iPhone 4 vs. the smartphone elite: EVO 4G, N8, Pre Plus, and HD2
By Chris Ziegler 
posted June 7th 2010 5:34PM
posted June 7th 2010 5:34PM
iPhone 4 |
HTC EVO 4G |
Nokia N8 |
Palm Pre Plus |
HTC HD2 |
| Platform | iOS 4 | Android 2.1 with Sense | Symbian^3 | webOS | Windows Mobile 6.5 |
| Processor | Apple A4 | 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon | 680MHz ARM11-based | 600MHz TI OMAP3430 | 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon |
| Storage | 16GB / 32GB internal | 440MB internal, microSDHC expansion | 16GB internal, microSDHC expansion | 16GB | Approx. 200MB internal, microSDHC expansion |
| Cellular | Quadband GSM, pentaband HSPA | CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A, WiMAX | Quadband GSM, pentaband HSPA | CDMA / EV-DO Rev. A or quadband GSM / dualband HSPA | Quadband GSM, dualband HSPA |
| WiFi | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g | 802.11b/g1 |
| Display size | 3.5 inches | 4.3 inches | 3.5 inches | 3.1 inches | 4.3 inches |
| Display resolution | 960 x 640 | 800 x 480 | 640 x 360 | 480 x 320 | 800 x 480 |
| Display technology | IPS LCD | LCD | AMOLED | LCD | LCD |
| Integrated TV-out | No | HDMI | HDMI | No | No |
| Primary camera | 5 megapixel AF, LED flash | 8 megapixel AF, LED flash | 12 megapixel AF, xenon flash | 3 megapixel, LED flash | 5 megapixel AF, LED flash |
| Secondary camera | VGA | 1.3 megapixel | VGA | None | None |
| Video recording | 720p at 30fps | 720p at 24fps | 720p at 25fps | VGA at 30fps | VGA at 30fps |
| Video calling | Yes (WiFi only) | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Location / orientation sensors | AGPS, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope | AGPS, compass, accelerometer | AGPS, compass, accelerometer | AGPS, accelerometer | AGPS, compass, accelerometer |
| SIM standard | Micro SIM | N/A | SIM | SIM (on GSM variant) | SIM |
| Quoted max talk time | 7 hours on 3G, 14 hours on 2G | 6 hours | 5.83 hours on 3G, 12 hours on 2G | 5.5 hours on Verizon, 5 hours on AT&T | 5.33 hours on 3G, 6.33 hours on 2G |
| Quoted max media playback time | 40 hours audio, 10 hours video | None quoted | 50 hours audio, 6 hours video | None quoted | 12 hours audio, 8 hours video |
| Weight | 137 grams / 4.8 oz. | 170 grams / 6.00 oz. | 135 grams / 4.76 oz. | 135 grams / 4.76 oz. | 157 grams / 5.54 oz. |
| Dimensions | 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm | 122 x 66 x 13mm | 113.5 x 59 x 12.9mm | 100.5 x 59.5 x 16.95mm | 120.5 x 67 x 11mm |
1802.11n can be enabled with a registry hack.
@Bruce Willis +1
@Bruce Willis - All your films have sucked since Pulp Fiction
@Bruce Willis
nope we all agree with you haha
@Bruce Willis
Where did you touch them? Perv
@exboy99
He owes me $5 for Hudson Hawk.
hurray evo.
@(Unverified)
GOOGLE Android FTW!!!
@(Unverified)
Hurray June 24th!!!
@(Unverified), real world tests of the battery time will be nice to see how these really compare. Playing the same video files and same audio.
Just one year ago the specs on the Palm Pre was the standard. Now it just looks sad! What an amazing year it has been!
@(Unverified) Ya, this really should be using the EVO as the benchmark, not the iPhone.
Not that the iPhone is a bad phone by any means, but its clearly been overshadowed.
@mikmik111 Yeah, that Pre needs to be kicked out.
@(Unverified) EVO is the machine!
The HTC Evo actually had hardware support for wireless 802.11n as well -- the iFixit teardown revealed that it has the same Broadcom BCM4329 chip in the Nexus one that allows for wireless n. Source: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/HTC-Evo-4G-Teardown/2979/2
@Trickymaster Why does iPhone4 win for frames per second? 24 fps is the standard for motion pictures. It's the actual frame rate of films, that's why they did it....
@(Unverified) The future looks cool...
@(Unverified)
If they have 4 in the model number and it doesn't have 4g, they blew it.
@(Unverified)
EVO is the beast !
@(Unverified) i hope the experience on evo is as good as iPhone, else none of these hardware specs matter!
@(Unverified)
Why isn't the A4 highlighted? Its proven to be the fastest.
@(Unverified)
Evo is pretty impressive but, I'm gonna have to go with iPhone. Its not just a phone...ITS AN INVESTMENT.
I refuse to leave my purchased apps or my purchased videos.
@(Unverified)
Good job excluding RIM.
@angelusp
I would go.
N8>iPhone4>Evo>Palm>Windows.
"the smartphone elite" but no Samsung Galaxy S... I wonder why...
@(Unverified) paid shills abound - EVO's not even in the same league - runs on the weakest network - 4G can't even be called a network since its only in a handful of cities.
@angelusp
HTC EVO 4G >>>> iphone 4
Now I have to say this is the first time that I remember iphone releases a phone that is not better than the previous best phone. Oh, and Android phones keep coming, looking for Samsung Galaxy S and Dell Android phones like Thunder.
This will be a GREAT year for Android.
@FreeRange1 Depends what your definition of weak network is... AT&T drops out and cuts off so much where I'm at, slower > unreliable
@Spaldinggreat
All I've heard about the EVO's video recording is that it is disappointing at best, with poor low light performance.
I'll be interested to see if Apple's new sensor can produce some quality 720p video that's usable and not so much of a bullet point.
In any case, it's going to be iPhone 4 for me, as I wouldn't touch a Sense phone with a 10' pole. To each his own...
@FreeRange1
Translation: People with different opinions from mine abound.
@Rajivsri
For the typical consumer, the EVO experience is far worse. For techies, like us, the EVO experience is much more exciting.
The facts of life.
@Spaldinggreat
once any number is greater people believe it's better for whatever reason :-P
@(Unverified)
LETS TALK ABOUT PRICE.
The EVO costs $10 more for the premium data plan.
@EagleyeSmith
I didn't even realize how well the N8 stacked up against the Evo until now.
@(Unverified)
this kinda makes me wonder how good the evo hardware would have been if they actually used current 2010 hardware. don't get me wrong, but when you look at many of the things that make the phone great. its basically a hd2 w/ some minor revisions, and the hd2 was released 8 months ago. sure the camera was upgraded, front facing cam, hdmi out, android, and the 4G (although there are def some issues as far as coverage)...i still very much consider it last years hardware. But its still my pick for best phone on the market.
Now...if HTC drops a HD3, or a new flagship device this Nov, whether it be powered by WP7 or android, w/ say a 1.3Ghz snapdragon (that thankfully uses 30% less power than the original) or the 1.5Ghz dual core chip, slimmer form factor, more built in flash memory, man oh man i'll be more than ecstatic. And if they actually make something w/ a slide out qwerty keyboard, i'll outright buy it sans contract.
@EagleyeSmith I'd say iPhone4 or N8 >Evo>Palm>Windows.
Engadget cleverly left out some categories to keep the iPhone 4 in the shared lead with the Nokia N8.
The iPhone would lose a few places if we would also consider storage/card slot, FM radio and the all time favorite Flash support.
@gracefulspammer and is STILL cheaper than my iPhone plan ever was...
Oh, and I don't drop 2+ calls every day. And I get my voicemail messages when they're left (not an hour later), and my phone actually rings when someone calls me. AT&T blows, and ruins the whole experience.
@(Unverified)
Battle Royale of the super phones, motha-frakkers!
@(Unverified)
Battle Royale of the super phones, motha-frakkers!
@angelusp iPhone > Evo > Palm > Symbian > Windows
@(Unverified)
I like how the iPhone beats the Evo in almost twice as many categories, but all the idiot Fandroids here still count that as a "win" for the Evo.
Are you guys all just really bad at counting?
@Spaldinggreat 30fps is better than 24fps in case you want to use slow motion on your video. 24fps in slow motion will look jerky, and on iPhone - smoother.. a lot smoother. I sometimes use slow-motion effects in video editing.
@Otar Samsung is the red headed stepchild of the mobile market.
Not sure why, even on Engadget it seems the real cred isn't there.
They make ho hum TV's, laptops, camera's, camcorders etc.... none of them really stellar in any respect, maybe that camera with the front facing lcd, other than that, ehh nothing that's drool worthy.
@tmt345
remember when google did the speed tests using froyo? the nexus one beat the ipad, so with froyo, the evo will most definately be faster, no doubt about it.
@Spaldinggreat GO look up "NTSC". We'll wait.
Where is Samsung Galaxy S?
can't wait 'til Win Phone 7 comes out! I truly believe that it will give the iphone a run for its money, though there of course will be some who will tout as superior to anything else, I think we'll all be saying "Welcome back Microsoft!"
@Spaldinggreat
Great point
@(Unverified) Where is the Samsung Galaxy S? The EVO is just in the US so the Samsung will have a greater impact VS the iPhone. Also with the Super AMOLED the screen is actually nicer than the iPhone 4.
@gracefulspammer
But you have unlimited use, and soon will have free tethering with root.