The company’s flagship HTC this year – the second iteration of the model One. In 2013, HTC has refreshed lineup of flagship devices on the market, launching the One, which stood great front stereo speakers and a solid metal body. The smartphone has received numerous awards and won the love of many users. In 2014, the Taiwanese company has released a continuation of the line – HTC One M8.
It’s still the same classy One, only significantly improved in many details. On paper, it became steeper in all settings – more display, a better camera, increased battery capacity, but also of course in the body is more METAL !!! We are with you to figure out that the new One really felt better, and what are the advantages far-fetched, let’s go.
The appearance and layout of HTC One M8
Fundamental changes in the M8 compared with M7 not, but still some differences compared to its predecessor present. The first thing that catches the eye, so it is that the smartphone has become more rounded and it had a positive impact on its ergonomics. In his hand he is very comfortable. Due grown diagonal display M8 became noticeably more, although in the past was a rather big boy. The width and thickness of the device have not changed, but in the height of the unit added properly and you can even say “okolbasilsya” about the iPhone 5 in its time. Phone is actually quite large, and passes on these parameters of all its neighbors in the classes, it is the same height with LG G3, and in fact, for a moment, as much as half an inch larger screen. In fairness, it should be noted that such a large frame around HTC has not left, and just like last year, posted here are excellent stereo speakers for superior sound so many people are willing to forgive the rather big size of the device. As for me, so to get used to the size of a smartphone, and they do not cause discomfort, but when, after you take the M8 in the hands of other devices with the same screen size, the first thing they surprise their compactness compared to the hero of our today’s review.
The front panel display diagonal of 5.0″, it is on top of the first in stereo, which was hidden inside a small LED light, brightness sensor, as well as a 5 megapixel front camera. Below is a logo HTC, but this year he lost his neighbors on each side – in fact touch controls moved to the screen itself.
Initially I did not like that this area of the front panel there is a manufacturer’s logo, because removing it could make the phone much more compact, however, as later explained himself the representative of the company, insert HTC remained here not just for beauty, for it contains elements that responsible for the sound and without prejudice to him to remove the logo part would be simply impossible.
As for me, if it is not critical in terms of the internal arrangement of the elements, it would be wiser to move the logo on the top of the panel, as is done in line models Desire, then reach to the top corners of the screen was a little more convenient. Under the logo is a second stereo speaker, which is also located within the Elementary microphone.
On the bottom side of the device is microUSB connector to charge, as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The upper end is covered with a plastic insert, for which hid infrared to control the TV, and there is a button lock.
Left on the device, a new element, which was not in M7 – MicroSD slot up to 128 GB. On the right is a slot for a Micro-SIM-card, and volume rocker, it is located very conveniently, is always in the area of the thumb, and it does not need to stretch, though it’s a little walk, if it is to move a finger.
The rear panel contains the main branded camera 4 ultrapikselya, and above it is another camera that is used to implement new PhotoChances this unit which we describe in more detail. Besides the fact that there are two cameras, so here also double flash. At the center of the front panel is a logo of HTC.
Rear panel itself is very pleasant tactile and visual sensations. Polished metal looks solid and strictly. What I’ve always liked smartphones HTC, so it is incredibly high-quality assembly. Sbitosti such components as those in One M8 no not in any other smartphones, well, except that in the M7. Naturally, it is of no squeaks and backlash speech can not even walk. In general, perfect 10 out of 10 for this assembly, bravo HTC.
Screen HTC One M8
Display HTC One M8 made by technology Super LCD3 and covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3, as I mentioned earlier, it has increased by 0.3 ‘and now it is as much as 5.0 diagonal’, resolution remains the same 1920 x 1080, and the density of 441 ppi. What can I say, the display can safely be called one of the best on the market. Picture quality and clear, color-rich, juicy, and this is very good, natural. The viewing angles are simply unbeatable, the picture is not distorted even at high tilting the device. Stock brightness device enough to comfortably use them and on a sunny day and total darkness. The only disadvantage of ergonomics, due to the thin frames sometimes the inside of the palm of the hand to touch the edge of the screen and clicking blokiruesh rest.
Camera HTC One M8
On the back side there is a HTC Duo is the so-called system of two cameras. Basically it UltraPixel camera offering a resolution of 4 megapixels, but the pixel size has more than its competitors, here it is 2.0 micrometers, and for example in the Samsung Galaxy S5 – 1.2. Second sensor – auxiliary, it serves for the collection of information about the depth of the scene to change the focus to the frame after the photo was taken.
Camera, frankly, disappointed, this is the weakest point of this phone. Photos often look featureless, soap and even sometimes faded. Night and macro shooting is also not particularly pleased, for comparison, I will post a couple of photos from my Nexus 5. And it is not clear why in this rich on modes and settings, but it’s also very easy to use the camera, set here so defective sensor. In fairness, I note that one of the fellow journalists very scratched camera, so certainly some drawbacks can be written off as scratches. Frontal 5-megapixel camera, as opposed to the back, pleased with its image. Self on the front sensor turns out very well, I want to note that there is also present HDR mode for a separate plus.
Sound HTC One M8
What are the two main components of an ideal multimedia device – picture quality and excellent sound. And this is precisely what is at HTC One M8. Coupled with a wonderful screen, the device will appreciate the impressive sound of its front stereo speakers. How would I describe here is not all excited about them, you will not understand it until you go and do not make my own ears than me and millions of other users liked the dynamics in the M8. Play Action games and watch movies with the proper placement of sound is a real pleasure. I even enjoyed some special music apps only One, and not on their core Nexus 5, because the sound on these devices even indecent to compare. If a little bit away from the enthusiastic exclamations and note what is good dynamics in the model, then, to begin with, I would note their location. The fact that they are located on the front panel is in itself an advantage, because when the sound “is” right at you, then the consumption of the content obtained in a completely different experience, in the same movie at the competent arrangement creates the depth of sound and immerse you even more in the film. The sound in the game also captures roar from the crowd in the FIFA 2014 or scampering on all sides of zombies in Dead Trigger 2 is much more pleasant to hear it through the speakers HTC One M8, because the sound of them deep, voluminous and with decent bass.
Performance HTC One M8
In HTC One M8 installed quad-core Snapdragon processor 801 with a frequency of 2.3 GHz and Adreno 330 graphics accelerator, memory device 2 GB. All on a full charge, therefore, not surprising that both the synthetic and real tests in this smartphone provides the best results. My impression is that this is the fastest phone to date, opening and closing applications is simply instantly. Startup Speed striking, purely for testing, I quickly began to open and close various programs and I in 4.5 cekundy able to run and roll 7 applications. Of course, it is worth noting that HTC is a bit tricky lack of animation in many places and wins extra milliseconds, but this does not negate the fact that the M8 just lightning fast. All heavy games are expected to maximum graphics settings and behave impeccably, though in this case to very strongly heated that causes discomfort in the long run.
Autonomy
Battery HTC One M8 has a capacity of 2600 mAh, this 300 mAh than the previous model. From a single battery charge will last about 1-1.5 smartphone days at normal load – mail, soc. network, surfing the internet, etc. My sample slept so good, per night spent about 10% of the battery, but with proper optimization of such problems should not occur. When playing MP4 video with the resolution of 720p M8 worked for 8 hours when playing MKV videos – 6 hours and 30 minutes, if you play in a heavy game, then the battery will last about 3 hours 30 minutes. It should be noted that in the M8, as well as in its closest competitor Samsung Galaxy S5 now there are two power-saving mode. The first processor saves energy, reduces the brightness of the screen as well as off the vibration and transmission of data in sleep mode, and the second is much more crucial, over the above limitations it “cuts off” a pedometer and a list of available applications, cutting it down to the required standard.
Soft
HTC One M8 runs on Android 4.4.2 version which is installed on top of the shell Sense version 6. As you know, Google has released a major update in the fall called Android L and HTC promises that the M8 and other high-end smartphones will be updated within 90 days after the release. Of the new chips, which was the flagship worth noting the appearance of gestures, there are many of them. For example, you can include a double tap of the screen, swipe to the right to launch BlinkFeed, swipe up to unlock your phone, swipe down and start the voice dialing. I loved the gesture launch the camera, you just need to turn the phone in landscape mode and press the volume button is pretty handy thing. Such a large number of gestures often causes discomfort, not once noticed that the phone would start to live my life when I could not help running his fingers across the screen simply by holding a smartphone in hand, upset that such a situation having to disable each gesture alone can not hope that it fix in the next update. In Sense 6 users a little free hand in terms kastomatizatsii, for example, now you can put different pictures on the desktop screen and lock, it is possible to put a third-party font from Google Play, and added themes from here 4, each of which changes the color of the upper unit standard application and converts the appearance of the system by changing the color of small elements such as switches, progress bars, etc. Very cool thing, which is not much alters the interface, but it significantly influences the perception. General impressions of the shell is very nice, it is responsive, incredibly nimble and looks neat and moderately severe.
Variations
To date, there are two variations of HTC One M8 – with Sense 6, has all the services and chips HTC and Google Play Edition with pure Android and “pure Google experience”. The first one can easily get almost any hardware store, but with the second will have to petition, as it is officially presented only in the store Google Play, which in the CIS countries is not. At the start of sales One M8 can be purchased in three colors – gold (Amber Gold), silver (Glacial Silver) and gray (Gunmetal Gray) color, we have to review just last. From memory, the next choice – available 16 and 32 GB, by itself should not forget about the presence of the memory card slot MicroSD, which “shavaet” supports up to 128 GB. A few words about the variations that you probably will not see this version of the Asian and camera smartphones. Sold in the Chinese market version of the processor 400 Krait (Snapdragon 800) c 2.5 GHz in red, incidentally in the same colors of M8 can be bought from the American operator Verizon Wireless.
Accessories
After the presentation of HTC One M8 attention to his new Original cases was not less than most smartphones. Case calls HTC Dot View, it is a normal case book except that a lid on the front of silicone present a plurality of holes or Dots, as indicated in the title. Through the holes on the screen is very funny drawn different icons notifications, weather, alert of low battery and so on. Another amazing feature is that this cover can interact, first double-tapa he will show you the time, weather, and missed calls, and secondly, when you receive a call, you can answer it or reset the simple swipe not opening the lid, is such a magic.
HTC has recently released a special application for its cover, where you can customize what content will be displayed on it, and select the background image. By the way, the back cover is made of plastic and the first thing I did not like it, in my opinion, the metal poking phone in a plastic bag – blasphemy, although it is practical, who would not say that.
A second drawback is that it is uncomfortable, as the phone back rounded, the full recline rear cap does not work, it will stick out and prevent you from using the phone, it will be like to ride on this toy a lid during use. With this cover, you can not worry about the fact that the phone will remain intact in the fall, but most use this phone in some situations would not be very convenient, do not lose sight of the value of the cover, it is quite high.
Included with HTC One are branded headphones headset. And in my opinion, is the best complete headphones I’ve ever used. In my ears they sit just perfect, needless to everyone’s ears are different, so in the box you’ll also find the pads of various sizes. Very pleased that the headphones are not made for show, because they have a very sound quality, the sound is clear and deep.
Conclusions
HTC One M8 certainly one of the strongest players on the market today, a top hardware, the latest Android, which is installed on top of a very high quality shell Sense, and all this inside a metal case, which is much nicer ubiquitous plastic other competitors. One of the best screens in symbiosis with an incredible sound for a smartphone makes One ideal smartphone for fans of content consumption. Some may not like the large size, this point is controversial and it can be forgiven, but why HTC second consecutive year, comes on the same rake, setting a mediocre camera phone of this level, personally I do not understand. Recommend you can all but fans of mobile photos.
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