Can't decidce, 8X or 822, first time smartphone buyer

[mcherrick68]

This a real tough decision for me. I am coming off of a kin twom and have never owned a smartphone before, so either of these phones will more than likely exceed my expectations, but I am going to have to live with this decision for 2 years, so I need all the help I can in making the right choice.
Now I've played with both devices at the verizon store and have gotten a feel for each of them. I actually really like the look of the white 822, and if i got it, I would probably get the white or the grey. Here's my perceived list of pros/cons for each device
822:
Pros
- expandable storage
- Nokia apps (Drive being the only one that I think I would use)
- vivid display, with really great colors (albeit a little over saturated)
- Nokia build quality
- Button placement and feel
Cons:
- screen resolution, which was definitely noticable reading text
- design, although I do really like it a lot more than i thought i would, but still not as pretty as 8X
- feels and looks thicker than 8X
- doesn't really stand out from other smartphones
8X:
Pros
- beautiful, eye-catching design
- high res screen
- looks and feels thinner than 822
- camera, although this is up for debate
Cons
- limited storage
- power button hard to press/feel/reach
- possible reliability issues
- colors looks washed out in comparison to 822 (although probably more accurate than 822)

I feel as if the only thing really holding me back from the 822 is the design, less so than the screen resolution, but also that too. Coming off of having just awful phones my entire life, I really would like something that I can be proud to show off. And because some people think your crazy if you don't buy an iPhone, I want a device that would make them envious. I don't think the 822 accomplishes that. I know that sounds pretty superficial, but It's what I am thinking

And I feel as if the only thing holding me back from the 8X is the lack of storage. I currently use a 16gb zune right now just fine for gym use, but i do have a rather large music library, and having it all on one device would be awesome. After the os and installing my main apps, I feel as though their will only be around 12gb usable on the device.

So I would really appreciate your thoughts if you were in my shoes, knowing kind of what I want in a device?

 

[GREGH42]

I purchased both of them- HTC 8X for me, Lumia 822 for my wife. I can tell you that they are both great phones. The 8X is really quite "long" compared to the 822, but it is also a lot thinner. The video is noticeably better when you compare them side to side, but I don't think it makes a huge difference. The Lumia 822 also seems to be lighter. Even though it is a bit thicker, you have the benefit of being able to replace the battery. With the HTC you don't- and you'll have some serious bulk if you add an aftermarket later. In the end that is why we decided to go with the Lumia 822- the flexibility of replacing the battery later, and also the memory upgrade. I don't use my phone as much as my wife so I'm hoping my battery doesn't die as quickly.

If the design is that big of an issue, you may want to hold off until more options come on the market. Otherwise, it sounds like you might be better off with the Lumia 822 based on your points above. However, both phones are great in my opinion, and you probably won't be disappointed either way!

One other point in the Lumia's favor... They seem to have a few more apps (like the Nokia Music and so on). I have an Xbox Music subscription, but my wife doesn't. She can still use the Nokia Music app. I haven't used it yet, but I also hear the Nokia Drive app is pretty good. Just a few other things to consider.

 

[unstoppablekem]

If you we're on AT&T, I would say the 920. But in this case, even though I'm a die hard nokia ******, go for the 8X. But if you don't care about the display and want exclusive apps, get the 822.

 

[Smg-Uk]

8X has better Screen/Camera/Build Quality & Sound Quality.


822 has expandable storage and Nokia apps.

 

[odin09]

8X has better Screen/Camera/Build Quality & Sound Quality.


822 has expandable storage and Nokia apps.

I like the 8X but build quality clearly goes to the 822

 

[Smg-Uk]

I like the 8X but build quality clearly goes to the 822

That's your opinion but a sealed polycarbonate phone will be alot more resilient than a phone with battery cover. And from my own experience HTC's are better built than Nokia's.

 

[eruptflail]

Hey, I'm in the same boat as you. I decided, finally, that my choice is going to be the 8x (when I get back to the states) and here's why:
16 GB is actually a lot. I use my iTouch like most people would use a smartphone, so I realized that if I took all the videos off of my 32gb iTouch and refined my music library i.e. remove the songs I never listen to, I would be completely fine with 16 GB, especially if I can store some of the stuff in Skydrive.
I'm also going to agree that Nokia Drive is probably the only app I'd use of the Nokia set, but I don't think that it's too important when I have a GPS that sits in my car anyway, do you?
Buttons - I've heard some people say they love the 8x buttons and others that don't. I think I would like the sleekness they provide.

For me the 822's biggest downfall is the resolution of the screen. I don't want to strain to read text, which is what I used my iTouch for the most. I also think that the 8x beats out the 822 in design as well. You should get a device that you find attractive and don't look and say: well, that's kind of ugly.

Also, for a first time smartphone user, have you checked out Tmobile or Straight-talk? Their prepaid smartphone plans are considerably cheaper than Verizon. Even if you pay for the device outright, you ultimately end up saving hundreds.

Good luck, and I'm sure you'll love whatever you get..

Oh I forgot to add, you also need to think about the guts of the phone, too. The Nokia 822 will be considerably slower than the 8x when running apps like Skype and other cpu intensive games. The 822 only has 512mb or ram, the 8x has 1gb and a better processor. That was the ultimate reason why I eliminated the 822 or the 8s from my choices. I like the 8s over the 8x but the guts made me rethink that.

 

[willied]

Oh I forgot to add, you also need to think about the guts of the phone, too. The Nokia 822 will be considerably slower than the 8x when running apps like Skype and other cpu intensive games. The 822 only has 512mb or ram, the 8x has 1gb and a better processor. That was the ultimate reason why I eliminated the 822 or the 8s from my choices. I like the 8s over the 8x but the guts made me rethink that.

The 822 does in fact have 1GB of RAM and it has the same processor as the 8X. I think you're thinking of the 8S.

I'm in the exact same conundrum as the OP. The two main reasons I'm not getting the 8X are the size of the phone (ridiculously tall) and the lack of expandable memory. The phone is really nice looking, but that's not enough to sway me. The screen is definitely better on the 8X, but the 822's is definitely better than I thought it'd be. So my take on it is either get the 822 or wait for the next wave of phones.

 

[unstoppablekem]

EVERYONE!! In terms of features (meaning display, screen, etc. Not design), the 822 is the exact SAME as the 8X, except the screen isn't as good. That's it.

 

[Reflexx]

EVERYONE!! In terms of features (meaning display, screen, etc. Not design), the 822 is the exact SAME as the 8X, except the screen isn't as good. That's it.

Not really.

8X has added amplifier for stronger audio when plugged into an unamplified device, like a regular headset.

820 has a super sensitive Puremotion screen that can be used with gloves, better outdoor visibility, and a faster pixel color switching. And expandable storage.

 

[Coolknight1968]

820.. Made in China
8X... Made in Taiwan
Which one will it be?
I have two 8X... They're great!

 

[Vheissu]

I got the 8x because it has a beautiful display, it literally has a 180 degree viewing angle. Even though it is quite tall it still feels very good in the hand. I haven't had much issue with the power button because although it is very flush it is also very sensitive and easy to activate. When it came down to it for me the only real decision was if I could live with 16gb of storage, and I had been doing it for over a year with the Trophy. Also I think you can strike reliability issues off your list of cons because HTC makes great phones.

 

[eruptflail]

Oh, I didn't realize that the 822 had 1gb of ram. I though it had less, my fault. That makes this harder... and my own decision...

 

[odin09]

Finally got to hold an 8X at Verizon store today. It's a nice looking phone but build quality is shoddy. The screen and polycarbonate don't meet flush in spots. On one of the demo units it even had a rough edge at the top of the screen. Phone felt pretty good but rather sharp edges might not feel good over time. One big positive is that the camera focus is almost instant. It's as quick as my high end digital camera and pics looked good.

 

[fierywater]

The 822's build quality is spectacular. The buttons click just right and everything just feels solid as all ****. I would be madly in love with it, were it not for the screen.

If you can get past the screen, go with the 822. It's closer to being the total package, plus it's cheaper.

If you're like me and can't, go with the 8X. It's a great phone.

 

[mcherrick68]

I think I've all but decided on the 822. The more I play with it at the verizon store, the more I like the design, its really grown on me. I think i can live with the lack of resolution

 

[schartzr]

I think I've all but decided on the 822. The more I play with it at the verizon store, the more I like the design, its really grown on me. I think i can live with the lack of resolution

Good Choice I actually took my 8X back and exchanged it for the 822. And I love it. And in all Honesty I CANNOT tell a huge difference in the screen resolution. The Pixels are so small it is hard to tell.