[Motorola Droid 3] jjhiza:
I won't beat around the bush here: there are quite a few great ICS ROMs available for the D3, but no general consensus as to which on is the best on battery, themes, customization, etc. THAT is the point of this thread...to provide end users and devs alike, with empirical data, side by side, so people can make an educated decision on which ROM to go with. I've been compiling test results for a couple weeks now (still have 2 more ROMs to test), and I've spent a lot of hours on this. I only have a CDMA device however, so GSM performance may vary. If you own a GSM device, and would like to help me out with testing, please PM me, and I'll give you the outline for what I need.

Each ROM will be graded, based on five categories: Performance, Battery life, Lag/Responsiveness, Looks, and Features. Each category will receive a numerical grade of 1-7 (I'm stopping at 7, because that is the number of ROMs currently being developed, and I don't want subjectivity to factor into grading) with 1 being the worst, and 7 being the best. As such, I will add each category together, to obtain a final grade, with the highest possible grade being a 35. As new ROMs are added, I will adjust each ranking accordingly...I will also make adjustments for significant updates, such as AOKP Milestone 5, etc.

I will be dividing ROM reviews by developer, so they're easier to find, and I will also be adding resource links for rooting guides, tweaks, Gapps, and anything else that may be helpful...I want EVERYONE to be able to use this, noobs and OG's alike, and since this is in the General section, I expect you guys to play nice. :p

*A massive thanks to Hashcode, droidian1441, techno-update, chevycam94, sparkyman216, Cyanogen, kejar, and all the devs who have allowed their work to be ported to the D3, Jrummy16 (ROM Toolbox), zepplinrox (V6 Supercharger), and anyone else I may have forgotten. Without you guys, the D3 scene would be a cold and lonely place...much respect!

#Note: I will not be reviewing non-ICS ROMs. While I respect and admire all the devs still working on Gingerbread firmware, I firmly believe the 4.0.x platform has come far enough to render GB obsolete. If you're here looking for reviews of those ROMs, you've come to the wrong place. ;)

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**All test environments were the same, unless otherwise noted. I used the same wallpaper (stock ICS blue "waves" static wall), with Nova Launcher, persistent Search bar on, the stock analog clock widget, Gmail widget, Play Store widget, Calendar widget, and Bookmarks widget on the screens, and a Widgetsoid 2.x switcher in the pulldown. CPU speeds are 1000 MHz min and 1000 MHz max at all times.

About Battery Cycle: The screen was on 100% of the time, with TuneIn Radio running the entire time, to simulate continuous heavy usage. No calls were received during the battery drain cycles, so times should be as "pure" as possible. Three full cycles are done, and the average taken, in order to determine an overall grade. My rule of thumb for extrapolating the battery numbers out is to multiply the average by 2 if you're a power user, by 4 if you use your phone moderately, and 5 or 6 if you're a light user.

About Performance Testing: Performance testing is comprised of three apps, Quadrant Standard, Linpack, and AnTuTu. I run each test five times, drop the lowest score, and take the average, in order to determine a final grade. Linpack scores are all Multi-thread tests, and all AnTuTu tests are run on sd card, not external sd. All results marked in RED indicate the low score, which is being dropped.

For the "Tweaked" performance tests, I utilized V6 Supercharger, with Option 9 selected, NitroLag Nullifier installed, the appropriate services.jar patch flashed, and several ROM Toolbox Pro tweaks applied (will be outlined in a subsequent post).

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*Special note to developers: I will not be providing direct download links for your work, nor will I mirror anything. I will be directing everyone to the parent thread for all downloads, and serious troubleshooting help, but I (and hopefully anyone who swings by here) will be willing to offer assistance on general troubleshooting issues (eg. rooting help, flashing assistance, etc.).

Also, please don't take offense to anything written in my reviews... I'm not creating this thread in order to have license to bash anyone's work, but I will try to give a fair and honest critique of how my tests reveal the ROMs are performing. My "Personal Thoughts" sections are not factored into my final ratings; they are simply a summation of my testing experience, and written for the end users, to aid them in making an educated decision. If at any time, you would like me to pull your ROM(s) from my review lineup (for whatever reason), please notify me via PM. As always, continue the spectacular work, as the entire community greatly appreciates it. :)

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That's out of the way, so let's get to what you guys came here for... some comparisons! I'll be adding ROMs as they become available, and devs, if you have a new or existing offering that you'd like me to test and review, please drop me a line. :)

As always, neither I nor any of the ROM developers take any responsibility for your decisions. If you root, flash, tweak your phone, and it subsequently blows up in your hand, or turns into Anderson Silva and beats you for your lunch money... it's your problem, not ours. Happy flashing! ;)

**Afterthought: It is with much chagrin that I extend a "thank you" to Motorola. Even though you've teased us, provoked us, and downright lied to us about our bootloaders, and continue to hemorrhage new devices like it's your job, you still have the the best device build quality in the market. The Droid 3 is a fantastic phone, and I don't regret buying it for a second...at least I don't think I do... ;)