HTC Titan II review: Wrath of the Titan

Final words

The HTC Titan II offers arguably the best hardware, found in a Windows Phone smartphone. Its 16MP camera unit and LTE network connectivity might even sway a few users away from devices, running on competing platforms. After all, Microsoft has been working hard to expand the Windows Phone ecosystem, with the Marketplace expanding on an hourly basis.

Furthermore, like a typical HTC, the Titan II is superbly well put together. Even the most nitpicking users will have a hard time finding anything to frown at. The handset's measures are also a pleasant surprise. The phone is quite light, given its massive physical proportions.

Of course, not everything about the smartphone is perfect. Its design is ageing quickly, now that the One Series has been released by HTC. The same goes for the smartphone's hardware. Given the recent controversy, surrounding the future updates to Windows Phone Apollo, locking yourself up with a two-year contract to have the Titan II (or any other current Windows Phone device for that matter) might be something to think over quite carefully.

The camera of the Titan II is itself a mixed bag. While the pictures looked great when fit on the computer screen, zooming them on 100% was a different story. The amount of noise and lack of sharpness simply did not bode well for the camera's ambitions.

The HTC Titan II is costs $199.99 with a two-year commitment to AT&T. The price tag puts the device in the most competitive price category on the market.

The most obvious alternative to the HTC Titan II is the Nokia Lumia 900. The AT&T exclusive device offers similar hardware in an arguably better looking package. The Finnish offering carries half the price tag of the Titan II and its camera samples are just as good when viewed on your computer screen without any pixel peeping. Nokia's proprietary free SatNav app also put the Lumia 900 in a more favorable position.

Nokia Lumia 900 AT&T

If you are not too crazy about your phone packing LTE connectivity, you should also take a look at the original HTC Titan, as well as the Samsung Focus S. Both handsets are solid Windows Phone offerings. Both smartphones have been on sale for a while, so you can pick one up from an authorized retailer at a serious discount. If you decide to get them straight from AT&T, they will cost you the same as the Titan II.

HTC Titan • Samsung Focus S I937

The Android options in the price range are so many, that we are not even going to begin telling you about them. Also, don't forget that $199.99 will also get you an entry into the Apple realm.

After spending sufficient quality time with the HTC Titan II, we were left with the strange feeling that this is what the original Titan should have been like. The sequel offers some marginal improvements, but it is by no means groundbreaking. It might find some followers, just not while it carries its current price tag.