Samsung is definitely out of my list...Here's why..

[tomatoes11]

This may be the worst thread I've read in my time at WPCentral. What started out as someone presenting an opinion has now turned into personal attacks, name calling, and flat-out ridiculous statements. This forum is meant for discussion, not people being d-heads to each other for having opinions and preferences.

I can't say this is the first time I've seen a fellow WP fan act an ***. While at PAX in Seattle, a WP user berated a guy using an Android in line for the Xbox meet-and-greet. He wouldn't even let him talk, spewing statements like "BEST OS EVER" and "IT'S SO SMOOTH, BETTER THAN YOUR ANDROID".

This place used to be an enjoyable place to catch up on news and meet fellow WP enthusiasts but has turned into a playground full of bullies. I hope the mods can start to control this.

This was the original post.

"For all those think Samsung products are Uber-cool and niche, they are nothing but cheap plastic, and cheap cheap plastic..., guess you can never emphasize enough CHEAP CHEAP..."

That is clearly a flame bait thread so I am not sure what you were expecting from this thread.

I am personally enjoying it. I am surprised that it has not been closed yet though. haha

 

[blehblehbleh]

Yeah, I agree. Getting out of your car while it is in your lap is the only time I have ever dropped my phone in the past 5 years. That is pretty real world.

You have some interesting "real world" scenarios. Plus, it looks like the only ones that count are the ones you've experienced or also experienced.

The iphone 5 couldn't even handle one weekend(or out of the box) without getting scuff marks. Hardly what you would call good build quality or premium.

Yeah and the GS3 had it's own paint issues too:

Samsung Galaxy S3 Cracks in battery cover, poor quality / bad build quality - YouTube

White S3 - back cover cracked!

White Samsung Galaxy S III having build quality issues too?

Problem With Galaxy S3 Back Cover - Android Forums

So really looks like YMMV or every OEM will get some QA issue at some point and it's the luck of the draw.

The fact is, not concentrating on specific situations like drop tests, plastic is the way to go for OVERALL durability. That is why it used in automobiles, housing fixtures, air craft etc. You name it.

Really? I thought the major focus would be on the fact that it's probably cheap to manufacture even though it is durable to a degree.

Rubberizing or applying a matte finish to the plastic or making it a uni-body design does not increase the quality or durability in any way. The reason that some plastics are stronger is because of the chemical properties used in manufacturing, not unlike changing the chemical properties in gorilla glass make it stronger than other glass. I am sure Samsung is aware of the proper manufacturing procedures for durable plastics since they make just about everything that uses plastic.

I would imagine a unibody design works well depending on the design and if there are minimal weak points much like one without a unibody design can be equally durable if the frame or weak points are minimized as well.

As for Samsung, we can speculate but we'll never know for sure nor does it mean that Samsung will be consistent across the board either. I personally don't know how strongly Samsung adheres to ensuring each device is built like a tank. Looking at the GS3 problems so far, I'm walking away with the impression either they don't or it's the same as any other phone OEM, including Apple.

So careful fanboys, if the drop can break a Samsung, what is to stop it from breaking a Nokia or an HTC? They all use plastic. Unless you honestly think that a matte coating makes them more durable.

Like I said, YMMV.

Anyways, I've made up my mind, and I agree with Xenophos. Samsung's feel cheap and personally that's something I don't like knowing in something I dropped major coin for, despite the fact I just may end up getting one anyways because of the removable storage and option to put in a larger battery.

 

[Old_Cus]

Wow! Seven pages in two days. Folks here need to chill the F*** out (self edit).

First off let me say I love all people and all smartphones...oh and all phone manufacturers.

With that said, have any of the people complaining about the Samsungs actually owned one? My first WP was a Focus S and back then I heard all the same bull; that it was too light and it seem to fragile and cheap. I will admit that at first it did feel alittle light to me but I put a Casemate Barely There case (cheap endorsement) on it and from that point on it was perfect.

Look, it all comes down to preference. If you don't like Samsung get a Nokia, if you don't Like Nokia get a HTC and if you don't like HTC get the serface phone that may or may not come. Just don't get an iphone (okay maybe I don't love all smartphones)!

Said my piece and now the mod can close this thread.

 

[tomatoes11]

You have some interesting "real world" scenarios. Plus, it looks like the only ones that count are the ones you've experienced or also experienced.



Yeah and the GS3 had it's own paint issues too:

Samsung Galaxy S3 Cracks in battery cover, poor quality / bad build quality - YouTube

White S3 - back cover cracked!

White Samsung Galaxy S III having build quality issues too?

Problem With Galaxy S3 Back Cover - Android Forums

So really looks like YMMV or every OEM will get some QA issue at some point and it's the luck of the draw.




Really? I thought the major focus would be on the fact that it's probably cheap to manufacture even though it is durable to a degree.



I would imagine a unibody design works well depending on the design and if there are minimal weak points much like one without a unibody design can be equally durable if the frame or weak points are minimized as well.

As for Samsung, we can speculate but we'll never know for sure nor does it mean that Samsung will be consistent across the board either. I personally don't know how strongly Samsung adheres to ensuring each device is built like a tank. Looking at the GS3 problems so far, I'm walking away with the impression either they don't or it's the same as any other phone OEM, including Apple.



Like I said, YMMV.

Anyways, I've made up my mind, and I agree with Xenophos. Samsung's feel cheap and personally that's something I don't like knowing in something I dropped major coin for, despite the fact I just may end up getting one anyways because of the removable storage and option to put in a larger battery.

Looks like you conveniently left out the article where Samsung destroyed 600 k back plates and caught the issue during production. The other defects are few and far between, unlike the quite widespread iphone 5 defects that every reviewer also had.

But of course that doesn't back up your opinions at all so you choose to ignore those important facts. Good for you.

But if you wish to use unscientific, your words and not mine, drop tests to condemn the GS3, then by all means, continue. Unfortunately, that is all you have though.

 

[Reflexx]

I'm waiting for the next generation of cars that will be made completely out of light, flimsy plastic! Perfect for taking high impact crashes! And they'll be light too!

 

[tk-093]

I'm waiting for the next generation of cars that will be made completely out of light, flimsy plastic! Perfect for taking high impact crashes! And they'll be light too!

So a thick and heavy phone will save my life somehow?

 

[tomatoes11]

So a thick and heavy phone will save my life somehow?

They already have studies that show thick uni-body vehicles are dangerous and that is why most cars are multiple pieces with crumple zones designed to fall apart on heavy impact.

Just ignore the haters that have no idea what they are talking about. I enjoy talking to them though, so let me do the dirty work.

Or just tell them to do some research.

http://www.aip.org/dbis/stories/2006/15132.html

 

[socialcarpet]

Psychology is one of my majors actually, Marketing being the other. The purpose of my posts is to educate people that weight and quality are two very different things and that you do not have to be limited by your own perceptions. Unfortunately, you and Xenophos seem to be imprisoned by weak perception skills and cannot get over your uni body fetishes.

 

[socialcarpet]

They already have studies that show thick uni-body vehicles are dangerous and that is why most cars are multiple pieces with crumple zones designed to fall apart on heavy impact.

Uh no. Almost all cars are unibody now. Body-on-frame cars are more dangerous. But this analogy is completely irrelevant here.

 

[brmiller1976]

Good thing we have all those space-age, military-spec Nokia polycarbonate cars around. I hear you can drive one into a concrete wall at 80 MPH and demolish the wall into dust while only scratching the front bumper! Not at all like those cheap Samsung cars, which explode in flames when someone sneezes next to them.

 

[anon(5348535)]

For all those think Samsung products are Uber-cool and niche, they are nothing but cheap plastic, and cheap cheap plastic..., guess you can never emphasize enough CHEAP CHEAP...

Just check this video:
Samsung Ativ S hands-on - YouTube

And see 0:52 - 0:55.


Samsung Ativ S hands on Windows8Phone Review Preview IFA 2012 - YouTube

1:20 - 1:26


Says it all...

I don't think there is anything wrong with plastic on pocketable devices such a phone. My old company-issued Nokia E (plastic, entry model) survived much more abuse than my iPhone 3Gs, whose shell looks almost like ceramics but was very happy to crack a bit on a single drop. Nokia dropped more than a few times, twice actually felt apart (cover and battery got loose on impact) and has number of scratches over the edges, but no cracks thanks to much softer and flexible plastics, compared to "luxurious" 3Gs.

That being said, I do prefer looks and features of Lumia 920, so... just saying.

 

[anon(5348535)]

Yeah, I think I got some shivers when he took off the back cover and was bending it.

And this, my friends, is why the Lumia 920 weighs 180g. It doesn't bend!

It bends because it was made to be flexible

If this phone is anything like SG3, cover does not play any part in phone's frame rigidity and integrity - it is just that, a cover. In general I'm not in love with the design, but bendable cover, as such, would be the last on my list of concerns.

 

[anon(5348535)]

Watching the Nokia bashing of Samsung is surreal. You are aware that those "polycarbonate" 920s are "cheap plastic" too, right?!?

Well not necessarily.

The cockpit canopy of the F-22 Raptor jet fighter is made from a piece of high optical quality polycarbonate, for example. There are polycarbonates, and then then there are polycarbonates.

 

[anon(5348535)]

Wow! The Samsung hate from Windows fans seem even worse than the hate from IOS fans. It is quite disgusting actually.

Especially the BS about Apple having a case. No way did they have one and that is why I sold my iPad 3 even though I am having a tough time finding a replacement. The Nexus 7 screen sucks, Windows RT is too low res, windows 8 pro tabs are too thick, transformer infinity sucks. I have to hand it to them, they make a nice tablet. Still, they lost a customer for life after that crap they pulled on Samsung.

Well... go to Appleinsider site, check their forums, and then come back and tell us who hates Samsung most

 

[anon(5348535)]

Oh, knock it off already. Everyone is venturing an opinion - to them they don't like the form or the material or whatever. No one is saying it's a poor device or it's junk.

To me, it feels like a warmed over S3, with little or no thought put into it at all. It's like the engineers said, "Okay, we'll just put a different colour cover on it and throw on the o/s. Good enough. What's for lunch?" It just seems lacklustre compared with the other offerings.

I said somewhere it looks like S3 with some fresh makeup. I don't mind, but like I said - Nokia looks more inviting for me. Not just a new makeup - a fresh face.

 

[tomatoes11]

Uh no. Almost all cars are unibody now. Body-on-frame cars are more dangerous. But this analogy is completely irrelevant here.

My bad, forgot that in terms of car terminology, the heavy brick construction is the body on frame and the lighter "plastic" type construction is unit body, even though both use steel.

It is relevant because someone brought up cars but sure, whatever floats your boat.

 

[anon(5348535)]

I saw Nokia's phones being compared to Volvo earlier. An apt comparison. Volvo hyper-focused on safety, at the expense of styling, handling, and performance.

Some people liked that, but it put Volvo in a niche versus other automakers. A profitable, loyal niche, but still a niche.

WP needs exposure across all the different kinds of phones. That's why partners like HTC, Samsung, ZTE, Huawei, Alcatel, etc. are so important in addition to Nokia.

Nokia owners get their boxy, thick, heavy Volvo-phones, while HTC makes me my sexy Maserati Quattroporte 8X phone, and Samsung makes the Camaro ATIV S, and Huawei builds their Kia-esque Ascend W1, and so on. We all win.

The best I'm willing to give you here is "Nokia owners get SC90 Volvo-phones"

 

[freestaterocker]

My previous phone was a Samsung, and while it *felt* cheap, I once threw it about 40' across a gas station parking lot after my wife hung up on me. (nothing that she does pisses me off more) It skipped twice on the pavement and hit a picket fence, which caused the battery cover to come off. I picked it up, put it back together, and continued to use it without issue for almost a year. I'll never doubt the durability of a Samsung, even though my next phone will be a Nokia.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

With the car thing, I know that unibodies are safer. I've seen a 57 Chevy Bel Air demo video where they smashed it head on into a 2007 Chevy Malibu sedan. The Bel Air driver's side was destroyed and the driver was determined to be dead on impact whereas the unibody design of the Malibu absorbed the impact and the passenger compartment was wholly intact. (although, unibodies rust out easily and cannot are difficult to fix. That's why there are still tons classic muscle cars out there. The frame and body design is easier to fix. To fix a unibody, you have to replace it :S)

Regardless, that analogy is not entirely relevant here. We all know the weakest part of any phone is the screen glass. Casings can be replaced cheaply, that glass is important.

 

[X0LARIUM]

My previous phone was a Samsung, and while it *felt* cheap, I once threw it about 40' across a gas station parking lot after my wife hung up on me. (nothing that she does pisses me off more) It skipped twice on the pavement and hit a picket fence, which caused the battery cover to come off. I picked it up, put it back together, and continued to use it without issue for almost a year. I'll never doubt the durability of a Samsung, even though my next phone will be a Nokia.

Now that's a real world scenario...(not being sarcastic)