That battle between two of the best Google Android phones available this summer continues! This time around I’ll be comparing the HTC Evo 4G (Sprint) and the Motorola Droid X (Verizon) in terms of call clarity, user interface, form factor and display quality. These are two great phones with different advantages. Which one has the edge in the categories I mentioned above? Read on to find out!
Call Clarity
The Evo 4G works very well as a phone. After using it for about two months, I’m very satisfied with its call quality. The Droid X is simply in a different league. Motorola made a big deal about the phone’s call quality when it was announced and it was right to play up that aspect of the phone. The Droid X’s two noise-canceling microphones are brilliant for making and receiving calls in crowded places like a mall or in an area with heavy traffic. I made a few calls at the congested intersection of Wilshire and Vermont with dozens of cars and buses zipping by. The friends I called had no idea I was calling from such a busy street.
Remember, call quality greatly depends on how well your area is wired. Both Sprint and Verizon cover Los Angeles well, so it came down to hardware for me. In terms of call quality, the Evo 4G is good but the Droid X is great.
User Interface
Both phones use customized versions of Google Android 2.1 (Eclair). Motorola decided to go with a fairly basic modification, instead of the heavy handed Motorola Blur. While I prefer the Droid X’s UI over Blur, it still feels a little clunky. Sure, it does a few things better than stock Android, but it’s not nearly as polished and elegant as HTC Sense.
The Evo 4G simply has a smoother interface, better widgets, and better web browser customizations. It adds a bunch of little touches that add up for a superior Android exprience. HTC Sense is just a much better Android customization than anything Motorola has served up.
Form Factor
Both phones feature 4.3-inch screens, so they’re pretty close in terms of size. However, their displays feature different resolutions, resulting in slightly different form factors. Looking at both phones in portrait mode, the Droid X is taller and the Evo 4G is wider. The Droid X is also thinner. Being narrower and thinner makes the Droid X slightly more pocketable and a bit more functional for portrait viewing than the Evo 4G.
The Evo 4G feels better and is more functional in landscape mode. Whether it’s reading web pages or viewing videos, I feel that the Evo 4G uses its screen real estate more efficiently. The differences in form factors are a purely personal preference. Some people will favor one over the other, while others will not notice much of a difference. In my opinion, both phones have different advantages in terms of feel, so I’m calling this one a tie.
Screen Quality
Part of this I went over already in the last section. In terms of usability, I prefer the Droid X’s 854 x 480 screen in portrait mode. I prefer the Evo 4G’s 800 x 480 screen in landscape mode. Again, those are personal preference and I understand that other people will have different preferences.
What’s inarguable is that the Droid X’s screen is capable of more colors, has a better contrast ratio, and is brighter than the Evo 4G’s. Some people are fine with the Evo 4G’s 16-bit screen, but the gorgeous display on the Droid X is a noticeable step up. Motorola’s phone wins this round.
There are more Droid vs. Evo battles to follow! Check back to see how these phone compare in terms of their virtual keyboards, cameras, battery life, and more! As always, if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments section.
Related Articles
- HTC Evo 4G vs. Motorola Droid X Part I: The Zoolander Test
- HTC Evo 4G vs. Motorola Droid X Part III: Battery Life, Cameras, Connectivity, and Input Method
if you had to keep one, which would it be up to this point?
@smartguy I already know the answer. Should I spoilarz it for others?!? I might because it's you that asked, but let me think on it for a bit. These articles have been getting a lot of views from new readers and I want to give them a reason to come back.
@Ray
save it. i will wait like the rest.
@ Ray and Smartguy
I'll go ahead and spoil it….
Ray chooses…
(drumroll)
(extended drumroll)
The iPhone 4.
@ All
Mr. Padilla is actually going to go with the Nokia 3310.
I hate NON-standard resolutions. My LG Incite had an odd resolution and because of that Opera Mini wouldn't run. It always gave me a wrong resolution error and shut down.