Upgrading to a Galaxy S2 from an HTC Desire - is it worth it?

[seven7seven]

Hi all,

My contract is up for renewal and I currently have an HTC Desire (not the Desire S) running Android 2.2 (stock HTC Sense version).

I wanted to get the S3 but decided against it to due the sheer size & seemingly fragile nature of the screen glass (I'm not too careful with my phone :/) so now I've got my eye on the SGS2.

Do you think it is worth upgrading to the SGS2 vs keeping my Desire for now?

If I kept my Desire I'd definitely have to load a different ROM as the pitiful amount of phone memory to install apps onto is irking me. I've hardly got anything installed and I keep getting the dreaded 'Disk space is running low' message which forces me to scramble for space by deleting maps & internet cache etc.

Thanks for the help!

 

[kingrob]

Definitely!!

The S2's speed is insane if you're coming from any single core cpu phone & you'll love the super gorgeous Super Amoled Plus display!

Go get it now.

 

[Sapphiron]

I also came from a desire (damn stupid partitioning)

I compared my S3 to an S2 the other day.

The physical sizes are about the same. S3 is thinner, 1mm wider and 0.5cm taller. makes no difference in hand or pocket.

Not sure if its more fragile than S2. the S3 has a stronger glass, being gorilla glass 2, but if you are a phone dropper, I would put both in bumper cases. They are nowhere near as strong as the HTC desire.

The first time someone holds their S3 up to your S2, and switches on the screen and fires up the burst mode on the camera, you will hate yourself.

anyway, either phones are big upgrades, but the S2 needs more aggressive pricing compared to S3.

 

[CranialBlaze]

I also came from a desire (damn stupid partitioning)

I compared my S3 to an S2 the other day.

The physical sizes are about the same. S3 is thinner, 1mm wider and 0.5cm taller. makes no difference in hand or pocket.

Not sure if its more fragile than S2. the S3 has a stronger glass, being gorilla glass 2, but if you are a phone dropper, I would put both in bumper cases. They are nowhere near as strong as the HTC desire.

The first time someone holds their S3 up to your S2, and switches on the screen and fires up the burst mode on the camera, you will hate yourself.

anyway, either phones are big upgrades, but the S2 needs more aggressive pricing compared to S3.

Actually the S3 is said to be one of the most fragile phones available, if you check out youtube, a few big names did some drop tests on it, both alone and against other phones like the One X, the S3 failed every single drop test above about 3.5ft, which depending on your high is generally anything above your pants pocket. The screen may be stronger but the body is practically brittle so all shock goes strait into the screen, that compuneded with the apparent gloss like body which is said can be very slippery and hard to grip makes it a "High Risk" phone

 

[Crowley]

Actually the S3 is said to be one of the most fragile phones available, if you check out youtube, a few big names did some drop tests on it, both alone and against other phones like the One X, the S3 failed every single drop test above about 3.5ft, which depending on your high is generally anything above your pants pocket. The screen may be stronger but the body is practically brittle so all shock goes strait into the screen, that compuneded with the apparent gloss like body which is said can be very slippery and hard to grip makes it a "High Risk" phone

I would put both in bumper cases

I would say a bumper case is a must with this phone. I love my SIII and handle it like a delicate piece of electronic equipment should be handled.

 

[marco79]

I have had a HTC Desire and now have a Desire HD for almost 2 years. Besides some scratches on the phone I am happy with it. I was supposed to upgrade early July and couldn't decide on the One X or the S3. I rather got my wife a new Blackberry.

If you are happy with HTC why not get another? HTC One X or S? Much more rugged that the Samsung Galaxy S3 & S2. Even if the S2 is still a great phone, do you really want to get a year old phone and keep it another 2 years? If you get a great deal then maybe look at it but currently new ones are still very pricey.

 

[seven7seven]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I can get the following deals, all on Cell C Straight Up 200:
S2 R399/month
S3 R459/month + R719 once off
One X R449 + R769 once off

So that's paying R4800 for the S2 - seems a decent deal?

 

[LCBXX]

How about rooting your Desire, creating an SD-EXT partition, install a optimised custom ROM, and using that to expand on the phone's internal memory? Just make sure you have a fast SD card as a slow one will affect performance adversely.

Thanks for the replies guys.

I can get the following deals, all on Cell C Straight Up 200:
S2 R399/month
S3 R459/month + R719 once off
One X R449 + R769 once off

So that's paying R4800 for the S2 - seems a decent deal?

Shop around - there are S2's with 24-month guarantees to be had for R4000 with prices coming down all the time.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

Desire to S2 is going to be a huge upgrade, but why not getting something much newer, e.g. Htc One S or even the Galaxy Nexus?

 

[Park@82]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I can get the following deals, all on Cell C Straight Up 200:
S2 R399/month
S3 R459/month + R719 once off
One X R449 + R769 once off

So that's paying R4800 for the S2 - seems a decent deal?

are you saying its available at 399 for 12 months?

 

[seven7seven]

are you saying its available at 399 for 12 months?

Nope sorry over 24 months.
I meant the contract subscription (without a phone) is R200/month, so @ R399 you're paying R199/month for the phone.

 

[cerebus]

Get an Xperia S <3

 

[Park@82]

Get an Xperia S <3

wouldn't you have better custom ROM support on the S2 though?

 

[cerebus]

wouldn't you have better custom ROM support on the S2 though?

Maybe but you wouldn't have a 342ppi on a 4.3" screen.

 

[Park@82]

Maybe but you wouldn't have a 342ppi on a 4.3" screen.

The deciding factor between the two for me would be: Price + Upgradeable to JB.

Heard rumors that the S2 might be getting an official JB. Even if it doesn't I guess you are more likely to have better custom builds on the S2.
/I would love to get in on the Project Butter action...

 

[CranialBlaze]

The deciding factor between the two for me would be: Price + Upgradeable to JB.

Heard rumors that the S2 might be getting an official JB. Even if it doesn't I guess you are more likely to have better custom builds on the S2.
/I would love to get in on the Project Butter action...

Its not a rumor, the S2 and S3 will be getting JB after the Note2's release within the next few weeks. Samsung has confirmed that a full Roll-out of JB will be available for S2, S3 and Note 1 by Q1 2013 starting with the S3 later this year.

Tests have already been completed on both the S2 and S3, no info on the Note as of yet, JB worked flawlessly out he box on the S3, but there was 1 minor problem encountered on the S2, as an extra note, the JB upgrade from sammy will also include TouchWizz5 for all these devices.

 

[Park@82]

Its not a rumor, the S2 and S3 will be getting JB after the Note2's release within the next few weeks. Samsung has confirmed that a full Roll-out of JB will be available for S2, S3 and Note 1 by Q1 2013 starting with the S3 later this year.

Tests have already been completed on both the S2 and S3, no info on the Note as of yet, JB worked flawlessly out he box on the S3, but there was 1 minor problem encountered on the S2, as an extra note, the JB upgrade from sammy will also include TouchWizz5 for all these devices.

That is awesome news indeed. Now I wish I had a S2 :/

 

[cerebus]

Just on the Xperia S, looks like it could be getting AOSP nightly support:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/18/3250768/google-experiment-aosp-sony-xperia-s

Turn it into a Nexus device essentially.

 

[seven7seven]

Thanks for all the help!!

I decided to rather go on the thrifty side of things (by comparison) and go for the S2, which as some of you have said, will still be a big upgrade from my Desire. I really like the fact that the S2 seems to be quite a rugged and durable phone.

I ended up negotiating with the Retentions Department @ Nashua Mobile and they are giving me the S2 for R349/month with no pay-in on Cell C Straight Up 200 x 24 months, so the phone cost is essentially R3600 which seems like a decent deal.

That excludes (optional) itemised billing though which is about R24 rand/month. My previous quote of R399/month actually included itemised billing so I only managed to get them to reduce it by about R26/month thereby saving R624 over the full 24 months, not great but every penny counts

 

[LCBXX]

8ta is stll selling the S2 for R3600... I reckon I'm going to pick up a couple and sell it for a pretty profit.