- Jun 16, 2000
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So I've had both of these phones for the past week - the Lumia on AT&T, the HTC on Verizon. I thought I'd post my thoughts on how the two compare in case there was anyone out there not sure about the two. If you have nothing to say other than "Why would you buy either when you can buy [X] running [Y] OS" please save bandwidth and don't bother - that will add nothing to this discussion and has nothing to do with this topic.
So, that said, let's get down to it....
Build / Hardware
Personally, I am a fan of smaller devices. I think phones about the size of the original Galaxy S are the best form factor, so the ever-increasing screen size of today's smartphones is something I find a bit unfortunate.
As I'm sure you're aware, the Lumia is a big device. It's big in all dimensions. The two factors that are most often discussed - the thickness and the weight - don't really bother me. However, it's a bit too wide for my liking. It's not terribly easy to use one handed. The HTC, on the other hand, its thinner in both directions, tapered on the rear, and has a soft-touch back which, all together, really make it a dream to hold.
While I give the edge to the HTC in terms of physical size, the build quality of the Nokia is fantastic. It's a very solidly built device - if I dropped it, I would be more concerned about damaging the floor than my phone. The buttons are also better placed and have a better feel. The power button on the HTC in particular is inconvenient - it's at the top of a very tall device, and not easy to push. So while I prefer the experience of holding the HTC, the Nokia is still a very solidly built phone that's easy to use in its own ways.
Display
The Lumia has a 4.5" 1280x768 display, whereas the HTC has a 4.3" 1280x720 display. In practice, text on the HTC is a bit sharper and a bit wider viewing angles, but the Lumia wins in virtually every other regard. It has better black levels, better colors, better sunlight visibility.
The different aspect ratios both have their advantages. Apps that have not been updated for Windows Phone 8 will have a black bar across the top of the screen on the HTC, not unlike non-iOS 6 apps on the iPhone 5. However, for apps that can be updated, and for built in feeds / browsing, you can see more content at once on the 8x. Personally, I'm more a fan of the 15:9 aspect ratio, but to each their own.
Camera
This one is easy - but not as easy as I expected it to be. The Lumia 920's PureView camera has been discussed and demoed everywhere - and it really is that good. Its phenomenal in low light situations, both with and without the flash. When the flash is enabled, it's a bit more natural than the usual smartphone washed-out look, and thanks to optical image stabilization, it's very good without the flash too.
However, the camera on the 8x is no slouch. It takes very clear, sharp pictures with natural colors. For a smartphone, it handles low light situations pretty well - just not as good as the Lumia. So while the Lumia's camera is clearly superior, the 8x isn't a bad smartphone camera by any means.
Software
When comparing the exclusive software for the two devices, it's really no contest. Nokia's 1st party suite alone is solid enough to win this category. Nokia Drive, Nokia Music, Nokia Transit are all very well done and very useful. The HTC Hub is nice, but doesn't really add any new functionality.
When it comes to third party software, the Lumia wins again. Nokia has exclusive access to ESPN, Bloomberg, Mirrors Edge, and others - and exclusive free versions of Words With Friends and Draw Something. Meanwhile, the HTC has Verizon Navigator, which has a monthly fee and head to head is rather inferior to Nokia Drive. VZW Nav doesn't support landscape mode, doesn't have a night mode, requires a data connection, doesn't run in the background, and overall just doesn't have as good of a feel as Nokia Drive - sad that an app with a monthly subscription is inferior to a free one in every way.
One feature Verizon offers that AT&T doesn't is Data Sense. It's a nice touch - you can see how much data you're using by app, set limits, and automatically stop apps from using data in the background when you're nearing your limit. Plus, data is compressed through a proxy server, lowering your data usage. Hopefully AT&T adds support for this soon - it isn't a deal breaker, but it's definitely a nice feature on the Verizon phones.
Battery
The Lumia has a 200 mAh larger battery than the HTC. In practice, the HTC is more consistent. The Lumia sometimes will get me through a day with room to spare, and sometimes is dead before the end of the work day. The HTC consistently gets me through the day - but barely. I wonder if there is a reporting bug or something in the Lumia...the inconsistency is odd. Also, WiFi seems to be a much bigger power draw than LTE on the Lumia.
Wireless charging is definitely pretty cool, although in my case, present on both devices. It's worth noting that on AT&T, the 8x does not have wireless charging.
Audio
HTC loves to tout Beats Audio - and I have to say, it isn't a gimmick. Even though the Lumia has an equalizer that lets you fine tune your sound, with Beats enabled, the HTC still sounds cleared, with a bit more thump in the bass, and more volume too. So if one of your biggest uses is music, it's worth a listen.
Unfortunately, HTC kept themselves from a solid win here by only including 16 GB of memory and no expandable memory. The new Xbox music / cloud match system makes it less of an issue - with my Zune Pass, all of my songs on my computer are automatically enabled to stream to my device. However, that uses data whenever you want music, and sometimes when you want music, you don't have solid coverage...the gym is one of those places for me. More memory or an expansion slot would have been very welcome on the HTC.
The Lumia, with its 32 GB of storage and equalizer, is certainly no slouch in the audio category. It may not match the Beats output, but it does still sound good, and with a good amount of storage, too.
Overall
Every time I pick up the 8x, I get a little sad. Sad because it's a joy to hold - it just feels right in your hand. Then after that initial joy passes I realize that the Lumia is superior in most other categories, and I really should keep that one.
There will be people who prefer the HTC - people who really like smaller phones, listen to a lot of music, or have to have Verizon. For most others, the Lumia is the phone of choice.
For me? Well....I haven't decided yet. I'm leaning towards the Nokia at this point, but I've been quite vocal about my preference for smaller devices, and in that aspect, I REALLY like the HTC. So, we'll see...I have until Saturday to decide. Oddly enough, both at my home and my office I get markedly better reception from AT&T than Verizon, which I realize isn't the case in a lot of places, but happens to be for me....
So, that said, let's get down to it....
Build / Hardware
Personally, I am a fan of smaller devices. I think phones about the size of the original Galaxy S are the best form factor, so the ever-increasing screen size of today's smartphones is something I find a bit unfortunate.
As I'm sure you're aware, the Lumia is a big device. It's big in all dimensions. The two factors that are most often discussed - the thickness and the weight - don't really bother me. However, it's a bit too wide for my liking. It's not terribly easy to use one handed. The HTC, on the other hand, its thinner in both directions, tapered on the rear, and has a soft-touch back which, all together, really make it a dream to hold.
While I give the edge to the HTC in terms of physical size, the build quality of the Nokia is fantastic. It's a very solidly built device - if I dropped it, I would be more concerned about damaging the floor than my phone. The buttons are also better placed and have a better feel. The power button on the HTC in particular is inconvenient - it's at the top of a very tall device, and not easy to push. So while I prefer the experience of holding the HTC, the Nokia is still a very solidly built phone that's easy to use in its own ways.
Display
The Lumia has a 4.5" 1280x768 display, whereas the HTC has a 4.3" 1280x720 display. In practice, text on the HTC is a bit sharper and a bit wider viewing angles, but the Lumia wins in virtually every other regard. It has better black levels, better colors, better sunlight visibility.
The different aspect ratios both have their advantages. Apps that have not been updated for Windows Phone 8 will have a black bar across the top of the screen on the HTC, not unlike non-iOS 6 apps on the iPhone 5. However, for apps that can be updated, and for built in feeds / browsing, you can see more content at once on the 8x. Personally, I'm more a fan of the 15:9 aspect ratio, but to each their own.
Camera
This one is easy - but not as easy as I expected it to be. The Lumia 920's PureView camera has been discussed and demoed everywhere - and it really is that good. Its phenomenal in low light situations, both with and without the flash. When the flash is enabled, it's a bit more natural than the usual smartphone washed-out look, and thanks to optical image stabilization, it's very good without the flash too.
However, the camera on the 8x is no slouch. It takes very clear, sharp pictures with natural colors. For a smartphone, it handles low light situations pretty well - just not as good as the Lumia. So while the Lumia's camera is clearly superior, the 8x isn't a bad smartphone camera by any means.
Software
When comparing the exclusive software for the two devices, it's really no contest. Nokia's 1st party suite alone is solid enough to win this category. Nokia Drive, Nokia Music, Nokia Transit are all very well done and very useful. The HTC Hub is nice, but doesn't really add any new functionality.
When it comes to third party software, the Lumia wins again. Nokia has exclusive access to ESPN, Bloomberg, Mirrors Edge, and others - and exclusive free versions of Words With Friends and Draw Something. Meanwhile, the HTC has Verizon Navigator, which has a monthly fee and head to head is rather inferior to Nokia Drive. VZW Nav doesn't support landscape mode, doesn't have a night mode, requires a data connection, doesn't run in the background, and overall just doesn't have as good of a feel as Nokia Drive - sad that an app with a monthly subscription is inferior to a free one in every way.
One feature Verizon offers that AT&T doesn't is Data Sense. It's a nice touch - you can see how much data you're using by app, set limits, and automatically stop apps from using data in the background when you're nearing your limit. Plus, data is compressed through a proxy server, lowering your data usage. Hopefully AT&T adds support for this soon - it isn't a deal breaker, but it's definitely a nice feature on the Verizon phones.
Battery
The Lumia has a 200 mAh larger battery than the HTC. In practice, the HTC is more consistent. The Lumia sometimes will get me through a day with room to spare, and sometimes is dead before the end of the work day. The HTC consistently gets me through the day - but barely. I wonder if there is a reporting bug or something in the Lumia...the inconsistency is odd. Also, WiFi seems to be a much bigger power draw than LTE on the Lumia.
Wireless charging is definitely pretty cool, although in my case, present on both devices. It's worth noting that on AT&T, the 8x does not have wireless charging.
Audio
HTC loves to tout Beats Audio - and I have to say, it isn't a gimmick. Even though the Lumia has an equalizer that lets you fine tune your sound, with Beats enabled, the HTC still sounds cleared, with a bit more thump in the bass, and more volume too. So if one of your biggest uses is music, it's worth a listen.
Unfortunately, HTC kept themselves from a solid win here by only including 16 GB of memory and no expandable memory. The new Xbox music / cloud match system makes it less of an issue - with my Zune Pass, all of my songs on my computer are automatically enabled to stream to my device. However, that uses data whenever you want music, and sometimes when you want music, you don't have solid coverage...the gym is one of those places for me. More memory or an expansion slot would have been very welcome on the HTC.
The Lumia, with its 32 GB of storage and equalizer, is certainly no slouch in the audio category. It may not match the Beats output, but it does still sound good, and with a good amount of storage, too.
Overall
Every time I pick up the 8x, I get a little sad. Sad because it's a joy to hold - it just feels right in your hand. Then after that initial joy passes I realize that the Lumia is superior in most other categories, and I really should keep that one.
There will be people who prefer the HTC - people who really like smaller phones, listen to a lot of music, or have to have Verizon. For most others, the Lumia is the phone of choice.
For me? Well....I haven't decided yet. I'm leaning towards the Nokia at this point, but I've been quite vocal about my preference for smaller devices, and in that aspect, I REALLY like the HTC. So, we'll see...I have until Saturday to decide. Oddly enough, both at my home and my office I get markedly better reception from AT&T than Verizon, which I realize isn't the case in a lot of places, but happens to be for me....
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