Verizon Touch Pro: Different (and Slower?) Than Sprint's Version

Apologies for the two-post-in-a-row on the Verizon Touch Pro, but BGR's recent leak and some reports, conversations, and investigations here at WMExperts lead us to a disappointing conclusion: It's looking more and more likely that the Verizon Touch Pro could to be slower and less powerful than the Sprint Touch Pro.
We're going to go a little slowly here because we haven't seen the Verizon Touch Pro in person so we can't be definitive. What we'll do is build the case that the Verizon Touch Pro isn't identical to the Sprint version, which isn't the standard modus operandi for these sorts of things, then we'll get into the performance issues.
In other words, there's a lot to dig through here. Join us after the break.
Processor
We've confirmed via Hobbes' review that the Sprint Touch Pro sports the Qualcomm MSM7501a proc clocked at 528MHz.
According to BGR's leaked documents and what we've seen elsewhere, the Verizon Touch Pro has the MSM7500A clocked at 528MHz. You can read up a bit on the MSM chip series in our Insider Interview, but for now, the only functional different that we know of between the MSM7501a and the MSM7500a is that the MSM7501a is the special version of the MSM7500a that was developed to help get around all those Broadcomm patent problems we've been tracking over the course of the year. Even though the import ban has been vacated (for now), it's a safe bet to say that the Verizon Touch Pro was in development well before that happened and nobody wanted to take a chance. So Verizon could have gone with the MSM7201a like the Sprint version, but it looks like they went with the MSM7500a for whatever reason. They can do that, it turns out, because Verizon agreed to pay Broadcomm the blood money licensing fee to import the chips in question.
Finally, we're confident in saying that, despite earlier reports, the Verizon Touch Pro will be clocked in at 528MHz.
Got all that? Bottom line: the Verizon Touch Pro has the MSM7500a and it's clocked at 528MHz. Which is one part of building the case that the Verizon Touch Pro is not identical to the Sprint version.
Keyboard and Body
If that doesn't convince you that the two aren't identical, how about your lying eyes? Here's an image of the Verizon Touch Pro courtesy of Phone Arena:
Count the keys there, 5 tall by 10 wide, minus your spacebar taking up two to get 49 keys. Here's the Sprint Touch Pro courtesy of Hobbes' Sprint Touch Pro Gallery:
5 tall by 12 wide, minus extra spaces taken up by shift and space, brings up up to 57 keys. Add in the fact that we've got a square body compared to Sprint's rounded body and, well, we have what appear to be fundamentally different devices.
Memory
Finally, there are the reports of differing memory. We have pretty much confirmed that the Verizon Touch Pro has 192mb RAM and 512 of ROM compared to the Sprint Touch Pro's 288/512. While 192mb should be plenty, when you throw TouchFLO into the mix things get a bit dicier. Still, that's not enough for us to say that the Verizon Touch Pro will be slower.
In all, we have different processors, different keyboards, different bodies, and different memory. The Verizon Touch Pro is not the same thing as the Sprint Touch Pro, rebranded for Verizon. Finally, there's the grainycam video of the Verizon Touch Pro.
Performance
Now, finally, we get to the nut of what we wanted to say here: we've received a couple hands-on reports that claim that the Verizon Touch Pro feels slower than the Sprint Touch Pro. Now, these things are very subjective and likely based on fleeting interactions, but there it is. We also see a forum post by 8notime PDAPhoneHome that adds to the pile:
I got to play with a Verizon Pro today and am said to report that they crippled it quite a bit. It uses a Qualcomm 7500 Processor & has 192 Mb of RAM. It was not as responsive to finger swipes/presses and really lagged in rotating the screen when you opened the keyboard.It is also taller and very square.The TF3D is a horrible shade of grey with red highlighted icons.
Why Verizon and/or HTC decided to make an entirely different model for Verizon than they did for Sprint (or, alternatively, a different model for Sprint than they did for Verizon, depending on which went into development first) is beyond our ability to explain. These sorts of strategic decisions are better made by people who actually work for these companies and understand the internals better than we. Perhaps it's related to Verizon's agreement with Broadcomm, perhaps it's something else.
We also can't say for sure that either the processor or the smaller amount of RAM accounts for these reports of slower performance. Performance on Windows Mobile devices is dependent on way too many factors -- from ROM Build to clock speed to installed software to, as we say, the phases of the moon -- for us to say that the Verizon Touch Pro is “crippled.”
All we will say is that we're going to have to watch this thing closely on its November 24th release. It's not a safe assumption that it will look, act, or perform exactly like its Sprint or AT&T cousins, it will have to stand on its own.
Update: Oh yeah, one last bit. We expect the Verizon Touch Pro to have GPS, we also expect it will be locked to VZW Navigator and not available to other apps like Live Search or Google Maps. We're less sure on that one, so cross your fingers.
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I bet Verizon users wont be able to flash a Sprint ROM to unlock the GPS this time.
I'm glad I'm rid of the red menace.:D -
i didnt like the phone at first but after useing it for a while i started to like it more yes the phone is slow but not that bad where u cant stand useing and yes the sprint version is a little better but sprint service dosent compare to verizon also the battery is horrible dies out really quick its annoying and the smudging on the phone is a little bad but other then that if u give the phone a chance it really isnt that bad i used the samsung omnia before the touch and that phone was garbage also the blackberry storm i thought that phone sucked also i think they over priced the touch pro 419.99 with a 70.00 rebate was a little high
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I agree with Eddie, though he did not say *why* the Storm failed to measure up to the HTC. I had a Storm for two days and the *voice* quality of the phone call sounded like Robin Williams immitating an idling semi-truck. Really bad (Whadja say?). So *how* is the voice quality on the HTC??? The buttons, the keyboard, the neat WM 6.01, but it's a phone, how does it sound? Anybody weigh in?
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I have been playing around with my Verizon Touch Pro for a few weeks now. The battery is REALLY a problem. I think this is compounded by a functionality issue. Anythign that touches the screen makes it light up. So when its in a holster (or pocket)if you get an eamil and the screen wakes, the screen stays on and drains the battery. You also have to remember to put it in sleep mode before putting it in your pocket. HTC doesn't make an extended battery, Verizon doesnt have one. I have been looking online and can only find a 2000MH battery for this one. (OEM is 1340). The sprint model has a 3000 MH battery available. The memeory is a bit of an issue, when the 3D Touch Flo app is running, RAM is ~ 70% used with no other apps open. Sometimes it gets VERY slow navigating the system. The camera is terrible. I was excited about a 3.2 MP camera, but the photos are grainy, poor color, and often fuzzy. On the plus size, Touch Flo is pretty smooth, I like the interface (aside from the hesitation), and the quality of the phone itself is very good. I have not had many signal issues and the voice is clear in both directions including the speaker phone.
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What's up with Verizon? They have great service but for some reason, they feel the need to gimp the devices that they offer and charge top dollar for them. I jumped on the Treo 700w bandwagon when that was released only to find out that the memory was cut in half and it performed poorly because of it. They released a new version with all the memory and wouldn't let me upgrade for free. I've been stuck with it. Now for $249 ($349-$100 new every two) I'll give this phone a shot but something tells me I won't be using the TouchFlo if it's consuming 70% of the memory. Why did they have to kill 100MB of the installed RAM? I hope there are skins for this thing. I'll try it out. There isn't anything else that I've played with that I like from Verizon. Switching carriers is out of the question, I need the coverage.
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i wish that verizon would not dummy down the htc phones, the htc phone, similar owns this touch pro just because of the cheap materials and high prices verizon feels the need to use
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There shouldn't be an issue with changing carriers to Sprint to get a better phone model. The coverage issue can be fixed by flashing the Verizon Radio signal on a Sprint phone. That's what I've got......Pay for the Sprint SERO plan at $30 while using a Sprint HTC Touch Pro w/ MightyRom6 (Stable Windows Mobile 6.5 rom), Verizon Radio saoftware:1.03.03V (instead of Sprint's battery draining 1.03.15F) with Arcsoft for MMS and some bonus apps like Bing, Skybook, Advanced Config 3.3 (to further improve performance) and an 8GB micro-sd card. But yeah Using a Sprint Touch Pro with the Verizon Radio Software for better Battery and call reception is what I recommend. Amen for ROM cooking and phone hacks......
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I don't think that Verizon Touch Pro is Different and Slower Than Sprint's Version, as I have one, and I have used stuff like verizon htc touch pro skins from http://www.decalskin.com/ to make it more appealing