Introduction
Here come a very interesting comparison – the new, just off the presses, HTC Desire Eye going up against the venerable HTC One M8…has HTC gone mad…let’s take a look and see exactly what they are trying to do here. While the devices are very similar in specifications, they are at the same time, very different in design. The One M8 is made completely from metal and the Desire Eye is made from colorful plastic, but not only are the materials different, but so is the design. Where the One M8 has rounded sides and a rounded back, the Desire Eye is a more traditional flat sides and back – it still feels like a nice solid device, just not as premium as the One M8.
There are many similarities between the two – both use the same Full HD LCD display, with the Desire Eye just slightly larger at 5.2-inches versus the 5-inches of the One M8. They both use the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3GHz and they both have 2GB of RAM. The Desire Eye has 16GB of internal storage, the One M8 has a choice of 16GB or 32GB and they both have room to add an additional 128GB of storage. Even the batteries are close to each other in size, with the Desire Eye’s 2400mAh versus the One M8’s 2600mAh.
The sizes are similar as well with the Desire Eye coming in slightly larger height and width, although slightly thinner – 8.4mm versus 9.4mm – they weigh about the same with the Desire Eye coming in at 154 grams versus the 160 grams for the One M8. They both have dual-front mounted stereo speakers and BoomSound…no large grill for the Desire Eye as they are a rather small strip tucked in between the screen and the body. All the usual suspects are there on both devices – Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and a microUSB port.
Take a look over the detailed specifications below and then we will look at how these two devices differ from one another and hopefully we will be able to pick a winner in this comparison.
Specifications
HTC Desire Eye
The new HTC Desire Eye is very similar to the HTC One M8 as we have pointed out in the Introduction section – the displays, processors, memory, speakers and size are all about identical. What made HTC design, produce and market the Desire Eye – what were they trying to accomplish with this new model with almost the same specifications as their One M8 flagship?
Besides the plastic body and cheaper price, the BIG difference is in the cameras – yes, BOTH cameras. The main camera is a straightforward 13MP shooter – no UltraPixels found here – with auto focus and a dual LED flash, and it should take some decent shots. The really big news is in the front-facing camera (FFC) – HTC puts a 5MP FFC on the HTC One M8, but on the new Desire Eye they also included an outrageous 13MP affair with auto focus and a dual LED Flash – yes, you read that correctly – basically the same camera as the main one. FFCs have long been an afterthought on most smartphones, but HTC is taking full advantage of the Selfie craze – hence their “Eye Experience.” In fact, it can track up to four faces to make sure you get the perfectly focused selfie with friends. It also works for video chatting, making sure that everybody’s face stays in focus. A simple, but really great idea.
One problem with this new device is that it will only be available on AT&T, meaning that the rest of use will not be able to experience the new HTC Desire Eye. Prices have not yet been released, but it is expected to be about $420 off-contract.
HTC One M8
Okay, we all know the HTC One M8 by now – a beautiful design with an all-metal body, gracefully rounded at the edges and a curved back. Certainly, one of the most comfortable phones to look at and to hold, and it has the now infamous dual front facing stereo speakers with BoomSound – easily the best sounding smartphone on the market.
Just as infamous, or can I say “uninfamous,” is the 4MP UltraPixel Duo Camera – what a mouthful. It takes good pictures, but nothing great, as the Duo camera is used to add depth and special effects to your photos…a nice idea, but HTC should invest in more UltraPixels. HTC did include a nice 5MP FFC for video chatting and excellent selfies, but nothing as complex as the Desire Eye.
The HTC One M8 does have an IR Blaster and a stereo FM radio and is available on all major U.S. carriers and runs about $199 on a two-year contract and approximately $500 – $650 off-contract…only because it has been out long enough that the price is coming down.
…And the Winner is…
Summary
I had to pick the new HTC Desire Eye for this comparison – it has all of the specs of the more expensive One M8 for a lot less money. No, it does not have a full metal body and if you can get past that one item, you will see that the Desire Eye just offers a better value. HTC made no shortcuts in the quality of the insides (okay, maybe no BoomSound), added some terrific camera features, added some fun colors, made it waterproof, made the display a little bit larger and lowered the price…how can you pass that up?
Please hook up with us on our Google+ Page and let us know what you think about these two devices and let us know which one you would pick for the winner and WHY…as always, we would love to hear from you.