Device(s): DROID DNA by HTC;Transformer Prime;
HTC Rezound (retired); Incredible (retired)
Carrier: Verizon
Thanks: 12,595
Thanked 5,762 Times in 3,668 Posts
My Rezound Review
So I actually got my review of the Rezound published by HTCPedia here: HTC Rezound Review
I wish no special treatment for being a moderator here but would ask if anyone would mind checking it out, perhaps leaving a comment?? (please) LOL
Also would appreciate any and all feedback concerning the article.
Here it is
As you can see from the specifications below, this is one of, if not the best smartphone on the market today. It has not been getting the marketing hype like the Droid RAZR by Motorola has been getting, but in my opinion the HTC Rezound is the best smartphone Verizon Wireless is offering this holiday season. Lets talk a little about the phone itself.
HTC Rezound Specifications
1.5 GHz dual-core processor
1 GB RAM
4.3" 720p screen (1280x720)
8 MP rear camera
2 MP front facing camera
Wi-Fi 802-11b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0
Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)
Sense 3.5
Beats by Dre Technology with included iBeats headphones
1620 mAh Battery
16 GB internal storage (10 GB user accessible)
16 GB micro-SD card included
Performance
Everything about the HTC Rezound screams usability due to the 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU and the 1 GB RAM. Screen transitions are smooth and I have noticed zero lag when navigating through the menus. The biggest performance difference/surprise for me is when I am updating and installing Apps from the market. On my recently retired HTC Droid Incredible, whenever I had more than three or four updates running at the same time, the phone would become virtually unusable until the apps were completely done installing. The lag was almost completely unbearable (it reminded me of trying to use a Windows XP computer with 64MB of RAM) and caused me to skip updates most of the times. Skipping updates can really be detrimental to your phone's performance. You never know which updates are fixing your installed apps and putting off the update process is never a good idea.
For those of you who have a lot of apps installed on the phone this can be a huge pain. I currently have 138 apps on my HTC Rezound and just last week I got a notification to update nine of them. I was very curious to see how it performs since I remembered all too well times I tried to update that many on my Incredible and the phone became completely unresponsive for upwards of ten minutes. When I hit the 'update' notification and the market opened I actually held my breath when I hit the 'update all' button. To my complete surprise and delight all nine were downloaded and installed within seconds! I didn't even have time to try to perform any other tasks before it finished! This one scenario proves all I personally need to know about the performance of my HTC Rezound.
Software
For anyone familiar with HTC phones and the Sense UI this will be more of the same that we already love, only better. From everyone's favorite weather widget to Friendstream, all the HTC apps we come to expect are there. The improvements that I have noticed in my three weeks with this phone are numerous, of course you have to remember that I am coming from the HTC Incredible which is running Sense 1.0. Users of phones like the HTC EVO 3D and the HTC Sensation (which both run Sense 3.0) will be more familiar with this version of sense. The differences between 3.0 and 3.5 are more in line with general optimization, the reports are this version of Sense is smoother than its predecessor. Without being more familiar with the HTC EVO 3D and HTC Sensation I cannot really comment on specific differences in the two versions of sense, but please feel free to ask any questions in the thread.
The information available to users from the various menu settings can seem daunting. The fact of the matter is that HTC has really given users all the tools they need to know every inch of their device. None of the information/settings/menus available are essential to the average users everyday use, but the information provided can really be helpful to 'power' users. I continue to discover new menus every time I use my device; when looking in the 'SD & Phone Storage' menu there is an option to 'make more space' listed under 'SD card' and under 'internal storage.' The former showing temporary files from HTC apps, applications on SD card with check boxes to uninstall multiple apps at once, and a list of media dived by the app it comes from, also with check boxes to delete multiple files at once.
The latter has options to clear cache in rarely used apps or all apps, that gives users more options upon hitting next to move apps to SD, hit next one more time to get options for clearing out old messages and changing email settings. Users that are very storage oriented will love the ease at which you can manage your apps, caches, media, and temporary files.
This barely scratches the surface of what is possible with the Rezound and Sense 3.5. Anyone else know of any cool, unknown, or extremely useful settings please share them in the thread.
Camera
HTC has really hit a home run with the camera on the HTC Rezound. The improvements on the software side along with a much better sensor make taking all kinds of pictures a real joy. I personally love the panorama setting for stitching together some real beautiful shots. The other setting I have used most often is the 'action burst' which takes 5 pictures in around two seconds. Also included are several different effects such as: Vignette, Vintage, Grayscale, and Negative. By playing with the different settings, scenes, and effects it is possible to produce some real quality pictures.
Hardware/Build quality
This category is always the most subjective in my opinion and as such I will not spend too much time on it. Everyone will have different thoughts and opinions about how the hardware performs and how good the build quality is.
The speaker is loud when using it for calls and music sounds adequate for my needs. I admit to not even taking the iBeats out of the box yet so the music side of things I cannot speak much on.
The screen is, for me, the number one selling point of this phone. The 4.3" full 720p screen produces visuals that are simply amazing. The phone comes pre-loaded with two HD videos, an Ellie Goulding video and a live video from LMFAO which really showcase the stunning visuals this phone is capable of. HD YouTube videos are a joy to watch, especially when using Verizon's blazing fast 4G LTE network. No other phone can match the quality of the HTC Rezound's screen as far as the actual resolution goes (1280x720). Even the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which boasts the same resolution but on a slightly bigger screen, will be hard pressed to produce the same quality of visuals.
The phone feels good in my hand without a case. If I had any complaints it would be that I do need to adjust my grip to reach the top of the screen when pulling down the notification bar. This has the potential to be a problem for users with smaller hands; the same can be said of all 4"+ sized phones though. It is my experience that the HTC Rezound fits in my hand better than any of the other HTC and other newer phones, such as the Motorola RAZR, HTC Thunderbolt, and X2.
Overall the phone feels like it was well put together, very sturdy. The power button and volume rocker are a little more recessed than I am used to and that has been taking some getting used to. If anyone has experience with the HTC Sensation or HTC EVO 3D please let us know in the comments if the same is true with those devices.
In conclusion I must say that this is the best phone I have ever owned. I would recommend this phone to anyone, tech savvy or not. Verizon and HTC have a real hit on their hands.
This is definitely on my short list of possible phones to upgrade to from my dino BB tour. Can you comment on the battery? How does it compare with the RAZR and others?
Device(s): DROID DNA by HTC;Transformer Prime;
HTC Rezound (retired); Incredible (retired)
Carrier: Verizon
Thanks: 12,595
Thanked 5,762 Times in 3,668 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by sh1ft3d
This is definitely on my short list of possible phones to upgrade to from my dino BB tour. Can you comment on the battery? How does it compare with the RAZR and others?
Depending on lots of factors I average between 8 and 14 hours per on stock battery. There are plenty of 'battery tips' that will help though. In the end it all depends on you usage
Can't compare it to the razr (only played with it in store) but I suspect the rezound won't last as long. Will the difference in battery life out weigh everything else?
I think yes...
Last edited by NightAngel79; December 6th, 2011 at 07:12 PM.
So I actually got my review of the Rezound published by HTCPedia here: HTC Rezound Review
I wish no special treatment for being a moderator here but would ask if anyone would mind checking it out, perhaps leaving a comment?? (please) LOL
Also would appreciate any and all feedback concerning the article.
Here it is
As you can see from the specifications below, this is one of, if not the best smartphone on the market today. It has not been getting the marketing hype like the Droid RAZR by Motorola has been getting, but in my opinion the HTC Rezound is the best smartphone Verizon Wireless is offering this holiday season. Lets talk a little about the phone itself.
HTC Rezound Specifications
1.5 GHz dual-core processor
1 GB RAM
4.3" 720p screen (1280x720)
8 MP rear camera
2 MP front facing camera
Wi-Fi 802-11b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0
Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)
Sense 3.5
Beats by Dre Technology with included iBeats headphones
1620 mAh Battery
16 GB internal storage (10 GB user accessible)
16 GB micro-SD card included
Performance
Everything about the HTC Rezound screams usability due to the 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU and the 1 GB RAM. Screen transitions are smooth and I have noticed zero lag when navigating through the menus. The biggest performance difference/surprise for me is when I am updating and installing Apps from the market. On my recently retired HTC Droid Incredible, whenever I had more than three or four updates running at the same time, the phone would become virtually unusable until the apps were completely done installing. The lag was almost completely unbearable (it reminded me of trying to use a Windows XP computer with 64MB of RAM) and caused me to skip updates most of the times. Skipping updates can really be detrimental to your phone's performance. You never know which updates are fixing your installed apps and putting off the update process is never a good idea.
For those of you who have a lot of apps installed on the phone this can be a huge pain. I currently have 138 apps on my HTC Rezound and just last week I got a notification to update nine of them. I was very curious to see how it performs since I remembered all too well times I tried to update that many on my Incredible and the phone became completely unresponsive for upwards of ten minutes. When I hit the 'update' notification and the market opened I actually held my breath when I hit the 'update all' button. To my complete surprise and delight all nine were downloaded and installed within seconds! I didn't even have time to try to perform any other tasks before it finished! This one scenario proves all I personally need to know about the performance of my HTC Rezound.
Software
For anyone familiar with HTC phones and the Sense UI this will be more of the same that we already love, only better. From everyone's favorite weather widget to Friendstream, all the HTC apps we come to expect are there. The improvements that I have noticed in my three weeks with this phone are numerous, of course you have to remember that I am coming from the HTC Incredible which is running Sense 1.0. Users of phones like the HTC EVO 3D and the HTC Sensation (which both run Sense 3.0) will be more familiar with this version of sense. The differences between 3.0 and 3.5 are more in line with general optimization, the reports are this version of Sense is smoother than its predecessor. Without being more familiar with the HTC EVO 3D and HTC Sensation I cannot really comment on specific differences in the two versions of sense, but please feel free to ask any questions in the thread.
The information available to users from the various menu settings can seem daunting. The fact of the matter is that HTC has really given users all the tools they need to know every inch of their device. None of the information/settings/menus available are essential to the average users everyday use, but the information provided can really be helpful to 'power' users. I continue to discover new menus every time I use my device; when looking in the 'SD & Phone Storage' menu there is an option to 'make more space' listed under 'SD card' and under 'internal storage.' The former showing temporary files from HTC apps, applications on SD card with check boxes to uninstall multiple apps at once, and a list of media dived by the app it comes from, also with check boxes to delete multiple files at once.
The latter has options to clear cache in rarely used apps or all apps, that gives users more options upon hitting next to move apps to SD, hit next one more time to get options for clearing out old messages and changing email settings. Users that are very storage oriented will love the ease at which you can manage your apps, caches, media, and temporary files.
This barely scratches the surface of what is possible with the Rezound and Sense 3.5. Anyone else know of any cool, unknown, or extremely useful settings please share them in the thread.
Camera
HTC has really hit a home run with the camera on the HTC Rezound. The improvements on the software side along with a much better sensor make taking all kinds of pictures a real joy. I personally love the panorama setting for stitching together some real beautiful shots. The other setting I have used most often is the 'action burst' which takes 5 pictures in around two seconds. Also included are several different effects such as: Vignette, Vintage, Grayscale, and Negative. By playing with the different settings, scenes, and effects it is possible to produce some real quality pictures.
Hardware/Build quality
This category is always the most subjective in my opinion and as such I will not spend too much time on it. Everyone will have different thoughts and opinions about how the hardware performs and how good the build quality is.
The speaker is loud when using it for calls and music sounds adequate for my needs. I admit to not even taking the iBeats out of the box yet so the music side of things I cannot speak much on.
The screen is, for me, the number one selling point of this phone. The 4.3" full 720p screen produces visuals that are simply amazing. The phone comes pre-loaded with two HD videos, an Ellie Goulding video and a live video from LMFAO which really showcase the stunning visuals this phone is capable of. HD YouTube videos are a joy to watch, especially when using Verizon's blazing fast 4G LTE network. No other phone can match the quality of the HTC Rezound's screen as far as the actual resolution goes (1280x720). Even the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which boasts the same resolution but on a slightly bigger screen, will be hard pressed to produce the same quality of visuals.
The phone feels good in my hand without a case. If I had any complaints it would be that I do need to adjust my grip to reach the top of the screen when pulling down the notification bar. This has the potential to be a problem for users with smaller hands; the same can be said of all 4"+ sized phones though. It is my experience that the HTC Rezound fits in my hand better than any of the other HTC and other newer phones, such as the Motorola RAZR, HTC Thunderbolt, and X2.
Overall the phone feels like it was well put together, very sturdy. The power button and volume rocker are a little more recessed than I am used to and that has been taking some getting used to. If anyone has experience with the HTC Sensation or HTC EVO 3D please let us know in the comments if the same is true with those devices.
In conclusion I must say that this is the best phone I have ever owned. I would recommend this phone to anyone, tech savvy or not. Verizon and HTC have a real hit on their hands.
Good job and congratulations for your review being published! I too feel this is the best smartphone I have ever enjoyed.....hard for any phone to stay "on top" for very long.....what with quad cores, screen evolution and various 4G build outs coming....but the Rezound specifications will keep me more than satisfied for a long time to come ..... Congrats again !!
The Following User Says Thank You to climberman For This Useful Post:
Great Review. The only thing that i can think of right now that you might would add is the ability to take native screen captures. I know to some that might not be a big factor but just throwing it in the "software" column would probably be cool.
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The Following User Says Thank You to trophynuts For This Useful Post:
Device(s): DROID DNA by HTC;Transformer Prime;
HTC Rezound (retired); Incredible (retired)
Carrier: Verizon
Thanks: 12,595
Thanked 5,762 Times in 3,668 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by trophynuts
Great Review. The only thing that i can think of right now that you might would add is the ability to take native screen captures. I know to some that might not be a big factor but just throwing it in the "software" column would probably be cool.
Good point! Thanks, never thought of that. Hmm, its an idea for next article :-)
Device(s): DROID DNA by HTC;Transformer Prime;
HTC Rezound (retired); Incredible (retired)
Carrier: Verizon
Thanks: 12,595
Thanked 5,762 Times in 3,668 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by trophynuts
your welcome also i just thought of another one.
the video camera. Isn't this one of the first devices ( htc ) that does native slow motion video and other native video effects?
I forgot ALL about the slow motion videos, lol. And while I briefly touched on the camera 'effects' I think I'd like to also do an article just on the camera.
Fact is I never gave my device much in depth thought like this. I just used it and figured it out as I go. (one of the things I like about it)
Trying to analyze things has been a challenge so far. It is easy for me to help out, answer questions about sense and android in general.
As I have said on several posts, this phone is a major sleeper. When you look at all the posts the final consensus is that this is a great product. I believe that eventually this phone will become THE benchmark classic. So far for me the phone is technically superb except for the camera WB. Everyday in every way I am pleased with this product.
At some point the marketing departments may stop all the discounts, at least they would if they worked for me.
The Following User Says Thank You to zazan For This Useful Post:
My stint as an iphone user lasted almost a week. Called Verizon today and confirmed that I can still exchange my iphone. I'm 99% certain that I'm swapping my iphone for a Rezound. This thing is getting great reviews - with the exception of the battery life. The battery life is the ONLY thing holding me back.
The Following User Says Thank You to EricDra7en For This Useful Post:
Device(s): DROID DNA by HTC;Transformer Prime;
HTC Rezound (retired); Incredible (retired)
Carrier: Verizon
Thanks: 12,595
Thanked 5,762 Times in 3,668 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricDra7en
My stint as an iphone user lasted almost a week. Called Verizon today and confirmed that I can still exchange my iphone. I'm 99% certain that I'm swapping my iphone for a Rezound. This thing is getting great reviews - with the exception of the battery life. The battery life is the ONLY thing holding me back.
Thanks NightAngel79 for the thorough review and making me spend even more money on these blasted devices Need the extended battery methinks but so far, so good. All of the talk of lag seems misplaced. Smooth as ice and very responsive in every app I've tried. Could be a keeper along with the GN, Razr and TB though the latter is fading fast
The Following User Says Thank You to jdk2 For This Useful Post:
Device(s): DROID DNA by HTC;Transformer Prime;
HTC Rezound (retired); Incredible (retired)
Carrier: Verizon
Thanks: 12,595
Thanked 5,762 Times in 3,668 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdk2
Thanks NightAngel79 for the thorough review and making me spend even more money on these blasted devices Need the extended battery methinks but so far, so good. All of the talk of lag seems misplaced. Smooth as ice and very responsive in every app I've tried. Could be a keeper along with the GN, Razr and TB though the latter is fading fast
The HTC Rezound is the first Beats by Dre smartphone from HTC and will be available on Verizon. It truly is a high-end beast as it boasts a 4.3 inch 720p HD display, a 1.5Ghz processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera with 1080p HD video rec... Read More
My Rezound Review
) LOL
Need the extended battery methinks but so far, so good. All of the talk of lag seems misplaced. Smooth as ice and very responsive in every app I've tried. Could be a keeper along with the GN, Razr and TB though the latter is fading fast 
