HTC Incredible S Review

Underneath the HTC Incredible S's rubberized casing, hides a very capable smartphone, according to Wired. While its distinctive design might not speak to everyone, reviewers felt that its overall performance surely will. They were especially pleased with its 4'' touchscreen, 1 GHz processor, and Sense UI; though they would have also liked if it had a newer version of Android.

The HTC Incredible S does indeed boast some great qualities, say reviewers at The Inquirer, who loved its 8MP camera, solid build quality, and nice display. Yet, despite its good points, they concluded that unless the camera is essential to you, then opting for the HTC Desire S may be a better choice, seeing as its operating system and user interface are more up-to-date.

"... On paper, the specs of the Incredible S processor are nothing special, lacking the dual-core prowess of the latest handsets, but in use it's fast and effective ... the Incredible S is a highly usable, enjoyable handset."

IT Reviews thought the 4in screen of the HTC Incredible S was just about the perfect size. It's large enough to nicely show videos and websites, yet it's not too large to result in an awkwardly sized handset. They were also rather pleased with the 8MP camera. But while it has some nice features, they just didn't think it did anything really special enough to justify the high price tag.

In essence, the HTC Incredible S is the Desire HD, just with a smaller display and better battery life, says ExpertReviews. They add that if you don't mind its unusual design and can wait for the promised update to Android 2.3, then it's not a bad handset. However, they recommend holding out if you can, to see what the next generation of dual-core phones brings to the table.

As is also the case with the Desire S and Wildfire S, the team at CoolSmartPhone felt that the Incredible S is little more than a minor upgrade to the original Incredible - it even has the same shortcomings, namely the quality of the camera and audio. That being said, this is a very good mid to top range Android smartphone with great specs that offers an excellent user experience.

"Plus: Impossibly thin; Fast; HTC Sense good as ever.
Minus: Same price as an iPhone; Weird back hump."

The only real problem with the HTC Incredible S, says IT Pro, is that it fails to stand out in a market driven by the perpetual influx of new features. That said, they say that it's not lacking anything essential and as it stands, it's a solid all-around smartphone. However, it is very similar to the Google Nexus S, and reviewers recommend checking both phones out before committing.

Value for money: 7 out of 10 points

The Incredible S has a screen to back up its name, however Trusted Reviews were so convinced by the unusual design of this HTC smartphone. The Incredible S is a functional and powerful Android V2.2 device that does most of its tasks well, but it doesn't stand out much from its main competitors. This means that although it has plenty of appeal, it's hard to get too excited about it.

Value for money: "good" (4 out of 6 stars)

PC Pro were impressed by the general performance of the HTC Incredible S, with praise being given to the unique styling, brilliant screen, good camera and decent battery life. However, while the Incredible S may compare well to the current competition, with a range of dual-core smartphones about to hit the market, one gets the feeling it might soon not seem very incredible.

If you're after a phone with a sizeable screen and top-notch specifications, then the HTC Incredible S could be the phone for you, says ZDNet. Features, such as its eight megapixel rear camera and front-facing camera, definitely lend it some appeal; however, reviewers also comment that if innovation is what you want, then you're better off looking elsewhere.

Reviewers at Know Your Mobile feel that in the competitive world of smartphones, the HTC Incredible S may not boast enough innovation to pull ahead of the pack. However, they found it to be a decent enough phone with plenty of great features, such as an eight megapixel camera and large screen, while its Sense user interface also proved a pleasure to use.

The 3g.co.uk team felt that while the HTC Incredible S may currently be a top end device, the looming introduction of a new generation of smartphones could render it out of date very soon. That being said, customers who are looking for a reliable phone for social networking, email and web browsing won't be let down by the Incredible S, despite some issues with its software and camera.

All things told, the HTC incredible S is indeed an excellent phone that offers great usability, an ample array of features, a pleasing design and solid build-quality. Unfortunately though, say reviewers at CNet, this device doesn't do enough to advance the HTC story and fails to make a real place for itself in today's market, which will become increasingly competitive.

Although most of the flaws of the Incredible S are not dealbreakers, Mobile Choice reckon that some aspects like the lack of NFC require careful consideration, since they could render the phone outdated in the next few months. On the good side, it's very fast thanks to its Snapdragon CPU, battery life is excellent and the screen is gorgeous.