Should you buy the HTC One M8 for Windows?

[Zachary Boddy]

The title says it all. The HTC One M8 is arguably the most powerful and modern Windows device ever released. Should you buy it? Here are the specs:
Dimensions: 146.3x70.6x9.3mm-160g
Screen: 5-inch 1080p IPS LCD-441ppi
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core-2.3 GHz-2GB RAM
GPU: Adreno 330
Memory: 32GB-microSD card support up to 128GB
Sensors: Accelerometer-Proximity sensor-Ambient light sensor-Gyro sensor-IR blaster
Camera: Duo Camera: 4 "ultrapixel"(4 megapixels at 2.0 microns)-BSI sensor-1/3" sensor-f/2.0 aperture-28mm lens-HTC ImageChip2(separate chip dedicated to processing pictures and videos)-Secondary camera(gathers depth information)-dual-tone LED flash
Front-facing Camera: 5mp-BSI sensor-wide-angle lens
SIM: nano-SIM
Speakers: Dual front-facing BoomSound with built-in amplifiers
Extras: Bluetooth 4.0-NFC-GPS
Battery: 2,600 mAh
Design: Ingenious 90% aluminum uni-body casing with symmetrical plastic strips for connectivity-volume rocker/power located on right side, flush to body but easy to find-3.5mm headphone jack on bottom right corner next to mini-USB 2.0 port

Right now the One M8 for Windows is exclusive to Verizon, but hopefully will soon come to all carriers internationally-it's at least coming to AT&T and T-Mobile. This is the fastest Windows Phone yet, and arguably the most beautiful. Should you buy it?
Are the Lumia updates-such as the upcoming Denim-good enough to make a Lumia device that more attractive?
Do you think HTC will continue to support the One M8 with future updates such as Windows Phone 9?

 

[SSgt Bruskowiz]

No. I would not go for this device.
Not because i don't like it, its a good device but HTC has shown not to be very trustworthy when it comes to updates.....remember the 8s.
The L520 is even getting more updates than the HTC 8S, so no i won't buy a HTC handset, at least not for now.
Let HTC first prove themselves than maybe.

 

[jlangner]

Yes I am getting. Definite upgrade from my 925. With T-Mobile and no other high end in site. Besides I have Jump so can upgrade in 6 months if a better Microsoft comes out.

 

[etphoto]

I did get one and couldn't be happier.

 

[anon(8032808)]

Yes, its beautiful. Try one out at a Microsoft Store if you can.

 

[jiovine]

No. I would not go for this device.
Not because i don't like it, its a good device but HTC has shown not to be very trustworthy when it comes to updates.....remember the 8s.
The L520 is even getting more updates than the HTC 8S, so no i won't buy a HTC handset, at least not for now.
Let HTC first prove themselves than maybe.

You must not have an ICON on Verizon,.

 

[vinscg]

Id buy it if it was for sale... Sick of exclusives...

 

[jabtano]

Yes I would but then it's just another WP exclusive.

 

[Manny C]

I'm currently on a Lumia 925 and I can't wait for T-Mobile to get their version of the M8. I'm just really looking for an upgrade and this seems to be the only one in sight for my carrier. I've unfortunately been having problems with my 925 like my previous Lumias before it. Considering that, I'm not as hesitant to jump over to the HTC side of Windows and I've never felt the Nokia updates/apps to be significant enough to hold me down. As much as I've grown to love Nokia, I'd enjoy a nice change.

 

[cbreze]

Got mine, digging' the crap outta it. Fantastic device!

 

[Ultimateone]

I have one and I think most will considering this is the M8 forum

 

[jiovine]

I have one and I think most will considering this is the M8 forum

Plus it is the only phone to officially support and ship with 8.1 from Verizon.

 

[AngrySprintUser]

I wish Sprint carried this phone. Got to try one out at the MS store and this phone is amazing.

It's funny how WP users give fanboys of iOS and Android a hardtime for having such tunnel vision, but the same could be said for those loyal to Nokia. There's a reason all the main carriers wanted this phone.

 

[waazzupppp]

I snagged one for 5 bills... Then put it on a VZW non-contract plan for $45 a month with unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data... It's a GB less than T-Mo offers at the same price, but it's a steal and no contract.

As far as the M8 goes... It does have a few bugs, but if you can live with a few things it is the most amazing device. The things that get me still are: The lack of a dedicated camera button - there's no way to quickly launch the camera from the lock screen. The random reboot - which happens every once in a while. My screen tends to have a few touch issues compared to my Lumia 925 and 1520. This may be due to the fact that

Now the good... The screen is gorgeous. BoomSound is just great for watching movies and videos in even a normal size room. The camera - well this is a bit good and a bit bad, but the good wins - the images are very clean and well colored. The bad, you can't zoom at all with it or it will get choppy. Still the quality of the camera is spectacular if you don't zoom. Cortana and DotView - a simple swipe to open Cortana without turning the phone on? Yes please! Front camera - the 5 MP shooter on the front of this thing is amazing. It does cartwheels around my 925's front camera. Just stellar!

The M8 also works just fine on T-Mobile if you pull it to GSM mode. If you live in a 1900MHz refarmed area, you will have either HSPA+14 or LTE speeds. Good deal... Bad part - there is no way to edit the MMS APN, so no picture messages without using a third party messaging App.

Overall, the M8 is a great device for those that want to feel the best hardware on the planet with our favorite OS. I missed out on a few things right off the bat, that now, a month later, I don't care about. I miss Qi and just setting the phone down on a DT-900 plate. I miss Nokia MixRadio and Nokia Camera, but I'm getting used to DuoCam and there's enough storage on the M8 to save some of my own music on board and still have room. The M8 is a great upgrade and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it to anyone, even at $5-600 non-contract and $45 a month on Verizon. The two year cost on this setup would be $1630. This compares to the contract cost of $1829 (and that's a super low data plan allotment).

Go order yours and enjoy, before something new comes out next week!

 

[Zachary Boddy]

It's great to hear all these great things, haha.

 

[Surmisation]

I hope China overtakes the HTC company, and sentences the executives, including the American head, to hard labor til their vomit turns blue. Then gives them a Lumia Icon and wishes them well.

That's what I think of the nation-less HTC group. I will never purchase another HTC device. That and they use thin glass to cut costs. Their phones break easy if they're dropped.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

I honestly want to make this a poll. I want to support this Windows device. Get the name out there. Recommend it to you friends and families. Try it out, even buy it. Get support for it and encourage other OEM's to jump on the Windows train. LG with a phone and their unique buttons and Samsung with their Super AMOLED screens, etc.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

You're entitled to your opinion my friend but you don't have to be so harsh. They're people just like you trying to make a living in one of the hardest markets on earth, and their current device has one over a hundred rewards for design and quality.

 

[Surmisation]

I went from 8x to Lumia Icon. I advised my father to go from a Droid DNA to a Moto G. I never recommend HTC for the above stated reasons. Only difference is they were in the other side of the equation before with Verizon withholding updates from their phones. Now they figure they'd join the club against Lumia owners. That's why I'm switching the family lines to a GSM carrier with unlocked devices.

HTC does use thin glass, and the screens break easily.

The Taiwan argument is relatively unimportant to me. But I mean to insult them and that issue is of great importance to them. Henceforth, let them be insulted.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Understandable, but at the same time...it's glass. You're going to have to be careful. It will break.
So don't drop it.(; Besides, can't be worse than the iPhone, haha.