With the announcement of the HTC EVO 4G LTE, we now have a second LTE smartphone confirmed for Sprint in Q2. Joining the Samsung Galaxy Nexus which is expected to launch anyday now, Sprint users will have a tough time choosing between this HTC One X variant and the tried-and-tested Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE vs Samsung Galaxy Nexus
First off, let’s recap the specs of the HTC EVO 4G LTE for Sprint which differs slightly than the One X. It boasts a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor versus the Tegra 3 quad-core in the One X. It also features 4G LTE connectivity versus 3G only in the One X. Similarities include the 8-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 lens and 1.3-megapixel shooter on front. A 4.7-inch Super LCD 2 display with 1280 x 720 resolution adorns the front with tough Gorilla Glass for protection. And to live up to its HTC EVO 4G name, it features a fiery red kickstand on the rear. It also runs the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update with new Sense.
The Sprint Samsung Galaxy Nexus on the other side is also identical to the Verizon variant we’ve seen on the market for sometime now. Its advantages would have to be Google Wallet and the unlimited 4G LTE data plan which Sprint offers. Other features include its 4.65-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED display, 32GB storage, 1GB RAM, and NFC.
Comparing both devices, they seem to be almost on par with one another. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a slightly underclocked 1.2GHz dual-core processor and smaller 4.65-inch display. Both have 720p HD displays and LTE however. On the rear we find the HTC EVO 4G LTE has an 8-megapixel rear camera versus the 5-megapixel on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
In our hands-on time with the devices, we can confidently say that the HTC Sense UI feels light on top of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and we wouldn’t downvote it for not being stock ICS like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. However there are no guarantees about how fast it will get the next update (Android 5.0 Jellybean?) versus the Galaxy Nexus.
With almost identical specs, if you had to pick between one of these Sprint superphones we would suggest looking at two things. Do you want a better camera or faster updates?
