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Review: HTC One on Verizon – the best hardware on the best network and why I’d pass

Verizon began carrying the HTC One in August a full 4 months after it was released in the US and over month after the Google Play Edition graced our reviewers’ hands. 

We’ve already reviewed the HTC One in its many forms and came away singing its praises. There’s no doubt it is a great phone, made much greater when you strip away HTC Sense overlay. Its 4.7-inch 1080P display is glorious. The feel of its rounded aluminum case feels great in the hand and it performs amicably.  Even the camera, which we loved in the Google Play edition version is the best we’ve seen.

Nothing has really changed here on the Verizon version. Same great build quality, great screen and great camera. Same awful Sense overlay.

Add the universally-loved Verizon’s LTE 4G network and you’d think you’d have one of the best smartphones on the market. Not so fast.

I received the Verizon HTC One review unit almost a month ago and I haven’t had much reason to use it.  If I want a full featured Android phone, I still prefer the Nexus 4 running on T-Mobile’s HSPA+.  Sure HTC’s phone is specced out way better, but Vanilla Android is still much more usable for me and with Verizon and HTC both mushing up Android, the much faster One feels much slower in my hands.

You also can’t yet easily unlock the Verizon HTC One so your best bet in ridding yourself of Sense is to install yet another overlay.

Add Verizon’s recent moves to try to kill Net Neutrality and I have a hard time recommending the company’s plans, even though they often have fastest (and most expensive) LTE network.

So there it is: Best Android Hardware, Best Network, Can’t recommend.

 

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