HTC Titan II

“The HTC Titan II tries, but doesn't quite succeed, to take the mantle of best Windows Phone away from the just-released Nokia Lumia 900. On paper, this is one impressive cell phone, with an incredible 16-megapixel camera, 4G LTE, and a massive screen. Unfortunately, the camera doesn't live up to expectations, and Windows Phone still has a few serious drawbacks when compared with Android and iOS. But Windows Phone is a fun, easy-to-use OS, and the Titan II is still a good phone to experience it with.”

“The HTC Titan II offers arguably the best hardware, found in a Windows Phone smartphone. Its 16MP camera unit and LTE network connectivity might even sway a few users away from devices, running on competing platforms. After all, Microsoft has been working hard to expand the Windows Phone ecosystem, with the Marketplace expanding on an hourly basis. Furthermore, like a typical HTC, the Titan II is superbly well put together. Even the most nitpicking users will have a hard time finding anything to frown at. The handset's measures are also a pleasant surprise. The phone is quite light, given its massive physical proportions. Of course, not everything about the smartphone is perfect. Its design is ageing quickly, now that the One Series has been released by HTC. The same goes for the smartphone's hardware. Given the recent controversy, surrounding the future updates to Windows Phone Apollo, locking yourself up with a two-year contract to have the Titan II (or any other current Windows Phone device for that matter) might be something to think over quite carefully.”

“We really enjoyed the HTC Titan II, and would definitely rank it as one of the best Windows Phone handsets currently available. Unfortunately, its $199 price tag makes the handset twice the price of the LTE Nokia Lumia 900 (also on AT&T) which offers a superior body design and screen for half the cost.”

“Overall, we have very few qualms with the HTC Titan II. Despite its clumsier design, it certainly has more to offer than its predecessor, which was already considered a great phone when it was released on AT&T a scant five months ago (six months if you count the European launch). But is there any reason to fork out $200 for a Windows Phone that has roughly the same feature set as the less expensive Nokia Lumia 900, which is getting subsidized beyond our wildest dreams? Unless you're a camera enthusiast, we think your money could be put to better use elsewhere.”