HTC Sensation XE

amazon HTC Sensation XE reviews

HTC Sensation XE has Android smartphones with dual core 1.5GHz processor and Beats Audio headphones.

HTC Sensation XE uses an upgraded processor and Beats Audio sound technology. Dual processor clocked at 1.5 GHz and the RAM 768M.

Sensation XE runs Android 2.3.4 with Sense 3.0 interface. When you plug headphones into the machine and to position the Sound Enhancer, you will see the option on or off Beats Audio.

External changes.

Underneath, Android 4 basic node is dyed red instead of white like version Sensation LCD format often. 4 This button will light and more red, more attractive while in operating mode, so that light below the keys light up. Painted metal frame and dark, color and shape metal.

where can you get a HTC Sensation XE online

HTC Sensation XE Z715E with Beats Audio Unlocked GSM Android Phone – International Version – No Warranty – Black: Buy it now

HTC Sensation XE Z715E with Beats Audio Unlocked GSM Android Phone – International Version – No Warranty – White: Buy it now

Change the hardware:

HTC to upgrade the CPU speed, improve battery life and can be used other SLCD screen or color retouching.

The screen will be what you see the most impressive that you see, so bright colors are very bright and white and bluish white instead of yellow. Sensation XE color like the color on HTC Desize S, Sensation XE screen is 540×960, high and vertical than other high-end Android devices to view photos and text smooth, sharp.

1730mAh battery on the Sensation XE is higher than on the Sensation 1520mAh.

Yesterday I also try the Sensation XE camera but really not as impressive as those with good camera as Arc, N8 or iPhone 4S.

Design and Build Quality

Aesthetic Appeal

The HTC Sensation XE was a striking device in its time, boasting a sophisticated design that combined style with durability. The phone featured a unibody aluminum construction that exuded a premium feel, setting it apart from many plastic-bodied competitors. The matte black finish, coupled with red accents around the camera lens, soft-touch buttons, and the speaker grille, gave the device a distinct and modern look that was synonymous with the Beats Audio branding.

Ergonomics and Handling

With dimensions of 126.1 x 65.4 x 11.3 mm and a weight of 151 grams, the Sensation XE was relatively slim and easy to handle. The curved back and rounded edges made it comfortable to hold, despite its slightly larger size compared to some of the other smartphones available at the time. The unibody design, while enhancing durability, meant that the back cover was non-removable, which was a trade-off for the solid feel of the device.

Display

The Sensation XE featured a 4.3-inch S-LCD capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of around 256 PPI. The display was covered with Corning Gorilla Glass, providing protection against scratches and minor impacts. The screen was one of the highlights of the device, offering vibrant colors, decent brightness, and good viewing angles. However, by today’s standards, the display resolution and color accuracy would seem dated, but at the time, it provided a quality visual experience.

Hardware and Performance

Processor and Memory

At the heart of the HTC Sensation XE was a Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon chipset, featuring a dual-core 1.5 GHz Scorpion CPU and Adreno 220 GPU. This was a significant upgrade over the original Sensation, which had a 1.2 GHz processor. The increase in clock speed provided noticeable improvements in performance, especially in handling multimedia tasks and gaming.

The device came with 768 MB of RAM, which, while sufficient for most tasks at the time, was slightly less than some of its competitors, like the Samsung Galaxy S II, which had 1 GB of RAM. Nevertheless, the Sensation XE managed multitasking relatively well, although it could struggle with more demanding applications and games, especially as Android and app requirements evolved.

Storage

The Sensation XE offered 4 GB of internal storage, of which only about 1 GB was available to the user for app installations and media storage. This was quite limiting, especially considering the increasing size of apps and media files. However, HTC provided a microSD card slot, allowing for expandable storage up to 32 GB, which was a necessary inclusion given the limited internal memory.

Battery Life

The HTC Sensation XE was equipped with a 1730 mAh Li-Ion battery, slightly larger than the 1520 mAh battery in the original Sensation. Despite the increase, battery life remained a concern for heavy users. The dual-core processor and high-resolution display were power-hungry, and with moderate to heavy use, the device often struggled to last a full day on a single charge.

The inclusion of Beats Audio was a double-edged sword in this regard. While the enhanced audio experience was a selling point, using the Beats headphones and audio features often drained the battery faster. For light to moderate users, the battery life was manageable, but for those who relied heavily on their phones for gaming, video playback, and constant connectivity, carrying a charger or an external battery pack was often necessary.

Camera

The HTC Sensation XE featured an 8 MP rear camera with autofocus, dual-LED flash, and the ability to record 1080p video at 30 frames per second. The camera performance was solid for its time, offering decent image quality with good color reproduction and detail in well-lit conditions. However, like many smartphones of that era, it struggled in low-light environments, producing images with noticeable noise and reduced sharpness.

The camera interface was straightforward and offered several shooting modes, including HDR, panorama, and macro. Video recording was one of the better aspects of the camera, with the ability to capture Full HD video, which was impressive for a smartphone in 2011.

The front-facing camera was VGA (0.3 MP), primarily intended for video calls rather than selfies, which were not as popular at the time. The quality was mediocre, but it sufficed for its intended purpose.

Audio and Beats Integration

One of the most distinctive features of the HTC Sensation XE was its integration with Beats Audio, a collaboration between HTC and Beats by Dr. Dre, which was a significant part of the marketing strategy. The device came bundled with a pair of Beats-branded in-ear headphones, which offered superior audio quality compared to the standard earbuds that typically came with smartphones.

When the headphones were connected, the device automatically switched to Beats Audio mode, which enhanced bass and overall sound quality. For music enthusiasts, this was a major selling point, and the Sensation XE delivered a richer and more immersive audio experience, especially for genres that benefited from enhanced bass.

However, the Beats Audio integration was primarily a software-based enhancement, meaning the difference in audio quality was more pronounced when using the included Beats headphones. With other headphones, the impact was less noticeable, though the overall audio experience was still above average compared to other smartphones of the time.

Software and User Interface

Android Operating System

The HTC Sensation XE was launched with Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, which was the latest version of Android at the time. The device later received an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which brought several new features and improvements, including a redesigned user interface, improved multitasking, and better performance.

Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread was a solid operating system, but it lacked some of the polish and functionality of later Android versions. The update to Ice Cream Sandwich was welcomed by users, as it brought a more modern look and feel to the device, along with enhanced stability and new features like face unlock, data usage monitoring, and improved notifications.

HTC Sense UI

HTC’s custom user interface, Sense UI, was one of the most praised Android skins at the time. The Sensation XE came with HTC Sense 3.0, which was known for its visually appealing design, smooth animations, and a range of useful widgets and customization options.

Sense UI 3.0 introduced features like the 3D carousel for switching between home screens, customizable lock screens, and a refined weather widget that became one of HTC’s signature features. The interface was generally responsive, although it could occasionally feel a bit heavy due to the added animations and visual effects, especially on hardware that wasn’t as powerful as some of the later devices.

Sense UI also included a variety of pre-installed apps, some of which were useful, like HTC’s weather and calendar apps, while others were seen as bloatware. Overall, Sense UI 3.0 provided a unique user experience that differentiated HTC devices from other Android smartphones, and it was well-received by most users.

Multimedia and Entertainment

Video Playback

The HTC Sensation XE’s 4.3-inch display was well-suited for video playback, offering a good balance between screen size and portability. The S-LCD screen provided vibrant colors and decent contrast, making video content enjoyable to watch. The device supported a variety of video formats, including MP4, H.264, and WMV, which were common at the time.

However, the native video player lacked support for some popular codecs, like DivX and Xvid, meaning users had to rely on third-party apps to play certain video files. Despite this, the overall video playback experience was satisfactory, with smooth playback and good audio synchronization, especially when using the Beats headphones.

Gaming

With its dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and Adreno 220 GPU, the HTC Sensation XE was capable of handling most games available on the Android platform at the time. Casual games like Angry Birds and Temple Run ran smoothly, while more demanding titles like Asphalt 6 and Dead Space were playable, albeit with occasional frame rate drops during intensive scenes.

The 4.3-inch screen provided enough real estate for comfortable gaming, and the responsive touchscreen made it easy to control games. However, the limited RAM and storage could be a bottleneck for more complex games, and users often had to manage their storage carefully to ensure optimal performance.

Music

As previously mentioned, music playback was a standout feature of the HTC Sensation XE, thanks to the integration of Beats Audio. The music player app was well-designed, with a user-friendly interface that made it easy to navigate through playlists, albums, and genres.

The sound quality, especially when using the included Beats headphones, was excellent for a smartphone of its time. The enhanced bass and clarity made listening to music a pleasure, and the device performed well across various music genres. The inclusion of an FM radio was also a nice touch, providing users with another option for music and entertainment.

Connectivity and Networking

Call Quality

The HTC Sensation XE offered solid call quality, with clear voice transmission and good noise cancellation. The earpiece was loud enough for most environments, and the speakerphone was also decent, though not as powerful as some other devices in its class. The dual microphones helped to reduce background noise during calls, which was a valuable feature for users who frequently made calls in noisy environments.

Messaging

The HTC Sensation XE handled messaging tasks with ease, providing users with a range of options for communication. The standard SMS and MMS functions were complemented by the inclusion of HTC’s custom messaging app, which integrated well with the overall Sense UI. The app supported threaded messaging, making it easy to keep track of conversations.

The virtual keyboard on the Sensation XE was spacious and responsive, benefiting from the 4.3-inch display. HTC also provided options for customizing the keyboard, such as enabling predictive text and auto-correction, which helped to improve typing speed and accuracy. For users who preferred alternative keyboards, the Android platform made it easy to download and install third-party options from the Google Play Store.

Email was another area where the Sensation XE performed well. The device supported multiple email accounts, including popular services like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Microsoft Exchange. The email app offered a clean and intuitive interface, with options for organizing and managing messages effectively. Push email support ensured that users received their emails in real-time, which was a critical feature for business users and professionals.

Internet Browsing

The HTC Sensation XE provided a strong internet browsing experience, thanks to its dual-core processor and capable GPU. The built-in Android browser was fast and responsive, handling most websites with ease. Pages loaded quickly, and the browser supported features like pinch-to-zoom, double-tap to zoom, and smooth scrolling, which made navigating the web a pleasant experience.

The device also supported Adobe Flash, which was still relevant for many websites at the time. This allowed users to view Flash-based content, such as videos and interactive elements, directly in the browser. However, Flash content could be demanding on the hardware, leading to occasional slowdowns or increased battery drain.

For users who wanted more features, third-party browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox were available from the Play Store, offering options like tabbed browsing, enhanced security features, and better synchronization with desktop versions of the browser.

Connectivity Options

The HTC Sensation XE was well-equipped with connectivity options, catering to a variety of user needs. It supported 3G HSPA+ networks, offering download speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 5.76 Mbps. While these speeds are modest by today’s standards, they were competitive at the time and provided a good browsing and streaming experience on mobile networks.

The device also featured Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, allowing users to connect to wireless networks at home, work, or public hotspots. Wi-Fi performance was generally reliable, with good signal strength and stable connections. The Sensation XE also supported Wi-Fi Direct, enabling direct peer-to-peer connections between devices without the need for a wireless router.

Bluetooth 3.0 was included for wireless file transfers and connecting peripherals like headsets and speakers. The device also supported A2DP for streaming high-quality audio over Bluetooth, which was particularly useful when paired with wireless headphones or car audio systems.

GPS with A-GPS support was another important feature, providing accurate location tracking for navigation apps like Google Maps. The Sensation XE locked onto GPS signals relatively quickly and provided reliable directions for driving, walking, or public transportation.

For physical connections, the device featured a microUSB port for charging and data transfer. The port supported USB On-The-Go (OTG), allowing users to connect USB peripherals like flash drives and keyboards directly to the device, which was a handy feature for those who needed additional storage or wanted to use the device as a makeshift computer.

The Sensation XE also included a 3.5mm headphone jack, which was essential for using the bundled Beats headphones or other wired audio devices. The presence of the headphone jack was standard at the time but is notable in retrospect, given the trend of newer smartphones eliminating this feature.

Camera and Multimedia

Rear Camera Performance

The 8 MP rear camera on the HTC Sensation XE was a solid performer in its time, offering good image quality for a smartphone. In well-lit conditions, the camera produced sharp images with accurate colors and good detail. The dual-LED flash was effective in providing additional light in low-light situations, though, like many smartphone cameras, the Sensation XE struggled with noise and reduced sharpness in darker environments.

The camera app offered a range of shooting modes and settings, allowing users to customize their photography experience. Features like autofocus, face detection, and touch focus made it easier to capture clear images. The camera also supported burst mode, allowing users to take multiple shots in quick succession, which was useful for capturing fast-moving subjects.

One of the standout features of the Sensation XE’s camera was its ability to record 1080p Full HD video. Video quality was generally good, with smooth motion and decent audio capture. The dual-LED flash could also be used as a video light, providing additional illumination for recording in low-light conditions. However, the device lacked advanced stabilization features, so handheld videos could sometimes appear shaky.

Front Camera

The front-facing VGA camera on the HTC Sensation XE was functional but limited in quality. It was primarily intended for video calls rather than photography, and its low resolution was evident in the grainy and low-detail images it produced. For video calls, the camera sufficed, especially when using apps like Skype, but it was not suitable for high-quality selfies or detailed shots.

Multimedia Playback

The HTC Sensation XE was a capable multimedia device, particularly excelling in audio playback due to its Beats Audio integration. The music player app was well-designed, with support for a variety of audio formats, including MP3, WAV, and AAC. The app allowed users to create playlists, browse by artist or album, and view album art, providing a rich music experience.

When using the bundled Beats headphones, the audio quality was notably better than that of most other smartphones at the time. The enhanced bass and clarity made for a more immersive listening experience, particularly for genres like hip-hop, electronic, and pop. Even without the Beats headphones, the device’s internal speakers offered decent sound quality, though they lacked the depth and richness of the Beats-enhanced audio.

Video playback on the Sensation XE was also enjoyable, thanks to its large 4.3-inch display and support for popular video formats like MP4 and H.264. The screen’s resolution of 540 x 960 pixels provided a sharp and clear picture, making it suitable for watching movies and TV shows on the go. The device’s performance in handling high-definition video files was good, with smooth playback and minimal buffering.

For users who preferred streaming content, the Sensation XE supported popular video streaming apps like YouTube and Netflix. Streaming performance was generally smooth, provided a stable Wi-Fi or 3G connection was available. However, the limited internal storage meant that users had to rely more on streaming services or expandable microSD storage for their multimedia needs.

Software and User Experience

HTC Sense UI 3.0

The HTC Sensation XE came with HTC’s custom Sense UI 3.0, layered on top of Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread. HTC Sense was widely regarded as one of the best custom Android interfaces at the time, offering a balance of functionality, customization, and aesthetics.

Sense UI 3.0 introduced several unique features, including a 3D carousel for switching between home screens, customizable lock screens, and a range of interactive widgets. The lock screen, in particular, was a highlight, allowing users to quickly access their favorite apps directly from the lock screen by dragging an app icon into a ring to unlock the phone.

The weather widget, with its animated weather effects, was another signature feature of Sense UI, providing users with real-time weather updates in a visually appealing format. The overall design of Sense UI was sleek and modern, with smooth animations and transitions that made the device feel fast and responsive.

While Sense UI was generally well-received, it was not without its drawbacks. The added visual effects and features made the interface heavier, which could sometimes result in slower performance compared to stock Android, especially as the device aged and newer apps became more demanding.

Software Updates

The HTC Sensation XE launched with Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread but was later updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). The ICS update brought a host of new features and improvements, including a redesigned user interface, enhanced multitasking, improved notifications, and better overall performance.

The update to ICS was a significant improvement for the Sensation XE, providing users with a more modern and polished experience. The new UI elements, such as the Roboto font, a more refined settings menu, and an improved browser, gave the device a fresh feel. The update also included face unlock, data usage monitoring, and a more streamlined app drawer.

However, the device did not receive official updates beyond Android 4.0 ICS, which left it behind as newer versions of Android introduced additional features and security enhancements. This lack of long-term software support was a common issue for many Android devices of that era, and it eventually led to the Sensation XE becoming less relevant in a rapidly evolving market.

Customization and Personalization

One of the strengths of Android, and by extension the HTC Sensation XE, was the ability to customize and personalize the device to suit individual preferences. Sense UI 3.0 provided a range of options for customization, including the ability to change home screen layouts, add widgets, and apply different themes.

Users could also download and install third-party launchers from the Play Store, allowing for even more customization of the interface. The availability of live wallpapers, custom icons, and various widgets meant that users could tailor the look and feel of their device to match their style.

In addition to visual customization, the Sensation XE offered several practical features for personalization. The phonebook, for example, integrated with social media accounts, allowing users to view their contacts’ latest updates directly within the contact list. The messaging app supported personalized notifications for different contacts, and the camera app allowed users to save custom settings for quick access to preferred shooting modes.

Conclusion: A Look Back at the HTC Sensation XE

The HTC Sensation XE was a flagship device that left a lasting impression during its time in the spotlight. It was a phone that combined powerful hardware, an appealing design, and innovative features, all while emphasizing a high-quality audio experience thanks to its partnership with Beats Audio.

One of the key strengths of the Sensation XE was its balanced performance. The 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and Adreno 220 GPU ensured that the device could handle most tasks and games that were available at the time. The inclusion of HTC’s Sense UI 3.0 provided a user-friendly interface that was both functional and visually appealing, while the build quality and design of the phone gave it a premium feel.

The Sensation XE’s standout feature, however, was its audio performance. The integration of Beats Audio and the inclusion of Beats headphones made it a top choice for music enthusiasts, offering a richer and more immersive audio experience than most other smartphones on the market.

On the downside, the Sensation XE was not without its limitations. The VGA front camera was a weak point, especially as front-facing cameras became more important for selfies and video calls. The device also struggled with long-term software support, as it was only officially updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Additionally, the limited internal storage of 4 GB, despite being expandable via microSD, was a constraint for users who wanted to store large amounts of media or apps on the device.

In terms of battery life, the Sensation XE performed reasonably well for its time, but it was not exceptional. Power users often found themselves needing to recharge the device by the end of the day, particularly with heavy usage. The removable battery design, however, offered some flexibility in managing battery life.

Looking back, the HTC Sensation XE represented a significant moment for HTC, showcasing the company’s ability to innovate and deliver a compelling smartphone experience. It was a device that catered to both tech enthusiasts and mainstream users, with a particular appeal to those who valued high-quality audio.

While the Sensation XE may seem outdated by today’s standards, it remains an important part of HTC’s legacy in the smartphone market. It was a device that helped to solidify HTC’s reputation as a manufacturer of premium Android phones and set the stage for future innovations in mobile technology.

For those who owned the HTC Sensation XE, it likely holds a place of nostalgia as a device that offered a well-rounded and enjoyable smartphone experience during the early years of Android’s rise to prominence. And for those looking back at the history of smartphones, the Sensation XE stands as a testament to HTC’s contributions to the industry and the evolution of mobile technology.