Of course you're not alone, all people with good taste prefer it over T2.

not really, I'm rather divided myself, T1 is a basically a thriller-horror movie, while the sequel is one of the best action movies of all time

I prefer The Terminator. Harder edge, more cold-blooded and clinical. Arnie wounding people in T2 seemed a bit like an anti-violence cop-out to me and I think this had something to do with the climate at the time it was made. By then also, I think Arnie himself had become such a star (unlike in 1984) that he wanted to maintain a public appeal and image that didn't align with being a ruthless killing machine anymore. I do like T2 a lot though but I just think it smecks too much of political compromise whereas the original goes for the jugular.

I'd definitely prefer T1. It's a classic.
I found the John Conner character in T2 quite tiresome.

I also prefer T1. I love the 80s feel, the dark gritty atmosphere and soundtrack, whereas the second film feels very different. Still love both, but the original gets the win from me.

definitely T2. I saw T1 when i was around 8 and couldn't sleep for days. I was scared out of mind, this bloody machine that wouldn't die. I grew to love it the older i got but T2 blew my mind. I still remember the day it was released at blockbusters, the drive, the anticipation, where i watched it and my emotions. T2 is simply a masterpiece

T1 is superior, but T2 did it justice, which is rare for a sequel.

I love both equally.

You're not the only one. As others have pointed out, T2 did it justice as a sequel and is great, but the original film gets the nod here.

T2 is basically a loose remake or reboot. The narative is more or less the same in T2 but bigger and more shiny. T1 is gritty and dirty, nightmarish in a true 80's style! Both films are excellent and they are equal in quality. T2 deserves to be recognised as among the greatest sequels to an original film ever made.

It's a hard one to call. I love the 80s aesthetic and coldness of the first film, its almost a horror film and its great. But I like the sunny summer blockbuster feel of the second aswell. Both classics.

They are both excellent. Why choose? They are so equal on quality that it is silly to argue which one is better. T2 clearly has much bigger sets and stuff and so on a technical level T2 wins big time. T1 has terrific performances, and iconic scenes thoughout. So both are superb films, they compliment each other very well.

I'm with Data on this one. It's almost the same debate between Alien and Aliens that people are having lately. The Terminator is a modestly-budgeted horror film. Terminator 2 is a high-budget summer blockbuster. The tone is wildly different. This is why some of us fudge and say they're equal, just as Alien and Aliens are, because they're almost in entirely different genres even if they share the same subject matter. Hell, there was tons of humor in Terminator 2 and absolutely none in The Terminator.

@AlienFanatic said:

Hell, there was tons of humor in Terminator 2 and absolutely none in The Terminator.

? "Fuck you, asshole." - the Terminator That was a funny line.

Different movies, no real need for them to compete.

The Terminator came out of nowhere with no expectations, relatively low budget, and forged an entire new genre. Before Terminator, action (Dirty Harry, Death Wish, Rambo) and sci-fi (E.T., Close Encounters) were essentially separate. Since Terminator, they are almost synonymous.

Terminator 2 not only lived up to higher expectations, it exceeded them; in terms of story, dialog, as well as technologically/cinematically.

The only thing is, Terminator 2 does not go without Terminator, obviously. So, in this respect, T1 can stand on its own, while T2 needs T1.

But, for me, Terminator 2 is a landmark film far beyond the scope of The Terminator.