HTC One (M8) for Windows Pro Reviews

Without any serious smartphone contenders from Nokia in over a year, the market for high-end Windows Phones has unsurprisingly floundered. That dearth of options is especially pronounced on AT&T, which missed out on a variant of the Nokia Lumia Icon, arguably the last great Windows Phone released on any carrier. That makes the HTC One (M8) for Windows an enticing option for fans of Microsoft's modern UI. For the standard going rate of $199.99 (with contract), the M8 offers stunning looks and top-end specs that no other Windows Phone can match at the moment.

Getting down to business, there’s no arguing that HTC is once again in the game of making Windows Phone smartphones. After a lengthy wait since its last offering, we’re relieved to see that they’re able to deliver a polished, high-end phone that’s competitive in the space. However, there’s still a part of us that wishes for something original – rather than just taking the original flagship, and swapping out the software for Windows Phone 8.1. You can say that it’s a lazy approach, but nevertheless, it’s just nice to see them in the game again. Sporting a promotional price point of $99.99 out of the gate, it’s absolutely relieving to find this “new” phone being competitive. Despite the aggressive approach, we have to point out that a formidable option, the Nokia Lumia Icon, is available for free through Verizon – so that’s something to think about. On top of that, we also have to mention other elites in the Windows Phone space, like the Lumia 930 and 1520, which have proven to be fully-equipped offerings. All in all, the HTC One M8 for Windows reestablishes HTC as a premier force in the Windows Phone landscape, one that’s been dominated by Nokia of course. For all of its prowess, it just doesn’t feel “new” enough to give it a leg up over the existing competition. Specifically, its camera quality just can’t compare to the stuff that Nokia’s PureView cameras on its high-end Windows Phones are capable of producing. Stick with it if you’re in love with its design! If not, you ought to think about some of the aforementioned models as an alternative.

There can be no doubt: HTC knows how to make a high-quality smartphone. It’s not just how well they command Android, either. Now we can call the HTC Windows Phone 8X a bit of a mis-step without feeling like HTC didn’t have another trick up their sleeve. Now, unhindered by the hardware requirements of old, HTC succeeds in creating one of the finest Windows Phone devices to date. Would we choose the HTC One M8 with Windows over the HTC One M8 with Android if posed with the choice in a store today? Probably not. Would we be able to work with the Windows version of the HTC One M8 if the Android version did't exist? Absolutely. Microsoft has the apps needed to do all everyday tasks we'd need to accomplish and HTC - again - has created one of the finest pieces of hardware on the market.

HTC's latest Windows Phone is thoughtful, inspiring, and well-constructed. Unfortunately, some hardware and software limitations hold it back.