HTC just launched the HTC One M8, a revamped version of its flagship smartphone initially introduced last year.  The device promises a faster camera, better sound quality, and revamped user interface.

“To make HTC M8 even more premium feeling, we have developed another brand new process to create this stunning finish with this rough hairline texture,” HTC President Peter Chou stated, an obvious jab at Samsung’s affinity to using plastic for its devices.

The M8 features a brushed metal unibody frame, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top of its 5” Super LCD3, 1080 x 1920 pixels, capacitive touchscreen display.  It also features dual front-facing HTC BoomSound speakers, 2600 mAh battery, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 16GB or 32GB storage options, microSDXC support for up to an additional 128GB of storage, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, and runs Android 4.4 KitKat with Sense 6 – HTC’s redesigned user interface.

The UltraPixel camera of the M8 may be one of the reasons the device would seem intriguing to consumers as it has three.  There’s the 5MP front facing camera, then the 4MP Duo Camera at the back.  The M8 has two cameras at the back with the top most camera recording depth information while the main camera takes the photos.  The addition of the second lens allows for the creation of more interesting photos, such as those with 3D effects.  New camera effects and features were also introduced that greatly utilize the depth-sensing camera, such as UFocus, Foregrounder, Seasons, Dimensions Plus, stickers, and copy & paste.  Despite the 3D effects brought about by the Duo Camera, some aren’t satisfied with it as they wanted a better camera hardware.  Some suggested that the 3D effects would be better if the main camera was upgraded to at least 8MP.

HTC One M8 compared

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Compared to other flagship smartphones such as the Galaxy S5, iPhone 5s and Nexus 5, the device looks stylish, sophisticated, and one that can handle some rough handling with its brushed metal finish.

Unfortunately, it is heavier, thicker, and bigger than the other three.  It measures 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35 mm and weighs 160 grams.  As for the display, it is up to par with the Galaxy S5 and Nexus 5, and better than the iPhone 5s’ 1136×640-pixel resolution.

For the processor and battery, the Galaxy S5’s  2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Krait is faster and offers 2800 mAh battery, which are more than what the HTC One M8 offers.  The Galaxy S5’s camera is better at 16MP and can focus in as fast as 0.3 second and capable of 4K video recording and offers features such as HDR (Rich tone), Selective Focus, and Virtual Tour Shot.  Even the iPhone 5s’ iSight camera and the Nexus 5’s 8MP camera seems to be better than the Duo Camera on HTC One M8.  But when you compare the front-facing cameras, the HTC One M8 offers the highest resolution at 5MP and is capable of HD recording.

HTC is also joining the fitness craze with its Sense Hub, which tracks user’s movements to count steps.  But the hub isn’t only for tracking steps, as it enables the user to interact with the device while the device’s display is turned off.  Swiping to the right unlocks the phone directly to BlinkFeed and double tapping the screen wakes the device from sleep mode.  The feature isn’t that surprising as anyone who owns an LG G2 uses the Knock function to turn their device on or off.

Not much is mentioned about the HTC One M8’s security features, so if you’re looking for a device that offers more than passcodes as a way to keep others from accessing your device, then you might be more interested in the Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5s as both have a fingerprint sensor/scanner.

However, if your major complaint with your current phone is low battery life, you might want to consider the HTC One M8’s extreme power-saving feature.  HTC claims that five percent of the M8’s battery life can last for 15 hours if extreme power-saving is enabled, and a full charge will last up to two weeks.

• Pricing and availability

The HTC One M8 is now available for purchase on the Google Play store, but this version doesn’t come with Sense 6 and other HTC software.  It uses stock Android KitKat and looks much like Google’s Nexus 5.  The device is priced at $699 and will start shipping in two-to-three weeks.

Sprint, Verizon and AT&T are already selling the HTC One M8 online and in retail stores, while T-Mobile will only start selling the device next month.

You can get the HTC One M8 on Sprint for $199.99 with a 2-year contract, or $27.09 for 24 months with zero percent down on its Easy Pay and Framily deal, or for $649 without a contract; $199.99 with a 2-year contract on Verizon, $25.22 per month on Verizon Edge, or $599.99 without a contract; $199.99 with a 2-year AT&T contract, $32 for 20 months on Next Installment, or $639.99 without a contract.