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With AT&T and Verizon all set to unleash their first 4G handsets with two HTC devices (the Inspire 4G and Thunderbolt, respectively), the four major US carriers will soon all carry at least one 4G Android smartphone. By summer, all will have multiple options and it will be safe to say that the next generation of wireless has arrived. With this in mind, there has never been a better time than now to give you a rundown of what is coming up, how the devices and carriers stack up, and which will reign supreme.
While superphone specs like dual-core processors, mass amounts of RAM, and 4G radios all weigh heavily on the final decision, the 4G technology deployed and strength of a particular carriers coverage also play an important role. We have divided available and upcoming 4G handsets by manufacturer to make the distinction. Read on to see who comes out on top.
Sprint was the first carrier in the US to launch their 4G network, and the first to bring 4G to an Android device with the incredibly popular HTC EVO 4G. Sprint is the lone dog in the States using WiMAX as their method of 4G deployment even though the wireless industry has generally leaned towards LTE. Claiming peak download speeds in excess of 10Mbps with averages in the 3-6Mbps range, the network definitely has room for improvement, but a slow and steady rollout of their 4G coverage makes it one of the largest providers of 4G. Sprint offers three 4G handsets currently, but future handset plans are not clear.
HTC EVO 4G
The HTC EVO 4G was the world’s first 4G Android smartphone, and has been a hot seller since it’s release at the beginning of summer 2010. Though it is aging a bit, it still holds its own against even newly released Android handsets with its 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 4.3-inch screen, and Android 2.2 software. Something has to be said for a phone that almost single handedly salvaged Sprint’s chances of competing in a crowded mobile market.
Samsung Epic 4G
The Samsung Epic 4G was the first and only member of the original Samsung Galaxy S lineup to feature 4G support. It also was the only to feature a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, making it unique among the lineup. Featuring a powerful Hummingbird processor clocked at 1GHz and a beautiful Super AMOLED display, you can’t register much complaint about the hardware. The software, however, with its TouchWiz interface can be a bit frustrating. Oh, and the fact that it is currently stuck at Android 2.1 as Samsung delays an upgrade to Android 2.2 has been a major thorn in the sides of Epic owners.
HTC EVO Shift 4G
The HTC EVO Shift 4G is the latest addition to Sprint’s 4G family and the younger brother to the original EVO 4G. It features a scaled-back 800MHz processor and smaller screen at 3.6-inches, but gains a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Featuring Android 2.2 and HTC Sense, this handset bears some resemblance to the T-Mobile G2 and HTC Desire Z.
T-Mobile was the second US carrier to release a handset dubbed “4G,” though many would argue their network technology doesn’t match their advertising jargon. Still, their HSPA+ network can deliver theoretical speeds that hold up to the competition. Just check out this video demonstration from CES. For now their 4G phones are capped at 21Mbps, though the second half of the year should bring devices capable of 42Mbps (keyword is capable, refer to the aforementioned CES demo to see more realistic results). Currently T-Mo only offers two 4G-capable devices with another, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, slated for release later this month.
T-Mobile G2
The T-Mobile G2 was the first native 4G device for the carrier and proper successor to the first ever Android handset, the T-Mobile G1. While only featuring an 800MHz processor compared to the more standard 1GHz chipset of other high-end devices, the G2 makes up for it with a stock build of Android 2.2 and slide-out QWERTY keyboard. A favorite among stock Android fans and the modding community, the G2 slid out of the limelight quickly but still remains a solid choice.
T-Mobile myTouch 4G
The T-Mobile myTouch 4G is the next-gen followup to the popular myTouch line of phones. Unlike the G2, the myTouch 4G does feature a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and doesn’t feature a stock build of Android 2.2. Built into the myTouch 4G’s HTC Sense UI is “Genius” buttons support for voice commands and interactions, but the real big deal on the latest myTouch is its front-facing camera. This camera uses a special version of the popular Qik video conferencing software built directly into the handsets interface, providing a seamless video chat experience over T-Mobile’s 4G network.
Samsung Galaxy S 4G
The Samsung Galaxy S 4G is an upcoming 4G handset for T-Mobile, and the second Galaxy S device in their lineup. First rumored as the Samsung Vibrant 4G, the phone borrows the internals and look of the original with a few key additions. Those additions would be the 4G radio for T-Mo’s HSPA+ network and a front-facing camera for video calling. Due out this month, it may quickly be overshadowed by the looming announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Though AT&T plans to begin rolling out their 4G LTE network towards the end of this year and into 2012, for now the company is taking a page out of T-Mobile’s book and slapping the 4G heading onto their HSPA+ network. This network should theoretically be pretty similar to T-Mobile’s in terms of speed, but they are currently quoting figures closer to Sprint with claims of downlink speeds around 6Mbps. Though all remain unreleased as of now, their upcoming lineup of 4G Android handsets could quickly change notions that AT&T is not an Android-friendly network.
HTC Inspire 4G
The HTC Inspire 4G will be AT&T’s first 4G Android handset when it launches in the coming weeks, but it probably won’t be their best. It could best be described as AT&T’s EVO 4G (or Desire HD) and features the same 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 4.3-inch display. It does get some beef in the RAM department with 768MB. It’s most enticing feature is its low launch price of $99.99 on a two-year contract, though this pricing might not be too surprising considering the phone’s rather last-generation specs. A bonus here is the phone will be among the first on AT&T to allow the installation of app from outside the Android Market.
Samsung Infuse 4G
While the specific release timeframe of the Samsung Infuse 4G is not yet known, this second Galaxy S-style phone will be AT&T’s beefed up brother to the currently available Captivate and feature a whopping 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. The processor has been notched up to a 1.2GHz Hummingbird chip, which should make the version of Android 2.2 with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface running on the Infuse feel mighty fast. The large, brilliant display is this handset’s main selling point.
Motorola Atrix 4G
The Motorola Atrix 4G is the handset everyone is talking about, and for good reason. It will be AT&T’s first to feature a dual-core Tegra 2 chipset clocked at 1GHz per core as well as an unheard of 1GB of RAM, giving this thing computing power more like a laptop than a phone. That’s exactly why Motorola and AT&T are offering a laptop dock that will transform the smartphone into a perfectly capable netbook. The problem is, for that experience users will need to shovel out a hefty $499.99 after contract for the combo pack. The phone by itself is a more reasonable $199.99 (though the laptop dock still costs $499.99 by itself). Pricing aside, it’s hard to find a phone on this list that bests the Atrix 4G.
Verizon will technically be the last carrier to have a 4G device with the HTC Thunderbolt rumored to launch a day after AT&T’s HTC Inspire, but the carrier will be the first network to deploy LTE as their next-generation technology. We ran our own speed tests on Verizon’s new network and came up with some pretty impressive results. We got a consistent 28Mbps over LTE, an unheard of speed. The actual downlink numbers may drop once Verizon’s 4G bands get a bit more crowded, but their network currently blows all others away. An upcoming lineup of four Android 4G devices offers plenty of options.
HTC Thunderbolt
The HTC Thunderbolt will be Verizon’s first 4G device, and amounts to a pretty similar device to the Inspire 4G on AT&T (and EVO 4G on Sprint). 1GHz processor, 768MB RAM, and a 4.3-inch screen round out the Thunderbolt running Android 2.2 with HTC Sense on top. Perhaps the biggest selling point (though Verizon won’t advertise it) for the 4G LTE handset is its ability for simultaneous voice and data over 3G, a before unrealized potential of CDMA technology. But we are talking about 4G, and while this handset is perfectly capable we don’t see it as Verizon’s best.
Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone
Though an official name hasn’t been confirmed, the handset unveiled as the Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone has a lot in common with AT&T’s Infuse 4G. Despite a 4.3-inch display rather than a 4.5-inch, the handset uses the same Super AMOLED Plus technology to deliver brilliant picture quality. The device hasn’t been dubbed a Galaxy S phone, but its Android 2.2 and TouchWiz interface provide the same experience.
LG Revolution
The LG Revolution, like the Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone, still has a few secrets to reveal, but as of now doesn’t seem to carry the dual-core processor of its foreign counterpart, the LG Optimus 2X. The phone gets a 4.3-inch display and front-facing camera for Skype video chat capabilities. It is expected to launch in Q2 of this year.
Motorola Droid Bionic
The Motorola Atrix 4G for AT&T won’t be the manufacturer’s only dual-core handset. Verizon gets their own in the form of the Motorola Droid Bionic, the only 4G handset announced to carry their iconic Droid branding. With a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, the phone matches the Atrix 4G. In the RAM department, however, the Bionic gets only 512MB compared to the Atrix’s 1GB. The Bionic also lacks the docking capabilities of the Atrix. Despite this, it remains Verizon’s most appealing 4G option and is set for a launch later this spring.
***
So which is the best of the bunch?
It’s a close tie between the Motorola Droid Bionic on Verizon and the Atrix 4G on AT&T, but we’re going with the Atrix 4G for several reasons. Not only does its computing power best every other phone on this list, but its docking ability complete with a Linux-based desktop environment featuring Firefox web browsing is one of the most impressive moves we have seen in the mobile world as of late. It stunned us at CES, and though the pricing of the laptop dock will turn some off, we believe this may be the future of mobile computing. Unless you need a new phone right now, if you are on AT&T or planning to switch, we’d wait it out for the release of this handset over the HTC Inspire 4G and others.
Here is how we’d rank the top 4G phone by carrier:
- AT&T – Motorola Atrix 4G
- Sprint – HTC EVO 4G
- T-Mobile – Samsung Galaxy S 4G
- Verizon – Motorola Droid Bionic
Which carrier’s 4G lineup ranks number one?
Though the Atrix 4G beats out the Droid Bionic head-to-head, the top carrier spot easily goes to Verizon. Their 4G LTE network is the real deal, and their lineup of devices from four of the top smartphone manufacturers provides options that put other lineups to shame. Sure, you might not be able to grab a sub-4-inch screen if you want 4G on Verizon, but we don’t see that as a problem.
If you are currently between carriers you have an interesting decision to make. Do you get the Motorola Atrix 4G at AT&T? Or do you align with Verizon on the strength of their network and upcoming handset lineup? Or maybe you choose to go with Sprint or T-Mobile, who will no doubt have some exciting things to show over the coming weeks. Unlike when the HTC EVO 4G first brought next-gen network technology to Android, you know have plenty of choices when it comes to 4G.
If you have a difference of opinion, register it in the poll below!
[polldaddy poll=4501519]
Dunno if you heard, but the Inspire will NOT allow sideloading. AndroidCentral confirmed it today in speaking directly with HTC
i thought we’re voting for a phone, not a network. atrix wins here easily but loses because of at&t’s network. still, atrix is the best phone. what are ya’ll thinking?!
I personally like HTC phones better than the Motorola ones, so I have to go with the Thunderbolt even though the Bionic’s specs are better.
I would like to see a manufacturer make a 4.3 or 4.5 inch display with a qwarty keyboard! Why has no one stepped up an did this yet?
No Nexus S?
I thought it did HSPA+. Maybe not, then I say which ever has an unlocked bootloader and CM support.
I voted MyTouch4G because it is the best of the phones that are currently available. It can’t beat the dual-core beasts on the horizon, but for now I believe it to be the king. It surely beats the EVO, who’s screen may be a little larger, but it has the older Snapdragon and the battery-draining WiMax radio. The MT4G has the Adreno 205 GPU, which beats the old Snapdragon, and it’s 4g radio is the same as the 3G one, so it’s not burning up battery on 4G. It also beats the snot out of the GalaxyS 4G. The GS4G may have the SAMOLED screen, but it’s not like SLCD sucks. Also, the MT4G has a camera flash, and if anyone had to pick between Sense and TouchWiz, Sense (even the MyTouch version) wins hands-down. Plus, the MT4G has more RAM at 7-something as compared to 512.
@Mike, Not sure you saw this: http://ydfgg.com/2011/02/03/htc-inspire-4g-allows-sideloading-apps-doesnt-advertise-it/
Dude come on! seriously dissing on the G2 cause of its processor! have you ever even touched the phone! just cause it has a slightly lower overclock doesn’t even relate to the overall performance! Any Android tech guy knows that the G2 is one of the fastest phones on the current market… sigh…
No way i’d take the moto bionic over the thunderbolt. Moto screwed themselves once again, locking this device down and only giving up 512mb ram. The thunderbolt has been out performing the bionic in several online tests. I’ll take HTC over Moto any day on Verizon’s network. Thunderbolt will be rooted in the next couple of weeks and then the real fun will begin as bloat is removed and the processor’s true power is unleashed. Not to mention built in skype, and confirmation that the mobile hotspot will be included in the original release.
pretty happy my phone (G2) is #1 of those that are actually out now. It’ll be 6 months old before any of the others are ready…
I didn’t know the HTC Thunderbolt was still rumored XD
anywho, yes, I would say the HTC Thunderbolt eventhough its not a dual core phone like the other offerings, HTC makes the best devices in my opinion with the best software (Sense)
remember i said in MY OPINION, NOT A fact
I have been a happy Sprint customer for a very long time. I love my EVO, but, Sprint better get its act together on deploying the WiMax. There are a lot of large markets without any 4G and those that have it only have it in the central business district, spotty in the suburbs. Mostly they filled in all of the small markets first. I have tried 4G in a few of their markets in California where they claim to have 4G service. Unless I was within 1 uninterrupted mile of the cell tower, I was better off using 3G, it was faster and didn’t burn up my battery as quickly. Now that Vzw and AT&T are getting beefy 4G phones, Sprint could easily be left in the dust.
The Atrix is the best 3G phone out there. Since none of these phones are 4G, it’s also the best of these phones.
The Evo 4G was good when it came out but it’s now dated a bit. Wimax isn’t really better than HSPA anyway.
HTC is so boring now… good hardware and features but their looks just so…. BORING…. i hope they change their style some day… all of their phones look alike to each other (i hope LG Optimus 2X comes out as 4G phone)
I love how phones that r not out n hasn’t been tested r wining!
It should only b sprint n t mobile g2 mt4g n evo n epic
Imo mt4g is the reigning king of phones as of today with serious power great battery display n fastest 4g ..then evo g2 n epic 2.1 ..
Being that a good number of these phones aren’t even out yet, I really think this lineup is a bit premature. Also, throwing the EVO and some others head to head with these phones that are launched 8-12 months after its own launch date isn’t exactly a fair battle IMO. It’s like saying “what is the best 3G phone?”, and including a phone from a year or two ago (or longer). Surprisingly, I think the EVO is actually second on the list, which goes to show not enough is known about most of these newer phones.
“the 4G technology deployed and strength of a particular carriers coverage also play an important role”
The most important role. My vote’s for the Bionic. Dual core + Verizon LTE. The trouble is the Bionic is rumored to be coming out with Android 2.2, which will be outdated by the time of it’s release. I haven’t the slightest clue whether or not it will be vanilla Android or Moto Blur. If it’s Moto Blur, and the bootloader’s locked my vote goes to the HTC Thunderbolt. Either way I think Sprint’s 4g is the least promising with T-Mobile’s 4g not looking much better. WiMAX is very limited–yes there’s WiMAX 2–but it still can’t compare to LTE technology. And every time I hear of HSPA+ I just think of HIV+, JK, but again the technology can’t compare to LTE.
@ Dave
Sticking with a certain style on not deviating from it too far is likely what makes them so successful. They are one, if not THE most successful Android smartphone manufacturer. People tend to expect some amount of uniformity in their products when they upgrade. I don’t see HTC straying far from what works.
@jmax
This is not true for everyone. There are plenty of people that don’t travel enough to warrant a more expensive plan (such as Verizon). A good example is, here in the midwest, US Cellular is top notch with their service. It literally isn’t beat by anyone, and there plans are far cheaper than many competitors. In my city, most people use them as a result.
HTC Thunderbolt for sure… idk why some blogs are loving the Bionic so much… Thunderbolt is crushing it in looks and even speed tests.
Really? Still with the Phandroid disrespect of HSPA+? Do any of you guys keep up with reality, or do you just go home every night and drink the Verizon kool-aid?
Look here, HSPA+, just as much as WiMAx and LTE, IS 4G, (not “4G”) according to the established definitions set forth by the ITU, as well as the accepted standards created by each of the major carriers’ advertising campaigns.
Im sorry, but JESUS!! These are the FACTS, it has nothing to do with who you have as a carrier, or who you like, or what phone you deem the best, etc. Seriously, I used to laugh at the posters accusing you guys of being sponsored, but now I am starting to think that might be true.
I await the day when a manufacturer will make a bullet point with “CyanogenMod Support” or “Easy to root”.
The Samsucks Epic is by far the best phone running Android 2.1.
Long live Eclair!
Stock + 4G = instant win. :P
To be completely honest, most of the network speed tests that I’ve seen has T-mobile’s HSPA+ beating out the competition. If carriers say their technology is true 4G but can’t beat out 3.5G, I’m going to go with HSPA+.
Infuse baby! I can’t wait to buy her! I need I bigger screen too. I don’t care about the updates problems! The world is not going to end because I don’t have the latest update!
I’ve only had a mytouch 4g and Htc evo to actually compare 4g too…
As crappy as I think both are/were for me(respectively), I would say the mytouch 4g truly is the best 4g android phone currently out IN MY OPINION and even with the thunderbolt and Infuse released this month, it can hold it’s own
This article is total bull shit. T-mobile’s 42 mbps speeds are way better than Verizon’s speeds and I think t-mobile’s 4G network is the best because its the fastest.
Is this blogger a Sprint fan-boy, because he severely down-played T-mobile’s extremely fast network and he tried claiming the G2 sucks. It doesn’t suck, this blogger does!
Until we have had real world use of both AT&T and Verizons 4G we know nothing.. Is the LTE coverage everywhere ? .. did AT&T actually upgrade 99 percent of their network.. we will have to see.
why chose EVO when Thurnderbolt is better in almost every way?
This is the worst comparison ever, this is like comparing last gen cars, to current gen cars, to cars that havent been released to the public yet, might as well throw in some 5G phones with quad core Tegra 3 chips with 20mp camera that can record in 4D……
With the CURRENT phones available in the market, there is NO DOUBT that the MyTouch 4G WINS which is even enhanced by T-Mobile’s amazing 4G service. I was an HTC EVO/Sprint user. I moved to T-Mobile because they have better rate plans than Sprint. I was pleasantly surprised that the MyTouch 4G was so much more responsive than the EVO.
Samsung? Pffft! Don’t get stuck with that loser. It’s all hype but lack software support.
i kind of want the revolution.
Dual core phones on verizon is pretty much worthless now til a much newer android version comes out
EVO .. because it’s actually out and has stood the test of times.. We don’t know much about the Atrix yet.. bugs.. hardware deficiencies etc.. defective units etc..
What was the point of this article? Another lineup of the various phones offered? Again, what’s the point.
Now if you do a head-to-head comparison of power (Quadrant scores, etc.), download speed (actual, not boasts), call quality, and battery life, you might have a story. But this is just window dressing.
As an HTC EVO owner, I’m curious if the newer 4g technologies offer longer battery life. WiMax sucks the battery so hard I only turn it on when I actually have a need for it.
And there’s my 2 cents.
My wife’s MT4G is a much better phone that I anticipated. It’s not flashy, but it never lags, synchs up GPS immediately, and is very dependable. Not as much storage as my Vibrant, and the screen isn’t quite as nice, but the screen is very good.
I have a evo and can’t complain at all…..ok ok the battery life sucks lol but one 3500 battery and the problem disappears. Several ppl here brought up a good point,these phones aren’t out yet so even though the specs are amazing its neither here or there till its in your hand…..but I voted atrix;-)
this vote should’ve been for phones that are available now, and maybe have another vote for those that are coming soon. it’s obvious that the newer phones will be better, what a shitty comparison this was.
I LOVE POWER RANGER ANDROIDS!!
U can’t vote for a phone that’s not even out yet
4G doesn’t exist…wimax, lte, hspa+, are all 3G technologies…are americans really the only population on earth who don’t know this? when 4G is released, i expect they will now have to name it something else to combat the american telcos’ misleading marketing campaigns
we’ve had hspa+ in australia for 2 years now…i’ll also add while i’m here, when we get a phone on contract the handset is FREE – you pay for it by being locked in to a contract for 2 years…american consumers get so ripped-off on phones and seemingly have no idea…wow
I think the droid bionic is the best of those phones there for verizon. People that say the thunderbolt is faster don’t know what they are talking about. Tunderbolt may have more flash ram but the bionic has slightly less ddr2 ram, which is faster technology. Pair that up the dual core processor and the better qHD display and you have a winner. My ownly problem with either of them is the manufacturing skins added. Idc about other carrier phones so I won’t comment about them. Can’t wait to replace my droid1!
@Manus
Exactly what I was about to say. How the piss are you gonna put all these options full of devices that hasn’t been released?? the only real options are Evo, Evo shift, G2, MT4G and Epic.
is this ranked by picture and looks? then, it pretty useless….
Evo…nice screen, time tested, lead the way for the me too phones. Sprint / HTC bring the rain with the EVO 2 please.
Nexus S
I look at the Atrix like everyone did when the iPhone came out. It looks and probably is awesome…but the problem still remains…AT&Ts network and what they now call their 4G speeds. ha ha.
Yea since some didnt come out yet…the list should be smaller…lol
You forgot the cliq 2 its 4g
If it doesn’t have a slide out keyboard and a large, gorgeous screen, don’t even bother me with comparisons. That should be the foundation.
1I had to vote the Thunderbolt. My Eris is over a year old, and its still capable of keeping up with my friends who have the Droid 1 thanks to rooting and ROMing, AND developers are working on Gingerbread for it. If the Thunderbolt is the same, than maybe we can see it keep up with even the Droid Bionic. HTC makes great phones. Hopefully, though, the Bionic’s bootloader won’t be locked like the previous Droid phones.
guys, you keep forgetting that the bionic’s ram is ddr2, and the atrix is still using ddr1. ddr2 is at least twice as fast as ddr1. link: http://mediacenter.motorola.com/Fact-Sheets/Motorola-DROID-BIONIC-Fact-Sheet-353a.aspx
None of them. The Nexus One and Nexus S are the best phones on the market.
The fifth largest carrier also planning on releasing a 4g LTE android handset. MetroPCS’s samsung Indulge. I think it should have been worth a mention. It is coming out this month after all
This article is about 6 months too early. How can you ask which 4G phone is best when there’s only half dozen actually available today and the state of 4G is mostly just promises and marketing gas. Full blown 4G is at least 2 years away as far as speeds and reliable coverage on a daily basis.
Wtf is everybody on? if the mt4g is the best phone then I don’t think anyone of those opinions has tried a g2. The g2 is far better performing than the mt4g and has a better screen.only thing lacking from the g2 is ffc. Now back to the poll , anyone who votes for any other phone than the atrix4g is fan boy-ing the phone they currently own or carrier nut hanging
Two top motorola phones? If we are going purely based on specs yeah. But the fact that they have motoblur completely negates their position as top two.
Moto made two mistakes with the Atrix. One, they put it on the wrong network. Two, you would have hoped at some point their R&D department would have said: “Wow, this is going to change everything! Wait, we should really let somebody who knows what they’re doing make this… Steve? You still have HTC on speed-dial?”
What about the T-Mobile HTC Pyramid that is set to be launched around May? I believe it has 1.2ghz dual core snapdragon with 4.3 inch.
Ok you all, so where are you going to put it?? Won’t fit in a pocket, or pants pocket you’ll sit on it
In my world.. A PROVEN NETWORK AND A PROVEN DEVICE THAT IS WORKING ON THAT NETWORK IS WHAT THE REAL WORLD WE ALL LIVE IN IS ALL ABOUT.. ”SPRINT started this 4g revolution back in june 2010 and our WIMAX network has grown and HAS BEEN PROVEN ALL THIS TIME TO BE TESTED AND GROWING AS EACH DAY MOVES FORWARD I AM PROUD OF SPRINT AND WIMAX… When chosing a device you have to make sure the device works in the real world and performs your overall day to day needs…. ENTER THE GRANDDADDY OF ANDROID 4G DEVICES… MY BELOVED HTC EVO 4G THE DEVICE THAT STARTED IT ALL IN JUNE 2010 THAT HAS REVOLUTIONIZED THE SMARTPHONE INDUSTRY IN TODAY’S 4G TECHNOLOGY. Look around gentleman every MANUFACTURER IS COPYING THE FORM FACTOR OF OUR BELOVED HTC EVO 4G.. Why would they do that??? BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST… THIS LIST IS TAINTED BUT THE HTC EVO 4G IS STILL STANDING UP TO ANYTHING OUT THERE.. Today as of this date 2–5–2011 The htc evo 4g is still the BEST DEVICE THAT IS PROVEN ON THE MARKET.. The Atrix 4g is a very expensive CONCEPT NOT PROVEN AND TRULY MEANS NOTHING TO NOBODY WE WILL SEE WHERE THAT GOES… The Droid Bionic another unknown device that is not EVEN OUT OR PROVEN.. The Inspire 4G made by htc which I love is NOTHING MORE THAN A WELFARE VERSION OF MY KING EVO.. Inspire 4G no kickstand, no hdmi out, no front facing camera, and the most IMPORTANT THING ”NO SIDELOADING APPS FROM ANOTHER SOURCE… They can sell this for 5dollars it would NEVER BE IN MY POCKET… Thunderbolt very nice but still an Evo copy… Whenever these unannounced devices finally show up in the REAL WORLD THERE WILL BE THE HTC EVO 2 4G WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT CTIA IN MARCH 2011… NOTHING WILL EVER BE BETTER THAN THE EVO 2 4G ON SPRINT IT IS JUST DESIGNED THAT WAY… And in closing THE CURRENT MYTOUCH 4G ON TMOBILE TRUTHFULLY IS A 3G DEVICE FAKING TO BE 4G BECAUSE IF IT WAS TRULY 4G THEN IT WOULD HAVE A 4G TOGGLE THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED BY TURNING ON AND OFF THE 4G TOGGLE BUTTON.. A THE MYTOUCH 4G HAS IS SOME KIND OF STUPID SYMBOL THAT APPEARS THAT SAYS HSPA AT THE TOP…. REAL DEVICE CAN TURN OFF 4G AND 3G WHEN THEY WANT TOO… So in today’s market and todays world it is pretty clear that the HTC EVO 4G still rules and SPRINT is clearly the best carrier in the industry. I APPLAUD HTC CLEARLY THE BEST MANUFACTURER OF SMARTPHONE DEVICES IN THE INDUSTRY… If the htc evo 4g had this impact in the industry 8months ago WAIT TILL THE NEW HTC EVO 2 4G… THEY HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING YET… Sprint will lead the way as usual with there UPCOMING FEBRUARY 7TH ANNOUCEMENT AS WELL AS OUR NEW SUMMER EVO 2… It is great to be a sprint customer and be part of the Evo family which will be recieving it’s new member soon… I also applaud the Droid family on Verizon least we have a identity the other CARRIERS DO NOT
The Atrix is certainly the phone to beat… or would be, if it were Verizon’s.
As for me, I choose the Thunderbolt. OK, maybe it doesn’t have the best display (still decent 4.3 inch), the fastest cpu (2nd gen Snapdragon is nothing to sneeze at), the most RAM (768 MB is still noteworthy), the best HD (720), the best UI (2nd gen Sense, although it arguably IS the best), or the most innovative design (basically the “senior citizen” but time-tested EVO). Remember, no single phone combines all of those “bests” anyway, without major drawbacks. At the same time, the Thunderbolt has nothing really lacking in terms of cameras, internal/sd storage, simultaneous voice/data (3G/4G), or 4G speed or coverage. (OK, maybe it lacks HDMI.)
Overall, I’m thinking that the Thunderbolt is going to be a helluva well-rounded – if over-priced – phone. Besides, I prefer HTC to Motorola and Samsung (although the Nexus S or Optimus 2, if available on Verizon, would certainly pique my interest!)
Lol my free G2 beats every phone cause its free, also get 5megabits down, and 2 on the upload speeds, free tethering and hotspot.
FYI my friend has the evo and says the battery life is very short, something the G2 has no problems with.
You should have included the Samsung Craft for the Lulz.
I have a rooted g2 with the cyanogen mod overclocked to 1.45. even with the stock speed of 800 it is still faster than most phones currently out. even though I know that this is all about stock performance I think overclocking speeds should also be required for the pole cause that’s what most people do when they get a phone anyway so it would be great to know what I’m really getting into
sorry I forgot to say the nexus s is far the best phone out and for the future I would say the atrix is paving the way sorry if misspelled anything blame it on swype
It’s all about the Washingtons, and at $99, the Inspire will be my next phone.
The G2 honestly can keep up with all these phones and surpass the available ones too. Its been overclocked to 2Ghz and the speed is AMAZING! Even faster than my sisters Evo and my big brother’s Epic 4G, and some say it surpasses the MyTouch4G so I have the king of all phones in my hands =) but once the the T-Mobile HTC Pyramid comes out ITZ OVER FOR ALL THESE PHONES =) and ya beta believe it will be in my hand once it touches down to T-Mobile!!
Yeah, sprint and tmobiles 4g are proven. Proven to be crap.
i like revolution
I won’t lie. The Evo is a strong phone for it to be out for so long. I think the Evo Shift won’t get much attention since it’s missing the front facing camera.
If the Nexus 2 comes out with a front facing camera dual tegra processor and still have the track ball and similar design to the Nexus 1, it’s over. That phone will win hands down. The Nexus 1 was an awesome phone, and if the G2 didn’t come out, I’d have the Nexus 1 right now. Oh and LED screens beat any LCD screen out there since LED is brighter than LCD screens. That’s a proven fact, or LED TV’s would be just as cheap as LCD TV’s. Prove me wrong.
Samsung knows this and that’s why they stop sharing their screens with HTC I think it was. The Nexus 1 does have AmoLED screen, I think. That’s why I loved it. They need to make the Nexus 2 and throw away that Nexus S. LoL!! I love that greyish aluminum design. It’s awesome powers!!
I thought the ram for droid bionic was ddr2 and the ram for the atrx was ddr? can somebody answer that for me?
28mbps download is really good, but no one else is using the lte network. Sell some of those lte phones and watch that download speed come down. Same as what happened on Sprint with the EVO. When i first got it and used 4G it was blazing fast at about 6mbps. Now im lucky to get half of that. Lets wait for real world speed with real world scenarios.
How do you vote on a phone that isnt out yet and you havent used?
I’m fascinated by the Atrix, but not sold on ATT’s network. I believe the Bionic will be a solid phone, but Moto has shown themselves to be arrogant pricks by locking their bootloaders and telling the public that if they don’t like it, shop somewhere else. Fine, I don’t need to be told twice. I am satisfied with the ultimate hackable phone, my D1. I can wait until Gingerbread comes out, flash to a custom ROM, and run at 1.1 GHz, throttling down to save battery, and still kick iSheep ass.
I’d have to go with the G2. i love the keyboard and the overall design is more professorial then all those other phones.
Also none of these phones can be better than any other as they all have different appeals.
lol i know thats right
@Nlsme wrote on February 5, 2011
“Yeah, sprint and tmobiles 4g are proven. Proven to be crap.”
compared to what? lol and we are talking about phones here not networks.
G2 kicks much ass.
Mytouch 4g in your mouth!
Mr. Krause,
Good effort but you are clearly ignorant when it comes to processors. You downgrade the EVO Shift 4G and G2 because of the 800 MHz processor but you have no clue that its a second generation processor and superior to the 1 GHz Snapdragon. Aside from this and a number of other inaccuracies nice job.
ITS TIME FOR THE REVOLUTION!
Love My EVO. Probably won’t upgrade till HTC has a dual core.
@Rich…. Don’t worry HTC will have the dualcore snapdragon ready for our HTC EVO 2 4G COME June 2011… Look forward to the announcement of our beloved new Evo 2 4g at CTIA IN MARCH 2011 Maybe someone possible feed back on it at Mobile World Congress on February 14th
The Bionic is better than the Atrix for several reasons.
First of all, both camera’s on the Bionic are significantly better than the Atrix.
Secondly, the extra RAM in the Atrix only works with the laptop dock, you don’t benefit from it while using the phone solely.
Thirdly, the whole “laptop dock” is a complete joke. It’s $500.00, you can get a much better laptop at a much lower price without the need of an external device to power it.
Lastly, and this doesn’t really have anything to do with the smartphone, but the Bionic’s on Verizon. AT&T is the worst network I’ve ever had the displeasure of using.
…One more thing.. The Bionic is a DROID!.
Ok Richard, I knew I should have never let u out of your cage. Ill capture you again and there’s plenty of cat shit in the litterbox. Its obvious that the best 4g will cone through Verizon, just like the 3g. Tmo, and att, are using a higher speed 3.5g and sprint does have a potential to have real 4g. Dick, well Richard I knew your stupid idiot of a cocksucking pathetic cumdumpster good for nothing dick in the booty ass would be in here. I would love to meet you, cuz beating the living fuck out of your would be worth a night in jail. But I don’t usually hit people with mangins go suck a dick you idiot. Call me a troll, whatever, I alwats make good comments unless you are around, I live 8400 country club way Knoxville, tn. Make sure u yell me your name so I font beat the fuck out of the mailman or something. I’m going to flame you everytime I see u make a fan boy comment. Fuck you, you stupid fucking idiot and go burn in a Fire
@ksizzle9 lets jump richard, give him a double ass whippin, ATT in the house
i want the shift sooooo bad,but only a 800mghrts,,ill pass:(
You know the 800mhz on the HTC Evo Shift and G2 is faster than the 1ghz of the Evo as it is the newer generation of Snapdragon cpu, which is faster and has a better gpu, right? And the MyTouch 4G, Inspire, and Thunderbolt have the 1ghz of the newer Snapdragon, so yeah.
Most of you who are ragging on att and tmobile do realize that Wimax and LTE don’t qualify as real 4G either.
If you say so. I like it.
G2>Your Favorite Phone
please make the discrepancy between mobile ddr1 ram and ddr2 ram, which the motorola bionic has. it is NOT the standard “512” that everyone seems to think. it’s actually around 1gb of standard mobile ddr1 ram, and right now the bionic is the only one that has it. fyi, this is the same ddr2 ram that is in most desktop computers, and it will require less power to operate meaning a longer battery life than other phones using mobile ddr1.
I want the LG Chocolate to replace my Moto StarTAC! Heh. But seriously, I have owned mostly LG phones and have always liked their build and functional quality. I’m looking forward to something like the LG Optimus 3D running on Verizon’s 4G network. I’m definitely going to be holding out for a phone with dual processors, at least 1 Gig RAM, and a screen 4.3″-5″.
A battery that lasted a week would be nice, but honestly I use my phone like I breathe air and completely accept that no battery will last me more than a day. Usually much less. Though at this point, I have almost stopped using my laptop altogether and use only my phone. So I’m basically looking for a laptop replacement. Palmtop? Fingertip?
I voted for the Atrix, mainly because its the most forward leaning of technologies, and dang good spec’d! In the real world though where practicality starts to sink in I would go for the HTC Thunderbolt, or the Moto Bionic because Verizon has a real LTE network, not just a HSPA++++ etc.
Voting for a phone that isn’t available… You people have too much time on your hands!
As of this writing, AT&T & Verizon don’t offer 4G phones, so spending any space on these is a waste of time, unless one doesn’t value real market use in how one makes decisions. The phones listed will probably come out with all sorts of things requiring all sorts of fixes…
I vote for a true 4G phone on a true 4G network, but none exists in the US.
Read #37, Nicky -who is from Australia – about how uninformed us Americans can be….
As for the other 4G networks (not phones), unless you want to go along with a completely different set of benchmarks than is used elsewhere on the planet, we won’t have true (operationally) 4G phones for years.
Wish the nexus s was up there, id like to see how it would fair against the competition. I might switch from Tmo to sprint atrix is a powerhouse on specs
FYI: Inspire 4G DOES Allow sideloading….. @Mike
Nexus S because it will get android updates to work off the
carriers on wifi at high speed for FREE. Why pay ISP rates
for bandwidth that is free over WiFi?
Tv
ARE U PPL SERIOUS????HANDS DOWN THE EVO IS THE BEST PHONE OUT!!!WI-MAX IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH.IDK WHERE YA’LL STAY AT, BUT IN ST.LOUIS, THE 4G IS AMAZING.AND IF I’M NOT MISTAKEN, DOESN’T EVERY ONE OF THESE NEW PHONES RESEMBLES THE EVO??I’VE PLAYED WITH ALL THE 4G PHONES THAT’S OUT, AND THE EVO BLOWS THEM AWAY(ALL EXCEPT THE SAMSUNG EPIC).IDK WHAT PPL LOOK FOR IN A PHONE, BUT IF ITS SPEED YOU WANT, THEN I SUGGEST YOU GO WITH THE EVO OR EPIC.NOT A BIG FAN OF SPRINT EITHER, JUST LOVE THE WI-MAX.
Whoever said that the extra ram in the Atrix isn’t usable unless using the laptop, can u explain the 2616 quadrant score the Atrix had VS the 2200 score the bionic had? Those are the 2 very fastest scores from an un rooted phone ever. The Atrix is 400 higher than the next best phone on a test that wasn’t even formatted for dual core devices. Not to mention the RAM the Atrix is using is DDR2. You can debate about the service provider, but there is no debate that the Atrix is the most powerful phone
I voted for the MyTouch 4G cause it is the best for T-Mobile plus like they said the battery lasts longer & the camera has flash and it comes with seven photo setting and you can actuallly edit tour picture withouh having to download no application & the screem is full HD & the keyboard is swype & the webcan works great(:
I just got an DroidX from verizon.
It is not 4G as I was told by Verizon Rep.
Just 3G.
I would like to be informed when verizon produces a genuine 4g smart phone.
I have been waiting for the Thunderbolt…. Rumor is… the battery life sucks… Remenber when we waited to get an IPhone on Verizon’s network… Guess I”ll wait for an Atrix at Verizon……lol