Earlier this year, Microsoft took their Windows Phone platform to the next level by giving it a huge update with WP8 back in October. With this new update, several manufacturers lined up to craft the bodies using Windows Phone 8. Among them, the most notable one thus far is HTC with its 8X. HTC lends its innovative designs to create the best-looking device in the platform’s short history. We briefly got to know the 8X in our hands-on and after spending more time with it, we can let you know or not if it made our grade.
“With WP8’s minimal layout, the colors on the 8X just pop with true reproduction.”
Display
Thanks to HTC’s fine craftsmanship the 8X has a great screen on it. A 4.3inch 720p HD, Super LCD 2 display using a 2nd-gen Gorilla Glass coating for added protection. With WP8’s minimal layout, the colors on the 8X just pop with true reproduction. HTC also laminated the glass surface for optimal visuals at 341 ppi. Easily the best display of the new Windows Phone 8 devices out now.
“Windows Phone devices were never slow but now its even faster.”
Performance/Battery Life
The new software allows for more modern chipsets inside and that gives us a better performing WP device. Inside lies a 1.5GHz S4 dual-core processor joined by 1GB of RAM to make any processes, multitasking, or navigating through the system, quite seamless. Windows Phone devices were never slow but now its even faster. You even have a NFC chip inside to support Tap-&-Send for quick transfers of files, docs, music, etc.
In the battery department, you will not be let down as it has a 1800 mAh battery inside. This platform is not one that a battery-killer so you will have no problem getting a full day’s use out of it. By a full day, I mean close to 12 hours or more. This is another great example of the hardware & software working to just sip the battery juice rather than gulp it down.
Cameras
Along with every other department getting beefed up, so does the optics. Your rear-shooter is a 8MP rear-facing f/2/0 28mm lens w/ LED flash and takes great shots for Instagram or on-the-fly photography. Thanks to the back-side illuminated sensor, the 8X camera will yield great low-light photos. Also inside is HTC’s ImageSense chip for faster photo-processing but you do lose features seen in HTC Android devices like simultaneous photo/video capture, burst, HDR, & panorama modes. The 8X includes a dedicated camera button you can use to wake up out the lock screen and go directly to shooting. The Lumia 920 still looks to be the king of the Windows Phone shooters but this one is great as well.
The 8X is capable of recording video in 1080p HD and does so quite well. Offers continuous auto-focus and maintains great frame rates while recording on the rear-side of things. The front-facing shooter is a 2.1MP 88-degree, wide-angle lens that can fit more into your shot of video chat. Still produces slightly-less, grainy results but getting better though. HTC continues to innovate.
Software (Beats Audio/Windows Phone 8)
Microsoft’s mobile software is now greatly improved since Windows Phone 7.5. Redmond’s latest update to its mobile OS brings support for dual/quad-core processors, higher screen resolution, NFC support. WP8 adds more features that were seriously lacking in previous versions like: making the LiveTiles resizable, native screenshots (by pressing the Power & Home buttons), Data Sense to monitor to your data usage, Xbox Music/Video, and Kid’s Corner where your offspring can play games/watch movies natively without accessing anything that required data (social networks, browser, or email). All are welcome additions.
“Even with all of the great advances WP8 has to offer, the platform is still lacking an adequate app selection.”
Even with all of the great advances WP8 has to offer, the platform is still lacking an adequate app selection. The main app players still aren’t there. No Dropbox, no Flipboard, no Instagram but you have Angry Birds, Foursquare, & iHeartRadio. Also missing is any type of Google integration. No real Gmail features, Google Calendar, or Google Talk or Voice support. And none are on the way either unless a third-party developer creates a workaround.
Beats Audio has come quite some ways since the bass-boost software it started out as. Like recent HTC devices, the 8X has a single amplifier built-in to make everything from YouTube audio, notifications, and audio heard from your headphones sound loud and clear. Easily becoming a must-have on smartphones…for me anyways.
“(The 8X) meshes great hardware with great software using Verizon’s stellar LTE network.”
TG 2 Cents
I love when there are a variety of great platforms out in the market to push innovation and provide choices for the consumer. Microsoft easily resurrected their mobile platform with Windows Phone and continues to do so with the latest WP8 software. HTC definitely deserves an award for best smartphone design of the year. The 8X is beautifully crafted from head-to-toe and Windows Phone 8 is a great match – meshing great hardware with great software using Verizon’s stellar LTE network.
However, Microsoft is keeping everything in-house for all of your native needs. But for someone like me who’s invested into Google services, I find a Windows Phone device at the current time is extremely limited. For some this might do and for others its not enough.
To Buy Or Not To Buy
The 8X is easily the best-looking and crafted Windows Phone 8 device in the market right now. The Lumia 920 only has a leg up in the optics department. Anyone looking to get into the WP8 platform, I would say this is the one to buy. You can get it on Amazon as low as $49.99 on contract for new customers and those with up upgrade can get it for $99.99.
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