As many of you know, I have been eagerly anticipating the release of the Evo 4G LTE. I had originally planned to get the Galaxy Nexus, but after learning of the new Evo’s pending release I made the decision to hold out just a few more months, despite the fact that my old Evo was barely surviving, with the battery lasting just 3 hours or so toward the end. As the release of the new Evo drew near, the hype built was nearly outrageous. Many called the Evo the next evolution for Android phones and the new benchmark with which all other phones would be measured against. Of course, the release of the phone was delayed nearly two weeks due to customs investigations but last Friday — I finally received the new evo, exactly two years to the date after I received the Evo 4G in 2010. Was the wait ultimately worth it?
The first thing that really jumped out at me was the size of the phone. The first Evo was really the first “big” phone, with a 4″ screen that dwarfed those of the iPhone and others of the time. I remember being told then that 4″ was much too big and cumbersome. Fast forward two years and 4″ phones are regarded as too small. The Evo LTE (which is what I’ll call it from here forward) comes in at 4.7″ and it’s a very significant upgrade — although it is no longer the biggest phone on the block.
Where it stands out physically is just how thin and light it is for the size, thinner than the Galaxy SII, the Galaxy Nexus and thinner than the HTC One X, which is interesting since they are essentially the exact same phone. Despite the thin and light feeling of the phone, it feels sturdy — likely due to a very well-designed aluminum bezel around the outside of the phone, similar to that of the iPhone 3G and 3GS.
The actual phone itself: there is the standard power button on the top, along with the 3.5mm audio jack. Volume buttons on the right side, with the microUSB port on the left side for charging and data transfer. The phone comes with the famous kickstand, now able to hold up the phone in multiple positions — not just in one landscape position. You’re also able to charge the phone while having it on the kickstand, something that was needed with the old Evo.
Where this phone really shines, however, is in the processing power and the visual representation — something that is miles better than any phone currently on the market. The iPhone 5 and the Galaxy SIII may give the Evo LTE a run for its money when they are released later this summer, but for now the Evo possesses unparralled graphics and speed for a phone. The Super IPS LCD2 screen that HTC has unveiled with the Evo LTE sets a new standard for clarity, brightness and color density — there are times when I just find things to do with the phone so I can bask in the visual glory that is this screen. It’s impossible to truly describe just how beautiful the screen is, and is something that has to be seen in person to truly understand.
The display is rated at 720×1080 with a 332 ppi pixel density, and it really shows off the blacks and whites extremely well. Colors are rich and vibrant and the phone just feels “warm” to look at, with the colors nearly jumping off the screen. What I don’t like about the Samsung screens, despite how highly touted their AmoLED screens might be, is that there is an overall blue tint to the display – with the whites never really seeming white and the colors feeling fairly muted overall. Not so with the Evo LTE, a marvel when it comes to color density, richness and clarity.
The Evo LTE also takes a big leap forward with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage space, expandable via a SD slot that can take up to a 32GB card, with total storage of 48GB. The 1GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard memory is significant, considering that I was constantly running into issues of low space on the the old Evo and had to limit how many apps I kept on the phone.
The phone also boasts the 1.5 Ghz Krait Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, but only the dual core version instead of the quad-core that is becoming so popular with these processors outside of the United States. While many might be disappointed with just the dual-core processor, HTC has built a phone that absolutely hums when it comes to processing power and speed. The ability to slide between applications without hiccups, pauses or force closes with lightning speed is incredible and allows for perhaps the smoothest experience I’ve ever had with technology like this.
The Evo LTE also sports Ice Cream Sandwhich, with HTC Sense 4.0 on top of it. There are some who prefer the bare bones version of ICS, but I feel that HTC really hit it out of the ballpark with Sense 4.0, building a great UI on top of an absolutely incredible version of Android, that takes the best of iOS and Android and molds them into the perfect phone OS. There are major changes to get used to but after a day or so, I completely forgot about the changes and the new OS became familiar and extremely easy to use. Much better than Gingerbread in every way, easier to use and much cleaner and faster. HTC also included many more custom options with Sense 4.0, and ICS also presents an array of custom features to play with — a few changes and it will feel like you have a completely different phone in your hands.
I’ve used the phone for four days now and I’ve put it through some fairly rigorous battery tests. After a full charge overnight and taking it off the charger at 6am, I’ve found that the battery will likely last 10 hours or so under fairly heavy use before another charge is needed. While this isn’t nearly as good as some others out there, it’s not anywhere as bad as other reviews stated before the phone came out.
It’s also worth noting that Sprint has yet to launch the LTE network, so all of my data usage has been through the 3G network. I’m used to those speeds since the 4G WiMAX network never worked that well, although I’ve found that the Evo LTE uses the 3G network much more efficiently and faster than the old Evo — as it should. Knowing exactly how fast the phone is — along with actual battery life — will not be known until the LTE network is online sometime this summer.
Here is what the Evo LTE will really be known for: the camera.
Sporting a 8 MP, f/2.8 camera capable of 3264×2448 resolution, this camera blows every other phone out of the water. Capable of taking HD shots while filming 1080p video, the phone is also adept at taking pictures at an incredible rate — thanks to the dedicated camera chipset and software. The camera also comes with a very easy to use UI, as well as built in effects similar to those found with Instagram. I’ve found myself wanting to take video and pictures everywhere I go — of anything and everything.
I can’t just talk about the camera, so here are some sample photos. Click to enlarge.
This is a great example of the vibrant colors, as well as how the camera is able to capture movement.
More outdoor shots:
My dad playing with the effects:
I also used the camera and flash to capture a tarantula in his hole:
What I really love, more than anything, is just how fun this phone is to use. Everything is so easy, everything looks tremendously vibrant and warm on the screen and you don’t want to put it down. It also makes using apps I’ve used for years more fun and innovative, especially with the changes that ICS brings to the user experience.
Overall, this is a phone that anyone on Sprint should love to have. The Galaxy SIII is coming soon to all carriers and boasts some big time specs of its own, but the Evo LTE once again sets the mark for what constitutes the best phone on the market.
The HTC EVO 4G LTE is available now, $199 with a two-year contract with Sprint.
Below you can find screenshots of ICS.
