HTC One X: Hands-on, First Impressions

Just got home from a very exciting event courtesy of HTC Philippines and Smart which was held at the Jump Center, SM Megamall. The event featured the pre-launch of the HTC One product line that boasts the hard-nosed, quad-core HTC One X and the sleek mid-range HTC One V.

But as everybody expected, the spotlights are on the One X, and for a good reason. The event was kick-started by DJ Nathan J of Wave 89.1 by giving the attendees some hint about what HTC has in store for us that evening.

He then introduced the HTC Philippines’ MarComm head Kiko Torno who provided a more in-depth explanation of how magnificent the HTC One X is and shed some light on almost all its key features.

As you may have already known, the key feature of the HTC One X is its Tegra3 1.5Ghz quad core processor placing it in the upper echelon of smartphone hierarchy. To make things more interesting, another core was included which sole purpose is to maximize every inch of the battery life making it not only powerful but efficient at the same time.

As a trend nowadays, the HTC one product line all comes pre-installed with Ice Cream Sandwich masked under HTC’s latest UI, the HTC Sense 4.0. So unlike typical Android devices in the market that has ICS on it, HTC was successful in retaining their signature feel while giving all the best that ICS has to offer. In addition, all devices under the One family will receive a royal pimping from Dr.Dre as these handset will come with Beats software to enhance listening experience.

Mr. Torno described how the One X will stand-out from the rest of the smartphones in the market in terms of camera by stating that “It’s just not about the megapixels.” To add more emphasis, he defines a great camera experience as being to capture the crispness of the color, good quality pictures regardless of the lighting conditions and the shutter speed. According to him, this is what you’d expect out of the 8MP pixel camera with smart LED Flash and BSI sensor of the HTC One X.

The camera also boasts a 28mm lens and aperture of F2.0 which makes “capturing precious moments” in any situations all the more convenient and reliable. In an exclusive interview with Mr.Torno, he mentioned that the secret to their handsets’ detailed stills and clear clips doesn’t rely on the camera alone but also to the software that controls it. The HTC ImageSense, according to him, adds more functionality to the already capable camera of their devices.

The pimped out design of the HTC One X is just fitting for its equally incredible features. The matte-finished, Polycarbonate, unibody design complemented the almost edge-to-edge curved 4.7” S-LCD screen of this smartphone. This also in turn made the phone give out a sturdy and well-built feel while holding it.

Only at 8.9mm, the HTC One X is without a doubt one of the thinnest smartphone in the market. But don’t be fooled by its seemingly fragile thinness as its Polycarbonate body and Corning Gorilla glass display should be able to withstand a good amount of beating before it gives in.

To demonstrate its rigidity, while discussing his presentation, Mr. Torno threw the HTC One X from a chest-high height to the marble ground with fair distance and lived to tell about it. I just came to know after talking to him that he can’t remember how many times he have done that incredible feat and up to this day his One X is still alive and kicking. Only goes to show how tough the exterior of this phone really is.

Here’s the HTC One X specs:
4.7″ Super LCD 2 display @ 720×1280 pixels @ 312ppi
1.5GHz quad-core NVidia Tegra 3 processor
1GB RAM
32GB internal storage
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
NFC
Bluetooth 3.0
8MP autofocus rear camera, 1080p
1.3MP front-facing camera, 720p
GPS w/ aGPS support
1800mAh Li-Polymer battery
Android 4.0 ICS
134.4 x 68.9 x 8.9mm

IMO the HTC One X, with its sturdy design, insane processing capabilities and above average camera capabilities is the real deal. HTC made sure that their new torch-bearer will be as equally endowed as its predecessor the Sensation XL and XE to handle all consumers’ needs. We’ll have more in store for you on Friday as it marks the official release of the device. So stick around.

Note: Some photos taken by DigitalSpidey.com