Absolute power
Review of the two most powerful smartphones in India to answer which quad-core
handset is the one for you
HTC One X
It’s big. It’s beautiful. And on paper, its
hardware specs promise pure, unbridled power. But does the HTC One X
justify its premium pricing? To begin with, this smartphone is easily one
of the better-looking gadgets we’ve seen yet. Its polycarbonate unibody not
only makes it sturdy, but also gives it a classy look while keeping its
weight down to just 130 grams – this, despite its huge size.
The One X uses HTC’s proprietary user interface
called Sense, which doesn’t employ onscreen buttons like other Android 4
phones. Instead, the device has three touchsensitive buttons—home,
multitasking and back—under its almost edge-to-edge 4.7-inch screen.
Aesthetically, Sense is elegant and boasts of lovely animations and
graphics, such as its view of all open program windows (during
multi-tasking) in the form of a stacked deck of cards.
Performance-wise, the phone is snappy: Scrolling is
smooth, and there is zero lag in pinch-to-zoom while web browsing. GPS
locks in an instant and apps are installed or launched quickly. Best of
all, despite its top-of-the-line performance, the phone’s battery lasts a
little over 12 hours when used on 3G.
To sum it up, the One X is a fantastic phone. Yes,
it costs a lot and it has its relatively minor flaws. But then it is one of
the few smartphones that comes tantalizingly close to perfection. Pros: The
720p Super LCD screen on the One X is one of the best to be seen on a
phone: The text looks crisp on the display, while the colours are bright
and vivid. And then there’s the quad-core Tegra 3 processor that smoothly
carries out whatever task you might throw at it, whether 3D gaming, FullHD
movies, multitasking or even multi-tab browsing. Cons: On the
downside, the device’s 8MP camera output lacks detail and sharpness, and
the colours tend to appear slightly oversaturated. In low light, however,
the One X is an able shooter, producing pictures with less noise in
situations where most other smartphones fail. And then, size could be an
issue for people with smaller hands, making singlehand operations almost
impossible. Specs: 4.7-inch capacitive touchscreen (1280x720 pixels
resolution) | 1.5GHz Tegra 3 quad-core processor | 1GB RAM | 32GB memory |
8-megapixel camera, 1080p FullHD video recording | 1.3MP front-facing
camera, 720p HD video recording | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi Direct,
NFC | 1800 mAh battery | Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich, HTC Sense UI Price:
Rs 42,999
Samsung Galaxy S III
Its predecessor, the S II, had redefined the
Android smartphone and there were expectations that the Galaxy S III would
do the same. The device is finally here. But does it justify the hype?
When it comes to fabrication, Samsung has used lots of plastic. Still, the
gadget feels solid to hold and has a nice premium feel to it. We only hope
that the gloss does not wear off the body over time. Also, unlike the
somewhat straight-line design of the S II,
the new Galaxy looks curvier and feels better to handle.
Now, the South Korean company has definitely not
skimped on hardware: The quad-core processor humming under the hood is a
workhorse and delivers on every practical level, whether multimedia output,
gaming or multi-tasking. Its 720p Super AMOLED screen looks fantastic and
its colours look bright and vivid. In short, it is in sync with what’s
expected in a phone of this pedigree.
And then there is this new feature called Smart
Stay that uses the front-facing cam to track eye movement and accordingly
keeps the screen unlocked if the user is staring at it.
On the other hand, S Voice – an artificial
intelligence voice-based software (like its iPhone counterpart Siri) – is more
of a gimmick; while Smart Alert, a utility that lets a user know about
missed calls and messages, seems quite unnecessary.
But if you’re looking for a device that does almost
all those tasks that only your desktop PC could do till a few years ago,
then this phone is definitely one of the top two contenders in the market
today.
Pros: The S III boasts of stellar camera
performance, as pictures and videos shot with the device look detailed and
sharp. In fact, its one of the best shooters we have seen in a mobile
device. Another great feature of this new Galaxy is its battery. When used
with 3G, in normal to high usage (including web browsing, email, social
networking, casual gaming and photography) it allows for 14 to 16 hours on
a single charge.
Cons: Although it looks and feels good, we would prefer if Samsung
moved away from the glossy plastic finish that has come to define its
flagship products. Secondly, its Touchwiz interface—although packed with
features that, for example, allow you to toggle 10 settings through the
notification bar—lacks the finesse of HTC’s Sense. And yes, this device is
as large as the One X, so it could be an issue for people with smaller
hands.
Specs: 4.8-inch capacitive touchscreen (1280x720 pixels resolution)
| 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 processor | 1GB RAM | 16GB memory| Support
for 62GB microSD card | 8MP camera, 1080p FullHD video recording | 1.9MP
front-facing camera, 720p HD video recording | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS,
Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, NFC | 2100mAh battery | Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich,
Touchwiz UI
Price: Rs 43,180
HEAD TO HEAD
If you are looking for the best smartphone, it is inevitable that you will
consider either the One X or the Galaxy S III. And the gap is virtually
non-existent between these top two devices. Where the One X scores: If
you want a beautiful device with a more streamlined and intuitive
interface, pick the One X. The HTC phone also has more default storage
packed in. Where the Galaxy S III scores: For a better camera and
battery life, the Galaxy S III is the way to go. Also, it gives enough
control to the user, be it in changing the battery, using a microSD card
for additional storage, or modding and customizing your phone for
tinkerers.
What TOI ratings mean
Below 5: The product is poor and doesn’t offer the experience it
promises. 5 and 6: The product works as advertised. It is
functional. 7: The product is good; will not disappoint the buyer. 8:
The product is very good; super value for money. 9: The product
is exceptional. 10: You’re kidding, right?
Quad-Core vs Dual-Core: What should you buy?
A quad-core is the equivalent of running four processors, while a
dual-core is the equivalent of running two processors. Needless to say,
quadcores are faster and definitely more future-proof. But do you really
need that extra speed?
If you are a power user who loves 3D gaming and if
your multi-tasking has brought your smartphone to its knees, then the
quad-cores won’t disappoint you.
If your needs are average, such as some light gaming,
watching FullHD videos, web browsing, social networking, and basic
photography, most dual-core phones will have you covered. Be aware, though,
that future OS updates might be an issue.
Javed Anwer
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