Hits on the big screen – is bigger always better?
THE next big thing in phones is very large in fact. Forget tiny display and constant squinting, the new generation of smartphones offer screens over the 4-inch mark.
Other companies like Motorola, Samsung had big screen models, and now HTC are embracing the big new trend with displays that come close to the 5-inch equator between phones and tablets.
The HTC Sensation XL is a key member of this big-pocket push, with a bright Super LCD 4.7-inch screen that literally makes bystanders do a double take.
It’s big, it’s that. With a 4.7-inch screen, the Sensation XL is likely the largest phone from HTC. The screen doesn’t feel too big, and yet it delivers a more readable experience in web pages, and in core services like email — plus, the larger screen size makes it easy to make selections on the touchscreen very easy.
Firstly, despite its display, this phone is one of the slimmest from HTC, with a form less than1cm thick. Its silver, stainless steel back also makes it easy to grip, and rounded corners help it slip into your pocket.
Secondly, despite that large screen, this XL phone does not take up much extra room. Its screen simply fills most of the available space, making the XL a similar size to the new Motorola RAZR. The XL isn’t all about that big screen, though.
HTC isn’t hanging its hat on this single feature of the phone’s design, either. The shape and cut of the XL is gorgeous, with its bone-white colour across the front, and its large aluminium plate across the back. Combined, the XL stands out as one of the most attractive handsets, memorable for not being just another black box, but a phone that is unmistakably HTC when held against your ear during a call.
Speaking of call! The call quality is excellent on this phone, battery life is quite good, with the XL managing between two to three hours of actual screen-on usage between charges, or at least a full business day of emails, calls, messages and web browsing.
HTC has provided 8-megapixel camera with backlit sensor for low-light shooting, plus a front-facing camera. The XL is definitely a fast enough camera to catch fast shooting.
Video quality is the only letdown, if this is important to you.
Compare to other similar smartphones
| Samsung Galaxy S II | Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S | HTC Sensation XL | Motorola Razr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android 2.3 with TouchWiz | Android 2.3 | Android 2.3.5 with HTC Sense | Android 2.3.5 |
| 4.3-inch 480×800 pixels |
4.2-inch 480×800 pixels |
4.7-inch 480×800 pixels |
4.3-inch 540×960 pixels |
| Samsung Exynos, dual-core 1.2GHz | Qualcomm, 1.4GHz | Qualcomm, 1.5GHz | TI OMAP, dual-core 1.2GHz |
| 1GB RAM | 512MB RAM | 768MB RAM | 1GB RAM |
| 16GB storage | 9GB storage | 16GB storage | 8GB storage |
The only drawback is that Its processor is a single-core l.5GHz chip, and its image resolution (400×800) dropped as the screen was stretched. Perhaps most disappointingly, you cannot boost its 16GB built-in memory with an external memory card
there is no expandable memory slot, so make sure that you are content with the 16GB of internal storage before you buy.
HTC proves that bigger is better. The 4.7-inch display makes everything bigger, easier to touch and better to read, without the screen showing its pixels and looking fuzzy. The camera is a corker, and the everyday user experience is excellent.
This extra large phone is a highly capable, well-designed and slick smartphone that delivers a bigger than usual window to the web.
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