HTC One VX Review

Introduction:

Balancing out its offerings, veteran smartphone maker HTC recently introduced its entry-level device in the HTC One VX for AT&T. The One VX is aimed to give basic end users something to drool about without being much of a bothersome in the wallet. Sure, it’s not an intimidating tour de force like some of the Taiwanese based company’s arsenal, but regardless of that, let’s just hope it can at least give some value to entry-level minded consumers without sacrificing a whole lot in terms of features and performance.

The package contains:

• microUSB cable
• Wall Charger
• Quick Start Guide
• Safety and Regulatory Guide

Design:

Unlike the majority of smartphones under the $50 threshold, the HTC One VX sports a design that’s not only pleasant, but employs some of the distinctive design elements akin to the company’s line of One-branded smartphones. For starters, we like that it has a good balance between comfort in the hand and a decent build quality. At first glance, it would seem as though it’s rocking a metallic trim of some kind, but in fact, it’s nothing more than an aluminum painted plastic trim that’s sturdy and clean looking. For an entry-level thing, we appreciate all of its fine qualities.



You can compare the HTC One VX with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Being an ICS device, it’s sporting the usual trio of Android capacitive buttons below its display, which are thankfully sufficiently spaced from one another to reduce accidental presses. Above the display, though, we spot its earpiece light/proximity sensors, and VGA 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera – the latter of which can shoot videos in up to VGA (640 x 480) resolution.

You’d think that HTC would’ve focused on putting some distinctive physical buttons on its smartphones by now, but we continue to see the same flat buttons on the One VX. Aside from the power button and volume control around its trim, we also find its noise-cancelling mic, 3.5mm headset jack, standard mic, and microUSB port for charging/data connectivity.

Flipping it over, we’re greeted to its 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, which also has the ability to record video in 1080p. Looking towards the bottom edge of its rear, microdots line up in unison to make out its speaker grill. And if you can’t tell from the name stamped on there, the HTC One VX features Beats Audio support. Prying off the plastic rear cover, we’re given access to its nanoSIM and microSD slots. Interestingly, the 1,800 mAh battery isn’t something that can be removed by the user.


Display:

Amazingly, we no longer need to tolerate tiny and low-res displays with entry-level smartphones, as many recent offerings have shown us. However, the HTC One VX surely goes super-size with its larger-than-normal 4.5” qHD 540 x 960 Super LCD-2 display, which whips up a respectable pixel density of 245 ppi. Even though it suffices for more things, the larger size of its display causes fine details to deteriorate in a zoomed out view within the web browser. Regardless, it’s good enough for other things, especially with its good outdoor visibility, natural color reproduction, and wide viewing angles. Frankly, it might not have the stunning glow to enthrall us, but it’s pleasant enough nonetheless.