HTC One Max

User opinions and reviews

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b
boomsound!
6q7
15 Feb 2014

So we all now that the max has awesome sound quality but what about the camera??

I've heard lots of people say its camera is low quality, please tell me if this is true

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AnonD-233497
p7A
14 Feb 2014

i cant take off my eyes on my one max! :)

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Anonymous
v0q
14 Feb 2014

asdf, 12 Feb 201410000 is enough for this phone otherwise goto note3Note 3 is nothing but a crap!!! that's all i can say. it can't even match my HTC HD2

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AnonD-233005
3xU
12 Feb 2014

The HTC One Max has been described by many as being "far too big" and it's also been said that there is no place on the market for a phone like this so when I got my hands on the device a little under 2 month ago I had mixed emotions about it, before I even opened the box.

Was this device that would finally have me backing up the comments of others and finally admitting that there is a size that should be classed as too big to be a phone or would I be blown away by the HTC One's bigger family member?

Will I ever be able to stop comparing the HTC One Max to the HTC One? All will be revealed in my review below.

At first glance you could easy mistake the HTC One Max for an oversized HTC One however there are some very big differences between the HTC One and the HTC One Max.

Looking at the front of the device there is little difference at all between the two handsets and the differences aren't really found until you look at the side of the device where you will notice that the bezel has been swapped out for an HTC One Mini styled plastic one. HTC have also moved the power button to just below the volume buttons giving way to a dedicated IR-Blaster on the top of the device alongside the 3.5mm headphone port.

Flipping the device over reveals the biggest difference between the HTC One and HTC One Max which is the removable back cover. Despite there being no removable battery there is space for the sim card and a removable micro-sd card.

The back of the device reveals more interesting changes from the HTC One with the shift of the LED Flash to the left hand side of the camera and the introduction of a fingerprint scanner below the camera as well as POGO pins at the bottom right hand side of the device (more on those later).

The HTC One Max comes with Android 4.3 right out of the box along with HTC's Sense 5 overlay. You’re instantly greeted by HTC’s Blinkfeed page and a simple side swipe will return you to the standard Android home screen.

The main difference between the HTC One and HTC One Max on the software side of things is the introduction of fingerprint scan which lies within the settings menu of the device and allows you to set your finger print scans and quick actions based on those.

Like most oversized devices the colour clarity on colours like black ends up very much lost in the screen. At low level brightness you can clearly identify that black is 100% black however at maximum brightness, the black colour is far from black and struggles to blend in with the black border which surrounds the screen itself.

For most people (myself included) the colours look great on the device and when it comes to watching HD movies in a dark room it's very much like having your very own home cinema.

Good Points:

5.9-inch Display
HTC Boomsound
Amazing Battery Life
Removable Rear Cover
Finger Print Scan

Bad Points:
Speaker Grills
Buggy Brightness
I guess there has to be a bad thing with every device right? Well on the HTC One Max there are 2 items that I consider to be bad an they are listed above.

You may be questioning why I have listed the speaker grills well the grills are a little too easy to dent and sadly the fix requires a whole new front end which makes me very very sad. I have a lovely looking device that sadly a design flaw has managed to ruin.

Buggy Brightness, where to start with this... Rather than say why it annoys me or why I consider it bad let's just try to replicate it and then you can add comments below to say why I listed this item.

1. Put the phone on auto brightness
2. Open the camera button on anything and then without taking a photo hit back

You will now notice that you have the sun in your eyes. The brightness has returned to its native Super Bright status despite being on auto.

Conclussion:

At the start of this review I asked if the HTC One Max would cause me to say that there really does come a point when a devices size is simply too big to be a phone and to answer that question I'll simply say no. The HTC One Max, despite being 5.9 inches, quickly becomes very "the norm" after a week of useage and going back to devices like the HTC One proves to be an annoyance. With that said, I do (on occasion) still feel slightly embarrassed when the phone rings and I have to pull the handset from my pocket (yes it fits) to reveal what can only be seen by others as a tablet.

I've spend the best part of this review comparing the phone to it's smaller family member the HTC One which could be considered as unfair considering the popularity differences and not least the form factor differences however comparing it to any other handset (such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or Sony Xperia Z Ultra) would also be unfair as the handset (in my opinion) is so far out of the leagues of other handsets in its range. I had considered reviewing it on its own merits however again, the HTC One Max simply is too close to the HTC One not to compare it.

Overall my experience with the HTC One Max has been a very positive one and so much so that the handset is now my daily driver.

Thanks go to HTC for sending me this handset to test.

H
Harvard School Of La
f04
12 Feb 2014

Guys, cease to indite dull elongated messages. be short and straight to the point don't oblique.

a
asdf
Px%
12 Feb 2014

10000 is enough for this phone otherwise goto note3

A
Anthony
LxG
11 Feb 2014

any one here has a link for a "how to" change the ROM on this phone from one region to the official UK ROM?

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Anonymous
Hkq
11 Feb 2014

HOw to release date htc one max kitkat in india,plz ans me dear htc users

M
Mark G
qD0
11 Feb 2014

When I first heard about the HTC One Max, I thought it would be ridiculously too big. I was wrong. When the phone got delivered, it felt much better in the hand than I thought. Not too wide. It’s still definitely noticeable in the pocket compared to my previous phones though.

While many people are going to complain about its massive size, there’s a benefit to it. Movies, games, and web browsing is awesome on this device because of the bigger screen to play with.

My favorite feature is definitely the BoomSound on the HTC One Max. With both speakers at the front of the phone, I don’t have to worry about it getting muffled when placed flat on my desk. It sounds great too.
The camera is okay. It’s not great, but it doesn’t suck either. I mostly upload to Instagram anyway, so this isn’t a deal breaker.

Another thing I would have liked on the HTC One Max is Android Kit Kat. It doesn’t have the update yet. I heard it’s coming soon, though.

Disclosure: HTC sent me the phone to test out.

G
Genez
RII
11 Feb 2014

The HTC One Max, its just a larger version of the HTC One, isn't it?! Well, yes & no.

While both models have a lot in common, having both devices, I feel that the user experience has a distinction. I find the larger screen real estate on the One Max really lends itself to reading/browsing and multimedia activities better, though the One isn't a slouch in that respect, just that the larger screen is an advantage there.

Screen - the large 5.9" Super LCD3 is something that doesn't disappoint and supporting Full HD output, it makes viewing text, reading, watching clips/videos & editing photos a breeze. Despite the screen size, it doesn't seem to be as large as you'll expect, thanks to HTC's well thought out industrial design.

Audio - BoomSound speakers still rock. No Beats Audio on this model, but I don't miss it as I'm not a fan of its sound profile. Dual front facing speakers still make listening to music, videos and the like an enjoyable experience, without a need to cup over the rear speakers like other mobiles.

Camera - 4mp Ultrapixel unit similar to the One, it has the additional features of the Dual shot mode, as well as an anti-shake mode possible to compensate for the lack of OIS (optical image stabilisation) which was on the One. It does not disappoint though. Take good pics and performs well in video mode as well. Superb for making Zoes and video highlights. Coupled with the larger screen, it makes viewing easy on the eyes when reviewing shots.

Hardware - While some people might lament the Snapdragon 600 as not being powerful enough, but in my experience, it has no issues with lag or performance bottlenecks with the 2Gb RAM on board, using the phone, Blinkfeed and any other application, I've not had issues with it in the 2 months I've had the One Max.

Fingerprint scanner - To some this seems like a gimmick, but it does add a layer of security for users. Not to mention that it makes one handed unlocking a straight forward affair. But it also has the ability to fire up applications like how I've set it to fire up the camera app if I swipe the pre-programmed finger. Works well, though I would ideally like to see more functionality to it in time to come.

Battery life - This is where the One Max stands out. Thanks in no small part to its superb software optimization with Sense 5.5, and of course the large 3300 mAh battery on the One Max, that my battery bank has taken an indefinite hiatus for the time being.

All in all, I think the HTC One Max is a very compelling device, phablet lovers & loathers alike (I must admit I was leaning towards the latter group, initially) should give it a try and be surprised at what it offers. It has lots to offer and you might just be surprised at how much you'll enjoy the larger screen.

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Anonymous
Hkq
10 Feb 2014

Htc one Max No kitkat update available in india.why friends

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AnonD-232119
PFt
10 Feb 2014

I've been using the device for nearly two months. I also used HTC One for some comparisons on features and experience.

First impression after unboxing: it's gigantic, heavy, but still as gorgeous as the original One. It feels robust and looks very premium. The curved back is there, but being taller and wider than the original One it just feels less noticeable. The battery cover seems so thin and fragile at first sight, but it turns out solid as well. At 217 g, HTC One max is heavy and I seriously doubt it belongs to side pocket of your chino pants. Back to design, HTC One max is probably the best looking, most handsome phablet in the market right now.

I really like the volume buttons (it's kind of reminiscent to HTC Radar's). The placement of power button is now much better executed compared to that one of HTC One. It's easier to reach with better tactile feedback.

I tried the fingerprint scanner. I set my right index finger to unlock the phone. The procedure was easy and accurate but the usage is not really. I have to push the power button and then swipe my fingertip to the scanner to unlock the phone—it's two steps. I think HTC could simplify this. Sometimes it's also hit-and-miss.

The camera is not so different from HTC One's, with addition of some new features e.g dual capture for both still images and videos (I didn't find it really useful at day-to-day use). HTC One max produces photo with sharp details and relatively accurate colors. White balance and dynamics are generally good. Low light shots are better than most of competition in the market, although it's not the best. HTC Zoe is still present, and it's still fun to experiment with. Video highlight is much improved with 12 new themes, revamped (better!) interface and option to choose your own song. Oh yes, the wide-angle front camera is really good for selfies.

Performance is smooth, thanks to both quad-core Snapdragon 600 chipset and 2GB RAM. Battery life is pretty good—it lasts up to several days with mild usage and nearly 24 hours straight with heavier usage. The magic of 3,300 mAh battery!

Almost everything from the original HTC One is retained here, from BoomSound, BlinkFeed, Sense 5.5, Sense TV, etc. The BoomSound speaker is louder than that of HTC One. The new BlinkFeed enables users to choose editions—I choose both global English for technology and lifestyle updates and Indonesian edition for local news (so better this way)—and now supports updates from more social media channels (Instagram, Google+, to name a few). Beats Audio is removed, though, but that's not a big deal. The included in-ear headset delivers crisp and clear sound quality.

5.9" display is huge for most hand size and browsing web is much better with this size. 1080p resolution makes image look vivid and detailed. The LCD 3 is still a pleasure to the eyes—the colors, saturation, contrast, brightness and viewing angle are probably one of the best in the market at the moment.

The only drawback I encounter with HTC One max is the absence of stylus. HTC Scribble (a fun, interactive, multimedia-rich note-taking app by HTC) is designed to be used with stylus and HTC didn't include it in the retail package.

m
matea
3qB
09 Feb 2014

I want one Htc one max so much :(

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AnonD-119255
Hkq
09 Feb 2014

htc one max kitkat not available in india why?????its very stupid news,i shell my htc one max

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AnonD-231344
0F4
07 Feb 2014

(Disclosure: I was sent the phone by HTC to test)
I had the HTC One previously and loved it, it was the best phone I had ever owned. When the One Max was announced I knew immediately that I wanted one. I take and edit a lot of photos on my phone and often got frustrated at the size of the screen for viewing and editing… While some people moaned that the 5.9inch screen would be just TOO big, I was relishing the thought of using it. I wasn’t disappointed! Within 2 hours of powering it on I was hooked and when I picked up the One to Bluetooth some files across I realised I was already used to the size of it. The build quality is as premium as I have come to expect from HTC and the attention to detail on the One Max is second to none.
Though the One Max has less pixels per inch than the original 4.7 inch HTC One, it is hard to tell, everything displayed on the One Max screen is beautifully crisp. I like to show family and friends images taken with my Dslr on it and they look amazing. Videos are also a joy to watch on it and I have found myself using Youtube a lot more lately because of it. The dual front speakers and ‘Boomsound’ are even louder than on the One and are way louder than on my laptop.
Talking of which, my laptop use has declined since I got the One Max as it can do everything my laptop can do but is obviously a lot more mobile and despite its size still fits in my hand comfortably. Websites are easier to view and social media is a joy with the large screen too. I purchased the official HTC Stylus as well and use that to type quite often, it also comes in handy for photo edits where I need a precise point to ‘draw’ an effect on a picture.
One feature of the One Max that has drawn a lot of attention is the fingerprint scanner. In my opinion it is located in the right place in regards to how I hold the phone. It was easy to set up and is easy to use, the only time it doesn’t read a scan is if my finger isn’t in the right position, 99% of the time it works first time. I have it set up to read both my index fingers to unlock and the middle finger on my left hand to start up the camera and am more than satisfied with it.
The camera, though without OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) is on a par with the Ultrapixel camera on the HTC One and I have had no issues with it, it does what I need it to do and when paired with the third party apps I use to edit, makes great creative images. Zoe’s and Video Highlight are much improved in Sense 5.5 and now allow you to set a longer time and add your own music as a soundtrack.
HTC have put a 3300mah battery in the Max and it will last me all day long, I don’t have to worry about finding a plug for my charger anymore, I can get 8+ hours screen on time out of it! All that from a large screened phone powerful enough to run any app or game with no lag!
All in all, the One Max is every bit as great as the One but suits me and my usage even better as it does it all on a larger scale. Though I appreciate it won’t be for everyone I would heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a larger device.

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AnonD-231123
pqx
06 Feb 2014

This is clearly the smartphone for me! I personally am a battery hog but didn't manage to deplete the Max battery in a day. I use my device for a lot of mailing, browsing, calls, texting etc.
The extra real estate got me to dive in to mobile entertainment a lot more and i often spend time enjoying myself.
The fingerprint sensor is an extra security for me and got me to unlock my device much faster, safer and i've added two "quick launches" to it - mail and the browser.
My previous device was the One and i have to admit that BlinkFeed takes advantage of the extra screen size. I also forgot how bad is it to not find your remote or to run out of batteries.
Also on weekend i use the One Max for music, words can't describe the level of awesomeness of BoomSound!
I have used this device for almost two months and i had the opportunity to receive it from HTC.

k
k
bCq
06 Feb 2014

hariri, 26 Jan 2014can someone tell me the different between HTC one max and S... moreUse the compare feature in GSMarena.

J
Jack
vIf
06 Feb 2014

lex, 27 Jan 2014there's no beatsaudio!!!!! Htc boom sound

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AnonD-48943
bJb
05 Feb 2014

I received a HTC One Max unit from HTC for my testing and review. My opinion of the HTC One Max is not one full of technical jargon but of one of a “layman” view of the phone. Now as a user of the HTC One, the HTC One Max looked huge when I first laid my eyes on it. However, after using the HTC One Max for about a month now, my HTC One is now such a small phone to me whereas the HTC One Max has now become my favourite and feels just spot on right in my hand.

The HTC One Max oozes pure entertainment excitement with great performance specifications. The phablet size HTC One Max running on Android 4.3 with a 5.9" full HD 1080p display looks simply awesome. Weighing at only 217g, this phablet packs a punch! While most of the HTC One specifications are found in the HTC One Max with the same premium design. there are several additions to take note of:

• A micro SD card slot has been added (up to 64GB) plus a free 50GB of online storage on Google Drive for exclusively for HTC One Max owners. I personally rejoice with this addition as I take a lot of photos (I really mean A LOT) and being able to store my photos on the SD card is great news to me!

• Built in Fingerprint Scan to lock/unlock the screen. It also enable owners to quickly launch up to three applications with three different fingerprints accordingly. I love the quick way I can unlock my phone with this feature. I also use two other different fingerprint to launch the Camera and the other to launch my favourite Photo App, Pixlr Express.

• Dual Capture; simultaneously shoot a video or a photo with the front and rear camera together to capture both views. Eg. rollercoaster rides where one can shoot the ride and one's reaction at the same time! I had used this to capture my friend’s antics while playing Wii and also badmintion and on the other side, me, laughing my head off. Hahaha....

• Battery performance of up to 25 hours of talktime and 585 hours for standby from the 3300mAh battery capacity! While I have not counted my actual hours of talktime and standby, I have been able to use my phone from morning to the time I retire for the night and still have some battery juice left. As mentioned, apart from using the HTC One Max to take lots of photos (it takes great photos! I just can’t enough of it! The low light shots are great with the Ultrapixels), photo editing, social media sites, checking emails, texting, watching more videos (as I love the big screen), it does well for a day’s worth of performance for such usage.

• HTC Sense 5.5 which comes with lots of great new features! One of the thing I do love is the quick settings grid. It’s so much easier and faster to access the settings now plus the fact that it also allows me to prioritize which 12 of the 21 items given to appear in the grid.

The HTC One Max looks almost exactly like the HTC One, except that it's bigger. Anyone looking for a phablet (a phone and tablet!) as their next purchase, just stop right here. This is the BEST PREMIUM Android phone in the market right now in my opinion.

r
ravee
ibh
05 Feb 2014

The best phablet ever

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