HTC One X vs Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Introduction:

A lot of users out there who are considering buying the new HTC One X are probably wondering if it's really better than the Galaxy Nexus, which is a device that has an almost identical footprint. Well, of course a lot of users will be torn between these two powerhouses, seeing that they feature displays that are almost exactly the same in terms of size, and both run Android 4 ICS, although in a slightly different form. But never fear! We're here to compare these two beasts and see which one gains the upper hand!


Design:

It doesn't come as a surprise that the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy Nexus are about the same size. After all the X has a 4.7” screen and the Nexus – a 4.65” one. However, Samsung's device is significantly more comfortable to hold, due to the fact that it's slightly narrower and doesn't have the sharp side edges of the One X.

The sides of the HTC One X (right, bottom) and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus (left, top)

When it comes to materials and construction, though, the One X is much better, as it uses a higher-quality type of plastic, compared to the cheapo one of the Nexus. Yeah, the Nexus allows you to remove the back cover and battery, but that's not really a great benefit considering the more solid build of the One X.


Display:

As we said, the displays of both handsets are about the same size, and the little difference is actually unnoticeable. Resolution is also the same – 720x1280 pixels, so image clarity and overall readability are great on both phones. There are some fundamental differences, though. While the Galaxy Nexus uses the Super AMOLED technology, the One X has decided to stick around in LCD territory. However, HTC has made some tweaks to the good-old LCD technology, introducing some improvements and naming it Super-LCD 2. The result of all this? The screen of the One X is much brighter and vivider compared to the one of the Nexus. To top it off, the One X also has the more natural-looking colors.

HTC One X View:

Samsung GALAXY Nexus View:

HTC Titan II Review

Introduction:

It was not too long ago that we were introduced to the massive 4.7” display on the HTC Titan and we came away overall impressed, though not blown away by the device. HTC and AT&T obviously read our review and were heartbroken, so they rushed an upgraded product to market in hopes of pleasing us. Just over four months after the release of the Titan, we now have the Titan II. The Titan II should probably be named the Titan 4G, because the only real difference between the two is the inclusion of LTE and the impressive bump from an 8MP camera to 16MP. Are these changes enough to appease us? Read on to find out…

Design:

Laid side-by-side you’d have an almost impossible time distinguishing this new Titan from the original from the front. Both feature the large 4.7” super-LCD display with the standard Windows Phone buttons, an earpiece and not much else. The backs are more distinguishable; the Titan II has a more refined design with curved lines that are reminiscent of HTC’s Android offerings. The bottom door is better integrated into the design and no longer looks out of place. Still, it only gives you access to the SIM slot and the battery remains fixed. One perplexing note, removing that door powers down the device.

The HTC Titan II feels good in the hand and we have no concerns about its build quality

You can compare the HTC Titan II with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The Titan II retains the same layout around the phone as the original: the power button and 3.5mm headphone jack are at the top, the volume rocker and camera button are on the right side and the microUSB port on the left. There are dual mics, the main one at the bottom and a noise cancelling one up top. Button travel and feedback are ok, we’d prefer a bit more of both but we didn’t have any issues operating them.

For as large as the HTC Titan II is, it actually fits in our hand pretty well. Obviously it’ll be a bit wide for those with smaller hands, but in our medium hands it fit comfortably. The back appears to be plastic all the way around, but feels very good and is coated with HTC’s excellent soft touch coating.

The 3.5mm jack and power button are on the top	The volume rocker and camera button on the right	The microUSB port is on the left

Though the differences are small, we appreciate the redesign that went into the HTC Titan II. From the back it simply looks more grown up than the Titan. The phone feels comfortable in the hands and slides into your pocket easily. The Titan II is crafted with the attention to detail that we’ve come to expect from HTC and we have no concerns about the build quality. Without a doubt, it is one of the better looking Windows Phone devices you can buy.

The 16MP shooter on the back

Display:

The S-LCD display itself is very crisp and responsive, and is very likely the same panel we saw with the Titan. Partially thanks to the flat colors and contrasting design nature of Windows Phone, we were easily able to use the phone even in bright, direct sunlight. With a resolution of just 480x800 it is obviously not on par with the qHD, HD and Retina displays available on many other devices out there, but it still delivers a respectable ~200ppi.

HTC Titan II View:

Display comparison: HTC One X vs iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, LG Nitro HD, Samsung Galaxy S II

A display can either make or break a handset, which is why we often take the cream of the crop of the smartphone world for a thorough screen examination. Just recently, we got to review the HTC One X, and that gorgeous Super-LCD 2 display left us with a pretty good impression. That is why we decided to put it against a quartet of modern smartphones in order to see how it compares. The contenders we chose were the iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, LG Optimus LTE (which is pretty much identical to the LG Nitro HD for AT&T), and the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Now, all of these five smartphones have pretty good displays, but only by pitting them against each other we can tell which one has the best screen of all. So without further ado, let us begin by taking a look at the display specs for each device:

 

Outdoor visibility

It is a bright, sunny day here, which is perfect for the goal of this article! Sure enough, we took the five handsets outside and put them side by side to see which one delivers the best results under broad daylight. Without a doubt, the HTC One X grabs the top spot in this category as its Super-LCD 2 panel noticeably outshines the rest, but the IPS-LCD display on the iPhone 4S is almost as good when it comes to outdoor visibility. The IPS-LCD display on the Optimus LTE and the Super AMOLED Plus panel on the Samsung Galaxy S II are usable as well, as long as they are not reflecting the sun rays directly towards the user's face. However, with them the drop in contrast is more evident. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus may not be impossible to use under such conditions, but its Super AMOLED HD screen is definitely the worst performer among the bunch. 

Resolution

Since four out of the five displays that we are comparing have resolutions exceeding the 300ppi milestone, it is really hard to pick a clear winner in this category. The fact of the matter is that even the finest of text is just as easily legible on the screens of the One X, iPhone 4S, and Optimus LTE. The Galaxy Nexus has a display with a PenTile pixel arrangement, which makes tiny text slightly jagged, but in reality that hardly makes any difference as it is barely noticeable. Same is the case when viewing graphics – individual pixels on these four devices' displays are nearly impossible to distinguish as they blend together creating picture-perfect visuals. Only the display on the Samsung Galaxy S II lags behind with its relatively low pixel density of 215ppi. Don't get us wrong for this WVGA Super AMOLED Plus screen is still more than okay for the average Joe, but it is far from what the most demanding users would expect to get nowadays. 

Close-up photos of the five displays (100% zoom)

Color reproduction

Determining which one of these displays delivers the best colors is a bit tricky. After all, some people prefer the punchy colors of AMOLED displays, while others prefer more neutral tones. Still, if precise and natural color representation is of importance, the Super-LCD 2 panel on the HTC One X and the IPS-LCD display on the iPhone 4S hold the top spot. Colors on the One X's screen might seem slightly more saturated than what we would classify as neutral, but that is what makes photos and graphics come to life. On the other hand, when put next to the HTC One X, the colors on the iPhone 4S's screen look slightly washed out, but not too much and still classify as natural.

The IPS-LCD on the LG Optimus LTE has a pretty neutral color reproduction as well and is nearly as good as the aforementioned two, although whites tend to look a bit grayish. As for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II, colors on their displays look impressive, but way too unnatural due to the excessive saturation that AMOLED panels are associated with. Also, whites on the Super AMOLED Plus panel of the Galaxy S II appear slightly blueish. One thing that we have to admit, however, is that these two AMOLED screens excel when it comes to displaying black, although the Super-LCD 2 panel is almost as good at that, followed by the IPS-LCD displays on the iPhone 4S and LG Optimus LTE.

The five displays viewed at a 90-degree angle. Note that each display has been photographed individually

Viewing angles

When viewing angles are concerned, the two Super AMOLED panels have the upper hand, although they are not leading by miles. They retain their brightness levels fairly well even when tilted to the extreme, but at the expense of color accuracy. The Super-LCD 2 screen on the One X, however, is nearly as good for it remains clearly visible even when viewed at a very steep angle, and the shift in color hue is minimal to non-existent. The IPS-LCD panels on the iPhone 4S and the LG Optimus LTE do not disappoint either, but they are still no match for the competition.

The five displays viewed at an angle from below. Again, each display has been photographed individually

Conclusion

If we say that the Super-LCD 2 panel on the HTC One X is currently among the best ones out there, we won't be mistaken. There simply isn't anything bad that we can say about it, and we are more than happy with its real life performance. Colors on it look great, using it outdoors is nothing to worry about, and its viewing angles are way above the average. At the same time, it is impressive to see that the IPS-LCD display on the iPhone 4S does not trail far behind despite being around for over a year and a half. What we like about it is the accurate color reproduction and high pixel density, which when put together result in a symphony for the eye.

The IPS-LCD screen on the LG Optimus LTE and the Super AMOLED HD display Samsung Galaxy Nexus deserve to be honored as well for delivering a high level of image detail. Still, we wish that the former had better reproduction of whites, and that the latter was easier to use outdoors. And as for the Samsung Galaxy S II and its Super AMOLED Plus panel, we still remember how excited we were when we saw it in person for the first time, but it becomes evident how quickly it is now being overtaken by more advanced display technologies. Exaggerated colors are getting old and its pixel density is nothing to brag about nowadays.

HTC One X vs HTC One S

Introduction:

With its new One lineup of Android 4.0 handsets, HTC said it aims to achieve a more focused and distinct portfolio of handsets, rather than spreading efforts over many names with unconvincing differences in hardware and design – a strategy that proved wrong in 2011 with the Sensation line.

The One series includes the HTC One X, One S and One V – simple, easy to remember naming scheme, which will be marketed under the One brand, and in fact HTC launched its biggest PR campaign ever for it.

With the current comparison we want to help with the choice most HTC aficionados will face when looking at the One series – should I get the HTC One X flagship, or the upper mid-range One S? We leave the One V out, since its entry level status makes it an easy budget-friendly pick.

HTC has the newest Sense 4.0 interface on both the One X and the One S, so we'd mainly focus on the design and performance of those two. Which is the One for you? Read on our comparison to find out...

Design:

HTC is clearly experimenting with modern chassis materials with the One X and One S, and the polycarbonate unibody logically went to the larger One X, keeping its weight in check. We first saw this material introduced in the Nokia N9, then the Nokia Lumias, and now HTC is following suit. The advantage, besides flexibility, durability and light weight, is polycarb's deep coloration, so even if you scratch it, the body underneath is the same color. 

HTC is clearly experimenting with modern chassis materials with the One X (left) and One S (right)

Does polycarbonate achieve its goal in the One X? Well, let's just say that the 4.3” aluminum Sensation from last year weighs 5.22 oz (148 g), the 4.3” plastic Sony Xperia S from this year weighs 5.08 oz (144 g) , while the 4.7” HTC One X weighs just 4.59 oz (130 g). 

The One X the lightest handset for a screen of this size, and also very thin at 0.35” (8.9mm), but can by no means be called compact. It's long and wide, and pretty hard to operate with one hand, as all big screen phones are. It lies pretty well in the palm, though, thanks to its slightly curved chassis.

The One S, on the other hand, is one of the most compact 4.3-inchers we've ever handled, and certainly usable with one hand due to is narrower elongated profile, allowing your thumb to reach almost everywhere on the screen. It is HTC's thinnest smartphone to date, and despite its metal chassis weighs as much as the Galaxy S II, which is all-plastic and the same screen size.

Moreover, the blue anodized aluminum gradient, or the black ceramic metal coating versions of the One S certainly send a more premium feel to your senses than when holding the HTC One X white or black polycarbonate body. Both phones exude a premium build quality, though, with no creaks or crevices, and have easy to feel and press side buttons. 

The sides of the HTC One X (bottom) and HTC One S (top)

Both fronts sport a waterfall design, where the bezel of the display seemingly falls off uninterrupted to the sides, but it is an optical illusion, and the phones actually have the usual wide bezels and slightly recessed screens.

The HTC One X and One S have the same 8MP camera module with LED flash and proprietary HTC ImageChip DSP that powers it on their backs. Both also carry the unfortunate trend of major phone makers to seal the battery compartments and deprive the phones of microSD card slots. Still, the different price categories HTC has put the One X and One S in warranted a 16GB internal memory upgrade for the One X – it has 32GB vs the 16GB on the smaller One S.

HTC's new premium phones also only take micro-SIM cards, with the One X providing a pin in the box to help you withdraw the tray on its back, and the One S micro-SIM slot having a latching mechanism for the card under a removable plastic section on its upper back.

Displays:

The HTC One X has one big advantage before the One S, and it is the 4.7” display. It's easily the most radiant big high-definition LCD screen we've encountered to date, and a pleasure to look at. It is a second generation Super LCD of Samsung's make, with technology similar to IPS, sports way more accurate colors than the One S, has excellent viewing angles, and to top it all off, is very bright as well, helping with outdoor visibility.

It is also with normal RGB matrix arrangement, unlike the PenTile AMOLED display on the One S, which makes certain elements look pixelated. The smaller 4.3” display also sports lower 540x960 pixels resolution, but it still results in 256ppi pixel density. This is smaller than the 720p screen on the One X, but still above average and enough for everything thrown at it, including reading smaller text. 

The AMOLED display has much wider than the standard color gamut, resulting in way oversaturated colors, which seems a bit off in the interface, but thoroughly enjoyable when watching movies, for example. Don't get us wrong – the screen on the HTC One X also sports a very good contrast ratio for an LCD and accurate gamut, but it's hard to beat the true blacks and jolly colors of the AMOLED displays.

The AMOLED screen on the One S, however, is plagued by the same cold colors that most OLED displays of Samsung's make exhibit, with white rapidly deteriorating into a very blueish tint here when the screen is tilted further from 30 degrees or so. It compensates with high brightness and very good outdoor visibility, which is almost on par with the One X.

HTC One X 360-degrees view:

HTC One S 360-degrees view:

HTC One S vs Apple iPhone 4S

Introduction:

Here we go, folks, the battle of the “S”-es – the new HTC One S in the blue or black corner, and the iPhone 4S in the black or white corner. This may leave us with two black corners, though, and it's exactly the dark metal ceramic version of the One S we have now, so the fight will be based entirely on merits, rather than color preference.

We kid, since one thing is missing from HTC's phone to go head-to-head with the iPhone 4S in terms of specs, and it is pixel density, while it exceeds in other geeky stuff like processor clock and operating memory. The iPhone's iOS and Android have different resource needs, though, so we'll judge mainly on design, interface performance and camera quality, leaving the application stores aside.

With the new trend of higher-end Android devices coming with sealed batteries and non-expandable memory, just like the iPhone has been from day one, another Android differentiation is lost compared to it, so who will take over the ARM wrestling match? Read on our comparison to find out...


Design:

Apple's iPhone 4S has a unique steel-and-glass casing, which is yet unmatched by other manufacturers, even though this chassis is the same as the previous iPhone edition from 2010. It leaves a very premium feeling in the hand, with the downsides being that it makes the phone comparatively heavy, with sharp edges, and more prone to shatters and scratches than run-of-the-mill materials.

The HTC One S (right) and the Apple iPhone 4S (left)

The HTC One S, on the other hand, sports two very distinct chassis materials – a blue-grey version with the more ordinary anodized aluminum, and the black version we have. Blacky is coated in a metal ceramic fusion obtained by zapping the aluminum frame with 10,000 volts, which results in oxidized metal that is three times stronger than stainless steel. This is making the phone very rigid and durable, but have no doubts that if you key it with a vengeance, marks will be left, this is no adamantium.

In terms of comfort, both phones lie well in the hand, with the iPhone leaving a more “edgy” feeling than the rounded corners and tapered back on the One S. HTC's handset is one of the most compact 4.3” phones we've handled, and is thinner than the iPhone 4S, but for smaller palms one-handed operation with the iPhone will come much easier since its screen size is 3.5”, and the whole phone is shorter and a tad narrower than the One S, so your thumb can reach everywhere.

The HTC One S (bottom) and the Apple iPhone 4S (top)

Displays:

The displays on both phones are pretty different in both size and tech. We have the 3.5” Retina Display on the iPhone 4S, with its IPS-LCD technology and 640x960 resolution, meaning 326ppi pixel density, good colors, wide viewing angles, and high brightness.

The 4.3” AMOLED display on the HTC One S sports 540x960 pixels of resolution, which not only results in lower pixel density than the 4S, but since it is done with the PenTile matrix arrangement, the honeycomb structure of the dots makes some elements appear pixelated. Nothing you'd notice unless deliberately looking for it, though.

What they will notice are the oversatured colors on the display, which go way above the standard gamut, and the cold images, making white appear blueish compared to the iPhone 4S. AMOLED has other advantages, like wider viewing angles and deep blacks, hence extremely high contrast ratio. This comes in handy when watching movies, and the AMOLED screens draw much less energy then, compared to displaying white backgrounds during browsing, while for LCD ones this doesn't matter.

HTC One S View:

Drag the picture or use the keyboard arrows to rotate the phone. Double click or press keyboard Space to zoom in/out

Apple iPhone 4S View: