HTC One X VS Samsung Galaxy S3
At first glance the two models are very similar, both offering a premium smart phone experience, packing big screens, quad-core processors and Google's latest Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. However once you spend some time with devices, these similarities melt away and it becomes very clear that the two are very different, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Design and build
The Galaxy S3 houses one of the biggest screens seen on any Android handset, save for the Galaxy Note and Dell Streak, featuring a massive 4.8in Super Amoled display. However, the One X also packs its own fairly sizeable 4.7in capacitive touch-screen. The two devices are closely matched in size, with the S3 measuring in at 137x71x8.6mm and the One X is 134x70x8.9mm. The same is true in the weight stakes, with the S3 weighing 133g and the One X a slightly lighter 130g.Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC One X V3
Despite being very similar in size, the two devices are quite different visually. While the One X has curved corners, it features significantly harder edges and lines than the S3, which has a much softer feel. Additionally the One X has a unibody design, while the S3 features a removable back plate. While having access to the device's battery is useful, letting you swap the phone's battery if necessary, we really aren't a fan of it on the S3.This is because the S3's back plate feels incredibly flimsy - to the point that we actually winced every time we removed it, concerned it was going to break.Samsung Galaxy S3 back plate
The One X by comparison feels reassuringly sturdy, despite being made of polycarbonate as opposed to the metal in the S3. Beyond this, the most noticeable design differences between the two are the S3's use of a physical home button and metal trim.The metal trimming surrounds the device's sides and acts as a barrier between its front face and detachable back plate, while the home button sits at the front of the device between the S3's capacitive back and menu buttons. Overall while the touches make the device look fairly nice they do give it a distinct iPhone like feel - something we don't like, preferring the One X's unmistakably HTC Android design.
Performance
When it comes to performance, both the One X and S3 are powerhouses packing powerful quad-core processors. On paper the One X looks slightly faster featuring a 1.5GHz quad-core processor backed up by 1GB of RAM, while the S3 has a 1.4GHz quad-core chip.However, when tested with benchmarking tool AnTuTu the S3 scored 12,127 beating the One X which managed a still impressive 10,829. While this is interesting on paper, being blunt, we really didn't notice any differences between the two when it comes to speed. Using either device we managed to stream video, browse the internet on multiple tabs and play even the most power-hungry gaming apps available on the Play Store with no lag.
This is mainly because there really isn't that much demand for quad-core technology in a Smartphone at the moment. There are next to no apps in the Play Store that call for quad-core performance. This means that while quad-core is nice, its only real selling point at the moment is it future proofs the device, theoretically meaning that a quad-core handset has the extra power available if and when apps and the Android platform itself are able to take greater advantage of it.
The S3's 4.8in HD Super Amoled screen uses the same display technology seen in Samsung's Nexus and Note smart phones. The One X by comparison features a 4.7in 1,280x720 HD display. One factor that differentiates the two is the fact that the S3's display doesn't offer as high a pixel density as the One X's 312ppi display, running at a slightly lower 306ppi.
But again, when looking at the two next to each other, we really struggled to tell which was better, with both being very clear and crisp even in the most unflattering light conditions.
Operating system and software
While both devices run using Google's latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, their user interfaces (UIs) and features are noticeably different. This is mainly because both Samsung and HTC have loaded the devices with their custom Touchwiz and Sense software, respectively.We're not a fan of either custom environment, as we feel that the basic Ice Cream Sandwich experience seen on the Galaxy Nexus is cleaner and more intuitive.
Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC One X operating system
That said, HTC's Sense 4.0 is the lesser of the two evils, packing fewer uninstallable custom apps and widgets. While Samsung has tweaked Touchwiz for the S3, removing several of the annoying widgets and graphical flourishes that plagued the S2, the UI still feels cluttered and is full of things you will never need or want to use. A particularly good example is its S Voice service. This aims to offer the same voice recognition and command capabilities seen with the Apple iPhone 4S's Siri.However, we have found it unrelentingly tiresome to use, with it regularly taking multiple attempts to understand what you're asking it and then often taking several seconds to respond. It's usually quicker and less aggravating to just launch the service using physical commands.
The only saving grace we noticed regarding the S3 is that a select number of its features, like S Beam and Pop up Play, are pretty useful.
Samsung Galaxy S3 S Beam
S Beam builds on the basic Android Beam technology seen in the One X, letting users share everything from contacts, to movies and audio files using NFC. Samsung claims the S3 can send 1GB movies in three minutes and 10MB music files in two seconds using the technology. The application launches automatically when you touch two S3s together, but the devices must be back-to-back for it to work, simply touching the handsets' tops together will not work.Pop up Play on the other hand lets you create a mini version of any video you're playing that can be placed anywhere on the UI. This means that you can keep watching a video while replying to a text or scanning Twitter and Facebook. Unfortunately, though these features are at times useful, they aren't enough to overcome the fact that Touchwiz isn't very user friendly. The UI is so full that it can confuse non-Samsung Android Smartphone users.
HTC's Sense 4.0 UI by comparison, though also a little too full of HTC's custom widgets, is significantly less cluttered and much easier to navigate.
Overall Winner: The HTC One X
Samsung and HTC's latest handsets are among the finest Android smart phones ever made, both boasting and showcasing the best technology currently on the market in the UK. HTC One x packs Ice Cream Sandwich and a quad core processor photo of the Phone's hub page. Anyone who picks up either device will enjoy a great user experience and won't regret choosing either device.However, picking the rivals apart, the Samsung Galaxy S3 does have slightly more flaws than the One X, which itself isn't perfect. Chief among these is its bloat ware infestation and slightly cheap feeling chassis. While the device does look beautiful, albeit a little too iPhone-like, it doesn't feel sturdy enough, and we aren't convinced it would survive a drop or accidental spill unscathed.
Additionally, the sheer number of custom Samsung apps and widgets installed on the device can make it daunting to use for anyone unfamiliar with Samsung's Touch wiz, even for a veteran smart phone user. This adds up to our conclusion that while the S3 does beat the One X when it comes to battery, we have to give the title of best Android smart phone on the market to HTC.
Author Bio
Esme Craig a content writer and an entrepreneur write for House Removals london that provide suitable solutions and amazing services for man and van London also.
