7 replies to this topic

[Dweis65]

I need some input on which phone to upgrade to. The Razr Maxx or the Nexus. Or wait if something hotter is coming soon. Thanx....

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[Sankyou2]

Well I started VZ off with the Nexus and switched to the Razr Maxx so I feel well-qualified to give you some insight.
First off - I loved the Nexus before I exchanged it.

*Battery - Edge Razr Maxx
The main reason I returned the Nexus was the battery life. I never did try the extended battery - but I didn't want any more thickness and I'm quite certain that it still would have been poor. I really wanted to keep that phone so I tried several different ROMs, kernels and settings in an attempt to optimize the battery. It just wasn't enough for me to be comfortable - even with moderate use and 4G off all day.

*Reception - Edge Raxr Maxx
I tried the leaked radios for the Nexus and they just weren't as good as I had witnessed with other Verizon phones at my house. They were an improvement but not good enough. The Maxx's radios were good at first and better after .173 leaked (and is now official).

*Customization - Edge Nexus
Not even close. The unlocked bootloader and developer support for this device is amazing. It really made it a hard device to return.

*Build quality - Slight Edge Razr Maxx
They both are well-built. I like the splash-resistant coating on the Razr and the more solid feel of the metal border so a slight edge to the Razr. This did not personally impact my decision.

*Physical design - Edge Razr Maxx
All ports on the top of the Razr Maxx is nice. I like having a separate HDMI port because I can use it without charging at the same time. The biggest factor for me on this topic is the button layout. All of the physical buttons on the Maxx (volume and power) are on the right side. On the Nexus - the power is on the left and the volume is on the right. The problem is every time I would go to turn the screen on or off - my fingers would also push the volume and it would usually cancel the power press out. This was certainly made worse because I had a case that covered the button - but annoying as hell. I do like the soft button (true-ICS) functionality of the Nexus but every other external decision on the device annoyed me. Also having 16gb internal and an external sd slot is an advantage for the Maxx. The removable battery is a nice advantage for the Nexus.

*Camera - Edge Nexus
Even though the Maxx has a higher resolution - I loved how fast and clear the images from the Nexus came out. Maybe the shutter-speed will be improved once the Maxx has ICS - but until then the edge goes to the Nexus IMO.

*Screen - Edge Nexus
Both devices have wonderful screens but the Nexus had a nice crisp high-resolution screen that was clearly better.

*Size - Tie
I have small hands and both of these devices are too wide in my opinion. I guess I could give a slight edge to the Nexus but this was a poor design-decision and overall trend IMO.

*Performance - Slight Edge to the Nexus
These phones have identical hardware when it comes to juice. The Nexus has better performance; however, because it has an unlocked bootloader with a dedicated group of developers. The multitude of kernels are handy and definitely improve the performance. It's hard to really give much to the Nexus though because the Razr is very quick. Also I don't feel the need to optimize everything since I'm not searching around every corner for extra battery life. Also the smart actions are kind of cool on the Maxx. Still all that can be done more efficiently by gurus using tasker or locale.

*Accessories - Edge Maxx
This was one I didn't even realize until after I exchanged the Nexus. There isn't crap for that phone. The Razr has so many great accessories. I love my Navigation Dock - it is everything I wanted out of a car dock except the ability to use it with a case.

As you can see - both phones pack a punch. For me - the three most important factors were (in order): battery life, signal strength and customization. This made the Maxx a no-brainer. I do miss all the custom roms - but the razr community is doing well with the limited resources available so far.

I hope that helps you make a decision. Good luck!

Edited by Sankyou2, 13 February 2012 - 04:26 PM.

[Dweis65]

Thanx Sankyou... I will take this all in. I guess it's who you speak to. Some like the Nexus and ICS and some like the Maxx and the battery life. Even though the Maxx will eventually get ICS. I really like to hear from people, especially ones like you who have tried them out.

[Joshoid]

so far I am very pleased with my nexus, have extended battery in the was will update soon. I love the fact this phone is vanilla out of the box. Also the ability to unlock boot loader is a added bonus .

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Edited by Joshoid, 14 February 2012 - 04:53 AM.

[Dweis65]

Thanx for all the input. I went with the Razr Maxx. Verizon is running a special buy any Razr and get one free...

[Sankyou2]

Good choice Dweis... Hard to go wrong with either of those options. Make sure you run the OTA update to .173. There's a simple method to root it now as well. If you're going to root, I highly recommend the new Eclipse 1.0 ROM that was just released yesterday.

[michael929]

[michael929]