HTC One (M8) 4G LTE Cell Phone with 32GB Memory - Amber Gold

I got this today at my local Best Buy as an upgrade from my Moto X, which I was using as my daily driver for a while. I have been waiting for the next generation of the HTC One for a while now because I really enjoyed the original. The All New HTC One takes everything that was good about the original and makes it better. There is a larger 5" display that retains the beautiful 1080p Super LCD panel, a faster 2.3GHZ Snapdragon 801 SOC from Qualcomm, making it the fastest phone available right now. Benchmarks are amazing, showing it to be faster than speed demons like the Note 3, LG G2, and the Nexus 5, as well as the iPhone 5s. The Duo Camera is a nice feature that retains the original 4.1 UltraPixel rear camera that captures better in low light, as well as another 2.1MP sensor that adds depth and gives the ability to re-focus even after you take the shot. Sense 6.0 is a delight to use on top Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat and is a very smooth, buttery experience. Overall this is the best smartphone I have ever used and would recommend to anyone looking for a new phone.

For perspective, I'm a serious Android "power user" and have owned several high-end smartphones on Verizon (most recently a Samsung Galaxy Nexus). I considered three phones for an upgrade: the HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5; and LG G2. I quickly eliminated the G2, because it's simply too old to be competitive anymore until the new G3 begins shipping. It was a tough choice between the M8 and the S5. Both are great phones, and I don't think it's possible to say that one is "better" than the other... it's more a question of which is better for each buyer, based on the particular features you prioritize most highly. If you want every possible feature, including a much higher-resolution rear camera, fingerprint scanner, removable battery, waterproof construction, and the better known Samsung name, you'll probably lean towards the S5. So did I, at the beginning. But as I looked at each more closely and actually used them hands-on, my opinion completely changed. To begin, the M8 is much better-looking. It's all metal, and has the kind of high quality design and solid construction you'd associate with an Apple product. The S5, while improved over my Galaxy Nexus, is still all plastic. Side by side or in your hand, there's just no comparison - and I'm tired of plastic phones. You won't even want to hide it in a case! Both have great displays. The S5's is slightly larger and more saturated, as is typical with AMOLED screens. But to me, it's a bit like comparing TV's: the one that initially impresses you may not be as accurate or natural. I absolutely love the M8's display - videos and photos look quite natural and well balanced with very dark blacks, and there's more than enough brightness (I find setting it much more than halfway to be almost painful). It uses the latest Gorilla Glass, so scratching it is almost impossible - no screen protector is needed or even desirable. As to software, I've always been a "pure Android" guy - I've never liked vendor overlays like Samsung's TouchWiz or HTC's Sense because they always seem to complicate the Android user experience, and can't be turned off without rooting and installing a custom ROM. But I've been pleasantly surprised by the latest Sense 6 which I find clean and simple, and I think actually improves Android's usability to the point that I'll probably stick with it. (TouchWiz, however, seems just as cluttered as it's always been, and IMHO is a good reason to avoid Samsung phones other than Developer Editions... but to each their own.) I've seen lots of hating on the M8's rear camera. It's not quite as bad as the 4 MP spec alone suggests, because these pixels are much larger than standard and let in more light. The M8 gives very natural color, and the large-pixel design actually produces much more usable images in low light. A friend and I compared his Samsung S4 with my M8, shooting photos without flash in a dimly lit restaurant, and those from the M8 were visibly brighter. I've seen similar comments in online reviews. But I'm a photo enthusiast with a Canon DLSR, professional lenses, etc. So for me, the phone camera is secondary, and is more than good enough if I don't happen to have my Canon gear with me. However, if the phone will be your only camera and you plan to shoot lots of photos and video, the S5 would probably be a better choice. (The notable exception is for selfies, where the M8's 5 MP front camera has more than twice the resolution of the S5.) Finally, HTC's dual front mounted stereo "Boomsound" speakers and amps are just amazing, in both volume and quality. I can't believe such awesome sound can come from a device this small - it simply blows away the single tinny rear mounted mono speaker found in the S5 or most other phones. This is the first phone where I can actually play music that sounds halfway decent through the internal speakers. And those same speakers improve the volume and quality of ringtones, the speakerphone, etc. So far, I'm finding battery life to be a pleasant surprise. I can actually make it through a full day without recharging, or about 5 hours of continuous screen-on use (browsing, video, email, games, etc.) The S5's fingerprint scanner and totally waterproof case simply aren't very important to me personally. And while I'd much prefer a replaceable battery like the S5, as long as I can get a day's use without recharging, it's not such a big deal. Batteries usually last at least two years, at which point I'll be looking to upgrade again anyway. Last but not least, for the Android enthusiast and hacker: If you're committed to Verizon service (as I am), the M8 can be easily rooted with a custom recovery vs. the S5, which is locked down tighter than a drum by both Verizon and AT&T. While someone may manage to achieve root on the S5 with these carriers at some point, it hasn't happened yet - and that was a dealbreaking factor for me. The online purchasing process through Best Buy was quick and painless, and I received the phone in just a few days. Best Buy ships the phone unactivated, with the new SIM card already installed - just turn on the phone and follow the instructions. Alternatively, if you don't want to lose your precious grandfathered unlimited data plan, simply swap in the SIM card from your current phone BEFORE turning on the new one. For me, this was a huge benefit of purchasing through Best Buy online. I got my new phone at a competitive price, didn't even have to visit the store, and kept my unlimited data plan - works for me!

I was down to this and the Samsung S5. I am 3 weeks or so into this phone, but I got a chance to spend some time with a friends S5. I have to say that the S5 seems a bit more laggy to me. Granted, I have disabled all of the apps that I find useless, which may have effected the comparison. I love how HTC allows you to very simply disable and hide apps (including blink feed) without any need to actually root. The Samsung screen is certainly vivid , but honestly it is somewhat akin to the over saturated colors of filter induced postcards in my opinion. Needless to say the speakers are among the best. Honestly, I could not care less about the boom sound, as I will not be listening to music on this much. I will however be using the GPS a lot when I travel for work. The speakers really come in handy for that as well as speaker phone use for calls. The call sound quality is very good, considering that Verizon will default to the vocoder and bit rate that uses the least amount of data to conserve their bandwidth regardless on the ill affect on sound quality. The actual speaker placement for handheld use is a little odd. It is a little left of center (unlike the M7). I was concerned about this, but very quickly adapted. So many have said the camera is a deal breaker. While I must admit it is far from the best, it is noticeably better than my other friends M7, and I thought that was pretty good. If I need more definition to zoom in a pic, I will use one of my dedicated cameras. I have at this point been very satisfied with the camera. I will also say that the low light accuracy far surpasses the others I have compared it to. There are phones that have better specs on paper... there always will be a newer chip... BUT the reality is, when a phone is as peppy as this, what is the point to constantly crave the newer chip? Samsung, Moto, LG and Sony all have some awesome phones available right now. I chose the HTC for many reasons based on spending a year with my friends HTC M7. I like how HTC updates the device often and with zero negative impact. So, at this point I can very easily say this is among the best smart phones I have tried, and that is pretty much all of them. Rant over.... OK... stop reading these reviews (like I did) and just buy the thing! It rocks!!

I purchased this device the same day it was announced. I had been researching all of the leaked information prior to the announcement and knew without a doubt this was the device I wanted. HTC has really stepped up their game with the new M8. Solid construction, lightning fast speeds, and a very well thought out user interface. The device feels great in your hand. The brushed metal casing is exquisite compared to the plastic casings of most other smart phones available today. Setting the device up for first use was a breeze and the Android Kit Kat OS allows for plenty of customization to make the phone truly unique to you. This phone is my first encounter with BoomSound and Man Oh Man is it different. I've had HTC phones in the past, I've had those with increased amplifiers, Beats Audio and more, but this device really stands out above the rest. The stereo quality coming from the front of this handset while watching a movie or just listening to your own media is astounding for coming from a phone! A lot has been said to criticize the camera since it does not have a high end 13+ Megapixel shooter. Instead it only comes with a 4 Ultrapixel unit but with the larger pixels, shots in low light conditions come out great. The second camera on the back of the unit is for depth perception and really makes for a wonderful user experience. I can snap photos as often and as quickly as I can hit the button and then take time later to adjust the focus, zoom, etc for the perfect picture. Most of my photo's are shared digitally and I rarely will send a photo to the printer to be hung on the wall so the cameras equipped into this device are perfect for my own personal needs. Not to mention the 3D effects, fore-ground editing, and seasonal features tend to cause "jaw-dropping" results when displayed to friends and family. HTC's updated Blink Feed is truly amazing for taking a quick look at whats going on in your social media worlds. You can get the highlights of all your social media networks in one place, or individualize your feed to one service at a time. Clicking on anything in BlinkFeed opens the specific social media app and takes you directly to the post you're interested in. Battery life is always a bit of a concern but the 2600 mAh battery seems to do just fine. I can pull the phone off the charger just before I leave for work (around 8:00am) and with normal use, a bit of gaming on my breaks, and even some music streaming during my evening workout (with headphones), I can make it through a full day and put the phone back on the charger around 10:00pm at around 10%. And, with the announcement of HTC Super Power Saver Mode set to be released in an update in the coming months, the battery life will only get better. The new power saver mode is said to disable networking when its not being used or needed but still leave you connected for calls and texts and will allow for the phone to stay on for 10 days in a single charge when activated. This is rumor of course, but if it reaches even 5 days on a single charge while still keeping me connected, its still very impressive. Overall, in my opinion, this phone is the top of the line, best your money can buy, at the time of this review. A few mainstream devices will be released later this year which will create stiff competition for the HTC One (M8) but personally, I dont think a "cheap plastic design with bells and whistles" or a "Lets repeat what we've done for the past 4 years and just add a letter to the end of the name" will be able to compare to the outstanding quality of the HTC One (M8).

Switched from my iPhone 5 to the HTC M8 mainly for the larger screen but I had been an android user in the past and missed many of its features such as unlimited customization abilities. I've had the phone over a month and am very pleased. Battery life is incredible - a full 24 hours on moderate use and easily all day on heavy use. The phone is beautiful, no other way to say it. I'm a girl and our phones are another fashion accessory. It's clean and curved and elegant while being durable at the same time. I'm still learning how to fine tune many of the settings which is the reason for 4 stars, there are so many configurations available it can almost be sensory overload at times. The camera is not nearly as crisp as the Samsung but its decent and what it lacks in sharpness it makes up for in speed. All in all very happy with this phone and don't see ever going back to the iPhone.

This phone is very, very impressive. I am a long-time Apple user but have always had an Android phone -- from the Droid 1 to Droid 4. The most recent one was the Razr Maxx. In terms of build quality, this new HTC phone is superb. I tested the Galaxy S4 and S5, the LG phones, and the iPhone, and the new HTC's feel is very much the premium feel you get from holding an iPhone (or at least very close). I don't care if you are an Apple fanboy/girl or an Android fanboy/girl; you have to admit that the iPhone build quality is very, very good. HTC One's build quality seems to be very close, and definitely above that of the rest of the Android lineup. I was aiming to get a new Moto phone or the S5, but the S5 looked way too boring and felt a bit cheaply made. The Moto phone was nice but definitely did not feel as good as the new HTC. The HTC One's screen is excellent. No, it is not as 'wow' as the screen on the S5, but it seems to be more natural and actually easier on the eyes. The speakers are...much more than I ever expected from a pair of phone speakers. The HTC also has an SD slot, which is very nice. The IR sensor and the associated software control my TV and cable box. Call quality is wonderful. You can read the myriad reviews on the net about the HTC, the S5, the Moto offerings, etc., as I did. What I recommend you do at the end of the day is visit your VZW store and try these phones. The HTC One M8, at least to me, stood head and shoulders above the rest of the Android lineup in terms of premium build and feel. It is just heavy enough, very well balanced, and just looks very good. No, looks are not everything, but if you can have performance, battery, and looks all in one package, why not have it? The phone is very, very, very fast. No lag what-so-ever. Blinkfeed seems to work great. I never had the HTC M7, so I am not familiar with the Blinkfeed problems people were having. The Blinkfeed on my M8 so far is acting perfectly normally and doing what it should. I do wish it had more options for news sources, though. The Sense UI is actually pretty nice. I was wary of a skin on top of stock Android, but the skin, most of the time, is actually an improvement. Well done, HTC. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that HTC would replace a cracked screen within the first 6 months free of charge and guarantees timely updates for two years. A couple of pointers: choose WCDMA as your spectrum in settings and get rid of all of the 'preferred' carries put into the phone at factory. My battery was draining pretty quickly until I changed these settings and now it seems to be working wonderfully. Go to the store, test out the phone, and see what you think. The above review contains my thoughts only; you may very well like the S5, or the Moto phones, or the LG phones. I do, however, recommend that you try this phone as well. I did, and I love it.

So let me guess, you can't decide between the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8. Here's the deal: they're both awesome phones. It's like deciding between a BWM and Mercedes. Yes, each has some features that you may prefer over the other based on your preferences but there isn't a bad choice here. Both are fast with awesome displays and a boat-load of features. So why did I pick the M8? Since they're pretty even on the big stuff, it came down to the little details. Here's why I'm suggesting the M8 versus the Galaxy S5: The speakers: not even close. The M8's speakers blow away pretty much every other phone out there. You can leave your portable speakers at home. The speakers on this phone are amazing. The camera: while it's true that the Galaxy's rear facing camera might be a little better, the M8's front facing camera (the selfie camera) is far superior to the Galaxy. Is the rear facing camera as good as the iPhone or Galaxy? No. Is it still an awesome camera capable of taking great photos? Yes, absolutely. And, I love the camera software that the M8 has. I’ve taken lots of pics with the M8 and the only issue I’ve noticed is that when your subject is in shadow with a bright background, the background tends to get a little washed out. Other than that, it’s a great camera with amazing features. UI: while they both have a nice user experience, I found the M8 to have a lot "smoother" experience while the Galaxy seems a bit cluttered. Construction/design/style: again, the M8 walks away with this category, hands down. This phone really stands out. I know, you’re probably going to put a case on it anyway but even with a case, it’s still a beautiful machine. The size is perfect and it feels like a quality piece of equipment. I wanted an awesome phone but I like to stand out and this phone does that in several good ways. Why blend in with the iPhone and Galaxy (which are both great phones) crowd when you can walk a different path? I’ve had iPhones for several years and I have zero regrets about switching to the HTC One M8. So that’s just my two cents. Blah, blah, blah. Now go ask the internet. 

Was very sad when my Samsung Galaxy S3 died. Was deciding between the S5 and HTC One M8. Definitely happy with my choice! The speakers are AMAZING and the camera isn't as bad as the reviews make it out to be. Plus there are a lot of cool editing features. Screen is so bright and vibrant- huge difference! Love that the shell is metal and heavier (read: durable) but it is very slippery so a case is a must. Overall a great phone!!!