What if you stripped the HTC One M8 from its metal body that it is so proud of. This is by far the worst thing that could happen to a top-of-the-line phone. The HTC One E8 will slap you on the face and will tell you otherwise. If anything the HTC One E8 has lost is weight. For all we can tell you right now is that the phone feels like a refreshed version of the HTC One M8. Not only physically, but this version has acquired some hardware related upgrades as well.
Well most of us think that the HTC One E8 might be a step down, but it is a powerful weapon in HTC’s arsenal. It is a more affordable flagship than the existing HTC One M8. Here are some key features and some disadvantages of the phone.
Key Features
- 5″ 1080p capacitive touchscreen with 441pi pixel density; Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Android 4.4.2 KitKat with HTC Sense 6
- 2.5GHz quad-core Krait 400 CPU; 2GB of RAM; Adreno 330 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset
- 13MP camera with f/2.2 lens, HTC Zoe mode
- 1080p video capture with HDR
- 5MP front-facing camera with BSI sensor; wide-angle f/2.0 lens; HDR; 1080p video recording
- 16GB of built-in memory; microSD card slot; 50GB of free Google Drive storage for 2 years
- Active noise cancellation with a dedicated microphone
- Front-facing stereo speakers with BoomSound and built-in amplifiers
- 2,600mAh battery; Extreme Power Saving Mode
Main Disadvantages
- No IR-port
- No 4K video recording or OIS
- Non user-replaceable battery
- No TV-out connectivity
- USB On-the-go or USB Host
For cutting the price, HTC also cut down some additional system tweeks from the HTC One E8. For example the infrared port and the upgrade in the Wi-Fi technology. Also the camera has been upgraded in this edition. And the body has been changed from metal to polycarbonate.
Design and Build Quality
Relying on its heritage, the HTC One E8 has changed itself big time. With its predecessors relying heavily on metal for the finish. HTC One M8 being constructed by 90% aluminum. The HTC One E8 has changed from metal to polycarbonate, and it suits the phone too.
Although this is a well-known fact that the all depends on the execution of the polycarbonate bodies. And the HTC One E8 has done a marvelous job in doing so.
Like the HTC One M8, the height is a bit too much to handle. But the device still handles well and one-handed operations are possible.
Controls
On the front there is the same 5-inch 1080p display with Gorilla Glass 3, dual BoomSound speakers and a 5MP front facing camera next to some traditional sensors.
The nano-SIM card slot in located on the left side of the device. The volume rocker and the microSD card slot are on the right side.
The top houses a centrally-located power/lock button. As mentioned before, it does not double as an IR-port like the HTC One M8.
The microUSB/charging port and the 3.5mm jack are located at the bottom.
Display
The HTC One (E8) features a 5″ Full HD IPS display with a pixel density of 441ppi, the same one that’s found on the HTC One (M8). It’s covered by Gorilla Glass 3 and accommodates almost permanently visible on-screen navigating buttons.
Battery Life
Has the same 2,000mAh non-removable Lithium Polymer battery as the HTC One (M8). While the M8 was able to post a respectable 71 hour endurance rating, the E8 is able to do even better.
User Interface
Camera
The camera on the HTC One E8 may not be the UltraPixel technology, but no matter. The phone serves a 13MP snapper and it does a better job than the original camera of the M8.
The camera also has a selfie mode that allows you to take stunning selfies at a single click.
HTC One E8 key test findings:
- Build quality is solid and functional, although understandably inferior to a metal unibody
- The 5-inch 1080p display of the E8 shows the same great contrast and sunlight legibility as the M8’s
- Battery life is excellent, with better standby and browsing times, but lower 3G calling than the M8
- The benchmarks are among the best we’ve seen from an HTC device, handily outperforming the M8
- The still camera performs well and is similar to the ones found on the HTC One mini 2 and the Desire 816
- Video quality is good, too. It has a 1080p@60fps mode, but doesn’t go as high as 2160p
- Audio quality is excellent
- The speakers have average loudness
- Sub-par video decoder support, and the video player does not support subtitles
Final words
The HTC One E8 is an incredible phone. A phone that is much affordable than the original phone. And I will suggest you that if you have a chance to buy the phone, buy it, enjoy it, love it!