HTC One (M8) review

HTC One (M8

)Review

inpictures

Specs worthy of a flagship• 5-inch, full HD Super LCD3

display• 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon

801 processor• 2GB of RAM and 16GB

expandable storage• 4-megapixel UltraPixel shooter

with Duo Camera• 5MP front shooter• All-metal body• Integrated IR blaster for

universal remote capabilities• Runs Android KitKat with HTC

Sense 6• Supports the Indian LTE band

Sexy as hell, slippery as an eel

• Encased in a body made of 90 percent metal

• Brushed-metal finish in gunmetal, silver or amber gold makes it look, oh so sexy

• Top-notch build and premium feel

• Super-smooth casing is super slippery too

Prepare to turn heads (and ears)

• Standout design is very flaunt-worthy• 5-inch display means it isn’t too unwieldy to handle• Front-firing stereo speakers, aka BoomSound, ensure ample

audio levels for gaming and media

Brilliant 5-inch display

• Lovely full HD Super LCD3 display that offers a pixel density of 441ppi

• Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection• Renders crisp, natural colours that are a treat for the eyes• Wide viewing angles and very good sunlight legibility• Supports double-tap-to-wake-up

Shooting from the hip• Loaded camera interface

offers immense creative control

• One-touch access to modes like camera, selfies, Zoe, video. Dual capture and 360 panoramas

• Full manual mode lets you tweak to your heart’s content

• Control over ISO, exposure, white balance etc

• Range of real-time filters

UltraPixels live it up in dim lighting, but lose out on resolution

• Still a creature of the night – takes great low light shots

• Images leave a little something to be desired otherwise

• Pales in comparison to the shooter on the Samsung Galaxy S5, but still takes very good shots that shouldn’t disappoint

• Slightly inconsistent results at times

Fun special effects as conversation starters• Bunch of filters, frames and fun

stickers to liven up your photos• Ufocus is HTC’s answer to

background defocus, but thanks to the depth sensor, just needs a single shot to work

• Copy & Paste lets you copy a person’s image from a shot and paste it into another, all with a few taps

• Foregrounder separates the subject and the background, letting you apply different effects

• Seasons adds animated foliage to shots and lets you save results as images or videos

A lot of Sense in Android KitKat• Runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat

with HTC Sense 6 UI on top• Flat look. Sharper, crisper

fonts• Support for themes• BlinkFeed is around, placed

on the left-most side. Can be removed if you don’t want it

• Customisable app grid• App drawer doesn’t support

folders, but apps can be hidden

Motion Launch gestures add to the convenience

• A bunch of Motion Launch gestures let you access things fast

• Swipe up to unlock, swipe down for voice calling, swipe left for widget panel, swipe right for BlinkFeed – all when the device is on standby

• Pick up the phone in landscape and press the volume key to launch the camera

Plethora of preloaded apps, plus an Extreme Power Saving Mode too

• Comes with a range of preloaded stuff, including Google’s suite, HTC’s own Sense TV , Car mode and Zoe, social apps like Facebook, Twitter and WeChat, Kid Mode, Polaris Office and Fitbit

• Extreme Power Saving Mode switches to a basic launcher and turns off power-hungry options to prolong battery life

Sprints like Usain Bolt

• Top-notch specs, including a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chip running at 2.5GHz and 2GB of RAM, make it go at breakneck speed. Multitasking is smooth and even intensive games don’t display any signs of lag

• Full rage of connectivity options including Wi-Fi ac and NFC on board.• Almost 10GB of storage available to use, and you can add more too. USB

OTG is supported as well

Power socket? Who needs one?• The sealed 2,600mAh

battery may not look too beefy on paper, but keeps the One (M8) alive for a full day easily with heavy use

• Lasted 11.5 hours on our video loop battery test, with brightness and volume at 50 percent

• Power Saver mode available, apart from the more aggressive Extreme Power Saver

At a glance• 5-inch, full HD display

• 4MP primary UltraPixel Duo camera (with depth sensor), 5MP front shooter

• 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor

• Adreno 330 graphics

• 2GB RAM, 16GB expandable internal storage

• 2,600mAh battery

• Dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, NFC, DLNA, USB OTG, Wi-Fi Direct

• FM radio, IR transmitter

-• Slippery

• A tad weak on features compared to rivals

• Inconsistent camera

Pros and cons+

• Drool-inducing looks and awesome build

• Gorgeous full HD display

• Fun post-shooting camera effects

• Convenient Motion Launch gestures

• Superfast• Excellent battery life

Rs 49,900

Pricing and verdict

“The HTC One (M8) is a great choice, only let down by its inconsistent camera and a relative lack of frills when compared to nearest rivals.

However, if you’re looking for a premium device that’s speedy and offers great battery life, it won’t disappoint at all. Pretty much your only

choice if a standout design and flaunt-worthiness are at the top of your list. In short, a great blend of style and substance.”