WP8 Gets Affordable HTC’s 8S has the lowest price tag of all WP8 phones in the market
Nokia might have a special relationship with Microsoft, but HTC was the first to showcase Windows Phone 8 devices in India. We got our hands on the red version of the phone. Does this lower price device come at the cost of performance?
PROS
- Good screen
- Good sound
- Excellent build
CONS
- No front camera
- Mediocre rear camera
- Limited apps
Price Rs. 19,200
HTC must have spent quite a few hours on the design drawing board for the 8S. The result of their efforts is a beautiful phone with a sleek and stunning design. The device has a 4-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen, with three feather touch keys under it for back, home and Bing search buttons. The volume key on the right is large and comfortable to use, as is the power button located on top. A dedicated camera button is also located on the right side of the phone. There is no front facing camera, which we found a bit strange, but it does have a 5.0-megapixel rear camera with LED flash. The overall build of the phone is solid and the matte-finished back panel that runs along the sides makes it easy to grip. Speaking of panels, you cannot remove the one on the back to remove the battery, although you can remove its lower part to insert the SIM and a microSD card.
HARDWARE: A MIXED BAG
The 8S finds itself against some very stiff competition in its price segment, and to its credit, it does come with some very decent machinery underneath that very sleek hood it has. It comes with a 1 GHz Krait dual core processor and an Adreno 305 GPU. Some might consider the RAM to be on the lower side at 512 MB, but we did not see it affecting the performance of the device. To store games, pictures and application data, the 8S carries 4 GB storage, which can be expanded with the help of a MicroSD card. The 4-inch 16 million display supports a 480 x 800 pixel resolution and is protected by Corning Gorilla glass. As for the battery it has 1,700 mAh Li-Ion non-removable battery. On the connectivity front, the phone has 3G, Wi-Fi, USB, Bluetooth and GPS.
SOFTWARE: WINDOWS PHONE 8 MAGIC!
The 8S is one of the new wave of devices featuring the latest edition of Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform – Windows Phone 8. Unlike the previous version of Windows Phone (7.5), this new version uses the full screen with the tile set by removing the arrow bar. The tile menu system works well and is practical for power users, and it works beautifully on the 8S. One can customise the tile set with ease and can quickly increase or decrease the size. The phone does not have many applications but the few it has, are useful. The office suite is good for people who like to keep their documents handy on the go, while the converter converts currencies, weight, speed, temperature, etc., across different units. And we do think that the flash light app will be handy for those needing a ray of light in dark times – it comes with three levels of LED brightness.Those looking for cloud storage will love the 7GB of Skydrive space which comes with the device.
MULTIMEDIA: GOOD SCREEN, MEDIOCRE CAMERA
The 4.0-inch display on the 8S is fine for video playback and gaming. The colours are not exceptional like the HTC ONE X+ but are good for its segment. An area in which the phone excels is sound, courtesy HTC’s Beats Audio tie up. One area where the phone does disappoint, however, is in the camera. The 5.0-megapixel shooter does not deliver very good results. Digital noise is apparent and the colours are not very vivid. Shots without flashin brightly lit rooms and surroundings, however came out fine. This is really one for those well-lit areas and sunny days.
USER EXPERIENCE: NOT BAD
The HTC 8X left us with mixed emotions. We got floored by its sleek appearance and speedy OS, but were extremely disappointed by the camera. The battery easily lasts for a day and a half, although using Wi-Fi can take a heavy toll of it. Call quality is quite good and the device charges quite briskly too. The touch experience was excellent throughout.
HTC WINDOWS PHONE 8S REVIEW RATING
The HTC 8S is definitely aimed at the younger generation with its array of colourful covers and excellent sound, courtesy Beats Audio. Yes, it is not perfect, but considering its price tag – it is by far, the most affordable Windows Phone in the Indian market- one can overlook the niggles it does have. Its closest competitor is the Nokia Lumia 820 which is retailing at around the Rs. 26,000 mark, although those willing to put up with an older version of Windows Phone can try the Nokia Lumia 800, which is available for Rs. 18,000
Looks
8
Features
8
Ease of Use
9
Performance
8
Value for Money
8
82 %
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