HTC Sensation review

HTC's latest dual-core smartphone is here, but is it a true Sensation or a damp squib? Julian Prokaza casts a discerning eye in our review.

HTC Sense also exploits the array of sensors inside the Sensation to add a few other useful functions.

HTC Sense also exploits the array of sensors inside the Sensation to add a few other useful functions. Flipping the smartphone so that the screen is face-down (the glass lip keeps the screen a millimetre or two off the surface) when on a call activates speakerphone mode, for example. This is useful until you need to access the on-screen telephone keypad.

Similarly, leaving the Sensation screen-down when not on a call silences all alerts great for annoyance-free meetings, but less so when it slips into this position inside a bag and you end up missing calls. Call quality itself is good rather than great though, and while we had no problems hearing callers, there was some slight interference audible at both ends.

It's a similar could-be-better story with images from the eight-megapixel digital camera with dual LED flash. Photo quality was generally good, but there was a little too much noise at less than perfect light levels and the Samsung Galaxy S II did a better job at capturing fine detail and accurate colours.