HTC Windows Phone 8X vs. Samsung Galaxy S23: A Clash of Eras
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S23 utterly dominates this comparison. While the HTC 8X holds nostalgic value, the S23's superior performance, camera, display, and battery life make it the clear winner for anyone seeking a modern, capable smartphone. It's a generational leap.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | HTC Windows Phone 8X CDMA | Samsung Galaxy S23 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 13 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE Cat3 100/50 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 7, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2012, November. Released 2012, November | 2023, February 01 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, February 17 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 132.4 x 66.2 x 10.1 mm (5.21 x 2.61 x 0.40 in) | 146.3 x 70.9 x 7.6 mm (5.76 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Micro-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 132.1 g (4.66 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 2 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~342 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~425 ppi density) |
| Size | 4.3 inches, 51.0 cm2 (~58.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 90.1 cm2 (~86.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | S-LCD2 | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Dual-core 1.5 GHz | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | - | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | - | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Microsoft Windows Phone 8 | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 16GB 1GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 - 128GB only UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, AF | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR, HDR10+ |
| Single | 2.1 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 3.1, A2DP, EDR | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Stand-by | Up to 300 h | - |
| Talk time | Up to 15 h | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 1800 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3900 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime |
| Models | - | SM-S911B, SM-S911B/DS, SM-S911U, SM-S911U1, SM-S911W, SM-S911N, SM-S9110, SM-S911E, SM-S911E/DS |
| Price | About 200 EUR | $ 237.95 / C$ 336.75 / £ 255.00 / € 322.41 / ₹ 49,990 |
| SAR | 0.69 W/kg (head) 0.85 W/kg (body) | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.88 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.96 W/kg (head) 1.30 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 101h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.0 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1231075 (v9) GeekBench: 4950 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
HTC Windows Phone 8X CDMA
- Nostalgic appeal
- Compact design
- Decent build quality (for its time)
- Outdated operating system
- Slow performance
- Poor camera
- Limited app availability
- Short battery life
Samsung Galaxy S23
- Exceptional performance
- Stunning display
- Excellent camera
- Long battery life
- Fast charging
- Modern features
- Wide app ecosystem
- Premium price
- Can be large for some users
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S23 boasts a stunning Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1198 nits and an infinite contrast ratio, offering vibrant colors and exceptional visibility even in direct sunlight. The HTC 8X's LCD screen, while decent for its time, simply can't compete with the S23's modern display technology. Resolution and color accuracy are significantly better on the S23.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S23's camera system is a major upgrade, offering significantly improved image quality, low-light performance, and video recording capabilities. The HTC 8X's camera was adequate for its time, but it's no match for the S23's advanced sensors and image processing.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Galaxy S23 provides blistering performance, easily handling demanding games and applications. The HTC 8X's dual-core 1.5 GHz processor feels incredibly slow by today's standards. Multitasking and app loading times are drastically faster on the S23.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S23 offers exceptional battery life, with an endurance rating of 101 hours and fast charging capabilities. The HTC 8X's battery life was average for its era, and charging is considerably slower.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the HTC Windows Phone 8X CDMA? Primarily collectors or those with a strong sentimental attachment to Windows Phone. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S23? Anyone seeking a top-tier Android smartphone with exceptional performance, camera capabilities, and a vibrant display.