Two flagship smartphones carrying such a weight of expectations that one would think they'd have no time and energy to worry about each other. The Samsung Galaxy S4 has to outsell the Galaxy S III and the HTC One is expected to turn the fortunes around for an ailing company. So, which one's bigger? And we mean the job, not the phone.
The two contenders themselves will have an entire review to each prove their point. These two superdroids make no compromise and charge big bucks. They need to make sure users are getting their money's worth. That's what flagships are all about. They win big but they lose big too - and last season Samsung and HTC were on either side of that line.
Things look different this time around. We know the two phones quite well already, the HTC One review is only just behind us, and the Galaxy S4's in the final stages. The setting for this clash has changed too - the elite flagship club isn't exclusive to top-tier manufacturers anymore. Yet, there should be no better guarantee for a thriller than the names of Samsung and HTC. The prodigy children of two of the most revered Android makers are about to fight it out, and even the slightest edge could give a massive advantage in the marketplace.
Running over the entire spec sheet of each phone will take too long - both droids are impressively armed - so instead we'll just list the differences. Here's how one is better than the other and vice versa.
Samsung Galaxy S4 over HTC One
- Bigger screen; works with gloves and air gestures
- Higher resolution camera - 13MP vs. 4MP
- Newer Android version - 4.2.2 vs. 4.1.2
- Multi-window multitasking
- Higher clock speed chipset
- Expandable storage
- User-replaceable battery of higher capacity
- Additional sensors (barometer, thermometer, hygroscope)
- Exclusive software features
- Smaller, thinner, lighter
HTC One over Samsung Galaxy S4
- Brilliant-looking aluminum unibody
- Optical Image Stabilization, image sensor with 2µm pixel size
- HTC Zoe, BlinkFeed
- Front mounted stereo speakers, Beats Audio
- FM Radio
Looking at the two lists above, you'd thing the Samsung Galaxy S4 has the upper hand. It's not that simple - not all bullet points have the same weight. For example, we'll take the sleek aluminum unibody over a hygroscope any day of the week. And the megapixel debate for the two cameras will probably take a huge chunk of this article to resolve.
But let's look at the schools of thought behind the two phones. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the power user's heaven with settings, tweaks and toggles scattered all over the place - with all the proper hardware support too. TouchWiz is familiar and intuitive enough so regular users will not be lost, but they might miss out on some of the more exotic features of the Galaxy S4.
Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One sizing each other up
The HTC One is quite the opposite - it aims to make things simple. Zoe looks impressive, but require nothing of the user, it's all done automagically. The Optical Image Stabilization and Beats Audio similarly work behind the scenes to enhance the experience.
Anyway, let's take this one step at a time. Just one important note before we let the HTC One and the Galaxy S4 off the leash. The Samsung flagship in this shootout is the I9505 version, the one powered by a Snapdragon 600.
Hardware comparison
Samsung and HTC set out on different paths from the very drawing board. Samsung focused on sensible finish and practical build, while HTC wanted a design that makes a statement.
In the end, the Samsung Galaxy S4 uses a plastic body with a Hyperglaze finish just like that of its predecessor. Taking after a design that wasn't too widely loved in the first place is a bit of a turnoff to be honest, but the slimmer waistline and thinner bezels still make the Galaxy S4 look much better than its predecessor (which is larger, despite the smaller screen). The Galaxy S4 is actually more compact than the HTC One as well, but the difference is negligible - at least until you account for the fact that the Samsung fits a bigger screen.
Samsung Galaxy S4 and S III side by side
The plastic build has a number of practical advantages - it's lighter for one, 20g, and the removable back cover means a user-replaceable battery and a microSD card slot.
HTC developed a complicated process of carving the One out of a block of aluminum and the result is arguably the best looking smartphone to date. The phone is a bit thicker than the Galaxy S4, but the curve of the back hides that very well. The extra weight and the aluminum finish give the HTC One a premium feel that really puts its competitor today to shame, though.
HTC One is a looker
Even if you don't care about the exact numbers, the differences you're likely to notice are that the Galaxy S4 is thinner, lighter and has a bigger screen compared to the HTC One.
Size comparison between the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One
On the other hand, a 4.7" screen was a conscious choice by HTC (as something more manageable) and the front-facing stereo speakers are a great touch. We're not sure about removing the third button though, whether it's Menu or App switcher, physical or on-screen, a third button is practically expected out of Android phones. The duties of the missing task switcher key on the One have been taken over by the home key, but that's its third function and that makes it a bit unintuitive.
Unusual two-key setup for the One • standard Samsung three-key setup for the Galaxy yS4
With an IR emitter on the top, both phones can control appliances at home - TVs, set-tops, air conditioners and so on. On the HTC One, the emitter is built into the Power/Lock key, which isn't a problem, but the button itself is small and flush against the surface, making it difficult to use. The volume rocker isn't much better.
IR emitters on top for both the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One
Samsung kept the IR emitter separate on the Galaxy S4 and put the Power/Lock key in the traditional spot on the right, which benefits single-handed use. It helps that the button is properly raised too.
The keys on the S4 protrude more and are easier to use
Winner: Tie. This is by no means a goalless draw, though - From a pure design standpoint, the HTC One wipes the floor with the Samsung Galaxy S4. The One is the phone to be seen with, it looks more expensive if you will. The Galaxy S4 on the other hand is deliberately underplaying the looks - as if to say that what matters is on the inside.
The best thing about the Samsung Galaxy S4 hardware is that the smartphone is more compact while offering a bigger screen and a larger battery. But it just looks boring, a minor update of the Galaxy S III design, which we didn't love in the first place.
The HTC One on the other hand looks and feels great. With 32GB of built-in storage (there's a 64GB version too), we didn't miss the microSD card slot much either. The speakers are definitely a plus.
Yet, a card slot (more than just memory expansion) and a removable battery (easy to throw in a spare, or replace a defective unit) are important to many users and help the Samsung Galaxy S4 clinch a hard-fought draw.
Screen comparison
2013 is the year of the 1080p Android flagships and the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One are two of the most prominent members. The Galaxy S4 goes for a bigger 5" Super AMOLED screen, while the One sports a smaller 4.7" Super LCD3.
The screens of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One are pretty awesome
The pixel densities of both are ridiculously high (441ppi for the S4, 469ppi for the One), but honestly anything over 400ppi looks the same. One thing is for sure though, there is a difference between the 400+ppi screens and the 300+ppi screens of the last generation, though it's not a Retina-scale revolution.
Still, it should be noted that the Super AMOLED on the Galaxy S4 uses a PenTile matrix, which means there are fewer sub-pixels in total (two per pixel instead of three). The high pixel density and the odd arrangement of the subpixels does a great job at hiding that, though. So, while the 306ppi Super AMOLED on the Galaxy S III showed some jaggies up close, this one doesn't.
Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One screens up close
Many people complain about the oversaturated colors of AMOLED screens (while others prefer them), but Samsung quells such complaints with the special Adobe RGB mode for the display, which greatly improves color accuracy.
Excellent viewing angles and contrast are typical advantages of AMOLEDs and the Galaxy S4 screen is a great example.
The HTC One's screen on the other hand is very much in the running for the best LCD - it has great colors and impressive contrast and viewing angles. There's a slight contrast loss at very wide angles, but you'll probably never notice. Black levels are good and the maximum brightness goes up pretty high.
| Display test | 50% brightness | 100% brightness | ||||
| Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | |||
| HTC One | 0.13 | 205 | 1580 | 0.42 | 647 | 1541 |
| HTC Butterfly | 0.14 | 173 | 1200 | 0.45 | 501 | 1104 |
| Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4 | 0 | 201 | ∞ | 0 | 404 | ∞ |
| Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III | 0 | 174 | ∞ | 0 | 330 | ∞ |
| Sony Xperia Z | - | - | - | 0.70 | 492 | 705 |
| Oppo Find 5 | 0.17 | 176 | 1123 | 0.51 | 565 | 1107 |
| Samsung N7100 Galaxy Note II | 0 | 215 | ∞ | 0 | 402 | ∞ |
| LG Optimus G Pro | - | - | - | 0.41 | 611 | 1489 |
| Nokia Lumia 920 | - | - | - | 0.48 | 513 | 1065 |
| LG Optimus G | 0.14 | 197 | 1445 | 0.33 | 417 | 1438 |
| Apple iPhone 5 | 0.13 | 200 | 1490 | 0.48 | 640 | 1320 |
Where the One runs into a problem is sunlight legibility - it's good, but not great. It's comparable to that of a Sony Xperia Z and noticeably better than that of the HTC Butterfly. However, the Galaxy S4 screen is just less reflective, giving it better sunlight legibility even if the maximum brightness is lower.
Sunlight contrast ratio
- Nokia 808 PureView4.698
- Apple iPhone 53.997
- Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III3.419
- Samsung Galaxy S43.352
- Samsung Omnia W3.301
- Samsung Galaxy S3.155
- Nokia N93.069
- Samsung Galaxy Note2.970
- HTC One S2.901
- HTC One2.504
- Samsung Galaxy mini 21.114
One nice thing about having Android 4.2 and an AMOLED screen is that you can download a Daydream for the Galaxy S4 that shows a simple clock on a black background and you can run this overnight without losing too much battery.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S4. The Samsung flagship takes this one, as its screen is bigger, with better sunlight legibility, while still offering you the option to have accurate colors thanks to Adobe RGB mode. The HTC One screen is impressive, too, but the higher pixel density can't really make up for the lower native contrast and slightly inferior sunlight legibility.
Battery life
It doesn't matter how cool the screen is or how powerful the processor is if your battery is dead. Both phones pack batteries of over 2,000mAh and a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, which usually means efficient standby.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a slight advantage in battery capacity - 2,600mAh over 2,300mAh - but its chipset is overclocked so we'll see how that balances out. Also, the screen types will make a difference, LCD usually does well on the web browsing test, while AMOLED typically does better in the video test.
The basic usage of a smartphone is as, well, a phone. The Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One are evenly matched here. The Samsung smartphone lasts just 15 minutes longer - a difference you are unlikely to feel in real life usage.
Talk time
- Motorola RAZR MAXX (ICS)21:18
- Sony Xperia Z16:03
- LG Optimus G15:30
- Nokia Lumia 62014:17
- Oppo Find 514:17
- Google Nexus 414:17
- Samsung Galaxy S413:53
- HTC One13:38
- HTC One X+13:31
- Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos12:45
- Huawei Ascend P112:30
- HTC Butterfly12:18
- Pantech Burst4:46
The HTC One topped our web browsing chart by beating the Apple iPhone 5 by a hair. It's also the top droid in this test by about 50 minutes. The mostly white web pages took their toll on the Samsung Galaxy S4, but it still managed a very good time of 8 hours and 42 minutes.
Web browsing
- HTC One9:58
- Apple iPhone 59:56
- Motorola RAZR MAXX (ICS)9:12
- Apple iPad mini9:05
- Samsung Galaxy Note II N71008:48
- Samsung Galaxy S48:42
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus3:01
At video playback, both phones do very well with times just over 10 hours. The Galaxy S4 has a 15 minute advantage, but just like in the call test the times are as good as equal. The HTC One shows a good improvement over the Butterfly (up by an hour and a half), while the Galaxy S4 doesn't really do much better than its predecessor.
Video playback
- Motorola RAZR MAXX (ICS)16:35
- Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX14:17
- Apple iPad mini12:51
- Samsung Galaxy Premier12:51
- Samsung Galaxy Note II N710011:27
- Samsung Galaxy S410:16
- Apple iPhone 510:12
- HTC One10:02
- Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III10:01
- Samsung Galaxy Express10:00
- Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus10:00
- Nokia Lumia 7103:27
We crunched the numbers and calculated an overall battery rating of 63 hours for the Samsung Galaxy S4. The HTC One scored just 48 hours. That number shows how long a full battery charge will last if you do an hour of calls, web browsing and watch an hour of video each day.
In the individual tests, the HTC One matched the Galaxy S4 in two out of three and beat it in the third one. It's the relatively high battery drain in standby mode that brings down the numbers.
Anyway, heavy users are unlikely to notice a difference - if you don't let your smartphone sit idly too often, you are going to get the same endurance with both of these smartphone.
Lighter users, however, will probably manage three work days out of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Keep in mind too that the battery is easily accessible and Samsung will be selling a dedicated charger for a spare battery.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S4. The gap is certainly smaller than the endurance ratings suggest, as the two smartphones differ mostly by their stand-by efficiency and given that they will be owned by power users, real-life performance will be much closer.
Interface - TouchWiz vs. Sense
Both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One run Android Jelly Bean, but there are considerable differences. For one, the Samsung smartphone launches with 4.2.2 and the One has 4.1.2. The custom skins used are quite different too.
Samsung's skin, TouchWiz, tries to stay relatively close to Android (the latest version more than ever), but piles on an impressive list of exclusive features that the Korean company developed for its flagship devices.
HTC's skin, Sense, goes for its own look and a number of exclusive features. The amount of home-backed apps is smaller compared to TouchWiz, but the experience is farther from stock Android compared to the Galaxy S4. It even goes as far as to offer two-button navigation.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 gets certain benefits from running the latest version of Android, specifically the lockscreen widgets and the notification area toggles. Of course, Samsung has tweaked both.
On the lockscreen, the right side pane, which normally launches the camera, is set to Favorite Apps by default (you can switch it back to being a camera launcher). Also, the images on the screen are randomly selected photos of beautiful travel locations pulled straight from TripAdvisor.
Galaxy S4 has the Android 4.2 widget-enabled lockscreen
The notification area shows a row of toggles, a brightness slider and, of course, the actual notifications. There's a whole grid of toggles, and the top row is always visible. The full grid is revealed either by tapping on a button or by a two-finger swipe (similar to stock Android), but you can also just swipe the row horizontally.
The notification area is similar to that of stock Android
The brightness slider can be hidden to save space and it has an Auto toggle. In Auto mode, it lets you tweak the automatic brightness algorithm, making the display brighter or dimmer than its ambient light sensor will suggest.
The homescreen on TouchWiz is pretty standard with only the Overview mode standing out as an addition to stock Android. We do like the small thumbnails that guide you when adding a new widget, they show the widget silhouettes, making it easier to find an open spot.
The new overview helps you find an empty spot for new widgets
HTC One on the other hand sticks to the familiar Sense lockscreen with four shortcuts and time and weather info. There're a couple of different lockscreens available - Productivity (shows messages and calendar events), Photo album, Music and off.
The Sense lockscreen
The notification area has been stripped of the additions seen in previous Sense UI versions.
The notification area is quite empty
The homescreen is quite different though - the leftmost pane is entirely occupied by BlinkFeed, an event stream that combines updates from your social networking accounts with news sources to bring you relevant information.
BlinkFeed is a special homescreen pane • regular panes are here too
The rest of the homescreen panes are the usual deal. You can set any of them as the default pane if you don't like BlinkFeed.
HTC has got rid of the Menu button and uses only two - Back and Home. But they don't quite work as you would expect, to get to the app switcher you double tap the Home key, a long press launches Google Now. The app switcher has been changed too, it shows a 3 x 3 grid of apps that you can dismiss by swiping up.
The swipe-down gesture replaces a menu button in some places
The Menu key is no longer part of Android, most apps use an on-screen button. Sense has an alternative, a swipe down that reveals a row of options. It's non-standard and third-party apps that require a Menu button will show a row at the bottom with an on-screen Menu button.
We won't argue which interface is better - it's a matter of personal preference, launchers and lockscreens are easy to change in Android. But the Galaxy S4 has a number of exclusive TouchWiz features over stock Android and the HTC One.
The biggest one is obviously Multi-window - it allows for two supported apps to run simultaneously, sharing the screen. How the apps split the screen can be adjusted as desired. Not all apps support it, though.
Multi-window puts two apps side by side
Another thing is Air View - the Galaxy S4 can detect your finger hovering over the screen and works similarly to the S Pen on the Galaxy Note II. It can preview info like the full text of messages and calendar appointments, give you a peek inside folders with images and preview what's ahead in the timeline of a video.
Testing out Air View
Then there are Air Gestures. A dedicated IR sensor above the screen can detect the direction of your hand waving over the device from several inches and serve to scroll web pages, change tracks and answer calls.
Air Gestures
Smart Screen options are interesting too, they make sure the screen is rotated correctly (the accelerometer-based rotate gets it wrong if you're lying on your side), that the screen doesn't turn off while you're watching (or reading) and that the video will pause automatically when you look away and resume when you get back.
S Voice is also on board and while some of the functionality partially doubles that of Google's Voice Search, it can do more. It has a nice Car mode too, which simplifies the UI and makes the font bigger.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S4. The Samsung smartphone comes with a newer version of Android that, while skinned, feels closer to stock Android. It has more flexibility too with many interesting features.
HTC Sense 5.0 is the best looking Sense yet, but HTC's experiments (BlinkFeed, only two buttons, etc.) will rub some people the wrong way. The lack of connectivity toggles is a bit too hard to forgive in 2013, too.
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