HTC One X vs Samsung Galaxy S3 head to head review

The Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X are at the vanguard of the new wave of quad-core handsets set to hit the UK this year.

At first glance the two models are very similar, both offering a premium smartphone experience, packing big screens, quad-core processors and Google's latest Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

However once you spend some time with both devices, these similarities melt away and it becomes very clear that the two are very different, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Design and build
The Galaxy S3 houses one of the biggest screens seen on any Android handset, save for the Galaxy Note and Dell Streak, featuring a massive 4.8in Super Amoled display. However, the One X also packs its own fairly sizeable 4.7in capacitive touch-screen.

The two devices are closely matched in size, with the S3 measuring in at 137x71x8.6mm and the One X is 134x70x8.9mm. The same is true in the weight stakes, with the S3 weighing 133g and the One X a slightly lighter 130g.

Despite being very similar in size, the two devices are quite different visually. While the One X has curved corners, it features significantly harder edges and lines than the S3, which has a much softer feel.

Additionally the One X has a unibody design, while the S3 features a removable back plate. While having access to the device's battery is useful, letting you swap the phone's battery if necessary, we really aren't a fan of it on the S3.

This is because the S3's back plate feels incredibly flimsy - to the point that we actually winced every time we removed it, concerned it was going to break.

The One X by comparison feels reassuringly sturdy, despite being made of polycarbonate as opposed to the metal in the S3. Beyond this, the most noticeable design differences between the two are the S3's use of a physical home button and metal trim.

The metal trimming surrounds the device's sides and acts as a barrier between its front face and detachable back plate, while the home button sits at the front of the device between the S3's capacitive back and menu buttons.

Overall while the touches make the device look fairly nice they do give it a distinct iPhone like feel - something we don't like, preferring the One X's unmistakably HTC Android design.

Winner: The HTC One X
Samsung's Galaxy S3 may look nice but it doesn't feel as sturdy as the HTC One X.