HTC Unveils its 8X & 8S Windows Phone 8 Smartphones

Hot on the heels of Samsung's first WP8 phone, the ATIV S, comes HTC to one-up things by offering not one, but two competing devices, the 8X and 8S. The 8X is HTC's flagship Windows Phone 8 device, so we'll analyze that first. With its 5.21 x 2.60 x 0.39" dimensions and its weight of 130g, the 8X compares nicely to Samsung's Galaxy S III in terms of physical size.

The 8X features a Qualcomm S4 CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, and with its 4.3" Gorilla Glass 2-infused display, gives the user a 720p resolution to make use of. Inside is 16GB of storage space, and not too atypical of competing phones, includes 1GB of RAM. Much like the One X, the 8X has Beats Audio at the ready, which HTC touts as being "Studio Quality". While I'd normally discredit that sort of claim for a phone, the fact that it boasts a built-in amp appeases me.

Returning on the 8X is an 8 megapixel f/2.0 primary camera with 28mm lens, capable of recording in 1080p. The front camera has seen some love too, as this 2.1 megapixel offering is also capable of recording in 1080p and shooting photos at f/2.0.

The S8 is quite similar in design, but as you can see from the shot below, it sports a slightly different color scheme - almost as to let everyone around you know that you opted for the lesser version of the two. But that statement would be accurate, as quite a bit has been affected here.

The S8 also includes a Qualcomm S4 dual-core CPU, but drops the clock speed from 1.5GHz to 1.0GHz. The size has also been affected; down to 4.74 x 2.48 x 0.40". As the size reduction would imply, the screen here is 4" and uses a WVGA resolution (800x480). Like the 8X, the 8S also includes Beats Audio, but foregoes the amp - hardly a surprise. At the back is a 5 megapixel f/2.8 camera capable of recording in 720p. No front camera is available on this model.

Both the 8X and 8S are set to launch slightly after Windows Phone 8, during the first half of November. Pricing has not surprisingly been announced, but the phone is said to become available at AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

Without having the ability to go hands-on with these phones, I have to say they're rather intriguing. The color schemes might not be for everyone, especially if you're a fan of iPhone or Galaxy S styling, but HTC has done a splendid job here for those who like a splash of color.