Underwhelming Samsung Galaxy S 4

[Oohara]

The worst iPhone I've own was the iPhone 3G. Not only was it because of the cheap plastic feel, but also the lack of memory and processor to handle multitasking.

Really? I still love the feel of my old 3G. Actually I grew quite fond of holding it again when my 4S died recently and I had to use the 3G for a while. For a plastic phone, it really feels anything but cheap imo. I won't argue with you about the memory and processor though

 

[Krimsonmyst]

You mean every Android device I've own is defective?

It lags just scrolling through the app list on my Note 2. Looks like 14 fps jerky movement.

The Galaxy Note 2 is my 3rd Samsung Android device I've own. I previously own a Galaxy Tab 7 running froyo, and then upgraded to gingerbread. It was slow, buggy, laggy, and the screen froze every hour and refuses to recognize any of my screen interactions. Maybe my old Galaxy Tab 7 was defective, but I'm pretty sure my Note 2 isn't defective.

How can you say you never have any lag then say "past a few frame skips here and there." I'm pretty sure if you notice frame skips, it's lagging.

That's like I never had my windows machine crashed past a few BSOD here and there.

I don't think you can compare a frame skip to an entire system crash...

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

You mean every Android device I've own is defective?

It lags just scrolling through the app list on my Note 2. Looks like 14 fps jerky movement.

I wouldn't like to confirm whether that is a fault or not but my Samsung S3 tended to lag when scrolling between screens, but not all the time. Funnily enough I was out shopping a couple of weeks back and played with the Note 2 that was on display and it lagging slightly then too.

 

[hyteckit]

I don't think you can compare a frame skip to an entire system crash...

So your argument is that your Galaxy S3 doesn't lag, it just skip frames right?

 

[Krimsonmyst]

So your argument is that your Galaxy S3 doesn't lag, it just skip frames right?

Very, very rarely. No more than what an iphone would. I'm currently a genius at an apple store in Australia, and I see phones in a regular basis (granted, they're 4s and 4Ss as opposed to 5s) that are slower in performance than my s3.

 

[hyteckit]

I wouldn't like to confirm whether that is a fault or not but my Samsung S3 tended to lag when scrolling between screens, but not all the time. Funnily enough I was out shopping a couple of weeks back and played with the Note 2 that was on display and it lagging slightly then too.

The default Samsung Touchwiz was pretty smooth.

It was after I replace the launcher with GO Launcher EX that I see much more lag. I'm just blaming GO Launcher for the lag.

 

[Krimsonmyst]

The default Samsung Touchwiz was pretty smooth.

It was after I replace the launcher with GO Launcher EX that I see much more lag. I'm just blaming GO Launcher for the lag.

I haven't used go launcher, but it sounds like that might be the source of your lag. I use Apex, and have used Nova in the past, and they're both lightning quick.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

The default Samsung Touchwiz was pretty smooth.

It was after I replace the launcher with GO Launcher EX that I see much more lag. I'm just blaming GO Launcher for the lag.

I never messed around too much with my S3 so perhaps the lag in my experience was a possible hardware fault? Anyway not that I am worried now. Good luck overcoming the issue.

 

[hyteckit]

I haven't used go launcher, but it sounds like that might be the source of your lag. I use Apex, and have used Nova in the past, and they're both lightning quick.

I've been hearing/reading a lot about Nova, so I might try that.

Already tried ADX and GO Launcher and some other one I don't remember.

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I never messed around too much with my S3 so perhaps the lag in my experience was a possible hardware fault? Anyway not that I am worried now. Good luck overcoming the issue.

I doubt it's a hardware issue. I'm sure it's a Launcher issue since others are reporting the same lag issue with GO Launcher.

 

[batting1000]

I can turn off many and most background processes if I want in Android, I can also choose just not to multitask if I want. I can list all processes by battery drain and decide which not to run. So which processes could you not turn off in Android that do not exist on iOS that contributed to heavy drain?

Then I have to go through each and every process and turn them off (I'm guess you mean by clicking disable in the app info).

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if you get 3 hrs of screen on time with note 2 per charge per day then your note 2 is busted or you are trying to deceive. if it is the latter then you should put up more credible number so that there is a better chance of getting away with it.

btw the usage time of ios is not the same as screen on time. You don't touch the iPhone and yet it register usage time.

Seemed normal. People on android forums would get 3-5 on average it seemed. The usage time includes screen on time and things like listening to music when your screen is off. Of course you don't have to be touching the screen, the device is on and it's being used and so that does count (like if you're reading something).

 

[marc11]

Then I have to go through each and every process and turn them off (I'm guess you mean by clicking disable in the app info).

Right in some cases. But I guess the real question is what is better multitasking at an expense of some battery life or not and better battery life. I guess there is no wrong or right answer.

 

[kevinof]

The S3 gets around 4 hours screen on time. Usage time is a lot, lot more.

Then I have to go through each and every process and turn them off (I'm guess you mean by clicking disable in the app info).

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Seemed normal. People on android forums would get 3-5 on average it seemed. The usage time includes screen on time and things like listening to music when your screen is off. Of course you don't have to be touching the screen, the device is on and it's being used and so that does count (like if you're reading something).

 

[paulsalter]

Seemed normal. People on android forums would get 3-5 on average it seemed. The usage time includes screen on time and things like listening to music when your screen is off. Of course you don't have to be touching the screen, the device is on and it's being used and so that does count (like if you're reading something).

So it is not comparing like for like

If usage time on iOS is screen on plus any activity done while the screen is off, we need to see the same figures for Android to see what the battery is like

3-5 hours is on screen time, what is the background services running (time since last charge or anything else that shows in battery stats)

 

[batting1000]

So it is not comparing like for like

If usage time on iOS is screen on plus any activity done while the screen is off, we need to see the same figures for Android to see what the battery is like

3-5 hours is on screen time, what is the background services running (time since last charge or anything else that shows in battery stats)

Yes but I'm saying that more often than not, most of my usage is all screen on time. A very minute percentage is Pandora, so yes, it is comparable. Time since last charge was always around/over 1 day (I wasn't a heavy Note 2 user honestly). The point is that almost all of my usage is with the screen on which is why I can compare rot to the Note 2.

 

[paulsalter]

Yes but I'm saying that more often than not, most of my usage is all screen on time. A very minute percentage is Pandora, so yes, it is comparable. Time since last charge was always around/over 1 day (I wasn't a heavy Note 2 user honestly). The point is that almost all of my usage is with the screen on which is why I can compare rot to the Note 2.

Cheers, makes sense now

3 to 5 hours still seems quite low to me for the Note, 5 hours yes, but 3 seems very low

 

[batting1000]

Cheers, makes sense now

3 to 5 hours still seems quite low to me for the Note, 5 hours yes, but 3 seems very low

Yep. I specifically remember the 3 hour number because I remember thinking how low it was compared to my usage of 6-8 hours on the iPhone 5 I got consistently.

 

[cynics]

Yes but I'm saying that more often than not, most of my usage is all screen on time. A very minute percentage is Pandora, so yes, it is comparable. Time since last charge was always around/over 1 day (I wasn't a heavy Note 2 user honestly). The point is that almost all of my usage is with the screen on which is why I can compare rot to the Note 2.

Obviously varies per person but MMS downloads, email downloads, email checking (fetching), using the phone, all background music, all notification receiving pre screen alert, etc = usage time on iOS with no screen activity.

I don't charge my phone at night and have seen 10 minutes up to 50 minutes of usage accumulate with no screen time aside from notification alerts.

My iPhone 4S usage varies from 5 hours to 8 hours depending on what I'm doing. Not a good way to compare to Android without a stop watching and me timing every time the screen is on with my iPhone.

 

[2298754]

The s4 is so underwhelming that it got 3100 on geekbench. And that wasn't even the octa core version.

 

[mib1800]

Yep. I specifically remember the 3 hour number because I remember thinking how low it was compared to my usage of 6-8 hours on the iPhone 5 I got consistently.

Your iphone 6-8 hrs usage time may just translate to only 3-4 hrs screen on time. But note 2 can last a minimum 5 hrs screen on time (with data use like surfing) or 6-8 hrs if you are just playing with the phone.

If you get only 3hrs screen on time for Note2, most probably you are doing like 5-8hrs of call or continuously downloading data in the background for hours (all during which the screen is not on).

 

[daneoni]

The s4 is so underwhelming that it got 3100 on geekbench. And that wasn't even the octa core version.

Were you expecting the newer 4 core chip thats clocked higher to score lower than its predecessor.

FYI the octa chip isn't doing too great in benchmarks if you're gonna be touting them

 

[batting1000]

Your iphone 6-8 hrs usage time may just translate to only 3-4 hrs screen on time. But note 2 can last a minimum 5 hrs screen on time (with data use like surfing) or 6-8 hrs if you are just playing with the phone.

If you get only 3hrs screen on time for Note2, most probably you are doing like 5-8hrs of call or continuously downloading data in the background for hours (all during which the screen is not on).

Except like I said, the only thing I ever do when the screen is off would be Pandora / music streaming. Otherwise, it's in standby. 90% of my usage is with the screen on. With the Note 2 I did the basics - web browsing, some Pandora, texting, not much calling, pictures, some notes.

 

[MRU]

The s4 is so underwhelming that it got 3100 on geekbench. And that wasn't even the octa core version.

Youve only just got out of the time-out and youve already started i see....


For pity's sake can we stop the FUD regarding the Exynos 5 and the mythical 8 cores....It has so far proved to be slower in other benchmarks and quite clearly this is because 4 cores at 1.6 ghz is less powerful than 4 cores at 1.9 ghz.

Re: Exynos 5 Big.little, The fact that there is 4 fast cores and 4 slow cores does not equate to 8 cores of power. The fastest it will run is 4 cores at 1.6ghz, which clearly won't be as fast as 4 cores at 1.9ghz. Quadrant and AnTuTu have shown this so far.

We can only assume then that geekbench scores will likewise be slower on the Exynos handset.

 

[2298754]

Were you expecting the newer 4 core chip thats clocked higher to score lower than its predecessor.

FYI the octa chip isn't doing too great in benchmarks if you're gonna be touting them

None of these phones are testing with production software. They're still prototypes. No solid conclusions can be made yet

I'm sure it will be just like last year. US S3 is slightly slower than the international one. HTC phone will be a beast in the benchmarks, but be a mediocre device, next to the Samsung.

 

[lilo777]

Were you expecting the newer 4 core chip thats clocked higher to score lower than its predecessor.

FYI the octa chip isn't doing too great in benchmarks if you're gonna be touting them

Nbody expected it to be slower than S3 but few expected it to be twice faster than S3 (and iPhone 5 to that matter)

 

[rMBP15]

All of the new features will be matched by the iPhone 5S, the likes of faster processor and 13-MP camera. Android still lags and not as smooth to operate. Not to mention a lot of malware viruses as well.