The Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC
by Anand Lal Shimpi on September 19, 2012 11:15 AM ESTCheck out our hands on with the devices here.
At an event today in NYC, HTC unveiled its first two Windows Phone 8 devices: the Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC. Similar to Nokia's next-generation Lumia stack, HTC's Windows Phone 8 lineup includes a high-end flagship and a more affordable mainstream option.
The 8X is the new high-end device, while the 8S is its more affordable sibling. The 8X features Qualcomm's dual-core Krait Snapdragon S4 (MSM8960) running at 1.5GHz. The 8S on the other hand uses a lower clocked MSM8627 (1GHz) with a slower Adreno 305 GPU. The two phones differ in the amount of on-package DRAM (1GB for the 8X and 512MB for the 8S). Connectivity differs between the two, the 8X features LTE while the 8S is single carrier WCDMA.
Display is a big differentiator between the two devices. The 8X features a 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display, while the 8S uses a smaller 4-inch 800x480 display.
Storage is split between the two as well, with the 8X featuring 16GB of NAND on-board (no microSD card slot), and the 8S with only 4GB integrated and a microSD card slot for expansion.
HTC really ramped up its focus on the camera with the 8X. Aided by HTC's external imaging processor there's an 8MP f/2.0 rear facing camera with a 28mm lens. The front facing camera sounds pretty impressive at 2.1MP with a f/2.0 aperture and an 88-degree, ultra-wide-angle lens. The 8S features a 5MP f/2.8 camera by comparison.
Audio is also a priority for the 8X, which gets a 2.55V amplified headphone output for what promises to be a much better implementation of Beats. The 8X also features two microphones for noise cancelling duty.
The 8X features dual-band WiFi while the 8S continues its cost-reduced theme by only supporting 2.4GHz.
Colors are big in HTC's Windows Phone 8 line. The 8X is available in california blue, graphite black, flame red and limelight yellow. The 8S will come in domino, fiesta red, atlantic blue and high-rise gray. Both the Windows Phone 8X and 8S will be available starting in the beginning of November. HTC will be bringing the devices to over 150 carriers in 50+ countries. In the US we'll see these devices on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Customers in Europe will find the new HTC Windows Phone 8 lineup on Orange, O2 Telefonica, MTS, Three UK, T-Mobile and Vodafone. In Asia-Pacific markets you'll see the 8X/8S on Chunghwa Telecom, Optus, Singtel Group, Smartone, Telstra and Vodafone Australia.
The only pricing announced at this time is $199 for the Windows Phone 8X on AT&T and T-Mobile with a standard 2-year contract.
| Windows Phone 8 Devices - Physical Comparison | ||||||
| HTC Windows Phone 8X | HTC Windows Phone 8S | Nokia Lumia 920 | Nokia Lumia 820 | |||
| Height | 132.35 mm | 120.5mm | 130.3 mm | 123.8 mm | ||
| Width | 66.2 mm | 63 mm | 70.8 mm | 68.5 mm | ||
| Depth | 10.12 mm | 10.28 mm | 10.7 mm | 9.9 mm | ||
| Weight | 130 g | 113 g | 185 g | 160 g | ||
| CPU | Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz MSM8960 | Snapdragon S4 1.0GHz MSM8627 | Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz MSM8960 | Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz MSM8960 | ||
| GPU | Adreno 225 | Adreno 305 | Adreno 225 | Adreno 225 | ||
| RAM | 1GB | 512MB | 1GB | 1GB | ||
| NAND | 16GB integrated | 4GB + microSD slot | 32GB integrated | 8GB with up to 32GB via microSD slot | ||
| Camera | 8MP f/2.0 + 2.1MP f/2.0 front facing camera | 5MP f/2.8 | 8.7MP with OIS, f/2.0 + 1.2MP F/2.4 front facing camera | 8MP f/2.2 + VGA front facing camera | ||
| Screen | 4.3" 720p Super LCD 2 | 4" 800x480 Super LCD | 4.5" 1280x768 IPS LCD | 4.3" 800x480 AMOLED | ||
| Battery | Internal 6.66 Whr | Internal 6.29Wh | Internal 7.4 Whr | Internal 6.11 Whr | ||
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Aqua1ung - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
Gee, it soo looks like an iPhone that's been dipped in blue/red/yellow/etc. dye! Had it been an Android, it would've been slammed as such immediately.Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
Yes, I certainly can't tell the difference between the corners that are completely rounded on these devices and the mixed curved/sharp corners on the iPhone. The curved glass that covers most but not all of the face on the 8X and 8S definitely looks exactly like the flat, all-glass face of the iPhone; and the flat, aluminum back of the latter is nigh-indistinguishable from the curved plastic backs of the former.I sure hope you're trolling...not that you're doing a good job of it, but whatever.
Sabresiberian - Friday, September 21, 2012 - link
Umm, there''s a difference between sarcasm, irony, and trolling. I suspect Aqua is guilty of the first here (sarcasm). Interpreting it that way, it gave me a little chuckle.I mean, most people who are trolling don't start out with"Gee, . . .". People who troll want you to believe they are dead serious, and saying "Gee" doesn't connote seriousness.
;)
karasaj - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
It's hard to differentiate phones at some level... and I think just about every aspect that you can has been differentiated. The phone is curved, not "flat" or however you want to call the iphone (blocky edges in a way, both have curved corners.) The speaker strip on the top is longer, you have three capacative buttons on the bottom, not just one button. The back is definitely different, and the logo branding is different from Apple's. There's not many ways to be similar, other than they're black (but not all of HTC is)eyhk - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
No, actually it doesn't. What made you think that? A big glass screen?There are many phones that look similar to the iPhone, but HTC phones, as well as Nokia phones, are distinctively different.
Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
That "California Blue" looks sharp...too bad Nokia doesn't have something similar, 'cause specs-wise it looks like the 920 still wins out overall.karasaj - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
Well it depends on your view. The front facing camera on the 8X is much nicer, but the back camera on the Lumia is way better. So obviously this is going to depend on if you take a lot of pictures or if you skype a lot.The 8X is also tangibly lighter, but battery might take a hit because of it. Performance will be the same. The lack of extra storage might affect some, but not all (certainly not me). I haven't managed to fill up my old 8GB sim card, so 16GB will be very nice.
Old_Fogie_Late_Bloomer - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
I don't think I've used my front-facing camera on my current phone once, but I agree that if you do do things like Skype, the 8X looks very attractive. I would love to have a phone that can actually take good (without quotes around the word) pictures, so that sways me towards the 920. When you factor in the higher-capacity battery and the extra 16GB of flash memory, it would be really hard for me to go for the 8X, just for the (admittedly attractive) blue color.That being said, I'm not making any decisions without reviews. There's a lot a spec sheet can't tell you. And I still haven't ruled out the Galaxy Note II (or the SIII, or the ATIV S, for that matter).
karasaj - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
True. I think the Lumia definitely is attractive spec-wise, but also considering size/weight, the 8X wins there as well.I would probably get more use out of the front facing camera because I skype with people a lot, but I could see how a back facing camera is better for others for sure.
Reviews are also important. In hand feel and other things that can't be explained by a spec sheet make a big difference.
lowlymarine - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 - link
Size/weight is what's really holding me back on the Lumia 920. I have a Lumia 900 and I think it is already a bit too big and heavy for the screen size - it's nearly the same height and length as the 4.65"-screen Galaxy Nexus, while being thicker and heavier. Now the 920 is adding a couple extra mm on each side and yet another 25g of weight.On the other hand, it does feel like a brick in the good old Nokia way, too; I have no fear of dropping it like I do of thew current iPhones. I suppose it's academic anyways. It'll really come down to what the off-contract prices are for the various WP8 and Android flagships available in the January-February period in which I'm looking at replacing my Lumia 900, and more broadly whether WP8 takes off.