Droid Incredible 4G LTE Versus HTC One X: Which High-End HTC Android Phone is Better?

By Jonathan Charles | May 12, 2012 04:13 PM EDT

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The much-rumored HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE was an early reveal for CTIA 2012, the trade show running from May 8-10 in New Orleans. As an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich device, the Incredible 4G LTE could be a competitor with HTC's high-end HTC One X. So, how do the phones compare?

Display

The Incredible 4G LTE has a 4-inch "super LCD" display with a 960x540 pixels resolution. It's built from the scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass. The HTC One X uses a 4.7-inch LCD display with an IPS panel and a resolution of 1280x720 pixels - the same as the Samsung Galaxy S3. "[I]t's got a near-perfect 180 degree viewing angle and perhaps the most accurate color reproduction and color temperature available," Chris Ziegler of The Verge wrote in his One X review.

Gizmodo's Brent Rose shared similar thoughts on the One X, saying the viewing angles were impressive and said it has the best screen of a mobile device.

Operating system

Both phones run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Google's latest version of the Android OS. Neither phone runs stock Android, however: both HTC-made phones run Sense 4.0. The skin has been streamlined compared to past versions, but those looking for the stock Ice Cream Sandwich experience can buy the Samsung Galaxy Nexus if rooting isn't an option.

Camera

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE hosts an 8-megapixel camera on the back with autofocus and LED flash. The HTC One X also uses an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash, called "HTC Smart Flash," which includes five levels of brightness depending on the distance from the subject. It's unconfirmed if the 4G LTE will also use this feature, but it's possible with the phone being made by HTC.

The One X's camera has a startup time of 0.7 seconds, with 0.2 seconds per shot, and the camera supports 1080p recording at 30 frames per second. It can also take four photos per second while recording video and supports slow motion video and playback at 760x432. While lacking a physical camera button, the One X can use High Dynamic Range and take panoramic shots.

Since the 4G LTE hasn't been detailed yet outside of CTIA 2012, it's again unknown how it will compare. Similar HTC technology could be on board though considering both phones are made by the same manufacturer.

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE has a 0.3 VGA front-facing camera, while the One X has a 1.3-megapixel resolution. The latter can record 720p video at 30 FPS.

Battery

The One X houses an 1800mAh battery; reviews say the battery outclasses most other devices, except for the Droid Razr MAXX, which has a 3300mAh battery. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE has a 1700mAH battery, so the phones will probably run close in terms of performance.

Processor

Both phones use the S4 processor - the 4G LTE uses a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, while the One X a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4. The non-LTE One X uses a Tegra 3 quad core processor at 1.5GHz. Benchmarks will probably be available when the review units of the devices arrive. DigitalTrends said the 4G LTE has a benchmark speed of around 4600, slightly less than the One X.

Hardware

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE has a height of 4.8 inches with a width of 2.8 inches, a thickness of 0.46 inches and weighs 0.29 pounds. The LTE version of the One X measured 5.3x2.75 inches, weighing 0.29 pounds and is 0.37 inches thick. It uses capacitive buttons, as does the 4G LTE

Price

The HTC One X is available now from $199.99. The HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE arrives May 2012. However, no pricing details have been confirmed.

Conclusion

While any impressions are early due the Incredible 4G LTE not being available, the One X seems to be the high-end device of choice outside of the Galaxy Nexus. Whether the 4G LTE is cheaper, or offers better performance, isn't immediately known.

(reported by Jonathan Charles, edited by Dave Clark)