Universal and Wizard compared
From HowardForums Wiki
The release of both the Wizard and the Universal from HTC has left many people confused about which device is which. The many different product names this device is branded under further added to the confusion. This article will highlight the major differences between the two and list the different model names each has been branded as.
For Simplicity's sake, we will always list the Universal first and the Wizard second in each comparison, because the Universal was released first and the Wizard was released second. We have also tried to list the major differences in order of importance.
Summary of Major Differences
Universal
- Larger Dimensions
- Triband (900/1800/1900)
- UMTS (WCDMA 2100mhz)
- VGA Display (640 x 480)
- SD Slot
- 520 mhz Intel Bulverde Processor
- 3.5mm Plug
- Swivel Clamshell Design
Wizard
- Smaller Dimensions
- Quadband (850/900/1800/1900)
- Edge (EGPRS)
- QVGA Display (320 x 240)
- Mini-SD Slot
- 200 mhz TI OMAP
- 2.5mm Plug
- Slider Design
Which device you choose largely centers around size vs power or where you live. In Size vs Power, those caring more about specs will prefer the Universal, while those caring about size will prefer the Wizard. If you live in an area like Europe then you might prefer the Universal while in the North America you might prefer the Wizard, because of network compatibility.
Comparison Shots
A very big thank you to hofo user aminhafez for supplying us with these pictures :) The Universal is on the left and the Wizard is on the right, unless otherwise noted.
i-mate branded HTC Universal (JASJAR) and HTC Wizard (K-JAM) in portrait mode with keyboards closed.
i-mate branded HTC Universal (JASJAR) and HTC Wizard (K-JAM) in landscape mode with keyboards open.
Side view of the i-mate branded HTC Universal (JASJAR) and HTC Wizard (K-JAM) to compare thickness. Universal is on the bottom. Wizard is on top.
i-mate branded HTC Universal (JASJAR) and HTC Wizard (K-JAM) in portrait mode with the Universal's screen facing inwards.
Larger Dimensions vs Smaller Dimensions
The primary difference a lot of people see between the Wizard and Universal is the size difference. Some people want a smaller device that fits into their pockets, while others don't want to sacrifice anything and would rather have the bigger keyboard and better display instead of the smaller size.
Universal Dimensions: 127 mm (L) x 81 mm (w) x 25 mm (T)
Wizard Dimensions: 108 mm (L) x 58 mm (W) x 23.7 mm (T)
The Universal is clearly the bigger device, although it will easily fit into a Man's Khaki or Slack's Pocket. Size is where the Wizard has a strong advantage.
Triband (900/1800/1900) vs Quadband (850/900/1800/1900)
The Universal lacks the 850 bands, which makes it a harder in sell in North America where 850 networks are prevalent. If you are on Cingular in North America or live in Canada, you might not be willing to buy a phone that lacks the 850 band. This makes the Universal less popular in North America. Someone who travels to North Amerca a lot maybe able to survive however, as most major cities have 1900mhz coverage. Only smaller and more rural markets are restricted to 850.
UMTS (WCDMA 2100mhz)& GPRS vs Edge (EGPRS)
Although UMTS is much faster, whether you want a EDGE or UMTS is better largely depends on where you live. If you live in the North America especially, 2100mhz UMTS is useless, because no carrier supports it and there are no active plans to support it. Your device will revert to the slower GPRS speeds and an EDGE device will be quicker. If you live in a WCDMA 2100mhz area like Europe however, WCDMA is a beautiful thing. WCDMA is much quicker, you can make video calls and access the internet while talking on the phone. If your network doeesn't support it, but does support EDGE like Cingular, an EDGE device will be a lot faster.
VGA display vs QVGA display
The Universal has a 640 x 480 display, while the Wizard has a 320 x 240 display. This means the Universal's screen has four times the number of pixels that the Wizard's screen does. If you've never used a VGA display Pocket PC, I highly recommend the experience. You may never go back and that might make your decision. A VGA display shows a lot more information and it looks a lot nicer. The Universal wins this category by a landslide.
SD Slot vs Mini-SD Slot
The Universal uses the larger SD card, which is often offered in higher storage capacities than it's mini-sd counterpart. The mini-sd card is smaller in size though. Most people prefer SD over Mini-SD, because they own SD cards, their Digital Cameras may use them, and they hold more storage. SD cards are also typically faster than mini-SD cards<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_memory_cards</ref>.
520 mhz Bulverde vs 200 mhz TI OMAP
Although the number of mhz in the Universal's processor is way higher, you cannot expect the Universal to be double the speed of the Wizard for two reasons. One, the Universal needs to handle four times the number of pixels on the VGA display. Two, the Texas Instruments OMAP processor is a very different processor from the Intel Bulverde and you can't compare the two based upon megahertz alone.
I'm currently trying to find some benchmark comparisons of the two devices. If someone can provide a link, I'd appreciate it.
3.5mm headset plug vs 2.5mm headset plug
The 3.5mm plug vs 2.5mm plug is mostly a matter of personal preference, but almost all of use prefer a 2.5mm plug, because you'd have to be crazy not to own a bluetooth headset with this device and it's never used. The Cell Phone stores want 2.5mm though so they can carry a lower inventory of compatible headsets. Thus is why the Wizard gets a 2.5mm jack even though most of us will either never use it or buy an or two adapter for it so we can use our 3.5mm headphones and also plug them into the auxilliary outputs of our cars. It is a shame that the Wizard didn't get a 3.5mm headset and the advantage in this category really swings towards the Universal. It's a lot easier and a whole lot more convenient to slip your regular headphones into this baby.
Clamshell\Tablet Hinge vs Slider Design
Clamshell vs Slider is a matter of personal preference too. The advantages of the Clamshell are this. When a clamshell is closed, you don't have to worry about the screen being on and draining your power (believe me it drains your power). Also when it sits in your pocket, the screen isn't exposed so you don't have to worry about that either. Another advantage to the Clamshell design is you can tilt the screen to an angle other than parallel to the keyboard so that it's easier to view at times. The advantages of the slider come with speed. You can open a slider more quickly and it is in tablet mode a lot quicker. Also when someone calls, you don't have to flip open the screen to see who's calling and if you don't use a bluetooth headset and the clamshell is closed, it might take you a while to shift the screen. Although you'll get very good at it after a while.
62 Key Qwerty vs 41 Key Qwerty
The keyboard of the Universal is larger and again this comes down to the size argument. The Universal keyboard has seperate keys for the numbers so you don't have to press the function key before each number or function lock before typing numbers. This all depends on how much you'll be using the keyboard.
Universal Brandings vs Wizard Brandings
One of the most confusing things about these devices are the many brands that HTC products are sold under. For a better understanding of this check here: The Many Brands of HTC. If you're deciding between i-mate and Qtek check here: i-mate vs. Qtek.
This is a complete list of the different brandings of the Universal and Wizard. The First one on each line is the name of a branded Universal and the second one is the name of a branded Wizard.
HTC Universal vs HTC Wizard
- O2 XDA Executive vs O2 XDA mini PRO
- T-Mobile MDA Pro vs T-Mobile MDA IV
- i-mate JASJAR vs i-mate K-Jam
- Qtek 9000 vs Qtek 9100
- Dopod 900 vs Dopod 838
- Orange SPV M5000 vs Orange SPV M3000
- Vodaphone VPA IV vs None (No plans for Wizard on Vodaphone yet)
Similarities
- Both Use Windows Mobile 5.0
- Both have 64 mb of RAM and 128 mb of ROM
- Both have Wifi and Bluetooth
- Both are manufactured by HTC
- Both have Qwerty Keyboards
- Both are GSM devices
- They both were released around the same time so many new device owners will compare them.
