HTC One X9 Assessment

I’ve at all times had a cushy spot for HTC. The corporate produced the primary Android handset, which was once my access into the fantastic global of smartphones and an ideal piece of {hardware} in its personal proper. Extra just lately, I used to be inspired with the HTC 10, their present flagship and an actual go back to shape that places them in an ideal role to head in opposition to another best contender.

Then again, I have by no means been inspired with HTC’s mid-range choices. Telephones within the $300 to $400 bracket want compelling {hardware} or tool to face out, in particular in opposition to older flagships that so incessantly occupy those worth issues. I have hardly ever observed a telephone from HTC — or another producer for that topic — that meets this standards.

The One X9 is a vintage instance of a mid-range handset. It has marginally higher {hardware} than finances choices – a 5.5-inch 1080p show, a MediaTek Helio X10 SoC, 32 GB of garage, a 13-megapixel digicam with OIS, and a steel construct – but it surely simply does not do sufficient for the associated fee. It isn’t a horrible telephone, however it is just too dear.

HTC has used top class fabrics all through the One X9, which I have now come to be expecting of a mid-range handset, however the result’s a tad cluttered and lacks the sleekness observed in different HTC designs.

The design seems busy. At the again there are antenna traces and an atypical plastic panel for the digicam that does not cohere smartly with the steel rear. This brushed aluminium again wraps across the edges very similar to a unibody design, however that is marred via a skinny, glossy plastic rim. The 2 audio system at the entrance panel are not built-in into the design smartly and stand out in a foul means.

I in reality dislike evident misaligned components, and the HTC One X9 has a number of of the ones. At the proper hand facet, which is the place you can to find the ability and quantity buttons, the nano-SIM slot quilt is not aligned with the buttons it sits beside. At the entrance, the digicam, sensor array, and HTC brand are all other heights which ends up in a jarring glance.

I do not be expecting each and every smartphone to be as smartly designed as the most efficient high-end gadgets, however I do wish to see no less than some consideration to element in a mid-range product. HTC hasn’t proven this right here, which ends up in a sloppy design.

There are some certain sides even though. The calmly brushed aluminium again panel seems excellent in isolation, and it is a ways higher than any plastic design. Sadly, HTC has lined the steel so it does not have the similar nice texture as different steel our bodies. Possibly that is to give protection to the frame to a better extent.

I just like the inclusion of stereo entrance dealing with audio system, despite how they appear. There’s no higher solution to revel in multimedia content material and video games on a smartphone than with audio system that time against your ears. The speaker high quality is above reasonable, and the height quantity is excellent, too, so HTC has controlled to pack in a good audio revel in right here.

The One X9 features a 5.5-inch show in a rather relaxed design, even if one-handed usability is reasonably compromised as you’ll be expecting. At 8mm skinny and 170 grams, the telephone feels dense on your palms alternatively bezels to the facet of the show are a decent length that assists in keeping the massive show inside achieve.

Underneath the show is a row of capacitive navigation buttons in the proper order with the proper Android purposes. This assists in keeping the show freed from on-screen buttons for optimum display screen actual property. Alongside the ground fringe of the telephone is a micro-USB port for knowledge transfers and charging, and on best a three.5mm headphone jack. Possibly the only factor lacking from the One X9 is a fingerprint scanner, which we are beginning to see in mid-range handsets.

There are two slots at the One X9 on reverse aspects. The smaller one at the proper is for the nano-SIM, and the bigger at the left is for the microSD card. Each are slots lined via flaps moderately than trays; I favor trays as they’re much less fragile, even though it is not a major problem.