My husband & I recently had to switch service plans due to company changes. We had the opportunity to choose any piece of equipment we wanted--We're Cellular One Service providers. We have used Startacs for years and I automatically assumed I would stay with the Startac.

My husband wanted to compare the Q-820 to the Startac, simply to see if one was a better performer. We were both surprised to find that the Q-820 outperformed the Startac, in our opinions. However, while the sound quality seems better, I still stayed with my startac because of the feature differences.

The clarity of the 820 was wonderful. The dual mode startac, in digital mode, gives a "stuck in a tin can" sound that has always driven me crazy. The digital pauses are always more noticeable, as well. The Q-820 eliminated much of that problem. I hope I don't get into trouble for this, but as a dealer I know that you can lock a Startac into analog mode. This allows you to have the natural analog sound, without the pauses and "tin can" sounds, but also take advantage of the less expensive digital minutes. Basically, you can be on a digital rate plan that gives tons more minutes for your money than analog, but actually be in the analog mode. And yes...text messaging still works. You'll have to go to an individual dealer to have them reprogram the 16th step.

The volume is not quite as high on the Q-820 as the Startac, but nothing truly dramatic. For some people, however, this is an issue.

The battery life on the Q-820 is not as long as I'd hoped. It barely made it through the day for me...I think it has 10 hours of standby on the battery that comes with it.

I don't find the Q-820 as easy to use as some other phones. I like quick buttons, such as the smart button on the startac. It is so nice to have one button that can guide you through the entire phone.

And, while this may sound petty, I don't think the Q-820 "looks" like a high end phone. Something about it looks cheap. I realize it is not an inexpensive phone, nor is it made poorly...but other phones simply appear "nicer".

Though it sounds like I'm bouncing between liking and disliking the Q-820--understand it is a great performer. The sound quality is top notch. I found it a little too bulky for my preference, as well as "cheap" looking. If sound quality is your main concern...it'll do great. If you're looking for something that looks good...you may want to shop on.




Recommended: Yes