HTC One M9 review
After being unveiled at MWC 2015 in March and its official release in April, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the HTC One M9 and its changes from the M8—or lack thereof. Many didn’t know exactly what changes to expect, especially since the M8 turned out to be a big success. HTC’s philosophy was probably that there is no reason to make drastic changes to a winning formula, and that is exactly what they did. Although there are a few changes from the M8, the M9 somehow tops it with new specs and a couple of small alterations. As an owner of this brand new device, it’s time to see just how well HTC did.
One of the most iconic images of the M9 comes from the front of the phone, with the massive and bold Dolby Audio 5.1 surround speakers being a main attraction. These HTC BoomSound speakers are a force to be reckoned with, surpassing many top smartphones in both sound output and quality. I find myself playing music from my phone so much more per request of friends just due to the fact that they are so much better than any other phone available. They provide crisp, clean audio that truly immerses you especially when watching a movie or playing a video game, with sound blasting right at you.
The display is a 5” capacitive touchscreen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, so the screen is sure to take a few good drops before it eventually cracks. Although it is only 1080 by 1920, this resolution is still perfect for the screen size, giving crisp, clear text and images, and it will have the battery last longer in comparison to a phone that has QHD. I personally have had no trouble with it, and it delivers good contrast and brightness.
The camera is one of the biggest changes, especially aesthetically. Instead of the two cameras on the back from the last generation, there is now one giant, 20 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash. It doesn’t give the best images, but they do turn out very clear on close shots. Low light performance isn’t the best, as it does pick up a lot of noise. It does come with the option of 4K video recording and up to 120 fps slow motion shots at 720p. The flash isn’t all that bright, coming from a Galaxy S4 whose flash was blinding, but the M9 does provide more natural light. It may not be the greatest camera, but it sure is worth using on this phone and it does its job.
As far as battery life is concerned, it does seem to last the full day before dying. The non-removable Li-Po 2840 mAh battery lasts me the whole day, with moderate use. On occasion it will die with heavy use such as gaming or lots of screen on time with high brightness, but this is to be expected. It outlasts most of its competitors, and although it is non-removable, it is a small price to pay for the beauty of the all-metal body.
The body and build of this phone is one of the most gorgeous on the market. The full-body metal gives the phone a truly premium feel, and it allows the phone to be slightly tougher than most others. The phone does not slide around in your hand and fits comfortably, especially with the slightly curved back. It is a little on the thicker side, but too many, this isn’t a deal-breaker.
I’ve saved the performance for last, mostly because this isn’t one of the greatest factors. This isn’t a phone you would get for gaming specifically, and for day-to-day tasks or other such activities, the phone runs incredibly well. Although not meant for gaming, it still runs games very smoothly. Packed with a top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 quad-core 1.5 GHz processor paired with an Adreno 430 GPU, you won’t be seeing many hiccups. Everything from swiping through home screens to running apps is buttery smooth. This along with Android Lollipop and Sense 7, the phone rarely skips a beat, with a beautiful UI.
Although there are some things that many may see as flaws, the HTC One M9 is a heck of a phone, providing everything a day-to-day user might need. Although let’s be real. We are all in it for the speakers.
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