BlackBerry 8320 Wi-Fi vs. BlackBerry 8300 EDGE speed test
We told you our thoughts on AT&T’s new BlackBerry 8820, and how Wi-Fi simply wasn’t a big deal for us. On AT&T there is no UMA functionality, and it currently can’t tie in with your corporate phone system (Avaya IP Office, Cisco, etc.). The only use of Wi-Fi is for data, like email or web browsing. There’s such a big bottleneck on the device though, that we figured Wi-Fi would certainly not be as fast as everyone had hoped. We had countless emails telling us we were crazy, that it simply couldn’t be true, that Wi-Fi on a BlackBerry was a godsend. Well friends, we hate to say it, but we were kind of right. Wi-Fi browsing simply doesn’t cut it. The device is so underpowered that it can’t really handle and process the speeds that we have hoped for. Take a look at our quick video comparison showing Wi-Fi vs. EDGE on a BlackBerry 8320, and BlackBerry 8300. You won’t like what you see. Feel free to do the same speeds at home and tell us what you get!
Disclaimer: The first couple tests had JavaScript enabled by default, which most likely slowed the browser down, but the last test had JavaScript off on both devices. In addition, it seems as if the BlackBerry 8320 on Wi-Fi downloads higher resolution images.
UPDATE: Check out the second part of our speed test, after the jump!
Conclusion? If you have T-Mobile and your BlackBerry needs replacing, this is a logical upgrade. While even though Wi-Fi does not offer much of an improvement in speed over web browsing, file downloading and UMA access make it worthwhile. We just still don’t see the attractiveness of the BlackBerry 8820 on AT&T…
No no, it’s “Where’s Your Head At” by Basement Jaxx, just like an earlier poster posted…NOT anything from Tomb Raider.
is the colors that dark on the 8320? the screen looks like it has no backlight at all.. very dim.. is that how it always looks?
Nah, the screen is nice and bright.
hopefully you were not “torrenting” on your cable…
doesn’t blackberry.net do optimization? I’d bet thats part of speed difference (images are not full resolution, un-needed html stripping)
cant view video
on your Browser OPTION page, I believe the default browser to set to WAP browser, which might not use WiFi. Please double check if you are using WiFi
any reason why the brightness of the 8320 is less than the 8300 in the vid?
btw this is really making my decision to switch mobile services more difficult >_
@ TG
Good observation, but the BlackBerry 8320’s browser is set to “Wi-Fi browser”.
Any chance of interference of the wifi signal with the cell signal so close? I know speakers and medical equipment act up when a cell signal is around.
Although I am not thrilled with the wifi speed of my 8320 either. I hope they speed it up.
P.S. Opera 4 beta is faster for me.
WHERE THE HELL IS THE SIDEKiCK SLIDE vIDEO REVIEW ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow…I really hope there was some “soon to be corrected” background setting slowing down the tmo wi-fi unit. not good.
either way, I’m still at a crossroads…8320 or iphone…what does BG say???
Sorry guys. Your uber fast cable modem just sucks or something. I hit load on Gizmodo on my 8320 the same time you did and mine FULLY loaded before your EDGE at&t one did.
Maybe try a different WiFi connection?
Set the default to Internet Browser.
The T-Mo Curve in charcoal is hot!
Oh, and WiFi is simply the most useless feature on a cell phone. Even if it actually does work fast (the device is the bottleneck), and even if you find a free wifi spot (a rarity these days), then what loser would want to surf the net on a tiny little 2.4 inch (or so) screen. If I find a wifi spot (that is free that is) I pull out the laptop and have a fast, efficient and productive use of the wifi connection.
i bet bgr have a proto or they need to upgrade they internet service.. get cable not dsl! lol
I ran my 8320 on wifi against this video and smoked it. Something is wrong with the wifi connection/phone/settings. Something. Finish the call to TMO and ask them for help.
The advantage of WiFi on this device is not for web browsing it’s for UMA VoIP!!
I tried to load the same pages on my 8320 and WIFI is really slow. BG, is this purely a browser issue? Hopefully, BBB 4.3 will solve it. If not, go to operamini.com/beta and download it. iPhone-esq browsing at much faster speeds. Test OperaMini on gizmodo site…much faster.
I think you all are a bunch of bored geeks!
We don’t all walk around with laptops in our back pocket. Sometimes you want to check a game score or hit CNN real quick.
normally you can set up your blackberry to download pictures in hi resolution or in low and other problem, linksys make horrible wifi routers.. ! i have Dlink, works so much faster than a regular routers.. definitively sabotage.
The t-mobile bb is set up to download in HI resolution images, while the f att is only in low, thats why the att is faster because is not downloading all the pictures right.. i dont know why BGR make this article telling that 8300 is better than the 8320 while the both devices are not playing in the same position. Makes me wonder if ATT paid for that.
tpappas…
You obviously have never used the iphone. I felt the same way you did until I got sucked into the iphone. (and yes I still do have my bes 8830)
Can the BB’s do the http://www.dslreports.com/mspeed speed test? My Dash gets a 110 score using Edge but a 1300 score on my Linksys Wifi connection. Huge difference. What do you all get?