HTC One X+ Review: Tegra 3 Power in a 4.7-Inch Flagship Body
When HTC unveiled the One X+ in late 2012, it sharpened an already polished flagship formula rather than reinventing it. The handset arrived as a refreshed take on the original One X, swapping in a faster Tegra 3 chipset, a larger battery, and more internal storage while keeping the polycarbonate shell that had become a quiet signature for the brand. Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean under HTC's Sense 4+ skin, the phone slotted into a fiercely competitive period when Samsung's Galaxy S III, the iPhone 5, and a wave of fresh Asian imports were all jostling for shelf space across Asia-Pacific retailers.
For shoppers in Sydney and Melbourne, the One X+ landed through the usual carrier channels and big-box electronics stores such as JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman, often bundled with Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone plans. Priced at the upper end of the post-paid market at launch, it appealed to power users who wanted genuine quad-core performance without stepping into the emerging phablet category. The phone also made its way into grey-import channels servicing Australian buyers looking for an unlocked Tegra 3 device, sitting alongside budget offerings that trickled in from Shenzhen and surrounding factories.
| Feature | HTC One X+ | HTC One X | Samsung Galaxy S III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 4.7" Super LCD 2, 720p | 4.7" Super LCD 2, 720p | 4.8" Super AMOLED HD, 720p |
| Chipset | NVIDIA Tegra 3 (1.7 GHz) | NVIDIA Tegra 3 (1.5 GHz) | Exynos 4412 Quad (1.4 GHz) |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB (no microSD) | 32 GB (no microSD) | 16/32/64 GB + microSD |
| Rear Camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, ImageSense | 8 MP, f/2.0 | 8 MP, f/2.6 |
| Battery | 2100 mAh (non-removable) | 1800 mAh (non-removable) | 2100 mAh (removable) |
| OS at Launch | Android 4.1, Sense 4+ | Android 4.0, Sense 4 | Android 4.0, TouchWiz |
Design and Build Quality
HTC carried over the polycarbonate unibody from the original One X, refining a few small details rather than overhauling the look. The matte finish felt grippier than glossy alternatives, and at 135 grams the phone sat comfortably in the hand without tipping into heavy territory. A subtle red accent ring wrapped around the camera lens on the black variant, giving the otherwise understated back panel a small flash of personality that many reviewers noted during the JB Hi-Fi demo units in early 2013.
The micro-SIM tray sat along the left edge, while the power button and 3.5 mm headphone jack lived up top. HTC chose to keep the body sealed, which meant no microSD expansion, a trade-off that frustrated Australian users used to popping cards in and out during long commutes. Build tolerances were tight, with no creaking under pressure, and the curved back helped the 4.7-inch footprint disappear into a jacket pocket, something Sydneysiders appreciated during chilly winter walks along the harbour foreshore.
Display and Visual Experience
The 4.7-inch Super LCD 2 panel ran at 720p, producing a pixel density close to 312 ppi. Colours leaned toward the natural side of the spectrum, avoiding the oversaturated punch of competing AMOLED screens. Whites looked clean and slightly warm, while blacks held respectable depth for an LCD of that generation, which made reading e-books on the train from Central to Parramatta a comfortable affair.
Outdoor visibility was a recurring concern in Australia, and the One X+ handled bright sunlight better than most rivals thanks to HTC's optical lamination, which reduced the air gap between glass and panel. Glare was still present, but raising brightness to maximum produced usable results at a sunny Bronte Beach afternoon. Touch response stayed accurate even with light sunscreen smudges on the glass, a minor but practical benefit during summer outings.
Performance and the Tegra 3 Chipset
The Tegra 3 AP37 chip clocked in at 1.7 GHz across four main cores, supported by a low-power companion core that handled lightweight tasks such as music playback and push email. In real-world use, this translated into smooth scrolling through Sense 4+, quick app launches, and stable multitasking between Chrome, Spotify, and Google Maps. Australian users juggling work emails and turn-by-turn navigation across the Sydney CBD rarely saw noticeable slowdowns.
Gaming was the chip's strongest showcase. Titles optimised for Tegra 3, including early ports of Shadowgun THD and Dead Trigger, ran with extra texture and lighting effects that simply were not available on other chipsets. Frame rates held steady during extended sessions, and the phone's thermal management kept the back panel warm rather than hot. Readers tracking fresh hardware releases across global markets can also follow new launches to see how Tegra 3 devices aged against later Snapdragon silicon.
Camera and Image Quality
HTC equipped the One X+ with an 8-megapixel rear sensor paired with a dedicated ImageSignal processor and an f/2.0 lens, the same ImageSense branding introduced on the original One X. Shutter lag dropped to a fraction of a second, and burst mode captured several frames per second, useful for grabbing action shots at weekend cricket matches or surf carnivals. Image processing favoured a slightly punchy look that suited outdoor scenes without crushing shadow detail.
Low-light performance remained the camera's weak point. The f/2.0 aperture helped gather more light than many rivals, but noise crept into shots taken at dusk or inside dim pubs. The 1080p video recording handled motion well, with continuous autofocus that rarely hunted, though rolling shutter could warp fast panning shots. The front-facing 1.6-megapixel camera was adequate for video calls over Wi-Fi, which mattered as more Australian households adopted NBN connections during this period.
Battery Life and Daily Endurance
The jump from 1800 mAh to 2100 mAh was the most tangible improvement over the original One X. In mixed daily use involving social apps, browsing, calls, and the occasional streaming session, the One X+ comfortably lasted a full workday, often pushing into the next morning before needing a charge. Heavy users who spent long stretches on Telstra's 4G network in regional areas saw closer to nine or ten hours, which was respectable for the era.
Charging speeds were standard micro-USB, with no fast charging support. A full top-up from empty took roughly two and a half hours, a reasonable trade-off given the battery capacity. Power users who wanted to stretch endurance further could disable the always-on GPS polling and trim background sync in Sense 4+, which often added an extra hour of screen-on time during long train rides through the Blue Mountains.
Software, Storage, and Sense 4+
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean layered with Sense 4+ gave the One X+ a distinct visual identity. The clock widget, weather animations, and redesigned gallery app felt cohesive, and HTC's keyboard remained one of the better stock options for fast typing. Beats Audio integration added a noticeable bass lift through headphones, appreciated by commuters feeding tunes through Spotify or locally purchased tracks from the iTunes Store.
Storage came in a single 64 GB variant, generous by 2012 standards and a clear selling point for buyers who loaded up movies for long-haul flights from Perth to Sydney. With no microSD slot, users had to manage their libraries carefully. Dropbox integration offered 25 GB of free cloud storage for two years, softening the lack of expandable memory and helping Australian users sync photo backups over home broadband without thinking about it.
Pricing, Carriers, and Australian Market Context
At launch, the One X+ commanded a flagship price tag of roughly AUD $849 outright through major retailers, with Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone offering it on 24-month contracts from around AUD $60 to $70 per month depending on data inclusions. Buyers hunting a bargain could also weigh up the device against the budget phones arriving from Indian and Chinese manufacturers, many of which offered dual-SIM flexibility that HTC did not match.
The phone's reception in Australia was solid but not spectacular. Carrier shelves gave it prominent placement during the 2012 holiday season, and HTC invested in TV advertising featuring bold colour backdrops. Sales were tempered by the simultaneous rise of Samsung's marketing machine and Apple's looming iPhone 5 launch. For readers interested in how this touchscreen generation stacked up against the competition, a side-by-side read of the Z10 versus iPhone 5 comparison offers useful context for the era.
Browse the latest HTC One X+ listings across Australian classifieds, compare current asking prices from carriers and grey-import sellers, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for fresh smartphone drops, Aussie carrier deals, and hands-on impressions from the New Mobile Arrivals team.