HTC One VX Review: Cheaper Isn't Always Better
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By Cam Lincoln
HTC's One VX is an upgrade of the V, as a sort of half-step between the V and X, but it falls short. It's like the mid-tier S, but worse. That's because it's cheaper, but really, it doesn't improve on the V.
Made of a polycarbonate plastic material, the shell is lighter than its metallic high-end siblings, yet still durable, but neither sleek nor elegant. It looks like the X, but cheaper: the curves and look are there, but the materials are uglier. You can remove the back cover to get to the microSD slot. But hold your horses: HTC glued the 1,810 mAh battery tight, so unless you have a nihilistic impulse to take things apart, it will stay put.
The 4.5-inch display features 960-by-540 pixels, about the same resolution as the mid-range S. Despite the lackluster 245-ppi density, it's decently clear for a mid-tier device -- sharper than I expected. Fonts are clear and graphics are free from jagged edges, so if you like to browse the Web or stream movies for hours, your eyes won't strain. I liked the wide viewing angle. Even outdoors on a bright day, I saw everything from every strange angle. Sure, the display is much worse than the X+ and X, but you're also paying much less.
The 5-megapixel camera, meanwhile, is a great for a mid-tier lens. Again, it's a step down from the 8-megapixel option on the more expensive X+, but I love the BSI sensor and f/2.0, 28-millimeter wide-angle lens -- photos turned out surprisingly good. HTC also added "ImageChip" technology to help the lens focus, even when you move the camera around. As a result, pictures are impressively clear with excellent color balance -- it's one of the best 5-megapixel lenses around. I'd even go as far as saying it's better than some subpar 8-megapixel shooters. Basically, it's a great bang for the buck.
Like its siblings, the VX comes with Beats Audio. If you love heavy bass and thumping tracks, it'll bring a smile to your face. The signal processing software magnifies high and low frequencies, so you'll get a richer music-listening experience. I love it, but if you prefer a more natural sound, you can turn it off -- music still sounds great. Unfortunately, Beats won't work with third-party apps, so if you stream through Spotify, you'll miss out. You'll have to do it the old-fashioned way, download or transfer to the memory and play songs through HTC's pre-loaded player.
AT&T released the VX and X+, which runs Jelly Bean, at the same time, so when I saw ICS, I scratched my head. But HTC promises to push out a Jelly Bean shortly. Nevertheless, ICS isn't without its charms. The Sense interface is fairly unobtrusive, and Friend Stream is surprisingly useful -- you see all Facebook, Twitter and messaging interactions in one place. It helped me streamline conversations, but if you have a lot of friends, it's overwhelming. AT&T is still heavy-handed with bloatware, but mercifully, most of it is removable. I found a few apps helpful, like Code Scanner, which reads bar codes, but you'll want to start uninstalling out of the box. If you're a helicopter parent, you'll love Family Map -- it lets you track your kids' whereabouts. If you don't have kids, and don't want a snooping spouse, you'll want to uninstall it.
The VX runs on a speedy 1.2-gigahertz chip and AT&T fast 4G LTE service. It comes with a meager 8-gigabytes of storage, so if you take a lot of photos or listen to music, pick up a microSD card. I lasted a solid eight hours on one charge -- that's one area it outperforms the X+.
Overall, the One VX isn't a bad phone, but it's cheap. The 5-megapixel camera is splendid, but the plastic materials will make you wish you spent more for X+. If you're on a tight budget, take a look at the Pantech Discover too. It costs the same, but has a faster processor, more defined display and a higher-resolution lens. ♦
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Categories: Android | Fun | Functional
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Super LCD 2 (Accelerometer / Proximity Sensor / Ambient Light Sensor)
User Reviews
December 02, 2012
Good Value, Good Features
After debating between the One X+ and the VX, I decided to go with the VX since it has a FM radio. I like listening to stations on the go, so it sealed the deal for me.
The VX is cheaper than the flagship X+ but it has a decent suite of features. The front and rear-facing lenses do the job, albeit at a much lower resolution, but the photos and HD videos do the job well.
It ships with Android ICS rather than Jelly Bean installed, but AT&T promises to upgrade the device in the near future. ICS is not bad, but I can't wait for Jelly Bean.
The design is superb. The speakers are well-placed and Beats Audio improves the frequencies for better-sounding bass and trebles. And with noise cancellation, calls are clear too.
It comes with a meager 8-gigabytes of storage, but there's a microSD slot for up to 32-gigabytes -- sold separately. The VX is a good deal. You won't have the best features, but you'll get a decent package at a reasonable price.
Was this review helpful to you?43 out of 47 people found this review helpful.
May 07, 2013
I like it
I like this phone. It does what I need it to do. The pictures come out beautifully. The screen is big and clear.
The main thing I hate about this phone is I keep receiving duplicate text messages. Sometimes I will get the same message 12 times. Also I fins this phone can lag quite a bit.
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