Deboxing the HTC Windows Phone 8X

We get our hands on the HTC Windows Phone 8X and find it could be Nokia's biggest threat.

Ars Staff – Oct 29, 2012 7:14 pm | 67

When we first looked at HTC's flagship Windows Phone 8 device, the Windows Phone 8X, we didn't get much chance to actually use the thing, thanks to a hands-off policy that kept us from looking at Windows Phone 8 too much. With the operating system now officially launched, we've had a chance to actually look at it for real.

We'll have a review of the phone in due course. For now, we have some unboxing shots and first impressions from a couple hours of use.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X alongside its box. Don't text and drive.

What's in the box: a phone, a charger, and a USB cable to join the two. Surprisingly, given the promotion of Beats Audio, our phone didn't come with any headphones. Maybe this is because it's a pre-release unit.

The box is quite extraordinary. The cardboard holder that presents the phone to you when you open the lid refuses to relinquish its grasp on the phone, adding a frustrating note to your first experience of using the phone.

The 8X will be available in a range of colors. The one we have is a kind of indigo blue. In some of HTC's previously promotional photos, it looked as if it had more purple to it, but that is, unfortunately, not the case when you see the device in the flesh. It's a great color, but not quite purple great.

... and back. Almost, but not quite, as good as purple.

In the hand, the HTC Windows Phone 8X feels fantastic. High quality polycarbonate, smooth curves, and overall, pretty darn sleek. The screen and its surroundings, including the three capacitive Windows Phone buttons, are black, with the earpiece body-colored: a nice piece of detailing.

It's not the thinnest Windows Phone 8 device—that honor goes to the Samsung ATIV S—but it's comfortably thin enough.

There will be a thinner Windows Phone handset—Samsung is claiming its ATIV S will be slimmer than the 8X. However, I'm not sure this will matter to most; the 8X doesn't feel at all bulky. The form factor of the 8X could be a big deal competitively: although the Nokia Lumia 920 is also attractive, it's more than a little chunky.

The Lumia 920 is probably the 8X's direct competitor in the Windows Phone space, and picking between the two is going to be tricky. The 8X is thinner and available from more carriers, but has only 16GB of storage and a 1280×720 screen. The Lumia 920 is thicker and subject to a number of carrier exclusives (AT&T in the US), but has 32GB storage, wireless charging, and a 1280×768 screen. It also has Nokia's compelling software, including turn-by-turn navigation with Nokia Drive, and Nokia's own map software. These are both big strengths of Nokia's offering.