HTC One S Review: Head-To-Head With The One X And iPhone 4S

Jordan Crook

Jordan Crook studied English Literature at New York University before entering the tech space. Prior to joining TechCrunch, Crook dabbled in mobile marketing and mobile apps as well as doing device reviews for MobileMarketer and MobileBurn. Crook is fascinated with alternative energy production and greentech. She is now a writer for CrunchGear. Hello → Learn More

Sunday, April 22nd, 2012
Screen shot 2012-04-22 at 2.02.05 PM

I’ve been fiddling around with the HTC One S for a few days now, and I have to say it’s stolen a little piece of my heart. The hardware is just about perfect, with a 4.3-inch qHD display and a slender aluminum unibody shell, and software like HTC’s Sense 4 overlay and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich only sweeten the deal.

But, as per usual, there’s plenty to consider out there. The wide world of mobile only grows wider by the second, with hot new phones launching left and right. Just today, Sprint’s Galaxy Nexus and the LG Viper landed on store shelves, and lest we forget that the iPhone 4S is ready and waiting while the One X is mere days away.

So many options.

To help, we’ve put the One S up against it’s greatest competitors, the HTC One X and the iPhone 4S, in a spec showdown. Who will come out on top? Well, my dear readers, that ball is in your court.

Admittedly, the One S has lesser specs than both the One X and the iPhone 4S, but it makes up for these inadequacies in the little things. And it’s the little things that count, right?

The iPhone 4S has the superior display, to be sure, and the One X is a close second to Apple’s precious in terms of ppi, but there’s something to be said for screen size. The 4.3-inch display on the One S is juuust right, as Goldilocks would say, and the phone feels super comfortable in the hand.

This is because HTC found a way to walk that fine line between being lightweight and feeling cheap. It’s quietly brilliant.

Of course, the brilliance of iOS can’t be had on the One S, nor can Apple’s premium design or 64GB of onboard storage. But maybe Apple isn’t your favorite flavor.

Might I suggest the One X? Especially if you’re an AT&T loyalist — the One S is only available at T-Mobile for the time being. This phone is for the giant-handed Android fan who appreciates a solid design and a well-spec’d device.

Luckily, pricing is about the same across the board here, so it really comes down to what suits you best.

What’ll it be, guys?


Company: HTC
Website: htc.com
Launch Date: 1997

HTC Corp, (TAIEX: 2498) produces smartphones running the Android and Windows Phone 7 operating systems for themselves and as an OEM to other manufacturers. Since launching its own brand in late 2006, the company has introduced dozens of HTC-branded products around the world. The company recently introduced the HTC diamond to compete with Apple’s iPhone. Founded in 1997 by Cher Wang, Chairwoman, and H T Cho - former CEO who is a chairman now, HTC made its name as...

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