Mobile mania: The smart ones with killer looks

HTC improves on its One M8; Acer enters a crowded segment

When the HTC One M8 hit stores earlier this year, fans of the Taiwanese phone maker were raving about how good the phone was. And, it was difficult to argue with them because the One M8 proved to be one of the better performing smartphones in the first half of 2014. With the One M8 Eye, HTC has attempted to go bigger and better. To say that they've succeeded in doing that would be a mild exaggeration. The phone does tick quite a few boxes.

• Design
  The M8 Eye looks identical to its predecessor - which means it is an elegant, snazzy-looking phone. With a five-inch screen and a high-definition resolution of 1,080x1,920 pixels, the phone packs a sharp display. At 160g, the M8 eye is not too bulky. The aluminium body gives it a sleek finish and the phone is sturdy while handling. While the glossy outer body is pleasing to the eye, the phone is difficult to handle at times, as it keeps slipping. However, there is no doubting that the M8 Eye is right up there with the best looking phones in the market. Our review device was a gunmetal grey variant, but the phone is also available in glacial silver and amber gold.
  

 

Processor
The M8 Eye is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and 2GB of RAM, much like the M8. It runs on the Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) operating system and features the all new HTC Sense 6. The apps function smoothly, the phone's gaming experience is pleasant and you can play videos on this one without any hiccups. The phone has BlinkFeed - a content feed designed to place a special focus on news stories and social networking - as its default homescreen. The audio quality via earphones is good, and the BoomSound speakers provide an incredible sound experience. The phone's non-removable 2,600 mAh battery, once fully charged, can easily run for good 12-14 hours.

 

Camera

The M8 Eye comes with a new 13-megapixel (MP) rear dual-lens camera and 5MP front camera. Clearly, the standout feature of the phone, the camera also boasts added new options such as Crop-me-in, Split capture and Photo booth. The camera works well under normal light, but the images are far from impressive in low-light conditions. However, if you're a selfie fan, then the front camera is a definite delight. The One M8 Eye supports the HTC Eye Experience - a proprietary software that lets you optimise your phone's camera.
 

Verdict
While the One M8 was undoubtedly a terrific phone, what sets the M8 Eye apart from its predecessor is the quality of the camera (the M8 had a four-ultrapixel camera). With the M8 Eye, HTC has tried to improve a product that was already exceptional. Opting for the M8 Eye over the M8 would be a wise choice. However, with an upgraded version, the customer would have expected a little more. At Rs 38,990, the M8 eye would leave the customer satisfied. But one can expect the M8 Eye to face stiff competition in its price range from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Moto X (second generation).

HTC ONE M8 EYE
Size: 146.36x70.6x9.35mm, 160g
Display: 5 inch, Full HD
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
2.3GHz and Quad-Core CPU
OS: Android 4.4.4 (KitKat)
Camera: 13MP (rear); 5MP (front)
Storage: 16GB; RAM:2GB
Battery: 2,600 mAh (non-removable)
Price: Rs 38,990