The HTC Touch Diamond2 CDMA represents a bygone era of Windows Mobile devices, while the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active embodies modern smartphone power. This comparison explores how these two phones stack up against each other, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses across various categories.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active utterly dominates the HTC Touch Diamond2 in almost every aspect. Its modern chipset, superior display, vastly improved camera, and exceptional battery life make it the clear winner. The Diamond2's historical significance is its only real appeal.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - AT&T |
| 4G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - AT&T |
| Speed | HSPA 7.2/2 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 41 - Sprint |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2009, December. Released 2009, December | 2017, August. Released 2017, August |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 118.1 x 61.7 x 14 mm (4.65 x 2.43 x 0.55 in) | 151.9 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.98 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 150.3 g (5.29 oz) | 208.1 g (7.34 oz) |
| | - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
MIL-STD-810G compliant |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~259 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~568 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.6 inches, 36.9 cm2 (~50.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 85.4 cm2 (~75.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT resistive touchscreen, 256K colors (65K effective) | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| | TouchFLO 3D finger swipe navigation
Handwriting recognition | 3D Touch (home button only)
Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 528 MHz ARM 11 | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM7200A | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 130 | Adreno 540 |
| OS | Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 288MB RAM, 512MB ROM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | - | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Video | Yes | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF
2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | Yes | - |
| Video | - | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | - | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | No |
| USB | 2.0 | USB Type-C |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | HTML | - |
| Sensors | Accelerometer | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate |
| | MP3/WAV/WMV/eAAC+ player
MP4/WMV/H.264 player
Pocket Office
Organizer
Photo editor
Voice memo/dial/commands
Predictive text input | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)
ANT+
S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 15W wired, QC2
Wireless |
| Music play | - | Up to 113 h |
| Stand-by | Up to 324 h | Up to 120 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h 50 min | Up to 32 h (3G) |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black | Meteor Gray, Tungsten Gold |
| Models | - | SM-G892A, SM-G892U |
| Price | About 150 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| SAR | 1.34 W/kg (head) 0.47 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise - 92.4 / Crosstalk - 91.4 |
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 111h
|
| Loudspeaker | - |
Voice 70dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 78dB
|
| Performance | - |
GeekBench: 6314 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
| OUR TESTS |
|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise - 92.4 / Crosstalk - 91.4 |
| Battery (old) | - | Endurance rating 111h |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 70dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 78dB |
| Performance | - | GeekBench: 6314 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
HTC Touch Diamond2 CDMA
- Nostalgic Windows Mobile experience
- Compact size
- Unique design (for its time)
- Extremely outdated hardware
- Poor performance
- Low-resolution display
- Limited app availability
- Short battery life
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
- Powerful performance
- Excellent battery life
- Durable design
- High-resolution display
- Good camera
- Design can be considered utilitarian
- Older model (but still functional)
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S8 Active boasts a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2960 x 1440, offering vibrant colors and sharp details. The Diamond2 has a smaller 2.8-inch TFT display with a lower resolution (320x240). The S8 Active's display is significantly larger, brighter, and higher resolution.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S8 Active features a 12MP dual-pixel camera with OIS and a 16MP front camera. The Diamond2 has a 3.2MP camera with no advanced features. Image quality, low-light performance, and video recording are vastly superior on the S8 Active.
Performance
The Snapdragon 835 in the Galaxy S8 Active is a powerhouse compared to the 528 MHz ARM 11 in the Diamond2. The S8 Active's octa-core processor handles demanding tasks with ease, while the Diamond2 struggles with even basic multitasking. The S8 Active's 10nm process also provides better power efficiency.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S8 Active's endurance rating of 111h is exceptional, indicating a long-lasting battery. The Diamond2's battery capacity is significantly smaller, and its battery life is considerably shorter, likely lasting only a few hours with moderate use.
Buying Guide
The HTC Touch Diamond2 CDMA is for collectors or those nostalgic for Windows Mobile. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is for users needing a durable, high-performance smartphone with excellent battery life, especially those in demanding environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the HTC Touch Diamond2 still usable today?
While technically usable, the HTC Touch Diamond2 is severely limited by its outdated hardware and software. Modern apps won't run, and performance is slow.
❓ Why was the Galaxy S8 Active considered durable?
The Galaxy S8 Active was built to military standards (MIL-STD-810G) for shock, dust, and water resistance, making it a robust choice for outdoor enthusiasts and those in demanding professions.
