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HTC One M8 specs versus Samsung Galaxy S5, iPhone 5S

The new HTC One rustles up an impressive list of hardware features and a slick new software shell. So far, the 'M8' stands strong against its influential rivals.

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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
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The Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, and iPhone 5S battle it out. Josh Miller/CNET

There's no question that the visually-refined HTC One M8 is one fancy piece of hand candy. Luckily, its prowess isn't just chassis-deep. The 5-inch screen is bright and sharp, the 4-'ultrapixel' camera produces pleasing photos, and the phone's quad-core processing power is one of the fastest around.

Both on paper and in the wide world, the HTC One M8 more than stands up to its fiercest competitors, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5S. Pay close attention to the M8's expandable storage option; HTC's inclusion of this slot knocks out one Samsung's major benefits over the original HTC One.

HTC One M8Samsung Galaxy S5Apple iPhone 5S
Size 5.76 x 2.78 x 0.37 inches; 6.3 oz.5.5 x 2.9 x 0.31 inches; 5 oz.4.9 x 2.3 x 0.30 inches; 4 oz.
Screen 5 inches; 1,920x1,080; 441ppi5.1 inches; 1,920x1,080 pixels; 431ppi4 inches; 1,136x640 pixels; 326ppi
OS Android 4.4; Sense 6.0 UIAndroid 4.4; TouchWiz UIiOS 7
Processor 2.3GHz quad-core; Qualcomm Snapdragon 8012.5GHz quad-core; Qualcomm Snapdragon 801Proprietary A7 (64-bit) with M7 motion processor
Rear camera and recording 4-'Ultrapixel'; 1080p HD16-megapixel; 4K HD (1080p HD default)8-megapixel; 1080p HD
Front-facing camera 5-megapixel; 1080p HD video2-megapixel; 1080p HD video1.2-megapixel; 720p HD video
Capacity 16GB, 32GB16GB, 32GB16GB, 32GB, 64GB
RAM 2GB2GBN/A
Expandable storage Up to 128GBUp to 128GBNone
Battery 2,600mAh battery; embedded2,800mAh; removableEmbedded; Up to 10 hours on 4G LTE; standby time up to 10 days
4G LTE YesYesYes
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4, 5GHz)802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4, 5GHz)802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4, 5GHz)
NFC YesYesNo
Bluetooth 4.0 Low energy4.0 Low energy4.0 Low energy
IR Blaster YesYesNo
Notable extras BlinkFeed, BoomSoundFingerprint scanner, heart rate monitorTouch ID scanner
Color choices Gray, silver, rose goldBlack, white, blue, copperGray, white, gold
US carriers AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, VerizonAT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, MetroPCS, and U.S. CellularAT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and global
For a deeper comparison, check out why I think HTC's One M8 gives Samsung's Galaxy S5 a run for its money.

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