Following up last year’s blockbuster, the EVO 4G, HTC has released the EVO 3D, which, as the name would suggest, carries 3D capabilities. Unlike last year’s phone which singlehandedly took the title as the top Android phone, and kept it for months, the HTC EVO 3D sees itself in a different arena than its elder sibling. Many other manufacturers have released dual-core smartphones already, most of which sport screens with amazing resolutions and brightness, and the 3D is not the first on a phone as LG has done this already.
What the HTC EVO 3D is looking to accomplish is to bring the first 4G, 3D phone to the market, and with Sense UI on board as well as Android Gingerbread, HTC has enough solid specs to make this phone a winner. So does this phone live up to the hype, and is it a true successor to the HTC 4G or not? Read on to find out.
Specifications of the HTC EVO 3D 4G:
Pricing
HTC Evo 3D 4G
- Offers 3D glasses free technology
- Incredible 4G speeds on Verizon
- 4.3-inch 3D QHD display
Starting at Only $0.00
- General:
- First ever 3D 4G Smartphone
- Running on the Sprint 4G Network
- Powered by the Android 2.3 Operating System
- 1.2 GHz Snapdragon Processor
- 4GB of internal memory via microSD slot, can support up to 32GB
- Battery lasts up to 6 hours continuous talk
- Display:
- 4.3 inch 3D QHD touchscreen display
- Supports 960 X 540 pixel resolution for 3D capture and playback
- Newest HTC Sense for improved functionality
- includes HDMI TV output
- Comes pre-loaded with tons of great 3D content, including games
- Includes anti-fingerprint coating
- Camera:
- Two 5 megapixel cameras can be used to capture 3D images and 720p HD videos
- 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for video chats
- Live video sharing with Qik
- Includes HDMI out so you can watch on other devices
- Communications and Internet:
- includes full HTML browser support as well as full Flash support
- Packed with software including full Google integration
- Email options includes pop, Google push, ActiveSync and more
- Built in Google apps including Voice Search and Maps Navigation
Design & Features
Following up the success of the EVO 4G was not easy, but thankfully there are some handy improvements in this second generation package. For one the processor has been given a major boost. Replacing the single-core 1GHz Snapdragon processor of the previous model, is a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor with a dedicated GPU chip. RAM is a full 1GB and internal storage is also 1GB.
The screen is the same 4.3-inch as last year’s model, but the pixel technology has been significantly upgraded. There is a qHD display which boats 540 x 960 pixels. As if that was not enough, the screen is also stereoscopic meaning you will be able to enjoy glasses free 3D.
Speaking of 3D, the rear facing camera will record 720p 3D and 2D content. It also takes 3D stills on its dual 5MP camera. The front facing camera is 1.3MP.
Other features include Blutooth 3.0, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, microSD slot, microUSB port, FM stereo radio and support for DLNA.
Performance
With Android Gingerbread 2.3 running the show, the HTC EVO 3D also features Sense UI 3.0. Overall, performance was exceptional. After testing Samsung’s new Galaxy S II smartphones, we were expecting similar performance marks from HTC’s device. Thankfully, they are there.
The phone can handle anything you throw at it, except for 1080p Flash content. We did notice some lag when we tried to stream 1080p Flash videos over the browser, so you might want to keep it within the 720p range.
As for the camera, we have mixed feelings. 3D stills are great, not exceptional, but great. However, the requirements to shoot in 3D are so stringent that it makes it unenjoyably. Don’t think about getting close up shots in 3D. Furthermore, we wish we could have shot regular 2D content in 1080p.
As for the screen, HTC deserves recognition here. Just like the screen on the flagship Sensation, the qHD display here is marvelous as well. Colors are not only vibrant, but viewable under direct sunlight. Viewing angles are great as well. How does it compare to other screens? Except for the Galaxy S II which still holds the champion screen on a mobile phone, we couldn’t find any other screen we would opt for above that of the EVO 3D.
Battery life is good and a mark improvement over that of last year’s model which had horrible battery life. Still not the best we have seen, but you should be able to make it for a complete day on a charge, and that is with heavy usage such as web surfing, video conferencing and 4G and WiFi on.
Conclusion:
As stated before, following up with the success of the HTC EVO 4G was hard, but thankfully HTC has released a solid product, one that is worthy of a spot among the top cellphones of all time. That isn’t to say it is not without its flaws. We wish HTC had killed the 3D idea altogether and gone with a solid 8MP camera. We also miss the kickstand from the previous model which made it perfect for an alarm clock. Other than that, we are more than satisfied with this product and would recommend it to anyone.
