HTC 8S

HTC has unveiled two new Windows Phone 8 handsets - the Windows Phone 8X by HTC and Windows Phone 8S by HTC - ahead of the official unveiling of Windows Phone 8 in a few weeks time, and TrustedReviews got hands on with both new handsets ahead of their official launch in November. We already looked at the Windows Phone 8X by HTC but what of it's little brother, the 8S?

As Microsoft still hasn't officially unveiled Windows Phone 8, we weren't allowed to play with or photograph the interface but we were able to get to grips with the hardware, including the screen, camera and beats audio integration.



Windows Phone 8S by HTC Design
The Windows Phone 8S by HTC is a mid-range device so doesn't have quite the premium look and feel as the 8X. But HTC has still given it the same funky vibe. The handset is available only with a two-tone design with colour options of Domino Black-White, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue and High-Rise Grey-Yellow on offer.

We saw the grey-yellow and black-white versions and both impressed us with their quirky styling. The grey-yellow version in particular definitely stands out from the crowd with an almost luminescent green 'dipped' end and 'dabbed' earpiece.



Like the 8X the finish is mostly matt but it's not soft-touch so doesn't have quite the same luxurious feel. Nonetheless the small 4in device feels snug in the hand thanks to its nicely rounded edges. Being a modest sized device the buttons all fall nicely under thumb and finger too.

Unlike the 8X this isn't a unibody design so the screen doesn't curve round to fit the chassis. While this does give off less of a premium vibe, it does mean HTC is able to make the bottom section removable, and under here you'll find a microSIM and microSD. So, bizarrely, unlike the 8X you can expand this phone's storage. You only get 4GB built in but when you can easily pick up a 32GB microSD card for well under £50, this is no bother.



Windows Phone 8S by HTC Features
Aside from its microSD trump card this is a modest handset with features to match. There's no front facing camera, the rear camera is only 5-megapixel, the screen is only 480 x 800 pixels, there's no NFC and no 4G. But what you do get is a 1GHz dual-core processor (Qualcomm S4) which should keep the phone feeling brisk.



Windows Phone 8S by HTC Screen
As well as only offering a modest resolution, the screen of this phone isn't of the best quality. It doesn't have the same laminated construction as the 8X so doesn't look quite as colourful or have as good viewing angles. Notably it didn't seem to be of the same quality as the equally equally modest HTC One V.



All that said, it's still perfectly nice to use and along with the overall proportions of the phone it offers a good compromise between big enough for video watching and web browsing, yet it's compact enough to feel comfortable to use one-handed.



Windows Phone 8S by HTC Beats audio
Like the 8X the Windows Phone by HTC 8S offers Beats audio enhancements via software equalisation but it lacks the dedicated amp and high voltage headphon jack. So while you can tweak the tuning of your tunes you won't be getting an absolute upgrade in audio fidelity here.



Wrap Up
The Windows Phone 8S by HTC isn't going to blow anyone's socks off with its modest specs. But its design certainly sets it apart from the pack - the range of bright, strongly contrasting colours its available in will put a smile on many a face. Running Windows Phone 8 and with a dual-core processor, its nice and fast, and the microSD slot means you can easily upgrade storage. We'll have to wait and see what final pricing is like and how it stacks up against the competition when it's finally released but on first impression the HTC 8S could be one to look out for if you're on a budget.