It's no secret that nearly all Android OEMs "cheat" with regard to benchmarks. By cheating, I simply mean that they inject code that is used to detect if a benchmark application is running and pump up the CPU clock speeds to obtain the best possible score.
Late last year, several manufacturers were found guilty of the practice with Samsung being the most aggressive. So when benchmarks from the new HTC One M8 hit the web, some immediately questioned the "authenticity" of the results which managed to top every competing phone - including the Galaxy S5.
As it turns out, HTC has indeed optimized the M8 for benchmarks. But according to a company representative, they don't see it as any kind of cheating but rather, a feature.
In an e-mailed statement to CNET, an HTC rep noted that for those with a need for speed, they've provided a simple way to unleash extra power by way of a new High Performance Mode. Interestingly enough, this mode is "hidden" in the developer settings and has to be enabled or disabled manually.
The rep goes on to point out that the M8 is optimized to provide the best balance of performance and battery life but they believe in offering customer choice, hence the new mode.
As if there weren't enough variables to contend with already, the inclusion of a high performance mode will only help to muddle the waters even further with regard to mobile benchmarks. Truth be told, the practice is pretty much a waste of time as it has no effect on real-world performance and is done simply to make the device look more powerful in reviews.