My first attempt at a review so be gentle with me guys - I’ll do my best to remain impartial as I’m definitely an HTC fanboy 
I’ve had the phone for 5 days now and still finding my way around some of the features so this is very much a ‘first impressions’ review, and as I’m not particularly technical there won’t be loads of talk about processor speeds etc., just the way the phone feels/performs in the real world. Main comparisons will be with my previous One X and the wifes Galaxy Note 11. So – here goes …..
- Out of the box – look, feel and build quality
The first thing that you notice is the build quality: aluminium and glass with zero-gap construction – this phone is HTC back to their best; superb design, top quality materials and precision build – it’s a joy to hold, it just feels right and fits the palm of your hand superbly. It really is a thing of beauty! One X – Mercedes, Galaxy Note 11 – Jaguar, the One? – Rolls-Royce.
- Set-up – synching from your previous handset
The phone has an app to bring all your content (media,contacts etc.,) from your old phone in one easy step: Over 200 images, 180+ music files,all contacts and settings transferred in about ten minutes. Works for Android (gingerbread>), Blackberry and even the ?-phone! Simples …
- Display – 4.7 inch Gorilla glass 2
Clear, sharp and as bright as you want with natural colours and rich, deep blacks – forget the PPI, that’s not what’s important in the real world – how does it look? A notable improvement over the One X and as good as anything I’ve seen. Viewing angles are exceptional and easily visible out in the sunlight (yes, it was sunny the other day!!)
- CPU – Snapdragon 600 - speed/stability etc.
Fast, smooth and snappy – apps open instantly, multitasking is dealt with swiftly with no lag or judder – the One X is slow in comparison, as is the Note. Browsing is super-fast, I can’t say how it’ll perform side-by-side with the SGS4 or the next ?-phone but at this level I doubt a mere human would be able to perceive the difference.
- OS – Android Jellybean 4.1.2 (upgradeable as and when ….)
Not a lot to say here, you all know what’s what as far as Android is concerned. Slightly disappointing that the One has not shipped with 4.2, but having said that I can hardly tell the difference between this and 4.1 (told you I wasn’t very technical) HTC assure that they are committed to releasing updates swiftly so time will tell …..
- UI – Sense 5
Most manufacturers these days will put their own skin over the OS, and Sense 5 is the latest offering in this instance. I have long been a fan of HTC sense but have to say that recently it has been getting too cluttered – Sense 5 is a welcome step away from that situation. It’s fresh and clean with fewer embedded HTC apps and a simpler appearance. Definitely works for me, but each to his own.
- Boomsound
Hate the name but the sound quality is awesome – you have to hear it to believe it! The front facing speakers above and below the screen produce a sound akin to that of a proper radio rather than a phone. Of course, that is not so good if the person behind you on the bus insists on sharing their chosen audio with the rest of the world but all things have their price……. Beats audio comes as standard and works on all media – video, audio and gaming, through the speakers and of course the earphones. The out of the box standard earphones are the best I’ve ever heard – not Dr Dre, but I would seriously doubt you would tell the difference. Let’s just say that I have given my a-JAYS one ‘phones to the wife!
- Camera – 4 ultrapixel with HTC Zoe
OK, I’m no David Bailey and don’t fully understand the tech here – I was part of the ‘more megapixels equals better images’ brigade, so I was a little sceptical about the quality of images: I am pleased to report that this scepticism was unfounded. Images are sharp, detailed and at least as good as the One X or Note 11, especially in low light situations, so HTC’s claims appear to be well founded. As for Zoe, I’m still trying to get to grips with the tech – it’s certainly smarter than I am but it appears to be a great tool, especially if you’re the type to ‘share’ your life on Facebook and the like.
- Call quality – it is, after all, a phone!
One word – superb, the best I have experienced. There is a tiny mic on the back of the handset that monitors noise levels around you, and the phone then compensates the sound levels in the earpiece and it works a treat. Everyone I have spoken to over the phone has said (when asked) that the quality at their end is great! Nuff said.
- Battery life – crucial to some
After four to five charging cycles I am pleased to report that battery life is looking very good – especially in comparison to the One X. As you can imagine I have hardly put the phone down, so with fairly heavy across the board use (although I don’t play games on the phone) the current state of charge is as follows: 48% charged, 17 hours 43 minutes on battery – wifi and synch permanently on, power saver and sleep mode off, no battery saver app in use. Pretty damn good I’d say!
- Summary
Easily the best phone HTC have produced – sleek, sexy, feels great, looks great and performs superbly. I personally feel that phones are like cars: when you get to the premium market they are pretty much all the same under the skin, it’s all a matter of personal taste. One thing I will say is this: If you are currently in the market for a high-end smartphone you have to at least get hands-on with the HTC One before you make a decision to part with your hard earned. In my humble (unbiased:smileywink:) opinion there is no better handset on the market at this time.
Phil M
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Excellent review mate and thank you for putting even more doubt in my mind over the next one I'm going for
Thanks mate - I'm sure you'll go for the S4, looking forward to your review on that
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Honestly I can't decide. I was convinced I would but then HTC bought out this wee beastie, and the Xperia Z looks tasty too 
Oh, the agony of choice
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Well done Phil, hard to believe you haven't done it before.
Very good review and the type that will be useful to potential buyers!
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Great review Phil and worth the time you invested in it. Sound a great phone so enjoy!:smileyhappy:
Great review - thanks a lot for taking the time to write this
Will definitely be pointing any unsure customers in this direction if they want to know more about the phone
