HTC Windows Phone 8X Pro Reviews

It’s rare that we have nothing bad to say about a phone. The HTC Windows Phone 8X sets a new bar for Windows Phone. It is the first WP8 device we can recommend to those hunting for a top-notch superphone over the holidays. With wide availability across AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, the HTC Windows Phone 8X can compete head-to-head with the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3, and is more comfortable to hold and use than either of those phones. HTC has put it’s all into the 8X, and it shows; we highly recommend it. Give it a try before you commit to Android or iPhone. And next time you see someone walking around with a purple phone, you may want to hold back your laughter. They may be holding one of the best phones on the market.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X's sexy hardware makes Microsoft's OS look extra cool, and its three-carrier attack will push it into the spotlight. HTC has carefully crafted the 8X's hardware, giving it an immersive screen, a fast processor, and a fair amount of internal storage. The variable camera could be another decision point between the 8X and, say, the iPhone 5's camera; however, I was very pleased with the 8X's best shots. Ultimately, the phone can only be as strong as its OS, and as a result, you have to live with Windows Phone 8 OS itself. The OS looks sharp and is fun to use, but its continued lack of some crucial apps at launch will hold it back for some people. Rest assured that those will come, especially as more people use Windows Phone. But if the thought of not having an official Reddit app, or CNET app for that matter, makes you cringe, then the 8X absorbs that demerit. I happen to like Windows Phone, and find that the available apps and Internet mostly let me do what I want. I enjoy the easy transition to Microsoft Office documents, the OS' look and feel, and the new NFC features. I also happen to really like the 8X's smooth lines, manageable footprint, and bright colors. I do wish the camera had been a little more consistent in my tests, but taken altogether, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this phone.

As a piece of hardware the HTC 8X is a lovely phone. The screen is larger than the iPhone but not as overbearing as the Samsung Galaxy S III or the Nokia Lumia 920. The polycarbonate shell gives you a lovely feeling and for us the dimensions work really well. Disappointingly, the camera isn't as good as we'd hoped and while we're complaining, neither is the depth and breath of the app choice. As we've said, that will change over the next 6 months, but it is an issue on day one in this brave new world. So what should you do? If apps aren't an issue for you, the HTC 8X offers some really nice features - courtesy of Windows Phone 8. Office users will love the SkyDrive implementation; the ease of saving a Word document to the cloud to pick it up again on your computer, in Word, is lovely. As is the People hub and managing of your contacts and we do love the ability to download maps to make finding where you are going next easy, and cheap, if you're abroad.

With the 8X from HTC the Windows Phone platform has a new leader, being called the “signature handset” of Windows Phone 8 — and it delivers just the qualities that Microsoft was looking for. This embodies their OS’ style and design. It’s elegant, sleek, and powerful! Without a doubt the all new Windows Phone 8X by HTC is one of, if not the absolute best WP device we’ve tested to date. Offering the newest OS with it’s sleek new personalized features, an impressive HD display, powerful dual-core performance and more this phone is everything we’ve been waiting for in the world of Windows Phone.

When we reviewed earlier Windows Phone handsets, we were told the platform needed time to bed in. It's had that and it's evolved but we can't help feeling there are still a few areas it really is left lacking. Things like the poor media support are inexcusable and these are places where Microsoft is to blame more than HTC. We're sure it will be fixed but it takes the gloss off a new purchase when things like this don't work flawlessly. And the sad fact is that even though Redmond provides an OS that HTC can hardly tinker with in the way it can with Android, the buck stops with the Taiwanese here in punters' eyes. The HTC 8X promised so much on paper and the excitement leading to it arriving was building up for us. Yet when it arrived, we found it to be a mediocre handset and this is the best of the two WP8 phones HTC is launching. Which means it's not even the best value. We recommend it for those looking for something different – but if you have the money to spend, we'd hold out for the Nokia Lumia 920. Better luck next time, HTC. And that's not the first time we've had to say that.

We can't give a verdict before testing out the 8X more thoroughly. As soon as we get a review model, we'll put it through its paces and update this article. What's disappointing, though, is the lack of expandable storage given the paltry 16GB - with no higher-capacity model on offer.

Taking into account the $99.99 on-contract price attached to the HTC 8X right from the onset, it’s at an attractive price point that would handedly reel in some curious bystanders. To HTC’s credit, we absolutely love the direction they went with the 8X’s design, as it seemingly stands out magnificently from the staple of cold industrial designs we’re normally bombarded with. When you talk about the wow factor, they’ve really hit out of the ballpark with this one, but resounding beauty is more than skin deep. Microsoft has been dormant of late, but with the arrival of Windows Phone 8, they hope to gain some incremental traction. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here because they’ve done very little to keep the platform moving at the same feverish rate as its main rivals. Yeah, we’ll give it that Windows Phone 8 has some attractive visual elements to it, like its Start Screen, but aside from that one notable item, there’s nothing drastically different to make existing users jump for joy. Moreover, we’re dismayed to find that HTC barely made a concentrated effort to refine the experience in some way.