Review: HTC One Google Edition, Is Less Truly More?

Just a few short months ago, we were fortunate to handle a great Android smartphone – the HTC one by thy name.  In my opinion, it was damn-near the perfect Android phone.  Definitely the best built one, anyways.  Then shortly after Google I/O, Google announced a Nexus-like version of the device called the Google Edition HTC One.  Similar to the Nexus devices, but would get updates shortly after them but before carrier-branded devices.  They are sold exclusively on Google’s Play Store at a higher price but contract-free.

Since we already covered all of the ins-and-outs of HTC’s latest flagship previously, now its time for the Google Edition One to get put through our microscope.  Does putting stock Android on Android best-designed phone make it better?  Read on to find out.

For starters, the Google Edition means that HTC’s custom software skin is gone and now you have stock Android like the Nexus devices.  So the same beautiful 4.7inch LCD display, dual-front-facing speakers, Beats Audio, and the same aluminum unibody design.  On the outside the phone is identical to the standard One in every way while software is where all of the real changes lie.

 

There are some benefits to not having the Sense UI on the One.  For starters, being lighter on the software allows the phone to perform just a bit faster as it has the same 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor.  No custom interfaces just plain Android.  Another benefit is that you can also enjoy a slightly longer battery life.  With no Sense, you are granted an extra hour of juice on the 2300 mAh battery.  And as a bonus, it ships running Android 4.2.2 out-of-the-box as many Android devices are still waiting to receive it.

Apparently there is some things on the software side there was better on Sense.  For starters, the homescreen gets a new, simple look.  BlinkFeed is gone as you no longer have the custom news & social feeds of the old FriendStream reimagined.  The camera interface is truly different as you a more minimized layout.  You do get Google’s suite of editing features, but you miss out on the key camera features though.  So say goodbye to the 20 high-res photos + 3-second mini Zoe clips, 30 second video highlights, sequence shot and object removal.  Beats Audio is still present but it actually sounds clearer on Sense than on stock Android.  No FM Radio and no HTC Watch on-board that renders you IR blaster useless.  Sucks cause that was a great feature.

So as you can see there are some exchanges in the regular One and the Google Edition.  Easily a more seamless performance w/o Sense but you do lose some of the good things Sense does have.  At $599 & being contract-free, this still remains my top choice for an Android device (at the time, we have not tested the Moto X).  Regardless of it running Sense 5 or stock Android this is the only One that matters…to me anyways.