One. In literal terms, its a number. To HTC, however, its a branding strategy -- the foundation upon which the entire company is now based. Just take one look at the One lineup and youll easily understand this is the manufacturers pride and joy. Theres a very good reason for that: in a crowded smartphone market, HTC is the underdog to titans like Samsung and Apple. The company needs to stand out if it even wants the chance to prove itself to consumers.
Last years One X marked a solid start, and while it didnt pick up the momentum CEO Peter Chou wouldve liked, the follow-up model -- simply called the One -- takes HTCs design and imaging chops to the next level, bringing a new UltraPixel camera sensor, among other top-shelf specs. But will it catch the eye of potential smartphone buyers, in light of another key product announcement? Wed say its got more than a fighting chance.
HTC
HTC One
PROS
- Gorgeous design
- Camera does very well in low light
- Powerful quad-core Snapdragon 600 chip
- Stunning 4.7-inch, 1080p display
- Clever features like Zoe Share and Highlight Reel
CONS
- A few aspects of the Sense 5 UI feel like a step backward
SUMMARY
HTCs latest flagship is the companys best yet. Its beautiful design, great display and solid performance make it among the finest phones available.
HTC
One (2013)
PROS
CONS
SUMMARY
HTCs latest flagship is the companys best yet. Its beautiful design, great display and solid performance make it among the finest phones available.
HARDWARE
In order to most fully appreciate the Ones hardware, you first need to understand the process that goes on behind the scenes. Rather than opt for the sort of polycarbonate shell used on the One X and One X+, HTC crafted the One out of a single block of anodized aluminum, sprinkled with polycarbonate accents throughout. Its incredibly intricate: each unit goes through at least 200 minutes of CNC machine cuts, and the aluminum is etched into channels filled with polycarbonate -- a technique called zero-gap injection molding. Add chamfered, polished edges that connect the sides of the phone to the glass (Gorilla Glass 2, to be specific), and you have a handset with one of the best industrial designs weve ever seen. The amount of detail here is staggering, and it reflects just how crucial this device is to HTCs future.
Much like the Windows Phone 8X and Droid DNA (globally known as the Butterfly), the One has a pyramid-like internal setup: larger components like the display and battery sit up front, with the parts getting progressively smaller as you move toward the back of the phone. This gives the rear cover a sleek curve that makes it utterly comfortable to hold. Though the One is even slimmer at 9.3mm (0.37 inch) than the 10mm (0.4 inch) 8X, its easier to grasp because the edges are contoured the way they are. At 5.04 ounces (143g), it feels a little weightier, but less than you might have guessed; its actually relatively light given the materials used.
Much like the Windows Phone 8X and Droid DNA (globally known as the Butterfly), the One has a pyramid-like internal setup: larger components like the display and battery sit up front, with the parts getting progressively smaller as you move toward the back of the phone. This gives the rear cover a sleek curve that makes it utterly comfortable to hold. Though the One is even slimmer at 9.3mm (0.37 inch) than the 10mm (0.4 inch) 8X, its easier to grasp because the edges are contoured the way they are. At 5.04 ounces (143g), it feels a little weightier, but less than you might have guessed; its actually relatively light given the materials used.
Ultimately, were smitten with the Ones design for all sorts of reasons: its sexy, it feels secure in the hand and the combination of unibody aluminum and polycarbonate ensures the phone wont shatter into a million pieces if it were to hit the ground (although it may get dinged or scratched up a bit, depending on the angle).
Were smitten with the Ones gorgeous industrial design and premium build.
While industrial design, ergonomics and build quality are a good start, theres much more to this skinny slab of aluminum. The front of the device is home to some of the biggest changes, headlined by a 4.7-inch S-LCD3 panel with 1080p resolution and two capacitive soft keys just below it -- a departure from the standard three-button setup. A tiny HTC logo sits where the home button once did, smack-dab in between the two soft keys. In fact, its almost a little deceiving: it looks as if the logo should double as a button (wed prefer it), but unfortunately theres nothing more than meets the eye. Aluminum strips line the top and bottom of the phones face, with a set of BoomSound speaker grilles designed to offer stereo sound when youre watching movies or listening to music. (The grille setup isnt unlike what youd find flanking the keyboard of some laptops.) An LED notification light resides under the top grille, toward the left. A 2.1MP wide-angle, front-facing camera is located in the top-right corner, while a pair of sensors sits over on the top left.
The front is by far the busiest part of the phone, while the edges and back have a more minimal design that helps keep the phone looking refined. The polycarbonate-laced sides angle inward until they meet the Gorilla Glass on the front, with only a chamfer to connect them. The left side is uninterrupted, save for a micro-SIM tray and miniscule ejection port. A micro-USB / MHL port and mic are on the bottom, and the right is taken up by a single volume rocker that uses the same ridge-like exterior as the Droid DNA.
The front is by far the busiest part of the phone, while the edges and back have a more minimal design that helps keep the phone looking refined. The polycarbonate-laced sides angle inward until they meet the Gorilla Glass on the front, with only a chamfer to connect them. The left side is uninterrupted, save for a micro-SIM tray and miniscule ejection port. A micro-USB / MHL port and mic are on the bottom, and the right is taken up by a single volume rocker that uses the same ridge-like exterior as the Droid DNA.
The top end is where things get a little more interesting. The 3.5mm headphone jack is nothing new, but the power button has a dual personality: it doubles as an infrared (IR) blaster capable of transmitting and receiving, allowing you to use the handset as a TV remote. Because that power button is housed on the left, the act of locking and unlocking the One could be a bit more awkward for folks who tend to hold their phones in their left hands.
Now we turn to the back, which itself is a study in symmetry and simplicity. Two strips of polycarbonate line the top and bottom, lining up neatly with the top and bottom of the 4.7-inch display on the other side. Squint hard enough and you may see a noise-cancelling mic in the top strip. The camera lens sits in the middle of the back, just barely below the top strip; its encircled by a thin layer of polycarbonate and is slightly recessed to prevent the glass from getting scratched. Youll see an LED flash to the left of the camera; theres also the obligatory HTC logo set in the absolute center of the device, and Beats Audio branding has a spot just a smidgen above the bottom strip. An NFC transmitter is built into the back around the camera module. Unfortunately, though, one thing you wont find back here is wireless charging. Sorry, folks.
Now we turn to the back, which itself is a study in symmetry and simplicity. Two strips of polycarbonate line the top and bottom, lining up neatly with the top and bottom of the 4.7-inch display on the other side. Squint hard enough and you may see a noise-cancelling mic in the top strip. The camera lens sits in the middle of the back, just barely below the top strip; its encircled by a thin layer of polycarbonate and is slightly recessed to prevent the glass from getting scratched. Youll see an LED flash to the left of the camera; theres also the obligatory HTC logo set in the absolute center of the device, and Beats Audio branding has a spot just a smidgen above the bottom strip. An NFC transmitter is built into the back around the camera module. Unfortunately, though, one thing you wont find back here is wireless charging. Sorry, folks.
Finally, as youve likely already surmised by now, the 2,300mAh battery inside the One isnt removable or even accessible. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has used an HTC unibody flagship. Theres also no place to stick a microSD card, so the 32 or 64GB of internal storage will have to suffice.
Theres plenty more going on underneath the shell: the One is powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 (APQ8064T), an Adreno 320 and 2GB DDR2 RAM. While there are two basic versions of the device -- the UL and LTE-less U -- there will be six different SKUs that feature six different sets of LTE and HSPA+ bands. All of the units are quad-band GSM/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900MHz), but it gets more complicated as the speed goes up: our review unit, which was made for European frequencies, sports 900/1900/2100MHz UMTS/HSPA+ (3G) and 800/1800/2600MHz LTE. The "U" offers the same three frequencies and adds 850MHz for good measure, while Asias variant uses 850/900/1900/2100MHz 3G and 1800/2600MHz LTE. Confused yet? Lets throw the US models into the mix. AT&T will offer 850/1900/2100MHz 3G and 700/850/AWS/1900MHz LTE. T-Mobiles has 850/AWS/1900/2100MHz 3G and 700/AWS LTE. Finally, Sprints version uses 700/AWS 3G, 800/1900MHz CDMA and 1900MHz LTE.
If that last paragraph of specs didnt wear you out, maybe the full data sheet below will. We hope not, because we have a lot more to discuss.
Theres plenty more going on underneath the shell: the One is powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 (APQ8064T), an Adreno 320 and 2GB DDR2 RAM. While there are two basic versions of the device -- the UL and LTE-less U -- there will be six different SKUs that feature six different sets of LTE and HSPA+ bands. All of the units are quad-band GSM/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900MHz), but it gets more complicated as the speed goes up: our review unit, which was made for European frequencies, sports 900/1900/2100MHz UMTS/HSPA+ (3G) and 800/1800/2600MHz LTE. The "U" offers the same three frequencies and adds 850MHz for good measure, while Asias variant uses 850/900/1900/2100MHz 3G and 1800/2600MHz LTE. Confused yet? Lets throw the US models into the mix. AT&T will offer 850/1900/2100MHz 3G and 700/850/AWS/1900MHz LTE. T-Mobiles has 850/AWS/1900/2100MHz 3G and 700/AWS LTE. Finally, Sprints version uses 700/AWS 3G, 800/1900MHz CDMA and 1900MHz LTE.
If that last paragraph of specs didnt wear you out, maybe the full data sheet below will. We hope not, because we have a lot more to discuss.
| HTC ONE | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm (5.41 x 2.69 x 0.37 inch) |
| Weight | 5.04 oz. (143g) |
| Screen size | 4.7 inches |
| Screen resolution | 1,920 x 1,080 (468 ppi) |
| Screen type | S-LCD3 |
| Battery | 2,300mAh Li-Polymer (non-removable) |
| Internal storage | 32/64GB |
| External storage | None |
| Rear camera | 4MP, BSI, f/2.0, 1/3 sensor size, 2µm pixel size, OIS |
| Front-facing cam | 2.1MP |
| Video capture | 1080p, 30 fps (front and back) |
| NFC | Yes |
| Radios | Depends on market -- see hardware section |
| Bluetooth | v4.0 with aptX |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 (APQ8064T) |
| CPU | 1.7GHz quad-core |
| GPU | Adreno 320 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Entertainment | MHL, DLNA, IR sensor |
| WiFi | Dual-band, 802.11a/ac/b/g/n, WiFi Direct |
| Wireless Charging | No |
| Operating system | Android 4.1.2 (upgradeable to 4.2), Sense 5 UI |
DISPLAY
We praised the One Xs 720p S-LCD2 display when it first showed up on the scene last spring, and there was even more to love a few months later when the Droid DNA came out with a 1080p S-LCD3 panel. Having built up this much momentum, we werent expecting anything less than the absolute best from the One. And on paper, certainly, it doesnt disappoint: the One features the same number of pixels as the DNA, except theyre crammed into a 4.7-inch screen (4.65 inches, to get technical). For the pixel density fanatics out there, this means the One offers an incredible 468 ppi. The setup sounds great on paper, but how does it translate into real life?
To be honest, the display is the area in which we feel the most nitpicky, because the 1080p panels weve seen on other flagships so far feature simply jaw-dropping quality. And to pick up on minute differences between these incredible displays, youd have to really start splitting hairs. In particular, 1080p displays dont offe
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To be honest, the display is the area in which we feel the most nitpicky, because the 1080p panels weve seen on other flagships so far feature simply jaw-dropping quality. And to pick up on minute differences between these incredible displays, youd have to really start splitting hairs. In particular, 1080p displays dont offe
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