Android News
HTC EVO 4G Mega review: The Gift & The Curse
May 27, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
Featured post, HTC, Sprint
In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you that this review was written based on an HTC EVO 4G that was given to me for attending Google. The FTC requires that journalists and bloggers be upfront about freebies, but I can assure you that this disclaimer is pointless. Regardless of how I obtain the phone, I still would have reached the same two-prong conclusion: wow, this phone is amazing; dang, it’s still not the killer device I’ve always wanted.
The HTC EVO is one of the most powerful phones on the market. It features a massive, gorgeous 4.3-inch screen perfect for gaming and media consumption; there’s a fast-churning 1GHz processor that handles tasks well; and it has enough storage space and polish to satisfy anyone who likes Sense UI. As for that HTC keyboard that users rave about, it’s never looked better and been more responsive than when typing on the EVO’s gigantic screen.
However, Sense UI is the gift and curse of the EVO – much like almost every other HTC phone. While the design changes, widgets, and proprietary features of Sense UI make the EVO such an incredible phone, it’s also what’s holding the device from getting updates. Froyo has already debuted before the EVO has even reached stores, setting-up what’s sure to be another months-long saga of broken promises and frustration for users demanding new features that their Nexus One and Droid-wielding friends can flaunt. If you are someone unprepared to deal with Android’s inescapable fragmentation issue, stop reading now; this is not the phone you’re looking for. To all others, I give you Sprint’s flagship device.
HARDWARE
The EVO 4G is not for the faint of heart or those with a weak hand. The device is probably larger than any modern smartphone you’ve held – save for the HD2 – and its girth all but requires two-handed operation for the tiny-fingered. The phone is deceptively thin and becomes easier to handle after one or two sessions of adjusting to the larger screen.
As daunting as that may sound, the transition to a larger screen pays off once you watch video or play games. Remember all of those times where you held a G1 or myTouch and said, “I wish I could watch this on a bigger screen” or held a laptop and wished for a smaller one? The EVO is that happy medium between the two. Smaller than a tablet but larger than the average phone, the screen makes it easier to read eBooks, format web content in the browser, and is without question one of the best for consuming video. Gaming is fantastic thanks to the large screen that’s very responsive to the touch.
There are often tests arguing that one phone displays pixels with more density and colors are warmer or brighter than another, but the average human eye will never notice the difference unless told. Everyone will notice the difference in consuming media on such a large screen. Don’t let anyone tell you that bigger isn’t better (in this case at least).
The EVO’s physical build is slightly less encouraging. The microSD slot has an odd placement that can lead to the card being jarred loose, and the back cover latch always feels as if you could easily snap it without taking proper care. Thankfully, the back cover is built from a comfortable material. That’s crucial because the EVO will spend a great deal of time in your hands. The phone begs to be touched because of its unique size and the benefits it offers to gamers, media junkies, and web browsers.
Then the gift/curse theme reappears as battery life on the EVO is less than stellar. While I applaud the phone for having features that encourage me to use it more often, the 1500 mAh battery doesn’t keep pace with the increased activity. The EVO was able to play a one-hour video podcast, 2 hours worth of music, and browse the web for about one consistent hour before the battery neared depletion. That’s not bad in comparison to some other battery woes on Android, but it’s disappointing that a device so obviously built for massive consumption didn’t get a battery strong enough to better accommodate heavy use.
THE CAMERA (s)
The EVO has a great camera that Sprint may have oversold. Once again, the camera is great. However, video recorded in non-optimal settings can be grainy and the quality doesn’t look like HD when viewed on a computer or television. Much like “megapixels” has been used to trick consumers into thinking that more pixels means better photos, Sprint’s insistence on calling this “HD” video sets lofty goals that a relatively top-notch phone camera doesn’t quite reach.
When you are in optimal settings, the EVO takes incredible photos and videos. Video recorded in sunlight or well-lit rooms is fluid and looks as good as or better than many phones on the market. Audio can get a bit choppy when the wind picks up, but watch this short clip to see how the EVO performs when recording in 720p.
Snapping photos on an EVO 4G can be troublesome at times. Digital zoom makes photos appear like water-colour artwork and should be avoided at all times. Complicating matters is the amount of time that the camera can occasionally take to capture an image. As I tried to take a photo of my bashful waitress, the EVO took so long to focus that she was well out of frame when the shutter finally took a photo of what became empty space.
At least the final product is strong. The EVO features a few controls – like changing brightness, contrast, and saturation – that can optimize photos taken in otherwise poor settings. Both the 8MP camera on the rear of the phone and the 1.3MP front-facing camera produce images passable as taken with an entry-level point-and-shoot camera or webcam. The front-facing camera is truly unnecessary, but so is most modern smartphone technology. Gimmicky as this feature may be, it’s something that someone will find a use for, and that person will be pleased. Actually, Fring’s inclusion of Skype has already made it very useful.
Browse the EVO gallery to see test-shots.
SOFTWARE & UNIQUE FEATURES
In many ways, this a remix review. If you’ve seen the Incredible or have the Éclair version of Sense, you already know what to expect: large graphics, integrated contacts and social networking management, and the ability to create multiple collections of apps, shortcuts, and widgets called “Scenes.” It’s one of the many personalization options that have long attracted users to Sense, despite the dreadful effect that using this UI can have on getting new OS updates. As I stated in our fragmentation article, this is a choice you make when purchasing an HTC phone. You either love the intuitive experience or hate the design and don’t want to wait on updates; make your decision now and live with it.
HOTSPOT and 4G
The Sprint Hotspot may help you decide whether you want to make the leap to an EVO. I won’t delve into the $29.99 monthly charge for the Hotspot because that’s a decision each consumer makes with his or her wallet. I can only speak on the reliability and usability of the feature, which can make the EVO serve as a wireless hotspot for up to eight devices. Tests in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Miami ended with favorable results in all three cities. Network performance will depend on your local market but the hotspot will chug along if the connection remains strong.
Reviewing 4G is a little more complicated. I don’t live in a WiMax market yet, so I can’t speak to its reliability. Sprint did show us simulated speeds at a NYC launch event, but real-world speeds can only be validated in your local market. And while we’re on the subject, I must reiterate that 4G is a misnomer. Sprint’s WiMax network may be slower than T-Mobile’s 3G HSPA+ network in markets with both services.
HDMI OUT and YOUTUBE HQ
Did you ever think you’d see the day when you could connect your mobile phone to a television’s HDMI port? You should have, because that day is today. The EVO 4G can send video to your large HD television through a micro HDMI cable that does a good job of quickly sending sound and video. That means you can record your daughter’s recital at 11 am and have the entire family watching it on a large screen by noon. HDMI out is limited to only showing video compatible with the EVO, so this may not be a practical way to store videos and pipe it to the large screen. Practicality aside, it adds another “wow” factor that works well.
Media is also improved with the high-quality streams in YouTube HQ, one of the reasons Sprint charges a $10 “premium” for using the EVO. This isn’t just a matter of pixel density and colors like I mentioned earlier. Turning on the high-quality mode is like watching a completely different video file. While regular YouTube videos can often look like a cloudy mess of compressed images, the high-quality streams add a picture quality that can rival locally-stored video on other phones. It’s a welcome improvement for anyone who uses the YouTube app once a day or only once a year.
FINAL CONCLUSION
When I dream up the perfect phone, the EVO 4G is as close as it gets on paper. But dreams were made for dreaming, not life. I strongly advise that no one purchase an EVO expecting the Great White Buffalo of Android. Realize that you will purchase a device that’s both a gift and a curse; flawed but truly amazing. The 8MP camera doesn’t produce a real HD experience, but it still takes phenomenal video and photo in the right settings. Sense UI may put up a roadblock to speedy access to Froyo and Gingerbread, but the daily experience of using it will provide more than adequate enjoyment to people who appreciate the interface.
Owning an EVO essentially comes down to one question: do I want to wait for the best phone on my carrier or do I want to get the best phone? Other than update-phobia and an aversion to Sense, there’s really no excuse not to own the EVO if you’re eligible for an upgrade to Sprint. Anyone obsessed with stock Android can opt for an AT&T or T-Mobile Nexus One, but there’s no other 1 GHz phone guaranteed to get updates within a reasonable timeframe. If you’re going to forsake promptness for the sake of day-to-day enjoyment, you might as well do it on the EVO powerhouse.
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Let's wait and see what real world speeds look like. Also, Sprint's WiMAX is only handling data traffic; voice calls are still going over CDMA. If I'm not mistaken (and I may very well be) HSPA+ and LTE will be handling voice traffic as well, which will naturally cut back on the available bandwidth for data usage.
It's not Sprint Wimax… It's Clear 4G wimax, Sprint is one of the companies that is using our 4G network my friend.
seriousy, you didnt know how easily you can switch to the regular android os?? lame review only because of this.
you can't switch to the "regular os" – you only switch to the regular homescreen when you turn off sense.
if you root the phone you could
true, but that's something completely different. i can only review the product that's put on shelves, not the potential available through hacking.
That's not going to get HTC to bring you Froyo or Gingerbread any faster.
Seriously, don't bother posting if you have no clue what you are talking about.
Not only is he right, but it's already been rooted:http://grack.com/blog/2010/05/23/root-on-an-htc-e… My recent post Keeping Up With Mobile Times…
the wind was strong on that day which explains the mic problems. audio improves indoors and i'm not aware of any controls to improve it.
Riddle me this Batman! 1) Can I get theoretically get Nexflix to play from my EVO to my HD tv with out crappy lag? 2) What's the word on rumors of a "super" battery that can last for a week?
Netflix doesn't have an Android app yet, so I can't really comment on reliability of pushing out HDMI. As for super battery, I haven't heard of anything like. i can tell you the default one will barely get you through a day, so it's probably a 3rd party like Seido making it.
So would you recommend purchasing a back up battery or is daily charging just something I should get used to (since I've already pre-ordered mine)?
and where did you pre-order it at? I cant find that option anywhere
I am curious that you could say that HSPA+ from T-Mo WILL be faster. Maybe theoretically, but real world? Maybe I found the wrong tests with my quick search, but here are two tests from Gizmodo that were performed in multiple locations and the average speed for WiMax was comsiderably higher than the HSPA+ average. T-Mo:http://tinyurl.com/yksqu8q and Clear WiMax:http://gizmodo.com/5174718/exclusive-wimax-uncapp… scroll to the charts…
The Wimax vs HSPA+ debate is depedant on so many factors. One test says one thing and another test says something else. Saying T Mobile's 3G WILL be faster is a little misleading. I would say that Wimax has the speed advantgae as their network is capped at 10 mbps and they have a phone that also supports 10+ mbps right now, T mobile does not, 7.2 mbps is all they are pushing at both network and available devices. Wimax is data only and like Wifi it supports heavy data. It creates more avialable bandwith than any other 4G technology and consumes less because it's data exclusive. It brings the cell to the real internet as opposed to bringing a mobile internet version to the phone.
I hate it when critics do these weak reviews on the HTC EVO and are not doing it over a 4G network. That is so stupid,that's why ppl want it because It's a 3G/4G cell phone!! then yall give all these lame conclusions!!! Come to ATL or to your nearest Clear 4G network, test the HTC EVO then give a Daaam review!!!!!!!! Daaam paid HATERS!!!!!!!!
I've been in 3 cities in the past 4 days and none of them had 4G. And 90% of the people who buy this phone probably won't be in a 4G market either. Moreso, I didn't make any negative comments about Sprint's 4G network because I don't have access to it. All comments about this phone were positive except for the valid criticism about where it falls short. I actually praise this as the closest I get to my dream phone. where's the hate?
The hate saying our Sprint’s WiMax network will be slower than T-Mobile’s 3G HSPA+ network. They haters cause they late and LTE LATE!!The facts is that our Clear network is here were ahead and been here and were expanding, I have our entire Clear launch market cities for 2010. Were on schedule and It's awesome, Some people are going to have to wait on the 4G experience. Besides, people contract might be ending anyway. So waiting is good.. Froyo might be ready then. We're just spoiled brats!! Yes I work for Clear here in ATL and 4G is on another level!!!. Sorry for getting up set in my last post, It just gets to me when i see a critic review the EVO half done.. That's not fair at all!! Can't wait to get mine. I will show ppl a real review On our Clear 4G Wimax network.. HDMI out!! Daam hook it up to your flat screen and show us!! I'am on my review Built in wifi!!! Daam turn it on and show us how fast it is on a laptop I'am on my review Music!! Play it on the EVO show us how loud it is? I'am on my review etc. etc.etc… Everybody doing the same daam sorry reviews!!! Show us something different Dude!! I see I need to be a reviewer here in ATL for Sprint. Cause yall not doing Sprint no JUSTICE AT ALL!!!! HURRY JUNE 4TH AND I WILL SHOW YOU A REAL REVIEW!!!
Herston, really? You need to get a life. Get out of your pajamas, get out from behind the computer and engage in some social activity. You're lacking bud!
C'mon Son!!! I have a life, what are you saying? I do social activity and network here in Atlanta in the 4G network. I have a goal to get my 2011 Porsche Panamera in a few months paid for!!!! I'm on my Grind getting ppl conected with our Company with Clear. I have a life bystander!!! I launch Events with Clear. Do you know how much money I make bro!!! OMG!!! On the Path I'm going with them I can retire in 3 years!! What are you saying? I'm lacking? Are you serious!!!!! Are you really serious? Do you know what I have Mr. Bystander? It's ok tho i'm not mad at you, I'm making loads of money with Clear and your a hater. Don't get made cause I'm on an opportunity with them I'm riding the wave Bro!! I don't have a JOB Just Over Broke!! I Dictate my own income, eat when I get hungry, sleep when I sleepy and wake up when I fell like it. So keep hating bro!! GOD is good.. And when our Clear cell phones out before the year is out, my money will Quadruple Mr. Bystander.. Cause we will have the best plans anywhere!!! Our Clear plans are the best now!!! Were Unstoppable!!
Haters will hate man. good review. I just wish sprint would have included headphones and a case like T mobile did for the HD2 that would have been nice since they are charging extra fees. How about a little gift for me lol
Herston you need to calm down. The review was good. If you want to read a review with someone using the EVO over 4G, then look for another review. Do a google search and stop trippin
it was done over 3G. i was very pleased with it.
Great review.. Truth be told in three month Evo will be out dated. Life of android phone sad to say. 1.5 GHZ processor are coming.
Truth be told, EVERYTHING will be out dated. If it does what you need it to do then get the phone, get that computer, get that microwave, else keep sitting back and watching things go by.
Thats what happend to me. I just kept waiting for the next best phone and finally i looked up and realized I had a palm centro still lol.. EVO here I come..
Same here. I was waiting and waiting for the be-all end-all iphone on ATT, until i realized ATT network is falling behind along with my samsung propel. Their 3g map is ridiculous, and imagine trying to surf full size pages on the web with 2g or even bad 3g! Also no flash! (This review says evo also has no flash, which is wrong because I saw phonedog review running flash game) Switching to sprint for this phone. Whether it's the right choice I don't know but it's the choice I'm making. And honestly that one FPS (from gameloft I think) looks so amazing, iphone doesnt have that.
HD quality youtube kicks in automatic over Clear 4G service. Hope your in the area, cause I'am.
Question for Kevin about the Sling player application on the EVO. Can I connect my EVO to my friends HDTV via HDMI, and watch a show on a high def show on his TV that I DVR'ed at home?
Good review, but you also brought up the biggest problem. HTC == one update to your OS within some months, after that you are left in the dust with it. So even if the hardware is superior to anything else, unless I have to throw money out of the window this phone would be for me a no buy. I would rather go with something inferior and have it supported for a longer period, or would go with the evil empire (aka Apple) and also have it supported longer.
Clear is a 3rd party developer and they offer their own plans and services but Sprint ownes over 56% of Clearwire. The OS support is an interesting point but if I get continuous updates for my device but the network experience is still crap it does me no good. You get about a year out of the current OS, most people buy it for what it is right out of the box and not so much what it will update to and if you get one update it’s good for year number 2. By then maybe you wait it out a few more months to another year but it’s already time for a new phone. I would much rather have the phone as is with no updates at all in place of a good strong and reliable network that offers a consistent experience that improves and expands nearly everyday.