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X5->X51V->Mogul: Observations
I recently jumped on the converged device bandwagon and got myself a Sprint Mogul. Here's my attempt at a 3-way comparison between the Mogul, X51V, and X5.
SPEED:
X5, hands down. PPC applications and WM have gotten progressively more power-hungry, but the hardware's stayed pretty much the same since about 2003 or so. WM2003 is much "snappier" then any of the OS options available for the X51V. The X51V may be the fastest PPC on paper, but it's the least "snappy" to use, even on WM6. The Mogul is in between the snappiness of the X5 and the X51V. The UI is not nearly as fluid and smooth as WM2003. Maybe proper graphics drivers would help. Or maybe not--with all of its 2700G goodness for movies and games, the WM UI sure feels slow on the X51v...
SCREEN:
Is there any contest? Looking at the X5, your initial thought is "this screen is a little fuzzy." Looking at the Mogul, your initial thought is "this screen is pretty small." Looking at the X51V's screen, you don't think. You drool...The pixel density on the X5 is about the same as a desktop monitor. The problem is that the PPC screen is held a whole lot closer to your face so everything is pixelated. The X51V screen is jaw-droppingly gorgeous compared to every other electronic device I've ever seen, bar the iPhone. The Mogul's screen is small, but usable. When I lose my 20/20 vision, I'll update this review...
EXPANDABILITY:
X51V all the way. CF, SD(HC w/WM6), IR, and BT give you endless options to expand. The X5 is limited by the lack of builtin wifi or BT since the CF slot is always needed for wireless cards. The Mogul has almost no expandability--for pete's sake, give us a 3.5mm headset jack at least! For a device made in 2007, there's no excuse for not having USB host either. I'll cut Dell some slack here since the Axims are older devices.
CONNECTIVITY:
The Mogul OWNS this category. Sprint's EVDO rev.A network is AMAZING! I'm used to having to beg, borrow, or steal wifi. Now, I turn my Mogul on and I have internet. Web browsing is perfectly usable with the leaked Opera 9 beta. It's painful with IEM, but it's the same on the Axims. My only gripe with the Mogul's connectivity is that the IR blaster is on the bottom of the case. The only thing I use IR for is for when I don't feel like reaching for a remote. The Mogul's IR location makes using it as a TV remote pretty much impossible.
INPUT:
The X51V and Mogul are about even. I've found that my text entry speed is about the same on the Mogul's hard keyboard as it is on the huge (by PPC standards) soft keyboard on the X51V. This may be influenced by the fact that I have gorilla-like thumbs...The X5 can't compete here.
EASE OF USE:
Overall, the Mogul wins here. Getting online is easier, and it has a jog dial--something that is sorely lacking on the X51V. The D-pad is a smaller version of the cheap mushy pad from the X5, but the X51V's D-pad isn't much to write home about either. One thing that I wish was standard on all PPCs is a hardware lock switch. I've had my Mogul make a couple calls by accident because of jostling. A hardware lock like the X51V has would have prevented this.
BATTERY LIFE:
I haven't done any scientific tests, but the X5 seems to hold a charge the longest. The Mogul gets the "more with less" award-it isn't too far behind the X5 and it has a whole lot more to power. The X51V won't win any awards from Greenpeace--it sucks power like mad. I used to go through 2-3 charges in a day of use.
ROM:
The X5's default WM2003 ROM is rock-solid. My X51V had all sorts of issues with A12, but Football's WM6 made it a whole lot better. My Mogul had a few quirks with ROM 3.35, and upgrading it to 6.1 has added a few other quirks--for some reason it wants to constantly be connected to EVDO. I have unlimited data and the battery life doesn't seem to have taken a huge hit, so I'm not too worried about it.
PORTABILITY:
Mogul, hands down. The X5 and X51V are giants in comparison.
OVERALL:
As much as I love my Axims, I think that my Mogul is my primary device now. I can't live without EVDO anymore!
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