With the Samsung Galaxy S3 officially announced and rumors put to rest, it is now much easier to compare it to the AT&T HTC One X. The jist of it is that both are almost on the same level when it comes to hardware and software. So the next question is, should you jump on the AT&T HTC One X that is available right now and appears to match whatever is coming in the near future? Here is our verdict after a week-long test.
AT&T HTC One X review
Pros:
Display: The screen is beautiful, crisp and stunning. You won’t notice pixels much like in a Retina Display. The colors are vibrant, blacks are deep and viewing it in direct sunlight is not an issue. Furthermore, the build quality is excellent, making the display appear to ‘flow’ into the phone body with no noticeable gaps.
Battery life: Even with LTE on board, with got a full days use out of it. So it appears that the battery issues we heard about the HTC One X may be related to the processor as well (Tegra 3 vs Snapdragon S4).
Powerful: Thanks to its powerful hardware, operation is smooth. I didn’t notice any lag or stuttering. It comes very close to being as smooth as Windows Phone 7 and iOS despite the 7 screens of running widgets and multiple background apps running.
Cons:
HTC Sense: While HTC mentioned that they would be trimming Sense down with their new generation of smartphones, there’s still a lot of work to be done. In fact, it feels almost unnatural on top of Android 4.0. The accordion overscroll animation is outdated and the icon designs are begging to be replaced. However on the plus, the Sense UI touches in the camera app are an improvement over stock Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Camera: It is quick and filters are amazing. However image quality is still lacking. If you think it beats out the iPhone 4S or even for that matter the Samsung Galaxy S2, you will be slightly disappointed.
Location of buttons: The AT&T HTC One X has a 4.7-inch display, making it a pretty massive smartphone. So the placement of the power button is awkward if you have average sized hands since you will basically need to reach up with your thumb to power up and down the screen. When it comes to smartphones of these proportions, a side power button would be better. Take for instance the 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note which has a power button on the right making it easier to activate.
No root: The AT&T HTC One X comes with a locked bootloader and word on the street is that it won’t be unlocked. If you’re thinking of rooting and flashing it then don’t get your hopes up.
Camera lens prone to damage: When you rest the AT&T HTC One X on its back, it rests on the camera ring around the edge. These are one of those smartphones that will likely require a case.
Beats Audio: Despite the hype, the sound quality seems almost impossible to differentiate from a non-Beats Audio smartphone. While the headphones do appear to be of a better quality, sound reproduction seems almost identical to other devices.
Do you have an AT&T HTC One X? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
