HTC 8X hands-on

Before we dive right into the nitty gritty, we have to say that HTC's press event today in the Big Apple reminded us about Nokia's shindig not too long ago. In fact, there are plenty of similarities between the two, as Windows Phones and rainbow colors were in full force. As we heard earlier today, veteran smartphone maker HTC made some noise in the Windows Phone 8 space, as they introduced the HTC 8X to the world.

Considering that the Taiwanese based company has industrial designs nailed down to the tooth, it doesn't surprise us that the 8X follows in fashion to the manufacturer's reputation. We have to admit, we're digging the new tapered styling of the handset, which at the same time, sports one attractive minimalistic figure thanks to its streamlined body, unibody polycarbonate construction, and flush buttons. Even though we appreciate the uniform looks, we're not too thrilled about the flat button – making it rather difficult to feel them out. Nevertheless, HTC seems like they're following in Nokia's footsteps by making the handset available in a variety of vibrant colored paint jobs.



Checking out its display, we're somewhat taken back at first to see this beauty sizing up with a 4.3" display – whereas before with the Titan II, they were able to bring a 4.7-inch display to a Windows Phone. Regardless of that, it's still an attractive one since it's flaunting a resolution of 720 x 1280 and some luscious looking colors thanks to the Super LCD-2 panel it's packing along. Sure, it's a pleasant looking displaying on its own, but it doesn't necessarily improve upon what HTC has done with other devices.



Inside of this fashion conscious smartphone, there's a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor calling the shots. Unfortunately though, we can't pass judgment on its performance with Windows Phone 8 running, since we are barred from looking at any piece of the software aside from the Windows Phone 8 Start screen. Still, we'd expect nothing but a peppy performance considering the processor has shown its potential on other devices.

Furthermore, HTC made sure to tout about the handset's cameras – even more when it seems as though manufacturers have been gunning to make a big improvement in this area. In the rear, there's an 8-megapixel snapper with LED flash, while a 2.1-megapixel camera is positioned on front. Interestingly enough, the two feature F2.0 lens for superior quality under low lighting situations. However, it's noted that the front-facing camera offers a wide 88-degree capture field – allowing you to get all of your friends into the shot. As much as they talked big about it, again, we're waiting to see some actual shots for ourselves to pass judgment.



Overall, the svelte and compact appearance of the HTC 8X, combined with the various colors it'll be available in, seems like a very attractive package. However, we're curious to see what additional software enhancements that HTC will make with the Windows Phone 8 experience to push it ahead of the competition (Nokia to be specific). And of course, pricing will surely play a crucial role with this one if it aims to be the true flagship device for the mobile platform.