*** The Official HTC Windows Phone 8X (Accord) Thread ***

[Ksanti]

Tech Specs:
OS: Windows Phone 8
Dimensions: 5.21 x 2.61 x 0.40 (132.3 x 66.2 x 10.1 mm)
Weight: 4.59 oz (130 g)
Display: 4.3" 720p SuperLCD II (342PPI, Gorilla Glass 2)
Battery Capacity: 1800 mAh (sealed)
CPU: 1.5Ghz Dual core Snapdragon S4 Krait
GPU: Adreno 225
RAM: 1Gb
Storage: 16Gb, no micro SD slot
Rear Camera: 8MP f/2.0
Front Camera: Wideangle f/2.0 2.1MP
Dual audio amplifiers (for both 3.5mm jack and speakers)
CDMA:
800, 1900 MHz
GSM:
850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
UMTS:
850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz
Data:
LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s, LTE Cat3/4 Uplink 50 Mbit/s, HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, EV-DO Rev.A
Positioning:
GPS, A-GPS, Glonass



Looks very nice to me. The design looks nicer to me than that of the Lumia 920, and as it is now the Windows Phone 8 Flagship I reckon this could be a return to the front for HTC, if not passing Samsung overall certainly a good sign for their WP line. It certainly seems to me that companies are much more concerned with design for their Windows phones than Android, but that might just be me.

Slight worry in that it's just as big as the Galaxy S3 more or less, which isn't great, but a £400 launch point could make it very tempting for me.

 

[Ksanti]

^^ It'll be the same as the OneX's camera, so quality is good, low light is good, but depending on how well the IS works the 920 could feasibly be better for stationary low light stuff and video.

As for Cu3ed... This has twin audio amps, a nicer (in my, Cnet, techradar etc's opinions. They also prefer the 8X design to the 920, and they've held both unlike you) design, a proven camera (given the previous lumia cameras were terrible and afaik it's not the same one as on the 920) a 720p screen instead of WVGA among others.

Don't forget that this isn't HTC's top-end Windows phone, this is the Accord, the mid-high end phone which I think a 720p 4.3", gorgeous phone fills very nicely. We haven't seen the Zenith yet which will be their chief Ativ S/920 rival when it comes out, and seeing as the 8X already compares quite well with the 920 (which will undoubtedly be more expensive as well as being an EE exclusive), I'd say this is a very good move from HTC.

 

[Ksanti]

Torchxit I appreciate you trying to help out but at the same time you just sound like an poorly translated HTC brochure at times.

The HTC are releasing both the 8X and 8S on every carrier that will take it, I was saying that the Lumia 920 is an exclusive for Everything Everywhere when it launches, undoubtedly ramping the price up a lot.

The only exclusive on the 8X front is that the red one is a Verizon exclusive.

 

[Ksanti]

For those wondering why the Zenith hasn't been released, I reckon it's because Microsoft wanted every launch device on an Dual core S4 Krait (as announced in Q2 this year, I think) so that the initial experience is more or less the same for all of them, and HTC might want their proper flagship to be quad core and so are waiting until Microsoft will let them release a powerhouse Windows 8 phone.

 

[Ksanti]

Also personally I'm leaning towards getting the 8S, it looks very cool and though the specs are a fair way down, I'm probably just gonna get that now, and then come this time next year when my contract expires take another look at the market.

 

[Ksanti]

In pure numbers yes, but in quality it goes iPhone>Windows Phone> Android due to the limitations over what can get into the app stores and the degrees to which app manufacturers have to get apps to work on different form factors, hardware specs etc.

Also Windows 8 is getting a much bigger push than Windows Phone 7 did, presumably because Microsoft knew with WP7 they wouldn't be able to push that into being a mainstay of OSs. I'd imagine the app situation is a lot better with the push WP8 is getting. Apps obviously won't catch up in numbers but I wouldn't be surprised if all of the main apps (rather than most of them) are on Windows 8 by Q2 next year.

 

[Ksanti]

More that the Metro UI and design requirements mean that apps that would be really poorly designed on Android are kind of shoehorned into being a reasonably decent layout. The way that Metro is designed makes the phone feel a lot 'bigger' than it actually is, as you're always on a UI that actually expands over say 1500 pixels horizontally, so it doesn't feel nearly as crammed in on a 3.7" Lumia 800 than on a 3.5/3.7" Android phone. That may just be me on the 'OS feels big' point, but the poorer apps on android are really poor, whereas on WP metro means they always have a decent level of intuitiveness and design consistency.

 

[Ksanti]

I think in some regards you're right but I have a feeling it may be because Microsoft are protecting Nokia so that it retains the flagship crown for now. If HTC were to release a quad core WP8 phone it would undoubtedly grab the attention of enthusiasts (including myself) looking to try out windows phone.

Regardless I think I'll wait until christmas time, I'm happy with my S3 for now but would like to try WP8.

I'd rate Android above iOS for it's UI and ability to customise but the apps on iOS in terms of quality are still the best. The reason I want to try WP8 is that it seems to be a very complete OS. The apps may be far behind either droid/iOS but it appeals to me in some manner.

They've already announced that the HTC 8X is the flagship windows phone 8 phone, so they're not doing a great job of protecting Nokia... :/

 

[Ksanti]

There won't be a 5" HTC device at launch simply because they don't want to release a dual core flagship. WP8 won't need it but they know that many people use to quad core androids won't want to go back to a dual core as it would be a downgrade, even if performance actually gets better. The Zenith will likely be the 4.7" quad core so many seem to be waiting for, though it may actually be the rumoured 1080p device or use that screen.

Like I've said before, Microsoft and Qualcomm have said long ago that all the launch devices will be running dual core kraits.

 

[Ksanti]

Goddammit just after I order a GS3 pahaha. I'll still look out for the Zenith when my contract is up