HTC's Windows Phone 8X flagship strikes a pose (pictures)

The HTC Windows Phone 8X is the company's colorful stab at Windows phone. Red, bright yellow, black, and blue shades come to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, starting at $199.

The phone's shape is interesting: rounded on the back, but with thin corners around the face. A soft-touch finish lends a firm, contoured handhold, but buttons are too flush to push by feel.

Microsoft's resizable, movable, and color-customizable live tiles define Windows phones.

HTC's Beats Audio cranks up the volume and adds a little extra richness to your songs, movies, and video.

Both Windows Phone 8 devices, the 8X (left) is smaller, slimmer, lighter, and more grippable than Nokia's Lumia 920. But the Lumia has double the storage and wireless charging.

The view from the top accentuates each phone's dimensions.