Look, design, feel …………. 8/10
Climbing to the heavier side, the HTC Evo 4G is by no means light weight or small enough to grip. Looking similar to the HTC HD2, it is still comfortable to operate as a depth of 0.5 inches thick makes it manageable. As they say, you win something, you lose something. Weight and dimensions don’t matter when you take a look at the gigantic 4.3 “HTC Sense powered touchscreen. The screen size always makes a big impact when viewing web pages, emails and other text documents. The vibrancy of The colors and pinch and Zoom navigation adds to the attractive effect of operating such a large screen.
The HTC Evo 4G is a standard bar phone with four touch-sensitive buttons at the bottom for navigation: Home, Menu, Back, and Search. Compared to normal buttons, these are easier to control and pilot the screen. The upper part of the phone is implanted with a power button and a 3.5 connector, while the micro USB and HDMI port takes care of the lower part. A deeply seated spring action kickstand enhances the video viewing experience. The 8-megapixel camera sits on the back of the phone along with an additional 1.3-megapixel secondary camera on the front for video calls. All in all, no one would deny that the HTC Evo 4G is a huge phone, but its slim design feels unexpectedly good to hold.
Features ………. 9/10
The HTC Evo 4G features the latest version of HTC Sense UI, an easy-to-use interface that many prefer compared to other interfaces on the market. The Sense was always a dream to surf, but the newly released version is something else entirely! Navigation is smooth with minimal lag, the inline QWERTY keys are large enough for easy typing, and viewing web pages is an extraordinary experience that cannot be put into words.
Based on the Android 2.1 operating system, the phone comes with the regular Google and Android applications. Additional dimensions are added by the availability of features such as Google Maps and voice-to-text messaging. The release of Android 2.2 or Froyo is not far off, which brings with it support for the latest version of Flash 10.1.
The HTC Evo also has the regular HTC music player, dual cameras (8 megapixels on the back for still images and 1.3 megapixels on the front for video calls), HD video recording, and an HDMI port for streaming high-resolution videos in your home theater. Strongly backed by Sprint, the Evo includes all of its carrier services like Sprint TV, Sprint Football Live, Nascar Sprint Cup Mobile, and Sprint Navigation. Of course, there are additional applications available for download on the Android Market. The Evo includes a default internal memory of 1 GB and the option to expand it up to 32 GB with a microSD card.
Connectivity ………….. 8/10
HTC Evo outperforms its competitors in one word, “WiMax”. The first 4G phone in the United States, it is currently available in limited markets, but Sprint plans to include more cities in its 4G coverage area. The unfortunate, who is not covered by 4G coverage, does not have to be sad. The phone is also compatible with 3G and WiFi networks, which show good results. Sprint provides GPS with map assistance from both Sprint and Google Maps.
Performance ………… 9/10
You could call the HTC Evo 4G a mini tablet. 4G speed, massive screen, and apps combined are absolutely in the hands of the multimedia department. Watching videos smoothly was a surreal possibility, until the HTC Evo 4G evolved. It is portable with tablet-like performance. Watching a YouTube video would be an excellent example of its endless possibilities.
The HTC music player is standard with a good audio listening experience and an FM radio for an added bonus. However, the radio is not wireless.
The Evo 4G includes two cameras. The 8-megapixel camera is capable of taking 720p still images and videos, while the front camera is ideal for self-portraits and video calls. The camera delivers excellent results without grainy images and with sharp color details. There are other great features like face detection and geotagging as added bonuses.
The same cannot be said for HD video recording. This was fine, better than normal video resolutions, but the color quality was not as good as expected.
The front camera will be used with the Qik video chat application to make video calls. The application is free, unless additional services such as high resolution videos are required.
Call quality is good, if not mind-blowing. Both sides can be heard correctly, except for minor disturbances and distortions in voice quality.
The battery lasts approximately 12 hours with moderate use of functions. With the use of 4G speeds, the battery drains in just a few hours. Sprint hasn’t published any talk or wait time results, so the comparison factor is missing.
A sore point with the HTC Evo 4G is the limited availability of Sprint’s 4G network. Those who will not take advantage of 4G services due to lack of area coverage will still have to pay the $ 10 increase for the premium data add-on.
Value for money ……………… 8/10
With its abundant features, HTC Evo 4G is by no means a cheap phone. The 4G experience is for limited customers and yet everyone has to pay for the premium add-ons. Yes, the flaw is there, but for its price, the Evo offers everything and more that a multimedia smartphone enthusiast could ask for. Its consistent feature detailing and sleek phone tips the balance in its favor. We hope Sprint will cover more customers under its 4G umbrella very soon!
Pros
+ First WiMax (4G) phone in the United States
+ 8 megapixel camera with HD video recording capability
+ Secondary video call camera
+ HDMI port for streaming high-resolution videos
+ Android 2.1
+ Massive 4.3 “touchscreen
+ 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
+ YouTube HQ Video Player
Cons
+ Limited 4G coverage area
+ It is mandatory for all Sprint customers to pay the $ 10 premium data add-on, whether or not they are in the 4G coverage area.
+ Battery performance goes downhill with the use of 4G.
+ Only CDMA version available
