HTC One Pro Reviews

As we’ve detailed at the beginning of this review, diehard Android fanatics will fancy over the Google Play Edition of the HTC One – mainly for its pure Android experience. And it helps too that it’ll more than likely receive those spiffy new updates faster than other devices running custom UIs, which tend to add a lot of time before they’re available. The HTC One is stickered with a $600 off-contract price point through the Google Play Store, though, that probably won’t be too much of a shock to Android users who are accustomed to picking up contract-free phones. In contrast, though, people used to subsidies will undoubtedly be repulsed by its pricey cost.

The HTC One is up there with the very best smartphones on the market today. It has superb performance, and excellent build quality spoiled only slightly by running hot in use. You can't fault the feature set, and it matches the other high-end products in terms of price. In terms of audio and visual output it is unsurpassed. The interface might be an acquired taste for some, and we weren't overly impressed with the camera. It's not perfect, but alongside the Xperia Z and iPhone 5 this is about as good a phone as you can buy.

The HTC One is one of the most elegant smartphone I have recently held in my hand. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a less appealing look and feel. Since we have not fully reviewed the Galaxy S4, we cannot tell how it compares to the HTC One on the performance side. The specifications are comparable except for the camera pixel count, however the UltraPixel sensor might deliver better low-light performance (we have to check). The One does not disappoint on the performance side either, it delivers among the best measured performance found on the market to date, while providing a good battery longevity. The camera application is really interesting and the low light performance is great, it delivers better results that the Galaxy Note 2 camera and only the Nokia Lumia outperforms it in very dark environment (see the Angry birds can pictures).

I'm a big fan of the HTC One and can see myself using it for quite a while, even without seeing necessarily everything of its main upcoming contenders. It's a device which amazingly is built to the kind of specifications I'd want from a device — huge emphasis on camera, all metal construction with actively tuned antennas, and a powerful SoC inside.

The HTC One is one of the best Android phones I have ever used — and it is by far the best Android hardware ever. The addition of LTE support only makes the whole package better, and while I'd love to see better battery and camera performance, it's hard not to recommend the One. We still have yet to see how Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S4 fares in the real world, but as it stands right now, HTC has a much more compelling device in my eyes. I just hope that the company and its apparently superior product will be able to withstand the marketing and mindshare onslaught that Samsung has planned for this year.

The HTC One deserves the highest score we’ve ever given a device. It’s just that good. It’s incredibly well built, well thought-out (down to ergonomics, fit and finish, and even many little software features that are unexpected and delightful), and satisfying to use no matter what you’re doing and how hard you’re pushing it. We were rough on the camera, but the truth is that it’s good…just not great (once again HTC has over-promised and under-delivered). For many, 4MP is enough, and while the images aren’t as sharp and saturated as we’d like, many will find the fantastic low-light performance to compensate for the other issues. Of course, the Galaxy S 4 is on its way out. We can’t fully comment on how the One compares to it until we get one in for review. And compare them we shall! Until then, the HTC One just cannot be beat. Bravo, HTC.

Whether the Sprint version of the HTC One is the best choice for you will depend, as always, on how well Sprint suits you as a carrier. The nation’s third-largest wireless provider definitely has its ups and downs in terms of rate plans and coverage, respectively; only you can answer whether Big Yellow is the right fit for you where you live and work. But one thing should be clear if you are -or are interested in becoming- a Sprint subscriber: HTC’s latest is something very special. The One matches excellent software and features with build craftsmanship we’ve never seen from a Google-powered smartphone. From display quality to audio performance to photos and video to phone calls, this phone does it all – and does it very well. It reminds us that Android skins aren’t always horrible, that mass-produced hardware doesn’t need to feel cheap, and that a wireless carrier doesn’t have to be first- or second-place in the country to carry a truly premium device. It also makes clear, for the first time in a while, that those looking for a high-end smartphone experience don’t necessarily need to buy a phone with the word “Galaxy” stamped on it. If you’re on Sprint and you’re shopping for a high-end Android smartphone, the HTC One should be very near the top of your list.

The HTC One is easily the greatest effort the company has ever made to become top dog in the smartphone market. It's an early frontrunner for the best Android handset of the year, at least in terms of critical reception; it's no secret that HTC's sales have always paled in comparison that those of the competition. There's very little to dislike about the One. It has a sexy build that is somehow unique without being garish or in your face about it, the display looks wonderful, the camera is mostly solid, and some of the One's exclusive software is a big attraction. There may be some drawbacks, like the slightly awkward size, throwaway Zoe features, and the lack of originality in parts (we're looking at you, BlinkFeed). But ultimately, this is a phone at which Android users that are due for an upgrade should be looking. Heck, even if you use a different platform, this phone just might make you want to jump ship.

In the end, it's best if you don't just count number of victories to know which smartphone is better than this other. Instead, you should use this article as a reference - focus on the features you care about and ignore the rest. While each category has a winner and a loser, the "loser" in this shootout will be envied by most other premium phones on the market for quite some time to come. The winner? How about the one with your name on it.

The HTC One is just about starting and is yet to have a schedule confirmed on quite a few markets. The Sony Xperia Z has been doing well at the box office for a while now, and Samsung's Galaxy S4 will launch in about a month or so. It's a magnificent trio, which will most likely produce the Android smartphone of the year. We can bet HTC is relishing memories of 2011 and trying hard to forget last year. We think the HTC One is the right phone to help them in that. It is certain to put plenty of pressure on the competition's flagships, just about as much as it's certain to turn heads.

The HTC One and Sony Xperia Z are the pride and joy of their respective manufacturers. In the videos dedicated to their design stories you can clearly see how passionate the teams are about their products. Fittingly, the Xperia Z and HTC One are two of the best looking handsets on the market right now. HTC went with a gorgeous (but sadly hard to manufacture) aluminum unibody and made the phone it wanted, instead of chasing the current trend of 5" screens and large resolution cameras. The One may miss on some standard equipment like notification area toggles but is loaded with features exclusive to HTC. It also was the first premium flagship to give up on the megapixel race and look for innovation in another direction. The One is the rebel of this generation Android flagships, if you will.

In this three way battle, there is no clear winner; each smartphone has its strengths and weaknesses. We like the Galaxy S4's hardware and some of the software features but dislike its plastic build quality. The HTC One has great design and arguably the best screen on the market but the interface is an acquired taste and the camera isn't the best. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5 remains a desirable handset despite its relative old age, delivering well across the board.

The gorgeous HTC One smartphone has the best combination of power and elegance available on T-Mobile today.

Let’s not beat about the bush, the HTC One is a supremely classy, capable and stylish handset. It’s as powerful as you could possibly want, lovely to look at, pleasant to hold and easy to use. The new camera is arguably the best fitted to any current smartphone. The 1080p screen’s a cracker. Battery life more than acceptable. I’m giving the new Sense 5 launcher a thumbs up too. All HTC needs to do is get out there and promote the daylights out of the thing so that world+dog don’t end up buying the Galaxy S4 or the iPhone 5 by thoughtless default. In short, the One deserves to be a success and if you are after a new smartphone in 2013 you really have to include it in your shortlist no matter what your OS allegiance. On a final note, the fact the One is made in democratic Taiwan rather than China may not matter to you, but it does to me.

Regardless of how well Samsung's soon-to-be-announced flagship does on the market, we'll continue to have a soft spot for the One. Last year, we were very impressed by the One X, but that wasn't enough. HTC pushed itself and made its sequel even more polished than the original. We love the phone's industrial design and the camera, while the Snapdragon 600 chipset and 1080p display aren't bad either. We're not sold on every aspect of Sense 5, such as BlinkFeed and the One's two-button layout, but overall the user experience is much improved. As far as we're concerned, HTC has a hit on its hands.

It looks like the global HTC One, and performs like it too. Regardless of whether you're loyal to Ma Bell or the Now Network, you can expect the same high-end design and fast performance, though battery life seems to vary modestly depending on the carrier. If it were us shopping, we'd sooner buy this on AT&T, as its LTE network is more fleshed-out, and you can get a beefier 64GB model, to boot. Additionally, in areas without LTE coverage, defaulting to AT&T's HSPA+ is still a better option than Sprint's EVDO network. Even if you're not planning on switching carriers, though, the One is the best phone you can get right now on either network.

The HTC One performed very well in our benchmark tests too. And its price is in line with other-high end phones with similar specifications. Given the HTC One's exceptional performance, excellent multimedia capabilities, and attractive design, this phone is definitely one of today's best high-end devices. We like it so much, we're giving it our Editor's Choice award.

The HTC One is an outstanding smartphone that has very few obvious flaws. It combines a gorgeous design with a very slick operating system. It is probably slightly tall for its 4.7-inch display – the Google Nexus 4 with its 4.7-inch display is a bit more compact in this regard. However, HTC has put this extra height to very good use packing in the best speakers on a smartphone to date. If you want a smartphone that you can use to play music in a dorm or small room, you need look no further. Its design and build quality is excellent and is absolutely on par with the best, including the iPhone 5. It could also be argued that it is a better-looking device than the iPhone 5, underscoring just what a great job HTC has done with the One. The Samsung Galaxy S4 makes better use of its large display by packing it into a very compact body, but it is not in the same ballpark as the HTC One for looks or in its choice of materials – it feels like using a household white goods product next to the look and feel of the HTC one.

HTC One and Galaxy S4 are the two best Android phones yet. It’s up to you to decide which advantages and features have more value. But for me, the HTC One ekes out the victory because of its design, display and snappier performance.

AT&T can't ruin HTC's gorgeous new smartphone, but it tried. The AT&T version of the HTC One ($199.99 with contract; $599.99 without), the most elegant Android phone of 2013, is laden down with hideous and undeletable bloatware. But since that's par for the course with AT&T Android phones, don't let the bloatware stop you from buying the most beautiful phone we've seen so far this year.

Up against the competition, the HTC One has taken the bold move to use a sensor with lower resolution (4mp), and therefore larger pixels than competitor smartphones, combined with a bright f/2.0 lens and optical image stabilisation, this gives major benefits in low light situations. However, this does noticeably damage the level of detail the camera is able to capture, with 4 megapixels feeling rather low resolution these days, with compacts offering around 12 to 16 megapixels, Digital SLRs 16 to 24 megapixels+, and other smartphones offering 8 or 13 megapixels. Another camera that has used sensor technology in order to improve low-light performance is the Nokia PureView 808, with a physically large sensor and 41 megapixels, it uses pixel binning/merging to give better low light performance, and includes a real Xenon flash, so you can take lower resolution images (5-8mp optimum) with lower noise, and in good light you can also shoot extremely high resolution images, getting the best of both worlds, with detail and low light performance. Another camera designed to give good low light performance is the Nokia Lumia 920 with optical image stabilisation and an 8mp sensor. However, neither of these cameras use Android, and if you want the latest apps and an excellent web experience with great connectivity and sharing, then your choices come back to Android and iPhone. If you regularly take photos, or want to take photos in low light conditions, and are sharing straight to social media sites like Facebook, then the low resolution of 4 megapixels may not worry you too much, making the HTC One a great choice. It looks and feels like a premium smartphone and delivers decent, albeit not breathtaking, photos. For the hardcore low-light photographers the camera phone will impress, but in good light the low resolution of the camera may disappoint. HDR photos and videos are impressive, as well as the high speed shooting. As a smart phone, the HTC One is simply stunning.

With the iPhone 5 and HTC One neck and neck in so many areas it's almost impossible to choose an outright winner. You get a little more for your money with the HTC One in storage, connectivity and screen. However, the ultimate decision is whether you want iOS or Android.

In an effort to claw its way back to the top of the Android superphone heap, HTC overcompensated with the One and left behind some of the elements that made previous handsets great. The designers crafted a beautiful phone without properly considering how it would feel in the hand, the engineers kept it thin without leaving room for a battery that could keep up with the other components, and the developers created some flashy apps and software to stand out from the pack without considering whether users actually wanted or needed the features. The HTC One has potential in spades and its drawbacks would be overlookable if the battery life wasn’t so bad, and if it didn’t get so hot so often.

Nothing about AT&T’s version of the HTC One has changed our positive impression of the smartphone. In fact, native LTE support for the US has only improved our takeaway opinion: the One is beautifully constructed, slickly designed, fast, has thoughtful software tweaks – a few third-party app UI glitches aside – and a great, flexible camera. The road ahead for HTC isn’t going to be an easy one. Samsung’s Galaxy S 4 is the specter on the near horizon, and for however much it may offer an evolutionary step up from its Galaxy S III predecessor, it comes with the might of the South Korean company’s prodigious marketing machine (and its equally massive budget). In contrast, the One sees HTC take a far greater risk than it has in recent years – in investment in construction, camera strategy, and software – and, for the most part, that pays off in the quality of the overall device. The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is, if last year’s model is anything to go by, likely to be the default choice for Android buyers in 2013. However, the HTC One is arguably the more thoughtful choice. In AT&T form, it’s our favorite Android handset of the moment.

With the One, HTC has created a premium phone that's fast, thin, and flaunts a very sexy design. In my experience, the phone's screen and its camera largely live up to the hype, though the camera's low-light performance is a bit oversold. I was surprised, however, by how much fun I found the phone's Highlight video function to be. Sure, shooting Zoe videos is limited because it uses a proprietary file format. The Highlight movies, on the other hand, are convertible and much easier to share. It also resulted in me capturing one of my best phone videos ever, but new parents are a subjective bunch.