The new flagship htc one m8. HTC One (M8) review
At first glance it might seem that they are identical. Only this is not entirely true. The M8s smartphone is not an exact copy of its predecessor HTC One M8. Therefore, it is time to find out what these two models have in common and how they are different.
Device design
You can not look for something new in the design of the device. Apparently, the developer considered that it was already ideal, which means that it does not require major changes. The body of the new model, as before, is a solid piece of high-quality aluminum with plastic inserts, which not only do not spoil the appearance of the device, but also slightly reduce its weight.
All controls remained in place. On the left side of the device there is a slot for nano-sim, and on the right side there is a volume key and a slot for a memory card. The metal of the back panel is not smooth, but slightly rough, which greatly improves the grip of the smartphone with the hand, reducing its slippage. There you can also notice an unusual system of two cameras with a multi-colored flash next to the main module. In general, the design has not changed and, if you read the users left about the smartphone, there was no need for this.
Display
In the case of the display, the situation is the same. This is the same 5-inch screen, developed using SuperLCD 3 technology. By the way, these displays are considered the best and compete with Amoled technology. That's probably why they didn't change. The HTC One M8s boasts excellent brightness, excellent contrast ratio, superb color reproduction and huge viewing angles.
Just like the model without the “S” suffix, this one was equipped with technology that allows you to control your smartphone with gloves and supports stylus control. And using the phone with wet hands is a pleasure. But as good as this feature is, it's not new. Therefore, to find out about the changes in the HTC One M8s smartphone, the review will have to continue.
Hardware
In fact, the hardware device of the smartphone hides the real differences between the two models. The novelty is powered by an 8-core Snapdragon 615 processor and an Andreno 405 graphics accelerator. But the previous device only worked on four cores and a less powerful graphics chip. The amount of RAM has not changed - 2 GB, storage space - 16 GB. Although it can be increased up to 128 GB. And here are the first real differences between smartphones. And if you read the reviews left about the HTC One M8s (16 GB) device, there are no dissatisfied with the fact that it has become more powerful.
As for the communicative functions, there are no changes here. It connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi, LTE connection and 3G. There is also Bluetooth and an NFC module. On long trips, the FM receiver will brighten up the time, and the GPS sensor will help you not get lost on the road.
Smartphone HTC One M8s: review of cameras
The cameras in this model are one of the most strong benefits. There are two rear modules, the joint resolution of which is 13 megapixels. But they do their job better than the cameras of the previous device. The photos come out great. Interestingly, it is possible to simultaneously take photos and shoot videos.
Otherwise, the changes did not affect the HTC One M8s smartphone. The review of the front camera is not needed here, because it has the same characteristics as the old model.
Operating system
It is immediately noticeable that there is a difference in the operation of the two devices, because they have different software. It uses version 5 of Android, which works without brakes and interruptions.
Smartphone control is convenient. Even though no one ever complained. But thanks to Motion Launch technology, much of it has been greatly simplified. For example, to answer a call, you can simply bring the device to your ear, and to unlock the smartphone, it will be enough to slap the display twice with your finger.
The home screen now has an additional area for applications. This was influenced updated version Sense UI skins. Also, elements such as the phone book and the file manager have undergone a slight upgrade.
Offline work
Minor changes have also been made to this part. The new smartphone uses a battery with a larger capacity - 2840 mAh. True, the time of work has not changed much. Most likely, the 8-core processor played a role here. In general, in standby mode, it is able to last about 800 hours, while the previous model could last about 600 hours. Those who like to talk will have approximately 20 hours at their disposal. And in this regard, smartphones can be considered the same.
Conclusion
It's time to take stock regarding the device revealed several significant differences between the models. First of all we are talking about the hardware, which has become more powerful. And this is very important, because the smartphone has become able to cope with a large number of tasks. There is a situation with the main cameras, which have become better to shoot, and a more capacious battery.
And that's it, nothing more to say. The developer did not invent new design, trying to change something in the display, and even more so, did not upgrade the front camera. What for? It's all done so well. With the release of the HTC One M8s smartphone, the Taiwanese company simply decided to improve its device a bit.
The Taiwanese company has reached a completely new design level for Android smartphones. And although all manufacturers have seriously pulled themselves up in design, such well-designed and carefully designed devices have not appeared in the “robots” camp since then. In HTC One M8, the same trend manifests itself even more clearly: the body of the new flagship is made so flawlessly that even the “old man” One now seems downright clumsy. Almost like a sneaker against the backdrop of a solid Oxford. Other Androids? Well, according to this scale, they are generally some kind of made in sneakers, you know where.
Metal content in the case of HTC One M8 is brought to the maximum. If in the past HTC flagship the sides of the case were plastic (and it was visible, although the designers tried to hide this fact), in the new one they are a continuation of the aluminum back panel. Only inserts are made of synthetics front panel top and bottom of the display, as well as the upper edge of the case, into which the power button and infrared port are inscribed. Well, a couple of narrow strips for antennas on the back side - but such trifles no longer count.
How well all this is designed and assembled is difficult to convey in words. You have to see it with your own eyes and feel it with your own hands. From an aesthetic point of view, the One M8 has gone as far from the “just” One as it, in turn, has overtaken all Android competitors without exception.
A thin plastic bezel between the metal case and the glass reduces the transmission of impact to the fragile display
The One M8 is currently available in three color options: Matte Silver, Matte Gold, and Dark Grey, with a brushed stainless steel finish. In photographs, a smartphone in this color version often looks obscenely shiny. In reality, the shine is noticeably more subdued and not at all offensive to the eye.
Like the previous HTC One, the new One M8 uses stereo speakers with extra-large enclosures. Since the company has gotten rid of its stake in Beats since the release of the original One, the sound system's marketing name is now HTC BoomSound. In addition to excellent speakers, BoomSound involves the use of a software “improver” (which you can refuse to use only when you connect headphones). By the standards of smartphones, the HTC One M8 just sounds obscenely good - about the same as the iPad. The sound is very loud and not at all as flat as you would expect from such a small device.
Another innovation of the HTC One M8 is the presence of an additional rear camera. About what it is used for and how well it works, we will talk below, for now, just note this fact.
The really big speaker cabinets and the extra camera eye obviously take up a lot of space inside the One M8. Because of this, the smartphone turned out to be not at all compact: it is noticeably longer than the Samsung Galaxy S5, and almost caught up Sony Xperia Z2. One good thing: since the display in the HTC One M8 is smaller than the competition (exactly 5 inches versus 5.1 and 5.2, respectively), the body is not as wide as other 2014 flagships.
The correct shape of the case additionally contributes to a more comfortable grip. In general, the smartphone turned out, of course, too large, but it is relatively comfortable to hold it in your hand. Of course, there is no question of being controlled with one hand - it is impossible to reach all parts of the screen with a secure grip.
And it’s not worth thinking about reaching out to the power button, which is located on the upper edge of the case - for this you need to have rubber fingers.
The good news is that the HTC One M8 has been taught a series of gestures that allow you to wake your smartphone from standby mode. For example, double tapping or sliding on the screen, as well as pressing the volume button (different actions are attached to different gestures). The bad news is that you won’t be able to return the device to standby mode by double tapping (or rather, it will work, but only from the lock screen - it doesn’t work anywhere else). Therefore, the mechanical button will still have to be used.
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Especially for the HTC One M8, the Taiwanese came up with an absolutely amazing thing - the Dot View case. In contrast to the complete silicone case, which is nothing special, this is a real work of art. Several hundreds of neat holes have been made in the cover of the case, with the help of which the smartphone can display any simple information. For example, an incoming call number or a missed call icon. Or just time and weather - for this you need to double-tap the cover of the case. The sensitivity of the One M8's touch screen is plentiful, so that the gesture almost always works.
When you open the cover of the case, the display of the smartphone automatically turns on - and automatically turns off when it is closed (using "magnetic magic"). Interestingly, the holes in the lid are not through: there is a translucent membrane between the two layers of perforated silicone. It is missing only in the speaker area.
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The only negative: the cover turned out to be not very practical - dust likes to get into the holes, albeit not in very large quantities, and the back panel of the cover quickly becomes covered with scratches and scuffs.
⇡ Specifications
| HTC One M8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Display | 5.0" 1920x1080 IPS Matrix Sharp LC050T1SC01K |
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| Touch screen | Capacitive, up to 10 simultaneous touches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Air gap | Not | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oleophobic coating | There is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polarizing filter | There is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801MSM8974ABv3: four cores Qualcomm Krait-400 (ARMv7), frequency 2.27 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm |
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| Graphics controller | Qualcomm Adreno 330, 578 MHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RAM | 2 GB LPDDR3-1600 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flash memory | 16 GB (about 11 GB available) + microSD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connectors | 1 x micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x microSD 1 x Nano-SIM |
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| cellular | 2G/3G/4G Qualcomm MDM9x25 modem (built into processor), WTR1625L transceiver One nano SIM card |
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| Cellular 2G | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cellular 3G | WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz DC-HSPA+ (42.2/5.76 Mbps) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cellular 4G | LTE FDD band 3, 7, 8, 20 (1800/2600/900/800 MHz) LTE Cat. 3 (150/50 Mbps) |
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| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NFC | There is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IR port | There is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sensors | Ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope/pedometer, magnetometer (digital compass), barometer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Main camera | 4 MP (2688x1520), 1/3″ back-illuminated HTC UltraPixel, 2 µm element size; autofocus, dual dual-color LED flash; an additional camera that records information about the distance to the objects being shot |
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| Front-camera | 5 MP (2560x1920) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Food | Non-removable battery 9.88 Wh (2600 mAh, 3.8 V) |
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| The size | 146.7x70.8mm Case Thickness: 9.4mm |
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| Weight | 158 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water and dust protection | Not | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating system | Google Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) Custom HTC Sense skin with HTC BlinkFeed toggleable |
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Positioning
If we evaluate such things as the design and materials used in the case in a smartphone as subjectively as possible, relying solely on personal feelings, then with the release of the new generation HTC One, I would divide the Android device market into two categories - HTC One (M8) and "other smartphones". Fortunately or unfortunately, this cannot be done, so in the review I will try to reveal both the positive and negative aspects of using an aluminum unibody case in the company's new flagship and the work of engineers in favor of design. We will also talk about the hardware component of the new HTC One, the camera, display, sound and branded case. And about the updated HTC Sense and all the features of the interface there will be a separate material.
But you should start with the name of the smartphone. Yes, for some, even for many, the company's move to keep the name HTC One seems incomprehensible, illogical and simply wrong. Personally, I am on the side of HTC in this matter, and I will try to explain why. Like any other more or less well-known manufacturer, even despite the very compact the lineup, HTC once ran into a problem with naming their devices. Simply put, there were a lot of smartphones, ideas of what to call them, and concepts too, but in the end, all this began to turn the lineup into a mess, the same that has been observed in the line of phones and smartphones from Nokia, Samsung, LG and other manufacturers for many years . There are almost no exceptions here, except that Apple more or less successfully preserves the simplicity of names, and this only applies to smartphones, in the tablet segment the company managed to once step on the same rake, calling the next tablet "The New iPad" instead of the usual addition of a number.
In 2012-2013, HTC finally almost solved the problem of names - HTC One X became not just a new flagship of the manufacturer, but a new line of top-end devices with a more or less understandable and simple name. Then the prefix X was simplified, and we got a simple and understandable series of smartphones “One”: the classic flagship One, the compact version of One mini and the “shovel-shaped” One Max. Perhaps, from the point of view of the convenience of finding accessories for the previous model, finding other information, communicating with people when discussing the HTC model, choosing to keep the HTC One name seems strange, but from the point of view of name recognition, this is the right step. The efforts spent on promoting HTC One are now being converted into recognition of the new flagship with the same name, especially since the company has been advertising the One series for the past six months, and not a specific smartphone. Personally, I also like this choice because of my love for simple names - HTC One sounds short and clear, it's not HTC One XL, HTC One minimax or something else, it's just the new HTC One. However, I cannot but agree with those who believe that the simple addition of a number would not spoil the new HTC One either.
By the way, the HTC One of the previous generation has become a successful model for the company as a whole, and although one device cannot throw the manufacturer to the pedestal where Samsung "sits", good sales of the flagship showed that the company does not intend to give up and will make every effort to get out of difficult situation. The new HTC One clearly shows how serious the intentions of the Taiwanese company are - it is a very balanced, well-cut and high-quality device. But enough generalities, let's get down to the details.
Contents of delivery
The device comes in a flat box, which is already familiar to some of the company's new models, and the previous HTC One was exactly the same. Inside, in addition to a smartphone and a couple of paper instructions, there is a charging box, a wired stereo headset, a USB-microUSB cable and a gray silicone case.
A headset with a remote control, where the key is located to answer or cancel a call, the format is plugs, there are interchangeable tips. It looks like the simplest cheap headphones I can't say more.
A silicone case is useful in terms of protecting the case, but impractical - it quickly becomes covered with dust particles and generally gets very dirty. In addition, the smartphone does not look as cool and impressive in it as without it. However, I am sure that there are those to whom this accessory is useful.
Design
The main thing to know about the design of the new HTC One is that it is completely different from the previous generation model. Yes, HTC One (M7) and HTC One (M8) look almost the same in comparison photos, but they are not. To appreciate the difference in design, it is in design, and not in dimensions, metal texture, and so on, you need to pick up a smartphone. Such is the paradox.
The main difference in design between the new and old HTC One lies in the integrity of the case - if in the M7 the case was aluminum, but looked like it was assembled from several parts, then in the M8 it seems more monolithic. This effect was achieved due to the base, in the M7 it was completely aluminum, but with plastic inserts not only at the antenna output points, but also along the edges of the case, in the M8 there are only thin strips of plastic at the antenna locations, and that's it. The very shape of the case in the new HTC One has become smoother and more rounded, due to which the device, despite its size, fits relatively well in the hand.
Comparison of HTC One (M8) with the company's steel thermos, I think, is nowhere to go, it just so happens that at a certain viewing angle and lighting "from the back" the device really resembles this simple and useful item.
HTC One is available in three colors (in Russia so far there are two colors): light silver, gray (pictured in the review) and golden. When we will have a version in gold, is still unknown. I must say that the classic dark and light gray versions turned out to be very successful in terms of color - the smartphone does not look boring and dull, while the body looks expensive and noble, and important role This is exactly what a well-chosen color plays.
If I sum up the design only, that is, the most subjective part of the review, then I like it very, very much. And the point is not only and not so much in the materials, because we are now considering the appearance of the smartphone, but in the shape of the body, in how it looks on the table, in the hand, how it feels to a large extent precisely because of the design.
Housing materials
The main body material is aluminium. The basis of the smartphone is made of it, electronics, display and other elements are placed in it, above and below the screen there are inserts made of plastic under aluminum. Also, an insert is made of plastic on the upper end, where the power button and the IrDA window are located.
The problem with the placement of antennas in the device is solved in the same way as in the previous smartphone. They are located outside the case in small plastic grooves on the “back” of the device.
As for possible scratches, they can hardly be avoided. Yes, the body is made of metal, yes, it looks very well-built and assembled, but you need to understand that small scratches on the aluminum surface will still remain. Exactly the same situation is observed among iPhone owners: if you want to feel metal in your hand, and not a silicone case (which comes with HTC One, by the way), you will have to pay for it with wear and tear on the case.
positive moment the use of aluminum - the complete absence of visible marks and prints on the case. More precisely, they are there, but they are completely invisible, no matter how you turn your smartphone and try to look out for them. The smallest scratches are also almost imperceptible, so in terms of appearance, the HTC One is good - looking like new, this smartphone will long time, if you do not throw it on the asphalt.
Assembly
The use of a unibody body with no removable parts (except for nanoSIM and memory card trays) makes the new HTC One very good in terms of build quality. There are no wobbly and creaking parts, no backlash of some individual elements, we have a metal bar in front of us that inspires confidence. The downside of this design is maintainability, but that's a completely different story.
Dimensions
For the first time, I will defend a smartphone with huge, spade-shaped dimensions, while my position specifically on the size of the HTC device now has nothing to do with the fact that I am an ardent fan and supporter of HTC. Yes, the new One is huge, of smartphones with a screen diagonal of 5 "" this one is one of the largest, that is, one might think and say that the company's engineers, unlike the engineers of Samsung or LG, for example, failed to arrange the electronics in the case in such a way that so that this body is not huge. If you put HTC One next to you, samsung galaxy S5 and LG G2, it turns out that the new One is larger than the "Koreans", albeit slightly. In practice, things are a little different.
According to one of the most important parameters, more than others influencing the comfort of gripping and holding a smartphone in your hand, width, HTC One is even slightly better than LG G2 and SGS5. The body width of the new One is 70.6mm, the LG G2 is 70.9mm and the Samsung Galaxy S5 is 72.5mm. The thickness of the case, which in One is greater than that of competitors, in reality does not play a special role for the comfort of grip, whether the device has a case with a thickness of 8 mm or 10 mm, you will hardly notice it. Yes, there are models with a body in a piece of paper, almost 5 mm, but is it so convenient - the big question. In addition, the HTC One is slightly larger than the competitors, the thickness of the case is leveled by its smoothness and the absence of sharp corners.
Let's compare the dimensions of different smartphones with 5"" screens, and also take a few smaller devices to illustrate the difference in size between conventional devices and "shovels":
- Apple iPhone 5S– 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, 112 grams
- – 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm, 160 grams
- LG G2 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm, 143 grams
- Meizu MX3– 139 x 71.9 x 9.1 mm, 143 grams
- Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm, 168 grams
- Samsung Galaxy S5– 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm, 145 grams
- Sony Xperia Z2– 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm, 163 grams
As you can see, HTC One is comparable in size to competitors, LG G2 and SGS5 are slightly more compact, and closest to the new HTC in size is Sony Xperia Z2. The Japanese smartphone is slightly thinner, but wider than the One (M8).
HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7)
HTC One (M8) and Lenovo Vibe X
HTC One (M8) and Nokia Lumia 920
HTC One (M8) and Meizu MX3
HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5
HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The only parameter that, in my opinion, makes it difficult to call HTC One as a whole convenient for its huge size is the height of the case. Here I have nothing to say in defense of the new One: holding the device with one hand, I can not reach the upper elements of the screen without intercepting the smartphone.
In conclusion, in terms of dimensions, I’ll say that for now, we, users, just have to get used to the increase in the size of smartphones. Sooner or later this diagonal race will end, but so far the situation is such that almost every manufacturer is slowly but surely trying to increase the screen size for their top products, and HTC is no exception.
Controls
Last year's HTC One differed from HTC One X in the control system, the number of keys and their purpose, the new HTC One also differs from last year in terms of control. Let's see what has changed.
In HTC One (M7) there were two touch keys under the screen, to the left and right of the logo, in HTC One (M8) the platform with logos is empty, and the keys are moved up, now these are three on-screen buttons: "Back", "Home" and " Latest Applications. Two actions only on the Home button, in addition to the main task of returning to the main screen, holding it down can call up the Google Now service.
When you touch any of these keys, the device vibrates slightly.
There are not so many moments that raise questions in the new smartphone, the empty space around the HTC logo along with the 4 MP camera is one of them. The company says that the transfer of buttons to the screen is part of the new style, and also that the place under the display (where two keys were just in last year's HTC One) is occupied by circuitry, in particular, a speaker and an amplifier for it.
The power button remained on the top end. Yes, HTC partially listened to users who noted its inconvenient and illogical location on the top left, and placed it on the top right. It became, as it was, no way. If in last year's HTC One the power key was uncomfortable due to the position on the top left, now it is just as inconvenient, because the improved location (top right is still better for right-handers) only compensates for the increased height of the case. Also on the top is an infrared port for using HTC One as a remote control for a TV, set-top box or home theater.
However, the inconvenient location of the power button in the new One, the company was still able to compensate in a sense. HTC One (M8) implements technology motion launch. According to HTC, in the new One, information from all sensors is transmitted to a special coprocessor and any application receives this information immediately, without polling each sensor. Firstly, it allows you to save a little more battery power, and secondly, to implement all the things that HTC One (M8) has. The main feature of Motion Launch is different ways to unlock the screen without the power key. If the LG G2 had an option with a double tap on the display surface, then HTC went further. Double tap on the display will take you to the lock screen, swipe from left to right to the BlinkFeed screen, right to left to the main screen, from top to bottom to voice control, from bottom to top - you will be taken to the screen on which the device was locked (game, application menu, some running program, and so on). All these actions are best recognized by the device when you hold it in your hand in portrait mode, although if you rotate it to portrait mode, they will also work, although not as clearly (everything except for double tap, it works fine). Another convenient feature is to turn on the camera from a locked state - just rotate the device to landscape mode and press any volume key.
The volume key is located on the right edge, I can't say anything special about it - quite a convenient button with the usual location. Near it is a tray for a microSD memory card. To install or remove a memory card, you need to use a needle (or a complete piece, analogous to an “iceclip” for the Apple iPhone).
On the top left edge is a tray for a nanoSIM SIM card. As you can see in the photo, the tray is wide, about twice as wide as the SIM card placed in it, it is logical to assume that HTC decided to immediately make a tray for two SIM cards, with a backlog for the Dual SIM version of the device.
At the bottom of the case are microUSB-connector and 3.5 mini-jack for headphones or headset. I want to dwell on this point in more detail. The fact is that for many years HTC put a 3.5 mini-jack on top of the case in their smartphones (HTC Sensation, HTC One X, HTC One first generation). This, of course, is better than the connector located on the side edge, but still not very convenient. If you listen to music on your smartphone and carry it in the pocket of trousers, jeans or even a jacket, then you have to put it in your pocket with the top end (with a 3.5 mm jack) up. Therefore, taking out the device, you must then intercept it, because you have to pull out the device by holding on to the upper part of the case. In the new HTC One, the connector is on the bottom, and rightly so. When you take this device out of your pocket, you hold it the way you will hold it when you use it, that is, you do not need to intercept the smartphone after you have taken it out of your pocket. It seems like a trifle, but such trifles add up to the overall convenience of daily use of the device.
On the front side, there are speakers at the top and bottom, there are also light and proximity sensors on top, a light indicator inscribed in the speaker grille and a 5 MP eye for a wide-angle front camera.
Screen
The new HTC One has a Super LCD3 display, and most of the features are the same as last year's model, which is a good thing in my opinion. Screen diagonal - 5 "", resolution - 1920x1080 pixels (FullHD), dot density - 441 ppi.
Screen with maximum viewing angles: no matter what angle you reject it, diagonally, edges or ends, the picture is not distorted. There is a good margin of brightness, the display remains readable in the sun. The color reproduction is close to natural, the colors are moderately saturated and juicy, but not overly contrasting and not acidic.
The automatic brightness control on the new HTC One works correctly in most situations. For the week that I have already been using the device, I have not had a desire to turn off auto-adjustment and set the brightness manually, and on some smartphones (many) I do just that.
One of the new features of the display compared to last year's One is support for stylus touches, the ability to use the display while wearing gloves, and a good response to pressure with wet fingers.
Comparing the display in HTC One with the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S5, it seems to me, makes no sense. Both screens are good, but in different ways. In HTC One, the display is more calm and traditional, while in Samsung Galaxy S5 it is bright, juicy, contrasting, with very high brightness, but at the same time poor readability in the sun. I like the HTC One screen more, but this is just the opinion of someone who is used to calm colors.
Below you can take a look at a comparison of the screens of the old and new generation HTC One, also taken as an example. Meizu smartphone MX3 as one of the standards among five-inch devices in terms of display.
From left to right Meizu MX3, HTC One (M8), HTC One (M7)
Camera
Like the previous One, the new generation device is equipped with a 4 MP camera, and this is the most important thing to know about the camera in HTC One (M8). In fact, there are two cameras here - the main one, which the company calls the HTC UltraPixel, with the following characteristics: back-lit matrix, 2.0 micrometer pixel size, 1/3" sensor size, f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lenses - and an additional to collect information about the depth of the scene, it is necessary to be able to change the focus point on the frame after you have taken the photo. Together, the cameras are called HTC Duo Camera and offer the user, according to the company, many new features and functions for working with photography.
In practice, HTC's words about the capabilities of the camera in terms of functionality are true, there really are many different modes and ways to edit pictures. I'll tell you about them in order.
The camera has a menu for selecting different scenarios, and the main one is called “Camera”. This is standard shooting in automatic mode or any of the selected ones.
Automatic shooting mode (Auto). In Auto mode, you can adjust the ISO value, exposure (EV), white balance, and choose from 15 superimposed effects. The camera settings also set the aspect ratio of the frame: wide (16:9), normal (4:3) or square (1:1), grid for easy shooting, geotagging, self-timer, contrast values, image sharpness saturation and retouch strength for pictures. All settings can be saved in a separate profile with your own name and included if necessary. There can be several profiles.
Frames made in the "Auto" mode lend themselves to the greatest number of changes, I will not describe all the editing methods in words, I think you just need to look at the screenshots yourself, everything is clearly shown there.
Of the interesting modes, I will note one of the most important - UFocus, based precisely on the information about the depth of the scene collected by the additional camera. In an already taken picture, you can move the focus point from the main subject to some other, in the background, for example. In addition, you can simply blur the background of the scene, leaving the original object in focus. Ufocus-related modes are applying effects to the background (Foreground), creating animation (Seasons), and turning an image into a three-dimensional image (Dimension Plus).
UFocus is best suited for shooting portraits and further blurring the background, in my opinion, and in general, if you take a shot with a pronounced object in the foreground and a more or less solid background, background blurring occurs correctly and accurately in such scenes. The option with choosing a new focus point after shooting, in my opinion, is almost non-working. Of course, you can shift the focus to some object in the distance, but in most situations it will still remain a little “out of focus”, and the object on which the initial focus was made will turn out to be too unnaturally blurred.
So, again, in my opinion, Ufocus and the whole HTC Duo Camera system is best suited for portrait shooting with a beautiful background blur, and as such, this mode works well.
Below are photos taken in Auto mode:
Here is an example of a photo with effects applied from the UFocus series, the first shot is the original, then three frames with effects:
The smartphone shoots text well, however, in my opinion, it is better to do this in the “Auto” mode than in the special “Text” mode. In the second case, the photos are unnecessarily grainy, although this is not required. However, judge for yourself, above - two snapshots of text in the "Auto" mode, below - in the "Text" mode:
Separate modes "macro", "night" work, in general, not bad, you can sometimes get good shots in them, especially in "macro".
There's also an HDR mode, panorama shooting, and a Photosphere mode where you can take photos of everything you see around you while standing in one spot. Viewing it on a PC using standard programs will not work, only on the smartphone itself.
Manual shooting mode (M). One of the features of the camera in the new HTC One, in addition to the presence of an additional module for capturing information about the depth of the scene, is the manual shooting mode. Yes, today many devices have manual exposure settings, ISO values, brightness and other things, but there are still very few devices where you can manually select the shutter speed and adjust the focus.
In manual mode, you can change following parameters- white balance, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, focus. White balance adjustable from 2300K to 7500K, ISO values in the range of 100-1600, shutter speed in the range of 1/8000-4 seconds.
The most important thing, in my opinion, is the ability to manually adjust the focus. This is not focusing on an object by tapping on the screen, but the choice of a fixed distance at which focusing will occur. That is why now on the new HTC One you can take close-up pictures of any objects, and not just those that the device can focus on in Macro mode.
The following are examples of shots taken with manual focus:
Notice how easy it is now to get close-up shots of subjects, such as hair or fishing line, for example. On the previous generation HTC One, it is almost impossible to get such shots (some of them), on the new One it is a matter of a couple of seconds and correctly set focus.
Naturally, for most users, the manual shooting mode will be useless, but in some situations it allows you to get pictures of very high quality compared to those that the same device will take in the "Auto" mode. Here is a clear example of such a situation - shooting a close-up of a figurine in low light (in a dark, unlit room).
Auto mode, shutter speed 1/11, ISO 3200
Mode "M", shutter speed 1, ISO 320 (light sensitivity set to automatic)
Auto mode, shutter speed 1, ISO 200 (light sensitivity set manually)
It is clear that to get such a picture at such a slow shutter speed, you need strong hands and nerves of steel (or a tripod, some kind of support), but in general, I think you understand how much the potential of even such an unremarkable final shot in the Auto mode increases. » cameras, like in HTC One.
The front camera in HTC One (M8) allows you to take ordinary pictures, as well as pictures in two windows, when the main frame is given under the image from the front or main camera, and a small window in the corner - for the image from the additional one.
Dual LED Flash The HTC One can work in several modes and also serve as a flashlight.
Video recording. Video in the standard mode is recorded at a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, the recording speed is 30 frames per second (variable), the bit rate is 20 Mbps, the sound is recorded in stereo mode, the recording quality is 192 Kbps. During recording, you can manually change the focus point, there is also a tracking autofocus, the work of optical stabilization, albeit a little, is noticeable if you write a video at the maximum zoom level. Separately, I want to note the very high, in my opinion, the quality of sound recording in video. There is no sound porridge, individual sounds are perfectly distinguishable, while wind noise (it was during recording) is minimal.
In addition to the standard mode, there is a slow motion mode, recording at 60 frames per second and HDR. Below you will find examples of video recording in each of these modes.
- Slow motion video sample (MP4, 99 MB) >>>
- Sample video in 60 fps recording mode (MP4, 35 MB) >>>
Camera Comparison (Roman Belykh)
I’ll make a reservation right away that the comparison will be small, since we will soon prepare detailed material where we will put the lens to the lens of the main smartphones that can boast of their camera modules.
It seems to me that at the moment people are interested in the difference in quality of photos taken on the HTC One (M7) and the new HTC One (M8). Below are shots with 100% crop. In fact, there is practically nothing to tell, since the camera module has remained the same. The M8 fixed the white balance (it became, in my opinion, a little more correct), worked on the smoothing and sharpening algorithms (there was noticeably less noise), slightly added saturation. Perhaps HTC used a different lens in the M8 (or maybe that's how the software works), since the perspective of buildings is less distorted in the pictures of buildings due to wide angle lens. Focusing speed has increased, focusing is now more accurate even in difficult lighting conditions. Blurring of part of the image is also eliminated.
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Next, we compared the photos taken on the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One (M8) and Nokia Lumia 1020. Again, we will have detailed testing of the cameras of these devices. And now literally in a nutshell about the pictures.
Naturally, if we consider photos in terms of resolution, then the unequivocal outsider is HTC One (M8). But if you do not take this parameter into account, then the smartphone shoots well: accurate white balance, natural colors (against the background of SGS5 and Nokia 1020), clear contrast, wide angle and high speed shooting.
In general, comparing HTC One (M8) with the Galaxy S5 and 1020 from Nokia, I think, is not entirely correct, since the latter two devices have a much higher resolution, and it is simply impossible to bring frames one to one (or enlarge the photo to 16/38 MP, or reducing 16/38 MP to 5 MP is wrong). Only 100% crop. You will learn about the results of the comparison of SGS5, Nokia Lumia 1020 and other smartphones later, from our comparative photo test.
Sound
I hope the reader will forgive me (for obvious reasons) as much as possible. short description sound in headphones. There are a few key things to be said here. Firstly, there is nothing more from Beats Audio in HTC, all sound enhancement and processing algorithms are their own. Secondly, the sound has become a little louder than in the previous generation HTC One. Thirdly, with BoomSound turned on by default, the new HTC One sounds worse than without it. And it is precisely without it that the smartphone sounds great, to my ears.
As for the BoomSound mode, it is automatically enabled when you listen to music through the speakers (it cannot be turned off in this case), and this is where it comes in handy - the sound is clear, loud, without wheezing and other things.
The quality of the voice recording in the new HTC One remains at the level of the previous model, that is, it is just as high. The device writes the voice with high quality and cleanly, without extraneous noise, even if they are present near the sound source. At the same time, the voice is clearly distinguishable on the voice recorder, even if the interlocutor during the recording was at a distance of 2-3 meters from the smartphone.
Offline work
The smartphone uses a non-removable Li-Pol battery with a capacity of 2600 mAh, this is 300 mAh. The company also claims that the operating time of the new HTC One, in general, has seriously increased due to many new solutions both in hardware (using a non-overclocked version of the processor, a coprocessor for collecting data from all sensors) and in software (new saving mode, in particular).
Tested a year ago, HTC One (M7) lasted 8 hours while playing a 720p video in a circle, HTC One (M8) showed a time of 10 hours in this test. If we talk about daily use, then my M8 sample lasts up to 20-22 hours on average, that is, the whole day. The load is as follows: 40-60 minutes of calls, 10-20 text messages, Gmail in push-mail mode, 3-4 hours of listening to music and about 1-2 hours of active use of the mobile Internet (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, browser). In general, in terms of operating time, the new HTC One is better previous generation models. Of course, I don't see an increase of 30-40 percent here, but a couple of hours on top is also not bad, because last year's model was far from an outsider among top devices.
The smartphone has a normal power-saving mode, enabling which you can save battery power by lowering the screen brightness level, turning off transmission, vibration.
New HTC One 9M8) – critical mode energy saving. In this mode, the processor operates at a reduced frequency, most sensors and sensors are turned off, when the screen is off, no data is transmitted, vibration is turned off and the screen brightness level is reduced. But the most important thing is that in this mode a limited set of applications is available to you, namely phone, mail (so far only configured through a proprietary client), messages, calendar and calculator. You cannot run other programs or add new ones to the list of those allowed to work in this mode.
platform, memory
The smartphone is built on the latest platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AB) with a quad-core processor with a frequency of 2.3 GHz, graphics subsystem (GPU) - Adreno 330. In the version of HTC One for Asia, the processor is overclocked to 2.5 GHz. The device has 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB of internal memory for storing user data. And although the amount of internal memory may seem insufficient, there is a slot for a memory card (support for cards up to 128 GB is guaranteed), so it makes no sense to talk about a lack of memory.
The most important thing you need to know about the speed of this device is that the device is very fast: nothing lags, there are no delays, there is no slow animation, there is no “thoughtfulness” of the interface. The smoothness of the new HTC One can be compared with that of the Apple iPhone 5/5S, which is about the same level here.
Below are screenshots of testing the new HTC One in Antutu Benchmark X.
All "heavy" games demanding on the hardware component of the smartphone run smoothly on HTC One, without any problems, there are also no difficulties with video playback, if we are talking about speed. The only thing I had a problem with was the lack of sound on some test videos that run in the standard player. It is solved by installing MX Player or Dice Player.
Interfaces
The smartphone works in GSM (850/900/1800/1900), HSDPA (850/1900/2100) and LTE (800/900/1800/2600) networks, LTE networks are also supported for Russia. You can turn wireless interfaces on and off through the settings or by adding one of several widgets to the main screen, as well as using the notification curtain, which has a convenient menu with the ability to display exactly those switches that you need on the main screen.
For synchronization with a PC and data transfer, the included microUSB cable is used. The specifications of the smartphone indicate the USB 2.0 interface version, however, when HTC One is connected to a computer (Windows 7), the system displays a notification that this device can work faster if connected via USB 3.0. However, the difference in the transfer time of a 1 GB file to a smartphone via USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports is only about 5 seconds in my case: 40 seconds via a USB 2.0 port on a computer and 35 seconds via USB 3.0.
The smartphone has support for USB On-The-Go (USB OTG) – you can connect flash drives and other storage devices to the device via an adapter, for example, a camera to transfer pictures from it to the device’s memory. The system in HTC One allows you to read and copy information from flash drives formatted in FAT / FAT32 file systems, but the NTFS flash drive on my device was defined as empty.
Here it is necessary to note a strange moment, which HTC, apparently, is not going to fix. In a flash drive with data connected to a smartphone, using standard programs preinstalled on HTC One, you can view pictures, videos and music. It is impossible to read other data from it, because the device does not have a file manager, it must be installed separately from Google Play.
Bluetooth. Built-in Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP support.
Wi-Fi (802.11а/ac/b/g/n). HTC One uses a dual-band Wi-Fi module. You can leave it to work in automatic mode, or you can manually specify the operating frequency band for Wi-Fi - only 5 GHz or only 2.4 GHz. The module works flawlessly. In the advanced settings, you can set the maximum performance mode (uncheck "Optimize Wi-Fi"), as well as enable or disable automatic connection to the last saved active network. During the operation of the module, the device does not heat up.
wifi router . HTC One has the ability to "share" 2G/3G/4G Internet connection via Wi-Fi. In the wireless networks menu, select the option "Sharing mobile internet” and then “Wi-Fi router”. Here, at the first start, you need to select a network name and password (WPA2). You can also set the maximum number of connections to your smartphone (1-8) or separately prohibit or allow each new connection. When the utility is enabled, you can connect to the Internet, "distributed" via Wi-Fi by a smartphone, from any device, be it a laptop, another smartphone or tablet, and so on.
DLNA, HDMI. The smartphone supports DLNA technology, so if you have a DLNA-compatible media server and other devices at home, you can use HTC One with them. For example, output sound or video from the device directly to the TV. The HTC One device also has HDMI support, the connector is combined with microUSB (MHL), so in order to use HDMI, you will first need to buy a special cable.
NFC. As in previous flagships, the second generation HTC One supports NFC, but there are still not too many scenarios for using this module. Specifically, at HTC, this module is used to quickly connect a smartphone with wireless Bluetooth accessories (speaker, HTC mini + remote control). And, of course, do not forget that with the help of NFC and the Yandex.Metro program (or analogues), you can check on your smartphone the number of remaining trips in the metro pass.
Navigation
HTC One has GPS/Glonass support, it takes a minimum amount of time to search for satellites, from 5 to 15 seconds. The device comes pre-installed with Google Maps and Google Navigation. Google Navigation is used as the main program for navigation.
For convenient work with a smartphone when it is in a car in a mount, there is a special mode “In the car”. When you turn it on, you see large icons on the desktop, there are also special enlarged versions of the main applications: address book, music, settings, dialing. If desired, shortcuts to other programs can be added to this menu. In this mode, you can use a special assistant, a utility that performs voice commands like "Call + contact name", "Play + track name" and some others. It is worth paying attention to this program if you are going to use HTC One while driving, it really works and recognizes commands well if you pronounce them more or less loudly and clearly.
Case HTC Dot View
An ingenious idea born on the wave of popularity of the pixel theme or just like that, I don’t know. In addition to the HTC One (M8) there is a dedicated Dot View case. It looks like an ordinary plastic book case with a silicone lid perforated with non-through holes. There are five colors to choose from: dark gray, dark blue, mint, bright orange, cherry. On renderings and in reality, cases may look different, but I think they will soon be available in stores and everyone will be able to evaluate them live. The cost of the cover in Russia will be preliminary 1,790 rubles. Here's what HTC One (M8) looks like packed into this case.
Now the coolest thing! The case not only protects the body of the smartphone, but also displays various notifications. The notifications themselves are drawn on the screen in pixel font, and we see them already through the perforated lid. It looks amazing, and, importantly, from a practical point of view, everything is also quite convenient. Double tap on the cover of the case - and you see the time and weather. Swipe your finger from top to bottom during a call - hang up, from bottom to top - answer the call. A notification about the timer or alarm is also displayed, the icon of a new text message or missed call and call time if you have already answered the call.
Indoors or in the evening, the information from the cover is read perfectly, and the accessory itself “in action” looks very impressive and cool. This is such an unexpected wow effect from such a simple idea that at first I didn’t even expect it every time I showed my smartphone to friends and acquaintances. Not a single person remained indifferent, and everyone perceived the cover with delight and positive surprise. Yes, on a bright sunny day outdoors, HTC Dot View is unlikely to be very convenient, but in other situations, the text is read well from it, even at home or in the office on a sunny day, see the photo below.
This case is a clear confirmation that even now, in 2014, when it seems that all the ideas around smartphones and portable electronics in general have already been exhausted, you can make something very cool, spectacular and unusual, but at the same time simple and elegant. The HTC Dot View case, it seems to me, will be very popular, and for sure many owners of the new HTC One will want to buy a case not because of its protective properties, but because of the wow-effect and indescribable coolness of the accessory, forgive me such words.
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By the way, HTC has not yet announced any plans for the future of Dot View, but it is likely that the company will want to increase the popularity of the accessory, and the opening of the SDK for developers will be a logical step for this. In this case, in addition to standard notifications, Dot View will “learn” to show notifications for various third-party applications, it may well be some kind of twitter client, music and video players, email clients, and so on.
Conclusion
I had no complaints about the quality of signal reception during the week of using the new HTC One. The device catches the network well, the sound in the conversational dynamics is clear, without wheezing and extraneous noise, with a small, but still a margin of volume. The vibrating alert is relatively strong, it is felt, despite the dimensions and weight of the device, in most situations. The loudspeaker volume is above average, it cannot be said that it is “ultra-loud” here, approximately at the level of competitors, but what distinguishes HTC One from other devices is precisely high quality sound in the ringing speakers, not the volume.
The smartphone went on sale literally the next day after the official announcement, on March 26 the new HTC One could already be bought in the company's company store in Moscow, the cost of a model with 16 GB of internal memory is 32,990 rubles. Yes, against the background of the Samsung Galaxy S5 16 GB for 29,990 rubles, the new HTC One seems expensive, but if you look, the company for the first time in a long time offers something truly new on the market not in the plane of dry characteristics, but in the plane of sensations and perception .
It took HTC five years to do this. Five years to return to what they were loved by a narrow circle of real fans of the brand, technologists, for which their devices were sometimes chosen by users completely unfamiliar with the concept of "communicator". I'm talking about the HTC HD2, released in 2009 and the last HTC device with charisma and energy to date. Then there was a slow decline, the peak of which, in my opinion, fell on the Sensation line - with a lot of children's sores and problems. Then the company slowly began to re-feel for the direction in which it is strongest, and last year with the release of the first generation One, it seemed that HTC was about to rediscover itself.
Smartphone HTC One (M8) is the final step. The new device is a combination of all the best that HTC can do - a recognizable, cool design unlike competitors, expensive case materials, a convenient, understandable and simple interface that allows you to get comfortable with the new device without any extra effort. During the week of using HTC One (M8), I did not notice glitches, lags or software problems, problems with the telephone part, excessive heating of the case and other things that are sometimes typical for past smartphones of the company. I will not vouch for all batches of new items and say that the device is 100% stable and bug-free, but with my particular sample, the situation is as follows - it works perfectly.
For the first time in a long time, I used the device with such enthusiasm and enthusiasm, as if I came to work at the site just a couple of weeks ago and they immediately gave me the coolest and most expensive toy that I had dreamed of before for a test. Yes, the new HTC One has its drawbacks, in particular, a camera with a low resolution of pictures (it's no joke, at home on a monitor with a resolution of 2560x1440 I practically cannot enlarge the image in photos, because their resolution is 2688x1520, that is, a little more), a non-removable battery and large dimensions. But even if you look at the new M8 only in terms of specifications and changes compared to the M7, you can see the work that the company has done: the new HTC One is better in terms of battery life, it has a memory card slot, the inconvenient placement of the power key is leveled by the gesture system, and a 3.5 mm mini-jack took its logical place at the bottom end. All this is a lot of work, in fact, and it shows that the company, in addition to trying to create a beautiful and spectacular smartphone, solved current problems, and successfully.
Therefore, if you ask me whether it is worth changing last year's HTC One generation for a new one, the answer is unequivocal: yes. The new One is a completely different level, and not only against the background of the previous model from HTC, but simply against the backdrop of all Android smartphones. This is a device that shows what a real modern smartphone should be like - not a nameless piece of plastic with good characteristics, but an object that will not only perform all the necessary tasks, but also delight you daily from an aesthetic and practical point of view. All this is the new HTC One.
Characteristics
- Class: flagship of the company
- Form factor: monoblock
- Housing materials: aluminum unibody housing
- Operating system: Android 4.4, HTC Sense 6
- Network: GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, LTE (nanoSIM)
- Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
- Processor: Quad-core 2.3GHz
- RAM: 2 GB
- Storage Memory: 16/32 GB, microSD card slot (supports 128 GB and above)
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.0 (A2DP, aptX), microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charge/sync, 3.5mm headset, HDMI (via microUSB), DLNA, NFC , infrared
- Screen: 5'', capacitive, 1920x1080 pixels (FulldHD), automatic backlight level adjustment
- Camera: HTC Duo dual camera: 4 MP main camera (maximum image resolution 2688 x 1520) with UltraPixel technology (using "ultra pixels" 2 micrometers in size), 1/3 "", f / 2.0, 28 mm sensor, optical stabilization. Additional camera for capturing scene depth data. Video recording in 1080p (1920x1080 pixels), dual color LED flash (works like a flashlight)
- Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.0, wide-angle (no autofocus), 1080p video recording
- Navigation: GPS/Glonass (A-GPS support)
- Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, barometer
- Battery: non-removable, Li-Pol, 2600 mAh
- Dimensions: 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4mm
- Weight: 160 grams
Related links
It's time to talk about the new flagship of HTC - One (M8). Although, to be honest, we have already discussed absolutely everything that may relate to new items: that's all, and here we are specifically. Today I'm just structuring all the information in one post.
Design and ergonomics
I'll start with design and ergonomics. The main feature of the original HTC One is the design and materials of the case. HTC has always strived to make devices recognizable and of high quality, there was a time when they said that the metal in the case is their business card, they say, why spoil the experience of using the device? But it was not possible to make something significant, therefore, they experimented with different materials, for example, HTC One X was polycarbonate, One S from the same line, methyl, processed according to a special technical process, and so on. But only HTC One (M7) has become so memorable and enjoyable. Everyone was talking about the smartphone and the model collected the most awards, including for design solutions, in 2013.
Naturally, once the correct direction has been grasped, it cannot be abandoned. Following the example of Apple, HTC releases the new HTC One (M8) in a very similar case, the main features in the two models are related. The case is not only similar to that of its predecessor, but also retained the main feature - it is made of aluminum. Moreover, the amount of this same aluminum in the body as a percentage increased from 70% to 90%.
It would be correct to say that HTC One compares favorably with many others in terms of design and materials, the smartphone, it seems to me, will also collect many awards this year. However, in this design there is a flaw - the dimensions of the device. The new generation of HTC One has grown - 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35 mm, against 137 × 68 × 9.3 mm a year ago. Gained almost an inch in height! The weight also increased - 160 g against 143. This is not good, even considering the increased display diagonal from 4.7 ″ to 5 ″. The body has grown disproportionately, I would really like the smartphone to be more compact. Moreover, it seems to me that this could be achieved.
In defense, the M8 is more comfortable to hold thanks to the narrower edges, and the increase in size can partly be explained by improved stereo speakers, under which large sound chambers are allocated - 0.85 cm³ at the top speaker and 0.80 cm³ at the bottom. The sound from them became 25% louder. There is also unconfirmed information that the smartphone was supposed to be protected according to the ip67 standard, but in last moment the mention of defense was omitted.
Perhaps due to the case not being as rugged as the Sony Xperia Z1/2 or SGS5, but there are already videos on the net showing the new HTC One's ability to remain fully operational after being underwater for a long time. And protection also requires a bit of space. This, by the way, HTC One (M8) could be (according to Theverge):
It was only necessary to abandon the huge frame under the display and slightly reduce the frame above it. Then we would get an almost perfect ratio of display size and body, and the novelty would be more compact than the original model. But the HTC One (M8) is big, almost the size of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which has a 5.7″ display.
I'm glad that the lock key was moved from the left edge of the top face to the right. I would like to see it on the right side of the smartphone, but it's already better. Moreover, HTC has implemented gesture control coolly, about them a little later. The presence of a micro SD memory card slot is also pleasing, especially given the only 10 GB available to the user in the 16 GB version. Moreover, nothing needs to be disassembled and turned off to change the memory card - it's convenient.
Display
The screen in the HTC One was another calling card, along with other advantages of the device. Last year, many resources called it the best among those available on the market. The quality of the IPS-matrix remains the same, as well as the resolution - Full HD. The diagonal has increased to 5 ″, but the pixel density is practically not affected, it is almost impossible to see individual pixels. The viewing angles are maximum, due to the lack of an air gap, the picture can be viewed almost at an angle of 178 degrees, as stated. Definitely, the display in HTC One (M8) is one of the best on the market.
Sound
Above and below the display are stereo speakers, which have become the hallmark of the One line. Last year, none of the A-brands presented anything similar. There were models from lesser known manufacturers, but not many. I also liked the sound in the headphones, I listened to quite a few tracks of the bands that I listen to all the time: Switchfoot, Demon Hunter, August Burns Red, United and was satisfied even with the standard player, it is not second-rate software here. Of course, for the most flexible settings, I recommend PowerAmp, in which it would be nice to create equalizer presets for each pair of headphones. In general, for music lovers, the smartphone is not bad at all.
cameras
Oh, that's a separate issue. There are three of them: two in the back and one in the front. And they are all amazing in some way. For starters, the main camera has not changed: it has a sensor of only 4 MP. And this is not enough, I have already explained why.
The maximum image resolution is 2688 × 1520, which is a 16:9 aspect ratio. This is the declared 4 MP. If you take pictures in 4:3 format (we won’t find out who needs it, so many people take pictures, including me, I don’t use 16:9 so that there is no huge distortion on the sides, I will crop them anyway), the resolution will be already 2048 × 1520, and this is only 3.1 MP. And if you, without any additional steps, want a 1:1 aspect ratio, like in Instagram, at a resolution of 1520 × 1520 you will get only 2.3 MP. Now I explain how I photograph: I take a picture in a 4:3 aspect ratio, upload it to Snapseed and crop it in a 1:1 aspect ratio. Moreover, sometimes I also sprinkle to remove all unnecessary. On the iPhone, for example, a photo with an aspect ratio of 1:1 has a whopping 6 MP! That is, you can continue to work with the card. If I crop a picture taken on the HTC One, my eyes will swell up.
What to talk about if the front camera has a 5 MP matrix? Although, of course, she does not photograph better than the main one. But that's not all, even the vaunted size of each pixel does not save the situation at least qualitatively, photos are always inferior to competing models: iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy S 5 and LG G2. Fog, soap, persvet - it's all about the camera in the new HTC One (M8). Fans of mobile photography, this smartphone is contraindicated. Although for normal everyday tasks, the camera is suitable. That is, I cannot call it terrible, but it is inferior to solutions from other manufacturers.
There is another camera on the back that is responsible for changing the focus after taking a picture. Like in a Lytro camera, but this functionality does not work as it should. Everything had to be realized optically, at the expense of physical properties, however, had to do everything in software. It is not at all clear why the second camera is needed if the correct defocus effect is not achieved? The software effect is better implemented.
Photo examples
In general, the camera, as for me, is the main drawback of the device. There is a plus in all this - the camera has the ability to completely manually adjust the parameters, but why is this needed if the camera is not very good?
Gestures
Much attention is paid to gestures. It seems that the very ability to carry out certain actions with the help of swipes is not new, but HTC implemented it just the same very well. Not great because you can't assign your actions to gestures, but the ones provided work great. For the user, this means that double-tap unlocking works in 100% of cases without reservation. In Nokia Lumia and LG G2 with the same capabilities, the double tap implementation is much worse. In addition to double-tap unlocking, there are other features. Right in the locked state, you can swipe in one of the directions to unlock or invoke certain actions. So far, these actions are limited to those initially set for each gesture, but I think that soon it will be possible to set up a call to the twitter client with a right-to-left gesture, for example. Already now, you can unlock your smartphone simply by swiping your finger from left to right. Like on the iPhone, for example, but you don’t have to press anything beforehand! In order for this to be possible, the sensors in the smartphone work constantly, at low power consumption.
Specifications and Software
The smartphone has the latest hardware to date: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, Adreno 330, 2 GB of RAM. The model is not a leader among other flagships, the Sony Xperia Z2, for example, has 3 GB of RAM, but these characteristics are more than enough for any task. Fortunately, they know how to do HTC software well, optimization made it possible to make standard software fast and lag-free, as well as undemanding to the battery. The battery capacity of 2600 mAh, oddly enough, is enough for the smartphone to sometimes live even longer than the LG G2. And this is not a drawback of the G2, it's just that HTC was able to optimize their software better. The smartphone sleeps well and practically does not consume the battery in standby mode. Even sensors constantly working at low voltage do not spoil the overall picture.
- Dimensions: 146.5 x 71 x 9 mm.
- Weight: 160 g.
- Operating system: Android 4.4.2, KitKat.
- Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801.
- Graphics: Adreno 330.
- Display: IPS, 5″, 1920×1080, 440 ppi.
- Memory: 16 GB flash + Micro SD.
- RAM: 2 GB.
- Camera: front - 5 MP, main - 4 MP, video recording in 1080p.
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, MicroUSB, MicroSD.
- Battery: 2600 mAh.
The Android version is the latest for today - 4.4.2, on top of which it is preinstalled latest version HTC Sense - 6.0. I am glad that the times when you had to look exclusively towards Nexus-s to get the latest updates are over, modern smartphones are updated quite quickly. Many people like HTC Sense more than other shells and I most likely agree with them. One style is clearly traced here, the interface looks completely complete. Among the chips are a children's mode, HTC Zoe, which turns photos and videos into a story, HTC Blink, which has now become a flipboard from HTC - it can be customized, there is an infrared port control, etc.
Conclusion
In truth, the smartphone turned out to be very good. Despite the shortcomings, let's be honest: not everyone pays attention to the camera when choosing a smartphone. She is, she takes photos and videos - it’s already good. Dimensions are also a subjective matter, a smartphone, in principle, is not felt with a shovel. But from the sensations that you get when you get acquainted with a smartphone, hardly anyone will remain indifferent, metal, after all, decides. The only thing I wish the smartphone could be almost perfect, the new HTC One was very close to it. He would have a better camera, but remove his chin and it would be gorgeous. But so good!
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