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HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: the full-metal clash

androidpit htc one m8 vs iphone 6 comparison 02
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The HTC One (M8) is that rare thing - a five-star smartphone - but since it was released rival devices such as Apple’s mighty iPhone 6 have appeared. What happens when a five-star flagship meets Apple’s annual blockbuster? Let’s find out in our HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison.

HTC One M8 vs iPhone6
The HTC may be older, but it still packs a punch. / © ANDROIDPIT

HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: design

The HTC One (M8) was arguably the best-looking Android phone around when it launched, and its design still looks fresh today - especially in gunmetal gray, which makes it hard to tell whether you’re looking at the M8 or its successor, the M9. The curved back means it’s comfortable to hold and, while it’s not quite as pretty as an Apple device, it comes pretty close.

As with the HTC, the iPhone is available in multiple colors, of which we prefer the space gray rather than the blingy gold. It’s bigger and thinner than previous iPhones and has the same attention to detail we’ve come to expect from the Cupertino firm’s phones.

androidpit htc one m8 vs iphone 6 comparison 01
Both phones look better in dark grey, we reckon. / © ANDROIDPIT

HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: display

The HTC has a 5-inch, 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) display. That’s actually lower pixel density than the One (M7), but that’s because the M8 has a bigger display. The quality of the display is better, with brighter, more accurate color reproduction. It’s not the best Android screen around - for that you should turn to Samsung and LG’s latest - but it’s still very good.

The iPhone display is a little smaller at 4.7 inches, delivering 1,334 x 750 resolution at 326 ppi. It might not be full HD but it’s bright, sharp and clear, and unless you’re holding it really close or looking at something incredibly detailed the screen is perfectly decent.

To soundtrack these displays the iPhone has a single speaker at the bottom, while the HTC has dual BoomSound speakers that deliver surprisingly good sound for such small speakers.

HTC One M8 vs iPhone6 3
HTC's HD display has more pixels, but Apple's screen is hardly blocky. / © ANDROIDPIT

HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: performance

Comparing processors directly is tricky business because Apple makes its own chips and optimizes them for its own devices and OS. The iPhone 6 is packing a 64-bit Apple A8 processor, which is a 1.4GHz dual-core processor backed with 1 GB of RAM. That doesn’t sound like much, and in Android land it wouldn’t be, but iOS runs silky smooth even on more demanding apps.

The HTC has a quad-core Snapdragon 801 clocked at 2.3GHz, and while it’s no longer topping the Android performance table it still delivers impressive performance, thanks in no small part to HTC’s Sense UI, which isn’t as demanding as some other firms’ interfaces.

HTC One M8 vs iPhone6 9
The HTC has more cores inside, but that doesn't mean it's a faster performer. / © ANDROIDPIT

HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: camera

The HTC falls down badly here, at least on paper: its main camera is just 4 MP due to the use of UltraPixel technology, which HTC says offers better, clearer photos than a higher megapixel sensor without UltraPixel. That may be true, but the move to a bigger megapixel camera in the One M9 suggests that customers aren’t convinced. It’s good for low-light shots, but in bright conditions the camera can be a little over-exposed. The various filters are good fun though.

The HTC camera may be clever, but it isn’t as good as the iPhone 6’s: Apple’s camera may just have 8 MP - which is low by today's smartphone standards - but its sensor is excellent, and its photos are visibly better than the HTC’s - especially in brighter lighting conditions, where the iPhone camera excels. It produces vibrant images that really pop compared to rivals.

HTC One M8 vs iPhone6 1
HTC's camera is clever, but the iPhone's sensor is better. / © ANDROIDPIT

HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: battery

The iPhone 6 battery is comparatively titchy, with just 1,810 mAh. The HTC’s is much bigger at 2,600 mAh, and if you don’t go crazy it’s not unreasonable to expect two days of battery life between charges. You can’t do that with an iPhone.

HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: software

The HTC One (M8) shipped with Android 4.4.2 KitKat, but there’s a Lollipop update available and Android M is likely to work too. The iPhone runs Apple’s iOS 8, which will be updated to iOS 9 in the Fall.

HTC One M8 vs iPhone6 7
Buying Apple doesn't just get you a thinner phone. It thins your wallet too.  / © ANDROIDPIT

HTC One (M8) vs iPhone 6 comparison: verdict

This is an easy one. The iPhone 6 is the better device in most respects - assuming you don’t care about the operating system, because of course Apple doesn't do Android - but it’s also a newer, Apple device, so it’ll cost much, much more than the older, heavily-discounted HTC. With Lollipop support and Android M likely, the HTC has a good few years in it yet - and unlocked ones are roughly half the price of equivalent iPhone 6 devices. The iPhone is good, but is it really twice-the-cash good? We think we know what you’re going to say in the comments.

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Gary Marshall

Gary Marshall
Freelance writer

Former lion tamer, Girls Aloud backing dancer and habitual liar Gary Marshall has been writing about technology since Google was two guys in a garage. He's written for many fine magazines, newspapers and websites, written a range of how-to-books and a novel, co-written a BBC documentary series and dishes out weekly tech advice on BBC Radio Scotland.

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6 comments
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  • 1
    Bruno K. Hess Jun 27, 2015 Link to comment

    Now you can compare this devices, HTC One M8 with lollipop and new upgrades in your camera is very good in high light and low light, you can modify the ISO and timing with this the photo is better than iPhone 6. in the design iPhone lost your identity with this is other device in the market, verdict, screen resolution, screen security, camera, battery, design identity, with processor 32 bits have better performance than iPhone 6, in your post pictures you have HTC One M7 no M8, check this.


  • 2
    Jason Stockhill Jun 18, 2015 Link to comment

    Apple Crap. Fact... My wife has been a I phone lover since they were made, and I've seen her go through every phone, if not broken glass screen, home button, volume button, battery issues. They are cheap crap, My M8 WIPED the I phone 5 on everything, and she now has a 6. But. here is the but.... If she wants a good picture she asks me to take it on my M8 and "what's app" it to her. The HTC is by far the best phone, best performance, best battery, best screen. Gorrila glass on a phone is a must in my opinion. And best operating system. Keep your IOS for stupidity. Apple the most profitable company in the world. Because they sell you cheap crap phones that you think are the best. Who watched the documentary on the Apple factory in China. How about when you buy a phone you show some responsibility and make sure no one committed suicide while making it.

    Ihsan Ullah Aasimsam pack


  • 3
    erickobain Jun 18, 2015 Link to comment

    Prettier? According to whom?
    You downplay 2 of the best features of the M8 as if they're just gimmicks
    1 is the screen which provides a much more immersive experience when gaming and consuming media.
    2 the best hands down speaker in any phone to the date, specially with the Harman Kardon edition.

    And let me see... You gave best screen, best sound, kind of gave best processing power, best battery to the HTC and still you dare saying that the iPhone is better, Taking in consideration what you just reviewed..... Biased, opinion if you asked me..

    And by the way, photos in low light conditions such as sunsets, parties, camping,, you name it, good luck beating that against the Up camera of the M8, cause for facebooking and Instagraming, which is what most people do with their phones , I bet you wouldn't be able to notice the difference

    Miguel BernardoBertofcpcEthan BeckPrayag Hegde


    • 1
      Miguel Bernardo Jun 18, 2015 Link to comment

      exactly my thoughts...


  • Ethan Beck 2
    Ethan Beck Jun 18, 2015 Link to comment

    what a rubbish, subjective nonsense review. The iPhone has a better camera. That's it. There are so many things you conveniently ignored because you're too ignorant to perceive that others might have different priorities to yourself.

    erickobain


  • 3
    Will Jones Jun 18, 2015 Link to comment

    HTC one hands down. this is still my daily driver

    Ethan BeckPrayag HegdeMiguel Olid

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