pocket, upfront)? Meh. I feel let down and not as eager to part with my money…or my BBerry Tour.
First generation phones are always iffy and basically, consumers are paying through the nose to guinea pig themselves and test out the phones/report issues to the manufacturers. If you absolutely LOVE the Epic or Evo after playing with both and must have it, go for it! But if you have your doubts and find that neither phone does at least some of the basic things your older phone is already doing for you…then skip it. The next, newest, best thing…another version, will be out by Christmas. Trust me.
I’ll still research the issues I mentioned above online for both phones to read more reviews/input to see if I missed anything in my own research. But as it stands, I think I’ll just hang on to my BBerry Tour for now.
Hope this helps some of you!
Cheers!
September 26, 2010
Holly,
I normally don’t write replies but I have to say thanks for an excellent review.
-Scott
September 27, 2010
Holly,
Thanks so much for the review. Great read.
September 27, 2010
Very thorough review Holly … thank you!
September 29, 2010
Hi Holly,
Not sure why you were not able to receive Yahoo mail on EPIC. But, it works with Yahoo mail. I tried in a SPRINT Store nearby. Just to try this feature I actually set up my yahoo account on the DEMO phone in the store and it retrieved my emails. Later, I didn’t know how to remove my account from the phone and it so happened that the lady helping me also did n’t know how to do it. Fortunately, another sprint employee was able to remove it in no time. So, if receiving Yahoo mail is the deal breaker, just go ahead, get one.
October 11, 2010
WOW!
Thank you. As I waited an hour at the Sprint Store today, I compared the 2 (I am not a fan of my new BB Bold) and only got it due to the keyboard (like the old palm treo 750)
So again, Thank you for the details. It really helps!
October 12, 2010
to get yahoo mail you need to update profile. my yahoo email wasnt coming up on the epic at 1st but i called tech support and the rep walked me throught it.
November 8, 2010
Kudos! Excellent review. I am finding it difficult to part with my BBerry. I wish Sprint sold the BBerry Torch.
November 9, 2010
Please take me with you next time when you go cell phone hunting!!
You so proficiently described your experience,that I am not only confused but now the decision to choose any of these phones is as clear as dirty water. In addition, I am so addicted of reading the reviews as your’s that I have stopped reading reviews all together.
Thank you for helping me decide which evil to go for, or not to go for evils all together.
Great insight, I would recommend you for Noble peace prize on Cell phone reviews. May be you should you-BUBE you comments.
November 10, 2010
Holly, I am just reading reviews as I am going to buy either the EVO or the Epic this weekend, GREAT REVIEW. But, one point I wanted to make, I have an android phone now (the Erios by Verizon)…but in the adroid market there is a free yahoo mail appt and you can get all your mail from yahoo with this app. I use BOTH my yahoo and gamil accounts on my phone with no problems at all. At first Verizon told me the same thing about yahoo, but about six months after having my phone the market came out with this appt if that was the main problem for you with either phone I think it has been fixed.
September 21, 2010
I got the epic for one reason, and one reason only. The hummingbird processor. I didn’t want to get the evo because once the epic gets 2.2 it is going to blow the evo out of the water. Seriously, if you get time look up about the a8 hummingbird processor. It blows the snapdragon out of the water. I guarantee the evo choosers right now will regret the decision when the snapdragon can’t keep up with the fast growing android ui.
October 27, 2010
Yeah it might be so much better but remember your not play halo on your phone or anything straining to it so your not going to notice a difference so congrats you got that for a stupid reason!
September 20, 2010
When I first got my Evo, I thought for sure that I was going to to exchange it for the Epic when it came out two weeks later. I thought that I really wanted that physical keyboard. Soon after the release of the Epic (and before my 30 days were up), I traipesed into Sprint and started playing around with the Epic (still sure that it was what I wanted, but just wanted to actually touch it and play with it first). Well, after about 15 minutes, I decided to keep my Evo!
I think it is probablty a great phone, but for me personally, the keyboard was not what I thought it would be. The buttons seemed too flat and I didn’t do any better with them than with the SlideIt keyboard that I had downloaded on my Evo (same as Swype). Then I pulled up my business website on both of the phones to see how much better this Epic super amoled screen would look. Well, it didn’t look better! Maybe it does on some things, but on my Evo, my product pics look exactly like they do from my computer. On the Epic, the color was a bit off -like too dark or something. It didn’t look terrible by any means, but my Evo was just more true to the real thing. And even though it was just a little, the Evo showed more of the pictures because of the slightly larger screen.
I also felt like the Epic was just not as solid or something -it just didn’t have the same sturdy feel as the Evo. I can’t really describe how, but I just didn’t feel like it was as good quality. It probably is just as good, but it was just my impression at the moment. I also really preferred the HTC sense to the touchwiz.
I decided that it wasn’t worth having the physical keyboard to trade some of the things that I loved about the Evo (that I didn’t realized that I did). Besides. It’s not like the onscreen keyboard is always there and you can’t see all of the web page you are looking at. When you are typing something -you are not reading at the same time anyway. Once you type in what you need to, the keypboard goes away and you have all the space of the screen. Even when texting, before you send a text a screen comes up so you can preview what you typed (without the keyboard in the way).
I still do think it’s all a matter of preference and they are both great phones. I just wanted to share my experience to give that particular view point.
October 6, 2010
I think you are incorrect on the EVO showing more of a picture than the Epic because of the EVo’s larger screen. The resolutions are the same and that is what dictates viewing realestate. If either was 17″, at the WVGA resolution it would show the same.
I have the Epic. I am new to these phones and need the physical keyboard. Those that don’t congrats. But I do. Maybe on my next I won’t.
September 20, 2010
My brother just got an Epic and I have to admit I really love it. I wish I was a student so I could get the same deal as he did though. He got his phone through a student discount website I think it’s called studentrate.com and got 23% off his bill, and $75 off his purchase plus a car charger. I ‘m not elligible because you have to be in college but otherwise I’d probably get an Epic asap.
September 19, 2010
with these phones, on the front facing camera for video chat, does it only let you use Qik, or can you also use Skype, ooVoo, etc?
September 22, 2010
the front facing camera on both of tehse phone is set up for Quik… as far as skype and the other one (do you mean uvoo?) i personally havent tried it but i’m sure ‘there’s an app fopr that’ in the android market
September 18, 2010
I’m really debating on which phone to get. I’m a BB user and found that my bb does pretty much what I need it to do. Right now I’m in need of the WIFI. I don’t need the new phones for any other reason. I enjoy my BB. Yes I see the advantages to both the epic and EVO. Have you used the WIFI connection and how well does it perform? Is it worth the expense of a new phone? Are you really able to connect in somewhat remote locations where you a connection but with limited access. How well can you work with documents, outlook? There seems to be lots neat little gadgets, but how user freindly is it for an office environement.
September 18, 2010
I am switching from the iPhone, and While both phones are awesome, I will have to say the evo over the epic. Yes the epic has a brighter screen the evo’s screen is sill just as awesome. One you use a onscreen keybord you never go back the other way. But in all honesty it is up to what the person is really looking for and what they really want in a phone.
And why is everyone so amazed, we all know that this time next year something better will be out…..
September 21, 2010
Just wanted to say, I switched from iPhone, to the Evo, and have been quite disappointed, I live far from my family and have always used my phone for sending photos, well the 8mp camera is garbage, my pictures always are blurred, and can not be seen. my partner has the iPhone 4, and photos are always clear and perfectly viewable, if this is important to you, you might think twice about leaving your iPhone behind. BTW, everything else about the phone is great.
September 17, 2010
here it go i have the evo,the epic,the motorola x and iphone4 beleive me when i say that my 16 employees all of them played with the 4 phone and final decision we all going with evo simply the best out of in the market today and remain the winner 16 + 1 =17 for the evo enjoy your phone cause you have a EVO.
September 15, 2010
i am a young teen just lookin up what people have to say about my phone and here i encounter people saying that Epic sukks .. well let me tell you wrong this phone is beast i like how you can personalize 7 home screens and the swype texting which is a huge step towards fast texting i love it and the 4′ screen…even the HTC EVO kids at my high-school are jealous of my phone because here in Los Angeles the 4G works awesomely darn fast
September 16, 2010
I have an evo and I’m a teen in ft myers and even though there’s no 4g here but my phone performs awesome and my little sister has the epic and there about the same except her screen looks better and my camera looks better
September 15, 2010
I have an evo that I purchased last week. So far it’s ok. Can anyone tell me how the
*battery life – evo I am constantly having to use app killer more than I want
*screen in sunlight – evo – can barely see in sunlight
*camera pictures – evo they are grainy – bc of hd quality?
*screen picture – evo looks washed out
Overall, I like the evo, it is fast, reception is superb, moves to roaming when I am at work, which is great.
I don’t know of anyone who has the epic personally, but I would like to know about these things before my 30 days is over.
Thank you
September 14, 2010
I own an EVO My wife owns an Epic. The Evo’s battery life is better and with Froyo it’s a lot better. I have run test on program speeds including Google & You Tube and here again the EVO out performs the EPIC. I have not tried any sophisticated games though. The Epic has no software for syncing with Outlook the EVO does. In fact I can’t even get my XP computer to recognize the SD card in the EPIC, But it does fine for the EVO.
I also have a win 7 computer and the EPIC does works there. The keyboard was the big selling point for my wife. If you can’t handle virtual keyboards, then get the EPIC. but, if you want a phone that is fast and handles things with less headaches get the EVO.
October 22, 2010
Jim, your testing doesn’t mean much when it is done on two different operating system versions. That is comparable to running benchmarks on two different sets of hardware using Windows Vista and Windows 7. You can’t expect accurate results.
September 12, 2010
OK FOR THOSE People who like to say the Physical Keyboard is Only for people who prefer to text and enjoy the physical means of it…think of it this way.
Where does the keyboard pop up when you use a touch screen? ON THE screen.
Now where does the keyboard ‘pop up’ when you use the Qwerty Keyboard?
…It doesn’t.
So…When you want to view landscape mode, which most people will want to do (i would assume) when texting, you can text with a 4″inch display, rather then only having say… 1″ to look at while you’re texting.
September 12, 2010
OK FOR THOSE People who like to say the Physical Keyboard is Only for people who prefer to text and enjoy the physical means of it…think of it this way.
Where does the keyboard pop up when you use a touch screen? ON THE screen.
Now where does the keyboard ‘pop up’ when you use the Qwerty Keyboard?
…It doesn’t.
So…When you want to view landscape mode, which most people will want to do (i would assume) when texting, you can text with a 4″inch display, rather then only having say… 1″ to look at while you’re texting.
This also goes for movies, searching, TYPING DOCUMENTS, and etc. Overall the epic…has more functionality.
September 9, 2010
I read and did some research about both phones cause i’m trying to get one, and since i’m not the “text-all-day” type of guy i think i’ll go for the EVO, i think is a little bit better than the Epic…
September 5, 2010
i love my epic……becuase it really is epic and amazing its a mini lab top and very resouceful. i am very happy with it….one of the best thing money has got me!!!
September 3, 2010
I am a blackberry user for about 2 years now, before that I had a Samsung A600 something like that. I have a decision and I have no idea what phone to get HTC EVO or the SAMSUNG EPIC? I am reading mixed reviews and the important part I need a phone to:
1. Sync with my Work Outlook and Contacts
2. Be able to reply via my work email address using my work email address as the sender.
3. Be able to setup email from my personal accounts
4. Be able to accept outlook meetings and view the location and the person who sent it.
I need to have the email icons separate for each email address so I know where the email is coming from like on the Blackberry.
I do not want to use GMAIL Contacts as my main contacts, I want to keep the contacts in my outlook accounts.
Also, is there security like a firewall on the devices to secure and encrypt my contact list.
Is there an option to syn with NOTES, TASKS in outlook, can I secure them also. I do not see any of these talked about or in the documentation.
Does anyone know these answers? I want to similar functionality as I do on my BB, but I do not want to get another Blackberry because they cannot compute with the new phones, plus BB does not have Outlook / Exchange interface.
Also, do I have to sync up via the desktop connection to the PC for Outlook/exchange for Calender, task and notes?
September 8, 2010
i would say dont listen to which phone is better, but try to figure out which one fits you best
September 18, 2010
For any Droid, it’s best to go to your app world, download nitrodesk (30 day trial) and it’ll sync you outlook. It does cost $19.99 when trial is over.
Touchdown aka nitrodesk
October 6, 2010
UGH! So if I get an Android based phone in order to sync with my outlook/exhange I have to spend another $20 for the app???? That is completely LAME!!!! I love the way my Windows based phone links up but I guess that’s what you can expect from Windows. I love my HTC Snap Windows phone I just hate the way it always locks up like Window’s PCs do.
September 22, 2010
I’d love to know about syncing notes and tasks as well!!!!
August 31, 2010
GuruLeeNY, that was a dumb move. If you think the samsung epic will have better battery you are SADLY mistaking. Samsung phones are known for poor battery life ESPECIALLY android phones such as the Samsung Moment. Epic and Evo will have about the same battery life if not the Evo better.
As for the slideout keyboard, that doesn’t matter if you have a LIFE….haha only people who text allll day long need a keyboard.
As for phone speed, Epic will only show faster speeds when it comes to games, Evo vs Epic videos still show Evo is faster at times or same speeds
All around performance, Evo is still better.
September 4, 2010
I don’t know what it is exactly. Your comments are good, they make sense. Except for the keyboard comment; it’s called a social life. Texting is what people, who have friends, do in modern society. You don’t text much do you?
September 17, 2010
I call my friends…
September 11, 2010
@Preston
You are incorrect. The Epic uses a super amoled display which is MUCH better on battery life than the standard amoled screen the evo uses. Performance wise, snapdragon vs hummingbird A8 = Epic as the winner. And if you compare the moment to the Epic, that is a DUMB move! Do some more research before you direct people in the wrong way. Overall, get which phone you like best, they will both perform on the same level for the most part.
October 22, 2010
Mike,the Evo has an LCD screen, not a standard AMOLED, but otherwise you are correct.
August 28, 2010
I have had two blackberry’s for the last 7 years…
Then I got the EVO for its AIO feature-set (tethering, 4g, image/video quality, etc.).
HOWEVER, I just exchanged it for the EPIC for the following reasons;
* full physical qwerty keyboard
* faster processor
* better battery management
* lighter
* LED display
But, I am afraid I may miss the HTC sense UI, 4.3 inch screen, outdoor viewing superiority of the EVO and 8mp camera….
September 7, 2010
LOL! you don’t expect us to actually take your reasoning for switching to epic seriously do you? You exchanged the EVO for the Epic because…Full qwerty Keyboard? okay. Maybe you prefer to have little buttons to push. Doesn’t make you type any faster, but I understand. Faster processor? they’re both 1ghz, and you can’t tell unless you’re playing games on it. Better Battery Management? really? How do you know unless you already had the Epic and ran them both for an entire day or two. The epic is lighter? really? I think you’re the only person in the world that can actually feel the difference of .54 of an ounce. Most people can’t feel the difference of and ounce but you can feel .54. Sounds like you’re just repeating what you read, because if you think about it that makes no sense.
September 18, 2010
@ GuruLeeNYC
Quick ?, I hear and see that the Epic does not have Outlook|Exchange integration. But you’ve had a BB for 7 years, how do you now sync with your corporate Exchange email? Also, the full keyboard and dedicated camera button is what is making me lean towards the epic vs the evo.
Better battery mgmt is another + on the epic because there is no battery life used to display black text or other black objects where the evo uses power to display black txt.
September 18, 2010
to sync outlook with any droid. go to the app world, download nitrodesk and you’re good to go.
August 20, 2010
I have been a smartphone user for many years and began with the Palm. I have watched smartphones evolve into many successes and failures. I can tell you all that this should be the phone to have. Why? This will have everything you need and beyond. First let me say that life just isn’t very fun when surfing the internet with a virtual keyboard. Sure it gives you that “finger swiping sensation” that can be quite a tickle sometimes – but it will never be good enough when you have serious things to do when they come up. Apple has changed the direction of smartphones with it’s overly hyped iPhone. Apple knows how to make you feel like you MUST have one be keeping the supply low and the demand high. That feeling of “I HAVE TO HAVE AN IPHONE” needs to rest because smartphones are supposed to make you better at what you need to do and keep you connected in a way that doesn’t waste your time. The iPhone made everything in the evolution of smartphones go in a completely wrong and turned the smartphone into more of an entertainment device. I had done an experiment for an entire year in 2006 where I experimented with the Palm Treo 650 to find out if I could do everything with a smartphone. There was no using any computers other than my Palm. I did EVERYTHING on that phone for a year. My friends all laughed and said that smartphones would never catch on as an all encompassing device and that they would never use such a thing. Then there was the iPhone. They all have a smartphone now. Was is great marketing on Apple’s part? Yes. Was it because they delivered the best smartphone? Definitely not. Guess who just ordered their Samsung Epic 4G? Yep! Me! Samsung has been making phones since the beginning and they certainly know more about entertainment technology than Apple. So it’s OK people – you can like this phone! Samsung made my first phone at the beginning of 2G and will now bring me into 4G! (-:
September 7, 2010
Life isn’t very fun surfing the internet with a virtual keyboard? for who? You’re speaking for yourself. I don’t like physical keyboards. They take up too much room and I can type faster than most people on physical keyboards using a virtual keyboard. Not cause one is better than the other. It’s just who you are. Period. It’s preference.
August 16, 2010
I searched for the longest for a new smart phone with a physical keyboard as I was used to the voyager and thought I’d have to have the real deal. I finally gave in and succumbed to the EVO and to my pleasant surprise I’ve had no problem with the virtual keyboard. It took a few days to get use to it but now Im hooked. The EVO is quite large as phones go but perfect when your reading a book or watching a video. But whats the deal with the blinding flash on the camera!? I have the funniest photos of people squinting and covering their eyes when I tried to take a picture of them with this phone. How do I reduce the wattage on this thing?? It’s like a flood light! Other than that I love the EVO!
September 7, 2010
lol. You’ll have to step back further and then it will come out nice. Most of the time you don’t need the flash because it lets more light in when it’s getting darker.
August 5, 2010
You forgot to mention that the Epic handles DLNA. That is a big bonus, especially if that includes streaming HD! I’ll be back in a couple of weeks to get two from you guys
p.s.
The six-axis gyro is a big bonus too!
September 7, 2010
Why is the six-axis a bonus? it didn’t do much for the PS3
September 19, 2010
I also have a epic and good luck on making the DLNA work. It’s supposed to work with the ps3 and no luck so far. Another problem is the GPS and I’ve heard other people having problems with the epic also. I think I will try the EVO, I hear its more dependable and it has HDMI
August 5, 2010
I have an Evo, and the virtual QWERTY is fantastic….and although the hardware keyboard is a nice option….it’s just that, an option. My personal preference….virtual QWERTY. All in all, the Epic will be a sweet device…
July 22, 2010
I have the EVO I will be returning it and waiting for the epic I really need a keyboard.
July 20, 2010
Dont forget the Evo hdmi can only project slideshows and some video from programs, while the Epic Tv out mimics everything u see on the phone. This makes a difference to me.
August 18, 2010
How is this a bonus? Please explain.
September 3, 2010
Thanks for mentioning the TV Out cable for the Epic. Hadn’t heard of that before.
September 7, 2010
it’s a 3.5mm headset jack that does video out. I have HDTV’s in the house and 480 resolution will be muddy and blurry.
July 19, 2010
So does this by chance hint that Wirefly may have a couple of test mule Epic 4Gs and release is close at hand?
And doesn’t the Galaxy S line come with 8 or 16 GB internal storage, in addition to the SD-Card? (Or does the Sprint version not have the internal memory…inquiring minds want to know!)
The Epic, as well as other Galaxy S models support video out via the audio plug and a special cable and can connect to a TV/Projector via that option.
July 19, 2010
i don’t think it has the 16Gb internal, just the 1GB and 16GB micro SD card but its hard to find. most specs just say 1gb rom.
July 19, 2010
I’m getting the Epic when it comes out. i haven’t played with it yet, but i need a keyboard and don’t think I can use just a touchscreen keyboard.
September 16, 2010
I went into the Sprint store recently to check out both phones. It turns out the the Epic has 2 features that the evo will never have. # 1 Media Hub app – witch as far as i know will bring TV shows and the ability to rent movies through your phone, such as redbox and netfilx. # 2 All share app witch allows you to share info from one pc 2 the next through your phone, such as documents,movies,music..etc…
October 8, 2010
Couldn’t find the post something so I am doing this in the form of a reply:
So I have the EVO and I am posting this review on it also (ironic much?) And I have to say that I love his phone so far. Even though I did get it yesterday I have no complaints so far EXCEPT
*sometimes (idk why) when I “tap to compose” a message instead of the keyboard popping up it kinda “seizes” and won’t pop up
That is it though!
It has an excellent on-screen keyboard both landscape and the “other” way and I do text a lot and would still recommend this for someone that texts all the time like me. If you have ever used a Droid from Verizon and like the on-screen keyboard then you will LOVE this one. I will make sure to post another review at the end of my 30 days especially if I switch to the epic.
Sometimes I accidentally hit the period or c button instead of space but not all the time.
The camera is not fabulous but the camcorder is excellent for some reason…
97% of the time the auto-correction gets what I was trying to say and when it doesn’t It’s because I made a HUGE mistake on typing.
All the buttons are EXTREMELY SENSITIVE and sometimes when I am texting I accidentally hit the search button and then the speech recognition comes up so that kinda sucks
Another thong that happens a lot is when I am trying to type “you” it seems like the multi touch messes up and it types “yu” because I type.”you” to fast I guess?
The internet is faster then my WiFi on my laptop but that’s when I have 5-6 bars
I love the screen…its not TOO big like some people might thing.
It doesn’t way TOO much either
The apps are wonderful and most apps that I could ever want are on he market so I can download/buy them
The speech recognition works EXCELLENT when I do use it.
I don’t have 4G where I live so I don’t know how that works D:
All of the different screens help and give you PLENTY of room for all the apps (and some widgets) you could ever want
I love the amount of customization that you can put in it
I watch A LOT of YouTube videos and the quality is EXCELLENT and the speed is usually EXCELLENT and I never have to pause it to let it load
It also has excellent reception and sends my text message INSTANTLY and has never dropped a call or not sent a text message
I LOVE THIS PHONE!
hope this is a little helpful at least!