HTC One Was the Best Android Handset at MWC

Gear Diary is reader-supported. When you buy through links posted on our site, we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

You can learn more by clicking here.

HTC One Android Phone

The HTC One Android Phone

The HTC One was the best Android Handset at Mobile World Congress — according to the GSMA 18th Annual Mobile Awards, anyway! Their judges considered the HTC One to be “the device that holds the most promise for success in the market this year, providing game-changing features, design and functionality”, and they awarded it the “Best New Mobile Handset, Device or Tablet at Mobile World Congress 2013”. Pretty impressive, right?

We covered the HTC One on its announcement day, and I was able to spend a little bit of time fondling one while at Mobile World Congress.  I found it to be surprisingly thin, and oddly reminiscent of the HTC Flyer — in the best way — because most of the design elements I had loved about HTC’s 7″ tablet design were present, minus the pen.

To recap, the HTC One is available in black or white; it has a 4.7” 1080p screen, a zero-gap aluminum unibody, dual front speakers, and new HTC innovations including BlinkFeed, HTC Zoe and HTCBoomSound. It also has a 1.7GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600, quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, a 2300 mAH Li-Ion battery, and it will be available with either 32GB or 64GB ROM; the HTC One will run Android Jelly Bean.

HTC One Android Phone

Unlike the Sony Xperia Z with its sharp edges , the HTC One has a full-metal body with soft curves that begs to be held. The full metal body gives the device a substantial and sturdy build, and the screen … wow … the 4.7″ screen is amazing.

HTC One Android Phone

I realize that the Samsung S4 is coming out shortly, and that a lot of people will almost feel obligated to wait and see that device before making any decisions, but I feel confident enough about the HTC One to say that were I in the market for an Android device today, the HTC One is the device I would buy.

Why? Because Samsung has yet to produce a device that feels as solid and good as the HTC One does, and I like HTC’s Sense UI better than Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay. At this point I would be shocked if any of the improvements Samsung has put into the S4 could change my mind.

What do you think? Are you in the market for a new device? If so, which one are you leaning toward?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!


About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She got her start in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie has written for or been profiled by nationally known sites and magazines, and she has served on multiple industry hardware and software award panels. She is best known for her device-agnostic approach, enjoyment of exploring tech, gadgets, and gear, and her deep-diving, jargon-free reviews.