A closer look at the Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL (pictures)

The unlocked Ascend D1 Quad XL was once touted as the world's fastest smartphone by Huawei back in February 2012. But due to its delayed release, a number of other quad-core phones have arrived to compete with it.

The Quad XL has a 4.5-inch HD IPS+ display with a 1,280x720-pixel resolution and 330 ppi.

On the back is an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash.

The device measures 5.11-inches tall and 2.56-inches wide. Unfortunately, at 0.45-inches thick and 5.11 ounces heavy, the device is hefty

Powering the handset is a 1.2GHz quad-core processor. While it isn't slow by any means, it isn't as swift as other premium quad-core devices like the LG Nexus 4.

The Quad XL feels dense and sturdy in the hand. It won't fit entirely in small front jean pockets, and when it's in, expect a bulky fit.

The handset is also equipped with a 2,600mAh battery, 8GB of RAM, a microSD card slot, and Bluetooth 3.0.