HTC One S Pro Reviews

It took me a while to finish the One S review, partially because honestly I didn’t want to be done with it. Ok, well that's part of it, truth be told it took me far too long to finish the One S review, but I have some good excuses - a month full of abrupt life changes, a move across town, and a number of trips to exciting places covering the SGS3 announcement, Google I/O, and Windows Phone 8 all seemed to preclude hitting post on the One S review. The whole time, I've been using the T-Mobile One S with my own T-Mobile SIM and plan (the magical $30/mo prepaid one with unlimited SMS, 5 GB of full speed data, and 100 minutes) since getting it, and the device is almost always in my pocket alongside either the One X, SGS3, or Galaxy Nexus with my other AT&T line.

With the One S, HTC has created a new market category of smartphones which could be called an 'alternative flagship'. We are talking about a device whose each specification almost matches those of the currently most powerful smartphones on the market, and in several very specific details, it presents a better choice than the 'primary flagship' for certain purchasers. In the case of the One S, these details refer to dimensions; this smartphone is much more pleasant and practical to hold than the much larger One X. It offers the same software as the more expensive One X, with exceptional speed that even surpasses the One X. The price that those who choose the One S will pay includes a smaller screen and a lower screen resolution which, with the display's matrix, does not offer as sharp imaging as the One X does. Plus there's no microSD slot for expandable memory. Still, imaging quality is above average and in general, this smartphone's quality is also above average.

The One S is the Panther tank to the One X’s Königstiger. Smaller, lighter, not as visually impressive nor perhaps as iconic but at the end of the day still a fine and versatile device for use in the real world. That said it has been deliberately hobbled in some areas and of course it will forever be Liù to the One X’s Turandot.

A fine screen and camera backed up by surprisingly powerful hardware make for an excellent mid-range handset

A smartly turned-out, solidly built, pocket-friendly slab of superlative smartphone

Despite our various tests, there is no clear winner. The smaller HTC One S offers a better packet for most users, as it has a dual-core processor from Qualcomm which offers more than enough performance for applications and games. The lower price and slim unibody of Aluminium are additional reasons to pick the HTC One S instead of its larger brother. The Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad-Core SoC is the beating heart of the HTC One X and is especially powerful in specifically optimized games. The attractive design, the feel and workmanship of the new series left us with a good impression. The Smartphones use the latest Google OS: Android 4.0.3. The operating system is improved with the new HTC Sense UI 4.0. Both Smartphones have a 8 MP main camera with a LED flash, which is supported by HTC's own chip. The features of the HTC Image Sense package are nice extras. The protruding positioning of the lense and missing card reader are two flaws. HTC makes up for them with 25 GB of Dropbox storage. The HTC One X has the better screen with a higher resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, good values and a high-quality IPS panel. The One X is a high-end model with a quad-core SoC, more capacity, a Docking interface, a NFC chip and a larger 4.7 inch screen. Even though NFC is not ready to make payments at the supermarket, and the additional performance provided by the quad-core CPU is not noticeable, this editor would pick the HTC One X as it is technologically more advanced than its little brother. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is the next Android super star and will be available on the 29th of May.

Sporting a thinner and lighter design, the One S doesn't deserve to be hidden in the shadow of its pricier brother. With the latest dual-core Snapdragon S4 and noticeable improvements to HTC's Sense UI, as well as Android 4.0 and a potent camera, this phone is likely to play a large part of the manufacturer's renewed efforts after a shaky 2011. With a tactile finish and enough power to go toe-to-toe with HTC's quad-core entrant, it comes down to whether you're willing to trade a technically weaker screen for a noticeable price difference and better battery life. It's a decision we'd prefer not to make.

Don't mess with a good thing -- that's clearly, wisely and rightfully the approach T-Mobile chose to follow when minting its own version of HTC's One S. There's no doubt this handset is the carrier's new flagship, a crown previously held by Magenta's Galaxy S II. If you can't afford the HSPA+ version of the Galaxy Nexus, $199 subsidized (after rebate) buys you a state-of-the-art Android smartphone that combines strong branding, refined design and a top-notch user experience. Now, can we have a One S with an HD or non-PenTile display, please?

When it comes to first impressions, the HTC One S is an instant winner. It marries thinness with a subtle, exquisitely refined design, and its AMOLED display is exactly the sort of vibrant eye-catcher that attracts people in stores. It almost sounds like the perfect premise for a device that's all style and no substance, but that's not the case with the One S. Sure, on closer inspection that Pentile display can drive you to distraction, but I'm learning to forgive that downside for the rich upside on offer from the dual-core Snapdragon S4, ImageSense camera suite, and Ice Cream Sandwich OS. This wouldn't be an Android phone review, however, if I didn't bemoan the state of HTC's custom skin. Sense 4 is an improvement on the company's previous efforts, but that's not saying much. The skin sits like a lumpen deformity atop the sleek Ice Cream Sandwich and breaks up the otherwise quick user experience with frustrating design choices and a few instabilities all its own. The One S' qHD screen resolution is also quickly going out of style and rather lets down the rest of the top-notch spec sheet.

Overall the HTC One S is a fabulous phone and has wonderful hardware. It does what it needs to do and it's got fabulous benchmarking scores. Unfortunately, Sense slows that experience down and makes the phone feel slower than it should. Combine that with the other items we've noted and we give the HTC One S 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The HTC One S for T-Mobile is by no means a perfect device. The biggest problem, in my mind, is the inconsistent voice quality I experienced. Almost every other facet of the device is excellent. The hardware is simply great, the display good, the battery life good, and the network performance excellent. The user interface could use some further refinement, but it is amazingly flexible and far better than anything running older versions of Android. The media capabilities of the One S are amazing, with plenty of power and options when it comes to consuming music, video, and games. Throw in the solid camera and video capturing tools, and the One S is as well-rounded a device as one could ask for. There's no doubt in my mind that the One S is the best smartphone available from T-Mobile at the moment. If you're in the market for a T-Mobile Android smartphone, this is the one to get.

The HTC One S is one of the most impressive mobile phones we've handled recently - both in terms of hardware and software. The slim metal unibody (with either ceramic or anodized finish) is brilliant, HTC have outdone themselves here - and that's easily said than done. The 4.3" qHD Super AMOLED screen is a welcome change from the LCD-only lineup HTC had for a while. They've done much to improve the photo quality and add advanced features to the camera too. The Snapdragon S4 chipset with two powerful Krait cores and Adreno 225 graphics bested all current smartphones and will readily stand up to upcoming phones too - yes, even its quad-core sibling, the One X (and probably the rest of the quad-core phones that use Tegra 3).

The HTC One S is the best phone on T-Mobile and one of the top Android phones overall for any of the four big carriers. Both AT&T and Sprint are releasing versions of the HTC One X, which has a bigger, higher-resolution display and LTE connectivity. Hopefully the call quality issues I experienced with my test HTC One S are an isolated incident. Phones can do a lot more these days than simply make calls, but call quality remains an important element to consider when buying a smartphone.

A slim and light handset with an excellent camera, a fast chip and Android 4.0, but HTC's software can be annoying, there's no memory card slot and the faster One X doesn't cost much more

If you're already on T-Mobile, seeking an upgrade, then totally. It's fast, sleek, and pretty excellent. If you're in between contracts, then it's not worth switching over for. The HTC One X on AT&T and the HTC Evo 4G LTE on Sprint are both better phones, with better screens, plus LTE and NFC. That said, most who buy it will likely be happy with it.

The HTC One S is one of the top Android phones. The HTC One X has a bigger, higher-resolution display and LTE connectivity (not much use in the UK for now). Hopefully the call quality issues I experienced with my test HTC One S are an isolated incident. The lack of a storage expansion port is a shame, but other than that the HTC One S is a winner.

The HTC One S looks good, feels good, and runs Android 4.0 out of the box. It's our favorite new powerhouse smartphone on T-Mobile.

There are few phones we play with where we think that we have the complete package and would happily give five stars. The HTC One S would have had five stars had it not been for this ridiculous 16GB memory cap and non-HD screen. We'd have even settled for 32GB in the absence of an expansion card slot. If you're a music lover, you may be better hanging about for the yet-to-be-announced-but-we-all-know-it's-coming Samsung Galaxy S3. Or check out the HTC One X if you've shovel-sized hands. And it really pains us to say that because we want to tell you this is one of the best phones we've used in recent years. Which it is. And all that aside, if you're not bothered about a massive memory, you probably can't do much better now. The HTC One S is a beautiful handset blessed with beautiful capabilities and is already available at very palatable price points.

Big phones, like the Galaxy Note, remain outliers on the market. Even the One X is going to be too large for many, its 4.7-inch display delivering 720p resolution but demanding big pockets and, it has to be said, a fair amount of battery life too. The HTC One S is more of a compromise, true, but one which still delivers speed, longevity and construction that belies its mid-range ambitions. For those reasons alone, it deserves to be T-Mobile USA’s best-seller.

In many ways the HTC One S is the Android smartphone loyal T-Mobile subscribers deserve. It's slim, fast, and runs up-to-date software. At $199 the HTC One S may not be the most affordable handset in T-Mobile's roster. Still, as the freshest phone to hit the carrier's lineup in recent memory, it makes a very compelling choice indeed as the best it offers at the moment.

T-Mobile plans to offer the HTC One S for $199.99 on April 25. We can safely say that the One S will be the best smartphone available from the carrier when it becomes available, and it will likely hold that title for some time. For more on the HTC One S, be sure to check out our full review of the international version.

The HTC One S is the more sophisticated handset out of the comparison with the Galaxy S II. It has the better design, faster camera and processor, and Sense 4.0 is much better woven into Android ICS than TouchWiz. The Samsung Galaxy S II compensates very well with its removable battery and regular SIM slot, as well as the expandable storage it offers. For a lot of people this added flexibility will make it the better handset, despite that the HTC One S excelling in almost every other department. As far as pricing goes, both handsets cost roughly the same now. Granted, we are on the verge of the next Samsung Galaxy S version launch, which might see discounts in the S II price, but the HTC One S tag will only be heading downwards from here as well.

Remembering all of the recent fond memories we’ve made with the European version of the HTC One S, T-Mobile’s version also delights us in many ways. Finally, T-Mobile customers will have an updated HTC offering that’s delivers that great balance of performance and features – even better when it flaunts one eye-catching design that rivals some of the best smartphones out there. Certainly, it’s rather difficult to classify it as a mid-range device, especially when it’s positioned in between the HTC One X and One V, but as we’ve blatantly mentioned before, it’s more in line as being an upper mid-range device. For all of its worth, the one thing that irks us more than others, is the $199.99 on-contract price it’ll be flaunting come launch day. As we’ve come to realize, the $200 price point is no longer associated with top of the line devices, but rather, it has been pushed up and over the $250 mark. Knowing that Sprint’s version of the HTC One X, the EVO 4G LTE, will be sporting the same price, it’s undeniably hard to justify T-Mobile’s reasoning. Don’t get us wrong, the $200 price point still seems fitting based on its killer industrial design and impeccable performance, but there’s simply an obvious disparity between the two – even more when the HTC One X is classified as a higher-end model.

This is probably the best HTC phone we’ve used to date. While it still has too many apps pre-loaded and HTC’s interface is a bit quirky, the manufacturer has clearly learned from its mistakes. Thanks to a new AMOLED screen, great specs, the inclusion of Android 4.0, better music and Beats Audio support, a kickass new camera that rivals the iPhone, and an overall design that feels and looks like a next-generation Android phone, the One S is a definite return to form for HTC. This is a phone you can get excited about owning.

Long story short you can't go wrong with these two handsets – they perform very well and look good in the process. The iPhone 4S has this halo of an Apple product that is hard to beat for the guy on the street, but about the only area that the HTC One S is inferior to it is screen resolution and pixel density. If you plan on watching plenty of videos, the One S is the better choice, though – it plays DivX/Xvid files up to 1080p out of the box and the larger screen, higher contrast and more vivid colors also make for a better video playback experience. Thanks to its smaller screen and size, the iPhone 4S is more comfortable to operate with one hand. The HTC One S is one of the most compact 4.3-inchers out there, but you can reach everywhere on the screen with your thumb only if you have larger hands. Both handsets have non-removable batteries and no memory card slots now, but the iPhone 4S has versions with different amounts of internal storage, and in mixed usage its battery life is better. You pay top dollar for extra storage in it, though.