Someone has finally made a phone as lackluster as the struggling Windows Phone OS that powers it. The HTC 8XT is a colorful handset that bears a striking resemblance to last year's Windows Phone 8X but doesn't bring anything new to the table, and once you get past the pretty colors, you won't find much else to like about it.
While the 8X was by far the most attractive Windows Phone of last year, with competitive specs that positioned it favorably against Nokia's Lumia handsets and the hordes of Android phones, HTC's latest Windows Phone seems as if it's still stuck in the past. It's inferior to its predecessor in almost every way.
Windows Phone fans have been waiting for a phone that is legitimately, unequivocally better than the iPhone. And here it is! A Windows Phone that outclasses the iPhone. Just not any version of the iPhone sold in the last few years.
You look familiar
The 8XT (right) next to the 8X (left)
The 8XT has the exact same dimensions as the 8X before it, though it sports a few minor cosmetic differences. The bottom edge of the 8XT is a different shade of blue from the rest of the body, and the buttons are easier to press than those on the 8X. Although the phone looks good, I wasn't a big fan of how the 8XT felt in my hand: Its square corners dug into my palm, and I had to keep shifting my grip to access the navigation buttons at the bottom of the device. The soft-touch material on the 8XT is the same as that on the 8X; I wish HTC had chosen to construct this phone out of something with a more premium feel to it.
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