A new era of Windows Phone is finally upon us, and HTC is leading the pack with their flagship smartphone: the Windows Phone 8X. Designed to be more compact than the Lumia 920 but equally high-end, the 8X introduces a different yet compelling style to HTC's lineup of devices. We couldn't resist going hands-on.

It's not just about the exterior either, because for the first time manufacturers of Windows Phones can actually introduce hardware that's relevant in the modern and ever-changing phone market. The HTC 8X includes a 720p display and a Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, which finally allows it to compete on-paper with the latest Android behemoths and deliver high-quality components to consumers.

Specifications

Internally, the Windows Phone 8X shares a lot of things in common with the One XL: there's a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chipset with 1 GB of RAM; 8 megapixel rear camera with ImageChip technology, f/2.0 lens and BSI sensor; NFC and LTE (in some models). Also, the 4.3-inch Super LCD 2 display at 1280 x 720 is very similar to the 4.7-inch version in the One XL.

Yet while many things are similar, many things are different as well. we don't fully understand why there's only Bluetooth 3.1 in the HTC 8X when the One XL gets the newer Bluetooth 4.0, and a more pressing issue is why the maximum available storage is 16 GB with no microSD card slot. On the better side, the 8X receives a 2.1 MP front-facing camera with an ultra-wide angle lens which makes quite a difference.

Read the complete review.
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