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Poll: Design vs. Specs or Functionality?

With the hundreds and thousands of comments we get regarding all sort of gadgets (including cars), there’s almost always a big line that divides people who prefer design and people who prefer specs or functionality.

I think this preference with one aspect over the other is not that consistent and might shift or change depending on the category.

I’d like to test that idea and ask our readers (especially the very vocal ones) what they prefer when looking for the following:

  • Buying a new smartphone? You prefer design over specs?
  • When buying a new car, do you go after the looks or the functionality?
  • When getting a new laptop — is it specs or design?
  • What about a wrist watch? Is it design or functionality? Are you the G-Shock type or the Rolex-type of person?
  • How about a TV set? Would you go for an unknown LED TV (like KTC for example) or a branded one?

And here’s another observation — the preference for a specific category also changes.

When buying a laptop, I think you’ll agree with me the “specs” should matter most than design, right? But when I replaced my Asus UL20FT running Core i3 with 500GB HDD and 4GB RAM with a Macbook Air 11 running 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo, 64GB SSD and 2GB memory, I’m basically saying design, and not specs, was the primary reason for this shift.

When I bought my Tucson and Lancer EX, my primary reason for getting them was because I really liked their looks. Didn’t really care about the brand or what’s under the hood.

It was a little different with smartphones — I always go for the specs when getting an Android phone (even with the iPhone, I think it was still specs over design).

The same goes with a TV set — I’d go for specs and functionality over brand name and design.

I noticed that a lot of tech companies try so hard to pitch the angle of lifestyle when doing product launches lately. It’s because lifestyle is an easier sell. People are more willing to pay for what they “desire” than what they actually “need”. This is the reason why some handsets or laptops are more expensive than other even if they have the same specs.

Ok, the Nokia Oro is an extreme case (or this $3.2 million iPhone 3GS Supreme) but it is still draws the line between those who can afford to give in to their desires and those who can’t.

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Avatar for Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

40 Responses

  1. Avatar for cowscrubber cowscrubber says:

    I prioritise specs over design.

    I’ll choose an ugly item with better specs over a nicer item with so-so specs.

  2. Avatar for allan allan says:

    I think most of the people focus in design over specs, like Apple whose specs is not as good as Sony but Apple’s design is good and innovative unlikely some Consumer Electronic companies…

  3. Avatar for ferdinand marte ferdinand marte says:

    ideally, function and form should go hand-in-hand.
    one should not be overly sacrificed over the other.
    but these is easily said that done, because manufacturers eventually factor in the cost of producing products & the it’s price on the market. This forces them to focus more on one aspect or to cut corners. We have seen or read about this, this time & time again. Just read un-biased product reviews to know the compromises made by manufacturer’s in their offerings.

  4. Avatar for Abram John Limpin Abram John Limpin says:

    Two words: User Experience (UX)

    Functionality + Design + Affinity + Story = UX

  5. Avatar for Bongsi21 Bongsi21 says:

    Why not do them all?! Its possible!:)) the GERMANS do it all the time. Such as GERMAN Engineering in BMW, MERCS even in printing machines like HEIDELBERG etc. I believe they call it “QUALITY thru EXCELLENCE”

  6. Avatar for zeratul zeratul says:

    ideally for me specs first then design. but both should go hand on hand.

    two things for me: iphone 4 and alienware m15x.

  7. Avatar for xxxxx xxxxx says:

    you can always have both

  8. Avatar for neil neil says:

    for cars, it has to be the specs, lesser fuel consumption the better sabi nga eh
    i dont own a ferrari
    but that doesnt mean i cant get you there…

    for cell phones and computers, i prefer functionality and specs over design… latest tech specs means longevity and you wont need to upgrade and update often…

    for home appliances, the design and lifestyle matters… i prefer a well known brand cause there is that notion of “getting your money’s worth”…

    for accessory trends and fads, it is design and cost since but i dont want to spend too much on them…

  9. Avatar for Kev Kev says:

    So in terms of smartphones and laptops, well for me specs IS a must but when I picked my phone, I checked all of the spec of the time (jan 2011) and almost all of the high end smartphpne almost had the same 1ghz, camera pros and cons (megapixels vs image sensors) but it then all goy down to the OS, sure android’s a better functional phone, but the overall presentation and slight smoothness of iOS and its 3rd party apps made thr slightest difference. Bought the iPhone 4. No regrets.

    In these times, its not about specs alone, its more about the overall experience-ipad2 launch keynote

    No i’m not an apple fanboy. I just appreciate good tech. Especially good software. 

    Looking forward into buying An alienware or a macbook pro ;)

    Cars.. Hmm I really want a audi don’t really care of car specd cuz all I want is comfort while driving and I heard that audio cars are very high tech. And high priced xD

    I’m already happy with my tom hilfiger, use it everyday. Ass long as it tells time, rolex watches are just way irrational, max buget for telling time is around 10k. 

    Its like the beats by dr dre vs Denon, beyenders, and AKG. Beats win in style but sucks at sq ( exp and imho) for those who want to hear so-so tracks. But then again those heaphone for the same price will make you look stupid jn public and kinda tacky. Hahaha

     I love my klipsch headphones. Perfect balance in between style and sound:))) ok waaaay out of topic:)) audiophile moment:))

    • Avatar for kev kev says:

      sent from my iphone. hahahah. douche:)))

    • Avatar for Mike Mike says:

      Apple cares only for one thing, profit! Iphone manufacturing cost is too low compared to Samsung Galaxy S. Good for Apple there are lots of stupid people in this world who buys their overpriced products.

    • Avatar for Kev Kev says:

      So your telling me that i’m stupid because samsumg galaxy s is better than an iphone 4? Who the stupid bitchface now?? 

      Some things are just subjective
      Man, dont hate  if you cant afford or understand why people pick apple, the galaxy s doesnt even have an effin flashlight. 

      I treat everything as an investment and it looks like the galaxy s is history conpared to the gs2, but i bet the ip4 will still be strong until summer 2012.

      All cellphones are overprice. An optimus x2 was being sold for 14k?? Yeah, now that profit. I got my phone at globe, I can buy it aa singapore for waaay less but its so hassle to send it back again for warranty. Price of convenience.

      Think before you say something, I know your being “practical” but never judge people pls. 

  10. Avatar for vince vince says:

    specs and functionality…

    kaya nga diba nag evolve ang phone to smartphone to something what we call mini computer na ngayon dahil sa nadadagdagan ng functionality. I dont need a watch, laptop, mobile phone, mp3 player, sometimes dwd player, pati pa nga flashlight, radio, calculator or even calendar dahil nasa phone ko na lahat diba. kung nasa phone na yung ganung specs tsaka na pumapasok yung design, hindi dahil lightweight, slim or sikat yung manufacturer pero kung matibay ba? design should have quality. I have nothing against Samsung but the specs of their galaxy line are good to great pero made out of plastic…really turn me off. walang tibay na maaasahan.

  11. Avatar for pasosyal pasosyal says:

    ung iba dyan nagkukunwari kahit wala.. hehe

  12. Avatar for Earl Earl says:

    I’ve always went for no compromise. Form, function, design should go together.

    Phone: didnt buy an iphone till the 4 arrived, waited till the specs were good enough, and the industrial design.
    Computers: the macbook and the imac
    Tv: a 32 and 42inch LG
    Watch: Oris, Longines, but my fave to use is the TagHuer Link
    Car: a Benz

  13. Avatar for goodha67 goodha67 says:

    smartphone: specs of course. even if it is just the typical cellphone, i would still go for specs.

    car: specs first, design second. in my book, there is just one car brand where specs and design are one which is the iconic Volkwagen Beetle “pagong” style.

    watch: still for specs. what is the use of the good design if the watch could not withstand the test of time. this applies to casio gshock series, rolex and my favorite Omega(especially the Moon watch professional which had won over the Rolex Daytona and other brands during the NASA test).

    TV: still specs since im just using a CRT TV.

  14. Avatar for JuanMarco JuanMarco says:

    As a tech geek, I typically look at the specs on paper first with a cursory look at what the device looks like. These days, manufacturers know well enough to encase an impressively spec’d device in an equally impressive body. Once I’ve narrowed down the ones I like according to spec (and of course, have the money necessary to purchase them) that’s when I start going out to give them a hands on to see what they feel like. This is where the design aspect comes in.

    Long story short, it’s the specs that attract but it’s the design that clinches the purchase decision.

  15. Avatar for TechLinking TechLinking says:

    I love design and specs :D

  16. Avatar for John Ray Cabrera John Ray Cabrera says:

    I prefer the following when:

    •Buying a new smartphone: both form and functionality
    •When buying a new car: Looks that could kill
    •When getting a new laptop: Mac or nothing
    •What about a wrist watch: I’d go for legacy watches like Rolex, i never had trend watches
    •How about a TV set: branded ones always has good post-sale support

  17. Avatar for booz booz says:

    Base from what I have observed, most men decide based on their functionaliy + technical specs while women base their decision on design + brand.

    For me, it would be functionality + Specs then brand and design. :)

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