HTC Windows Phone 8X Pro Reviews

The 8X is a convincing Windows Phone 8 handset. Granted it’s a bit big, but it's nothing like as massive as the Nokia Lumia 920. The screen is very good and as crisp as an Iceberg lettuce leaf dipped in liquid nitrogen. The handset is rock solid too, thanks to that polycarbonate unibody. If you want to use your phone as a music player Beats Audio is a feature worth having but the absence of Nokia Drive or any other free satnav is a drawback.

An appealing, attractive smartphone that doesn’t cost the earth - our new favourite Windows Phone 8 handset

The HTC Windows Phone 8X has a decent camera and is capable of producing good images and won't let you down in low-light thanks to its f/2.0 lens and low noise at higher ISOs. The camera app is very basic, similar to the iPhone in many ways, although the 8X does allow you slightly more control over your images. You can use the pre-installed Photo Enhancer app to edit your pictures and they can then be shared on the web. Those who have owned an iPhone before will know how easy it is for it to fall from even the flattest of surfaces, there's no such problems here as the rear of the 8X is rubberised.

After getting a chance to briefly handle HTC's flagship Windows Phone 8-powered smartphone, the 8X, earlier this year, we now got one in for a more thorough test. The test subject was a 16GB model (an 8GB version is also available) in California Blu

There's no doubt that HTC's Windows Phone 8X is a worthy flagship. It combines phenomenal looks, solid construction and high-end specs in a relatively compact and delightfully colorful package. We're impressed with the speedy Qualcomm dual-core Snapdragon S4, great battery life, beautiful 4.3-inch 341ppi Super LCD 2 screen and strong 8-megapixel camera. Yes, the 8X is a fantastic ambassador to Windows Phone 8, but after using it for several days, we're longing for a similar phone from HTC running Android -- at least until a stronger app ecosystem develops for Microsoft's latest mobile OS. Still, if you're betting on Windows Phone 8 it really comes down to the 8X's exquisite design and reduced footprint versus the Lumia 920's better camera, larger screen and wireless charging. Which one's right for you? Stay tuned for our upcoming review of Nokia's flagship.

If you absolutely despise blue, don't need LTE and can afford the extra cost, then by all means pick the global phone. Of course, at $100 on contract with 32GB of storage and a choice of hues, we think the Lumia 920 for AT&T offers better value.

As a WP8 value proposition, there's no topping Nokia's aggressive Lumia 920 pricing on AT&T: $100 on-contract is tough to beat for the same specs or better. As an alternative gateway to Nokia's Apps that won't have you jumping carrier ship, there's always the Lumia 810 on T-Mobile. But what you get in custom software on the handset, you trade down for less competitive internals. Strike that option from the equation and you're faced with a choice of two 8X's. And with both AT&T and T-Mobile carrying the 16GB model for $199 on-contract, the only thing separating the two is your preference for AWS or LTE. If you'd rather have T-Mobile's low monthly service fees than AT&T's faster speeds, feel free to sign on the dotted line.

Folks who are interested in getting a Windows Phone and are loyal to Verizon have but two choices: the HTC Windows Phone 8X ($200) and the Nokia Lumia 822 ($100). (Samsung is planning to release its WP8 device, the ATIV Odyssey, sometime this month.) You likely won't see a large enough difference in performance between the two devices, but the extra hundred bucks will get you a better-looking display and Beats-enabled sound. Additionally, we're much more fond of the 8X's fit, feel and design. Still, the less expensive Lumia 822 offers the same amount of storage and has a microSD slot, whereas the 8X does not. As you can see, there are quite a few pros and cons to juggle, but suffice to say, this is the best iteration we've seen of HTC's signature Windows Phone so far.

The HTC 8X has several things going for it, namely a very thin and light design, and a wide availability among US carriers. Those are two very strong points that may ultimately be at the root of its eventual success. However, outside of those two important advantages, the HTC 8X does not bring much more to the table: its Windows Phone 8 experience is not enhanced by exclusive apps like Nokia Drive, Nokia Transport or Nokia Music, and its photo/video performance, while not bad, is not impressive either. The same thing goes for the 4.3” screen which is “very good, but still not excellent”. At the end of the day, if you want a Windows Phone 8 handset, you have to decide if you love this 8X design, or if the Lumia 920 is just too big and heavy. If you don’t mind the extra weight and being on AT&T, the Lumia 920 choice is a no-brainer. If you are truly patient, you may want to wait for the Samsung ATIV S which seems like a Galaxy phone running on Windows Phone 8… but it will come out only in a couple of weeks…

The Windows Phone 8X is what every new smartphone should aspire to be: a combination of the software and hardware vendor’s best work to date, topped off with some unique new additions of its own. Everything that HTC could transport from its Android One series has made the leap to the 8X — the unibody case, dual-core processor, HD screen, camera filters, and even Beats Audio — and all of Microsoft’s mobile development efforts over the past few months are represented in the brand new Windows Phone 8. Topping them off is a truly individual design that will resonate with buyers tired of the smartphone monotony that has befallen much of the market. Though laudable in its intentions and much of its execution, the 8X falls a little short. The primary culprit is Microsoft’s chronic inability to spur a third-party app ecosystem for the Windows Phone platform. There have been significant improvements in Microsoft’s own software and services, but without the ubiquitous support that competitors iOS and Android enjoy, WP8 faces an uphill struggle in trying to uproot users from their established ecosystems. HTC has done its utmost to assist this venture on the hardware side, but it barely moves the needle when it comes to software enhancements. You get a lot for your $99 when signing up for the LTE-capable Windows Phone 8X from AT&T, but in the end, it’ll be up to Microsoft to determine whether buying into its ecosystem was an investment worth making.

The HTC 8X is the kind of solid start that Microsoft needs for Windows Phone 8. A piece of hardware like this helps the OS make a great first impression, complementing it with its slender, comfortable build, powerful performance, and good (but not perfect) display. There is a small amount of room for improvement, like its less-than-impressive rear-facing camera and somewhat mediocre battery life, but neither of these flaws are dealbreakers by any means, especially not when the phone has so much else to offer. Depending on what your priorities are, this may be the high-end Windows Phone 8 to grab. If you prefer the peculiar design and are big on snapping photos with your phone, the Nokia Lumia 920 and its killer camera get the edge here. Otherwise, the 8X should be your top-notch new Windows Phone of choice.

Our final rating is going to be a 7.5 out of 10. The screen, audio amplifier, camera performance, and operating system are pretty impressive, but the pointy edges, poor microphone audio quality and impossible-to-feel hardware buttons can get quite frustrating. If you’re into great quality music playback, a high resolution screen, a thin form factor and gorgeous design along with some great integration with Microsoft’s ecosystem of Office, Windows, Xbox, Skype, etc., then you should take a good look at the Windows Phone 8X.

HTC has seen better days in the smartphone market - we know this doesn't sound too good but somehow it has little to do with the quality of its devices. The company had solid offerings in the One X and the One S but it seems Samsung is better at making money off of Android. On the other hand, HTC has been getting along with Microsoft for as long as we can remember, so Redmond could once again help it get the show back on the road. But the competition will have its say of course and the Windows Phone competition is not what it used to be in the PocketPC days. Nokia and HTC have been having quite an entertaining exchange lately. Microsoft is not making things easier by calling the Windows Phone 8X a signature device, whatever that means. It may look like Microsoft is married to Nokia and having an affair with HTC. The HTC Windows Phone 8X is the one that's a few years and a few pounds younger, so nothing quite out of the ordinary. But at the end of the day, being able to challenge the Lumia 920 is currently HTC's biggest hope of being relevant again, in smartphone terms.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X is a solid smartphone, both literally and figuratively. Though I'm not a superfan of the industrial design, the polycarbonate shell and shape make the 8X one of the strongest devices I've used this year. What's most important is that the 8X delivers the goods when it comes to performance. It's a good voice phone, an excellent data device, and the battery lasts all day. The user interface is lightning quick and more customizable than ever. For those invested in Microsoft's XBox or Windows ecosystems, there is plenty of synergy between them and the 8X thanks to Windows Phone 8. My only real complaint about the 8X is the camera, which simply doesn't do as good a job as some of HTC's other devices released this year. If you've used Windows Phone devices in the past, the 8X is a clear and recommendable upgrade. If you're an Android or iOS user and are considering Windows Phone for the first time, the 8X delivers just as much functionality as the other platforms in a more colorful package.

There’s no denying the compact and feathery nature of the HTC 8X in comparison with the chubby Lumia 920. If you can’t carry around a hefty device, you’d likely prefer the 8X as your Windows Phone 8 flagship. It is indeed a very slim and capable device, with top-notch design, offering wide-angle front camera and pentaband GSM radio. The Lumia 920, however, offers so many unique features, such as optical image stabilization for shake-free videos with excellent sound quality, supersensitive touchscreen and free offline voice-guided navigation, that about the only thing the HTC 8X has against it is the more compact design, not to mention the Lumia 920 sports double the internal memory of HTC’s phone at similar pricing

Essentially, the 8X from HTC is a great and solid device to test out Windows Phone 8. Personally, it was my first time playing around with Windows Phone 8, and while it did take a little bit of time to get used to the UI, Microsoft clearly made a clean and and stylish mobile operating system, and it ran great on the 8X. Overall, if you’re wanting to stick with Verizon as a carrier (thus, taking the Lumia 920 out of the running), the 8X is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a Windows Phone 8 handset. Of course, there’s only a few options to choose from on Verizon, so the competition is still light at this point, but for $199, the 8X can certainly compete with other handsets out of the WP8 group.

The HTC 8X is a great-looking, elegant way to get Windows Phone 8 on Verizon's network.

The HTC 8X is a great-looking, elegant way to get Windows Phone 8 on T-Mobile.

The overall impression of the new high-end smartphone based on Windows 8 is positive throughout. The software is dynamic and intuitive in use. Even technically less savvy users will quickly have an overview of the operating concept and the options. The smartphone is in line with other Windows 8 systems, such as a computer or tablet, and allows easy synchronizing via Microsoft's cloud service. Features like the "Company App" for catering to the needs of companies are implemented in the settings. Microsoft has done its homework and is creating a multipurpose tool for computers, tablets and smartphones with its comprehensive Windows 8 system. HTC's 8X provides enough reserves and we never had the feeling that we were facing a performance bottleneck. The IPS screen delivers natural colors and can be used precisely. However, we rate the lack of a micro SD card slot and the built-in battery as negative. But it is not only HTC to accept this criticism. Google's latest Nexus 4 as well as all previous iPhone models also have these two drawbacks. We will see whether this is a revolution or only an evolution in terms of software in the next months. After all, such an operating system makes or breaks with its additional applications. Microsoft's app store is by far not as well filled as the ones from the competition. But its day may (and must) come. HTC's 8X is an interesting alternative for Android and iOS devices in any event.

This device is a great example of what Windows Phone 8 is possible of. You’ll certainly still have to compare to the competition with alternate operating systems, especially those made by HTC running Android, if you want to make a fair decision about which smartphone is best for you. But if you’re hankering for Windows Phone 8 specifically, the HTC Windows Phone 8X is easily one of our top choices on any carrier it’s with.

All things considered, we have to admit that the Apple iPhone 5 has managed to out-perform the HTC Windows Phone 8X in most areas, although the latter doesn't lag behind too much. But this is if we're talking about their speed, screens and software capabilities. If we have to factor in their physical designs, there can be no argument at all, as there can be only one winner, and it's not an HTC. Despite the significant advancements made by Redmond, the Windows Phone 8 platform is yet to prove its worth. It found a very tough opponent in iOS 6, and if it weren't for some clever tricks like the Live Tiles, it may not have come out of this fight alive. Though, it will take much more than that to seriously challenge the two horses currently leading the race.

We believe that the Samsung Galaxy S III is the better package of the two. The handset feels better when in the hand, compared to the 8X, and offers all kinds of features, which aren't really available on the Windows Phone 8X, like a larger screen, great personalization capabilities, better QWERTY keyboard, slightly better camera, Flash Player support, and, of course, a vast application catalog. Meanwhile, the HTC's Windows Phone 8X is by no means a bad smartphone, especially considering its awesome screen, neither its design, nor the software platform are currently good enough to help it trump a fearsome opponent like the Galaxy S III.

The HTC 8X is a powerful Windows Phone in a slim, pocket-friendly form factor.

When it's all said and done, it's extremely difficult to name one of these handsets a definite winner. Like in many other times when we've compared two smartphones, it'll all depend on your personal preferences, but it is exactly here where we come in. Let's just say that if you happen to be a bit more sensitive towards different materials, there's a good chance that you might prefer the ATIV S's smooth and glossy plastic housing as opposed to the 8X's soft-touch one, which can house dust and other unpleasant stuff. Also, if you are a really heavy multimedia user who watches a lot of video on their phone, it is once again the ATIV S that seems to be the more appropriate option, thanks to its 4.8” screen. On the other hand, call and screen quality seem to be the areas where the Windows Phone 8X excels. So, which of these components should be considered most important? Well, this is where you come in.

A competent Windows Phone 8 handset, but it's worth spending a bit more for the superior Nokia Lumia 920