Back in February, HTC introduced to the world their new flagship Android series dubbed the One series. The series offers the high-end One X, the One S w/ the smaller display, & the entry-level One V. The One series of devices represents HTC rolling out the red carpet in showing off their new approach to manufacturing an Android device. Thanks to HTC we received our HTC One X review unit and we got our hands on one (no pun, intended). We spoke with the product managers at HTC, as they were excited about the device. We make sure to cover all bases to see if they are correct or not in our analysis below.
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| The One X display has great viewing angles |
The One X is sporting a 4.7inch Super LCD under a 2nd generation Gorilla Glass display w/ a 1280 x 720 resolution and we have nothing but good things to say about it. Everything viewed on the One X looks simply majestic. The display has excellent viewing angles that offer crisp images and bright colors making it ideal for watching any videos/movies on it.
“Everything viewed on the One X looks simply majestic.”
Those of you out there may prefer the Super AMOLED Plus display over the Super LCD but other than the deeper blacks, the display on the One X wins. It doesn’t matter if the brightness is mid-way or at maximum, this is easily the best screen on an Android device out there at the moment. Period.
The One X is one of the first devices using Qualcomm’s latest 1.5GHz dual-core S4 processor. Anyone owning a device using their S3 chip are already familiar with great speeds and performance without draining the battery as much. The chipset is joined by 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space. The S4 handles Android gaming like a champ with minimal hiccups at the intro screen but none while actually playing. I tested out games like Air Attack HD, Gun Bros, & Frontline Commando. Although some lag still occurs but so ever slightly, still an overall better experience over the Galaxy Nexus.
HTC equipped their latest with an 1800 mAh non-removable battery which, on paper, sounds like consumers got the short end of the stick on the battery side of things. Have no fear, thanks to the new processor, average users can experience something they have yet to see in an Android smartphone: a great battery life. With light to moderate use I was able to get about one and a half days worth of juice out of it. More heavy gaming, data, & phone usage brought it down to about 5 close to 6 hours of juice. I can see consumers getting at least over 10 hours of average use on a single charge. In short, the new S4 processor working the battery, solves Android’s battery problem.
The front-facing camera is your typical 1.3MP capable of 720p HD video chat and checking yourself out but HTC made sure to make a big deal out of the rear camera on the One X. On the spec side of things, it offers a f/2.0 8MP camera w/ 28mm wide-angle lens, ImageChip processor which keeps colors true & in focus, and a Smart Flash feature that is a five-level flash that automatically adjusts based on the focus or lighting situation. HTC did something that made total sense by placing the video button & camera shutter within the same screen. No longer will you have to switch between the two. The new Sense rolls out a suite of features and effects for your photos that would usually require a third-party app to step in to do. So now along with the ability to record video & capture photos simultaneously you can record video in slow motion, HDR mode, and take continuous shots for up to 99 photos in one succession. Also present are some cool filters (that may remind you of Instagram) like tilt-shift, dots, distortion, negative, black & white, sepia, etc. There are often times where specs sound great on paper but some devices don’t perform like you would like them to. Thankfully, that is not the case here.
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| One X camera samples |
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| More One X camera samples |
The new lens takes the zero shutter lag used in the Galaxy Nexus and perfects it. Making it possible to capture more clear, focused images rather than blurry ones. Mind you, not every shot will be a keeper but with no shutter lag you will be able to take more photos and not have to wait a few seconds for the image to process. The new lens has a backside illuminated sensor that makes taking photos in low-light situations a breeze. On the video recording side of things, the rear shooter captures video in full 1080p HD at 60 fps and performs just as well as the photos taken on the One X. The image stabilizer helps but does not completely eliminate “the blur” for those with unsteady hands. The built-in Movie Editor on-board allows you to trim your clip and add music and themes for a YouTube-ready video. The new 8MP lens combined with ImageSense software raises the standards on what abilities a smartphone camera should have.
Since HTC purchased 51% of Beats Audio, consumers can expect to see the branding on more of their devices. On their new flagship series they decided to use Beats, not just as a sound profile for music but to integrate it within all audio emitting from the device (from YouTube videos to gaming). More third-party music apps can take advantage of the Beats profile as well. Definitely enhancing music played from the rear speaker grille or within the headphones (Beats or not but you will always get the most premium sound with Beats headphones/buds).
HTC took note with the complaints people had with the Sense UI preventing users from having a lag-free Android experience and scaled it down for a more lighter, effective skin. Say goodbye to Teeter and the spinning 3D carousel in the new UI. Product managers from HTC expressed how they wanted Sense 4 to not dwarf Android 4, being the reason behind why the Sense UI went on Weight Watchers. Sense 4’s new treats include the ability to take what you are viewing on the browser and scale it down to a barebones RSS Reader that cuts out the junk for easy reading. An improved text input, spell checking, and a new Swype-like trace keyboard. Dedicated Recent Apps button used from ICS but with a redesigned good looking UI. All One series devices offer 25GB of free Dropbox space for two years that is integrated within the Sense UI for additional storage in the cloud. HTC did throw in some cool bonus features like the ability to make the ringtones/notifications get louder when the device is placed inside of a pocket or bag, the speakerphone activate when you place the phone face down, and you still have developmental options for you tinkerers out there as well. All in all, I have only three things to say about Sense 4. If you liked it before, you’ll love it now. If you tolerated it, you may not mind it now. If you hated it, before you may still despise it.
HTC wanted to start off the year by launching less devices and focus on quality instead of quantity. They listened to their customers and focused on areas that mattered the most. Seeking to raise the bar on what we think an Android device should look, sound, and perform like. These are the thoughts behind the One series. HTC approached the One X with extreme caution and care. They definitely stepped outside of their comfort zone in regards to design as this is a beautiful device to gaze and to touch. HTC used a lightweight, polycarbonate unibody shell that appears to curve for a slight concave effect that has a matte finish on the front/rear and a gloss finish along the sides.
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| The iPhone 4S, One X, & Galaxy Note stack-up |
From HTC loyalists to Android fans, most everyday consumers will easily enjoy their experience with the One X. Priced at $199.99 this is a no brainer to pick up. Still, with it being so early in the year and other devices on the way (like the Galaxy S III, next iPhone, or even the newer Nexus) some of you may feel compelled to wait. Just understand, this is the best Android device offering superior display, camera, & battery life. Easily the best thing on AT&T.
