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HTC One Mini up for pre-order at £365, due next week

The HTC One Mini is due in the UK next week, with online retailer Unlocked Mobiles undercutting rivals with a £365 pre-order price-tag.

Nick Hide Managing copy editor
Nick manages CNET's advice copy desk from Springfield, Virginia. He's worked at CNET since 2005.
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Nick Hide
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HTC's miniature metal marvel is within touching distance. The HTC One Mini is due in the UK next week, with online retailer Unlocked Mobiles undercutting rivals with a £365 pre-order price-tag.

If you're desperate to get your hands on the One Mini, Carphone Warehouse reckons it'll be in stock from 9 August -- next Friday -- three days ahead of Unlocked. Carphone's charging more though -- £380, which seems to be the most common price online.

The One Mini left us considerably impressed in our recent review. Its 4.3-inch screen means its much easier to use (and slip into a pocket) than its 4.7-inch big sibling, and it loses nothing in terms of its stylish design and classy metal chassis. Its 720p screen is terrific too.

Where it does underperform is its performance -- it's a mediocre dual-core effort, rather than the blockbusting quad-core bruiser in the proper One. Some more graphically impressive Android games, such as GTA: Vice City and N.O.V.A 3, just wouldn't install. That's possibly because the phone's new and there's some unforeseen software problem, but don't expect it to be a gaming powerhouse.

We certainly preferred it to Samsung's mini-me flagship, the Galaxy S4 Mini, which is also £380 but a much more mid-range affair. Still probably the best option if you don't want a top of the line phone is the Nexus 4, which starts at £239, has a smashing 4.7-inch screen and a beefy quad-core processor.

Are you tempted by the One Mini? Would it need to go even cheaper? Are you waiting for a next-gen Nexus instead? Hit me with your chit-chat in the comments, or on our reasonably sized Facebook page.

Watch this: HTC One Mini hands-on