HTC’s mid-range device looks to
highlight the best bits of the impressive One series
HTC’s One series is slowly putting together
a formidable library of phones. From the high-end One X, to the budget One V
each and every device certainly has its high points. To fill the gap in
between, the mid-range HTC One SV looks to bring together the best features
from both ends of the market.
HTC
One SV
The One series is renowned for its sleek
design, and the One SV is no exception to the rule. The black fascia includes
no notable features, apart from the three physical buttons embedded at the
bottom of the device. Turn the device around and you’ll find a white, removable
backplate with an embossed HTC logo in the center of it.
With the back of the device slightly
curved, and the edges of the device also curved, the One SV feels good in hand.
Its small, but slightly weighty build, helps the One SV feel like a well put
together device. Around the edges of the device are your standard ports,
including a micro SD slot, 3.5mm audio jack and micro USB port. Where HTC has
compromised with the One SV, is with its display. When turning on the device
you’re greeted to a 4.3-inch display sporting a WVGA 480 x 800 resolutions.
It’s grainy throughout and there are visible pixels that are easily
identifiable on the bright home screen of the SV. Viewing angles are also
limited, but that’s forgive able with a device of this size. The problem is
most noticeable when viewing pictures and watching movies, which doesn’t bode
well for the five-megapixel camera included here. The camera is distinctly
average in the daytime, but below par in low-light conditions. One of the best
features of the camera is that you can take 30 quick-fire shots in a matter of
seconds, but once again the grainy quality spoils it. You can record in 1080p
HD, which is a massive plus for a mid-range device, and the 1800 mAh battery
handles this feature well.
Despite
the display, the One SV is very quick, and the Qualcomm dual-core processor
handles most tasks well
“By far the best version of its
custom skin yet”
Despite the display, the One SV is very
quick, and the Qualcomm dual-core processor handles most tasks well. Whether
you’re browsing, downloading apps or simply just moving around the device, the
processor handles it all very well. The accompanying 1GB of RAM might be a
little disappointing to some, but caters for a smaller device like this well
enough, and copes with basic multitasking without facing any software lag.
As with any HTC phone you’ll get its very
own skin here in the form of Sense. The One SV ships with Android 4.0 and runs
Sense 4.1, which is by far the best version of its custom skin yet, and there
are some quality feature additions that the One SV can be proud of. Messaging
has been vastly revamped, there are a new range of entertainment hubs for your
files and the browser has had a few tweaks to improve general use. It isn’t up
to the standard of the pure Android experience, but it’s making ground that’s
for sure.
The
micro SD slot means you can expand the 8GB of internal storage up to 64GB
The main selling point of the One SV is the
fact it’s one of the first mid-range phones in the UK with 4G LTE support.
Although the availability of 4G in the UK is still limited, it’s great to see
cheaper devices getting 4G support. You’ll also find NFC, DLNA and Bluetooth
4.0 capabilities in the One SV for those not lucky enough for 4G speeds just
yet.
HTC has done a great job at pitching the
One SV as a true mid-range device. It does lack in certain departments, mainly
the display and camera, but it excels in others. Not only is it a superbly
built device, it comes with the best version of Sense yet, and offers the
average user a competitively priced chance at getting their hands on a 4G
device for the first time.
The HTC One SV information
Price: $438
Website: www.htc.com
Battery life
Average users should make it through the
day just fine
Performance: 3/5
Great processor, but below average display
and camera let it down badly
Design: 5/5
A truly great looking phone that’s easy on
the eye, and in the hand
Features: 4/5
The best iteration of Sense yet, but still
a bit behind pure Android
Value for money: 4/5
You’ll be hard pressed to find a better
mid-range device than this
Verdict: 4/5
The HTC One SV excels in most areas making
it a great addition to the company’s already impressive range
Good for…
Portability: This phone is the
perfect size for one-handed use and is surprisingly lightweight
Design: The simple, crisp finish of
the One SV makes it look and feel like a great device
Browsing: The speedy dual-core
processor will get you around the device with no lag in sight
Entertainment: The new entertainment
hubs are great solutions for storing your various media files
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Technical
specs
§ Operating
system: Android 4.0.4
§ Processor:
Dual-core 1200MHz
§ Memory:
8GB storage
§ Dimensions:
9 x 9.2mm
§ Weight:
122g
§ Display
size: 4.3-inch
§ Display
resolution: 480 x 800 pixels
§ Expansion
slot: micro SD
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