HTC One (M8) review: One and only

One and only

GSMArena team, 25 March 2014.

Phonebook

The People app in Sense 6 has seen some minor visual changes, but retains the same functionality as its predecessor.

You get the dialer, contacts, groups (including favorite contacts), as well as a call log. You can reorder tabs and remove the ones that you don't need (Groups or Call history).

HTC One M8 HTC One M8 HTC One M8
The phonebook

Selecting a contact displays the basic details: name and photo, numbers, emails and such. That's just the first tab - the other tabs hold further details and means of communication, including email and a call log.

HTC One M8 HTC One M8 HTC One M8
Viewing a contact

The second tab holds the texts, emails and call history between you and the given contact. The next one displays the contact's social networking updates.

HTC One M8 HTC One M8
Editing a contact

Telephony

The dialer on the HTC One (M8) displays your recent calls with the usual tabs above accessible via side-swipes. There's smart dialing and it works as expected. Once you start typing on the keyboard, contacts will be filtered by name or by phone number.

HTC One M8 HTC One M8 HTC One M8 HTC One M8
The dialer • the in-call screen

The smartphone packs a neat set of call-related tricks, such as automatically answering a call when you raise the device to your ear or automatically silencing the ring of an incoming call just by putting the phone face down.

Undoubtedly, the BoomSound front-facing stereo speakers are one of the One (M8) selling points. HTC claims they've improved them over the first-generation found on the original One and have made them 25% louder. And while the quality does seem a bit better, our test shows that the smartphone isn't any louder in real life.

In fact, the HTC One (M8) managed to get a lower score than its predecessor. It's not too far behind it, but the little differences left it with an Average score.

Speakerphone testVoice, dBPink noise/ Music, dBRinging phone, dBOveral score
HTC One (M8)65.8 64.775.7Average
HTC One69.3 66.675.9Good
Apple iPhone 566.866.167.7Below Average
HTC Desire X63.6 61.669.6Below Average
Samsung Galaxy S II Plus65.7 61.566.6Below Average
Samsung Galaxy S III mini66.5 63.076.0Average
Sony Xperia V65.5 61.166.2Average
LG G Pro 266.7 64.975.7Average
Sony Xperia go66.5 66.177.9Good
Samsung Galaxy Express67.7 66.675.7Good
Samsung Galaxy Grand74.1 66.276.0Good
Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo72.1 65.873.3Good
LG Optimus L766.7 66.675.6Good
Motorola RAZR XT91074.766.682.1Very Good
HTC Desire76.675.784.6Excellent

Messaging

HTC M8 is capable of handling all sorts of messages - SMS, MMS, email. There's also Google Hangouts, which can connect you to Google contacts via either texts or video calls.

SMS and MMS messages are displayed in threads - you see a list of all conversations, each one is listed with the contact's photo, name and the subject of the last message, as well as a part of the actual message. Tapping a conversation brings up the entire message history with that contact.

HTC One M8 HTC One M8
Messaging*composing a message

The HTC One comes with two email apps - the traditional Gmail app and the HTC Mail app, which merges all your email accounts into a single interface.

HTC One M8 HTC One M8 HTC One M8 HTC One M8
Gmail

There's hardly anything we can think of that the HTC One (M8) lacks in terms of email capabilities. The settings for popular email services are automatically configured. POP/IMAP accounts and Active Sync accounts are supported.

Typing

The keyboard offers well-spaced keys, but the overlay doesn't include any gaps between them. This is only a cosmetic feature and poses no discomfort. The 5" display diagonal offers plenty of space for comfortable typing.

HTC has included the T9 Trace keyboard, which acts like Swipe. You drag a finger over the desired keys and the phone predicts what you're trying to type. It works really well but language support is limited.

HTC One M8 HTC One M8 HTC One M8
The Sense QWERTY keyboard

Reader comments

  • David
  • 19 Dec 2020
  • IbI

You need to download NextRadio app on google playstore

  • Billy blanks
  • 27 May 2020
  • XE$

I didn't see any radio facility in it. I need help please

  • Anonymous
  • 26 Dec 2019
  • t@g

Indonesia