Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: The best budget 4G phone of 2015

Doogee is another new name to us, but popular outside the UK. Its F1 Turbo Mini smartphone is a 

super-sleek, super-budget sub-£100 4G phone. In fact, we'd say the Doogee F1 Turbo Mini is the best budget 4G phone of 2015. Read our Doogee F1 review. Also see: Cheapest 4G phones, Best phones 2015 and best new phones coming this year.
Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: Price and UK availability


The Doogee F1 Turbo Mini is a grey market phone supplied to us by Coolicool.com. If you wish to buy it from China it will cost £82.49 but may incur Import VAT; we recommend you instead buy it from the European warehouse for £104.27. Read more about buying grey market tech in our article on the pros, cons and risks associated with buying from overseas.

At this price the Doogee F1's closest UK rival is the EE Kestrel, a Huawei-made £99 (plus £10 EE top-up) phone that until now sat at the top of our best cheap 4G phones chart. Given that the Doogee is network-unlocked, you may find it a preferrable option - and for other reasons, too, as we'll outline below.

Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: The best budget 4G phone of 2015

Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: Design and build

Doogee's F1 Turbo Mini has a very nice design for such a budget handset. The screen bezels are virtually non-existent, and where we would normally expect to find a chunky chassis the F1 is just 8mm thick. With a 4.5in screen the Turbo Mini is very easy to hold and use in a single hand, and at 112g it's incredibly light, too. It's lighter, and a tad smaller, than the Kestrel.

The slightly curved rear aids its fit in the hand, and the dimpled back panel - not unlike that seen in Samsung Galaxy phones - improves grip. It's much less plasticky in its appearance than the Kestrel, with a glass front, plastic rear and a metal chassis that's visible from the side.

Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: The best budget 4G phone of 2015

The F1 feels reasonably tough, but the removable rear does mean it rattles somewhat when handled. Prise off this panel and you'll find dual-SIM slots (one Mini, one Micro), plus a removable 2000mAh lithium-ion battery and a microSD card slot that supports up to 64GB.

The screen is identical to that seen on the Kestrel: a 4.5in HD IPS panel with a 960x540 resolution that equates to 245ppi. Colours and viewing angles are good too, which is important when you consider that you're likely to want to stream video over 4G phone. It's not the best screen we've ever seen but it's more than acceptable, given the price.

Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: The best budget 4G phone of 2015

Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: Hardware and performance

Another area in which the Doogee improves on the Kestrel is in performance. The Doogee F1 is equipped with a 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6732 quad-core 64-bit processor and 1GB of RAM. This is not what we might consider a speed demon, but it's very capable when you consider how little it costs.

In Geekbench 3 the Doogee F1 turned in 647 points single-core and 1947 multi-core. It recorded 1133ms in SunSpider, and 25- and 13fps in GFXBench 3.0's T-Rex and Manhattan tests respectively (onscreen, that is, for the F1 failed to complete the offscreen tests and reported that it was out of memory). You can see how this compares to the competition in our article What's the fastest smartphone.

Storage is just 8GB, but that's already better than the 4GB we often see in budget phones. The Doogee F1 Turbo Mini also has a microSD card slot that accepts up to 64GB.
Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: Connectivity

The fact this phone supports 4G is quite amazing, given the price. It's the cheapest 4G phone we've ever tested. If you're buying the F1 in the UK, though, ensure it is compatible with your network. The Doogee supports 850/900/1800/1900MHz 2G, 850/900/1900/2100MHz 3G, and LTE bands 1/3/7/20 800/2100/1800/2600MHz. With a 4G connection Doogee claims it can offer up to 150Mb/s.

As we mentioned earlier, the F1 Turbo Mini is also a dual-SIM phone. This will appeal to many users who want to combine business and home SIMs in a single handset. Check out our round-up of the best dual-SIM phones.

Other connectivity options include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and something called HotKnot, which is a short-range wireless file-transfer protocol that is in essence MediaTek's answer to NFC. You can read more about HotKnot over on MediaTek's site.
Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: Cameras

At the front of the Doogee F1 Turbo Mini is a 5Mp selfie or video-chat camera. Within the main Camera app there's a Beauty Face mode that offers a live preview with a slider, allowing you to reduce wrinkles or (oddly) whiten your face.

Switch to CameraBox and you can trigger selfies with a smile or V sign. You can apply beautifying effects in real time, and there's also an age judge mode that examines your pose and tells you how old you look (I really liked it while it was telling me I looked 24, but not so much when it decided I was 34). After you've taken a selfie you can apply make up (saving you the job of doing it yourself - yay!), but some of the effects are understandably quite oriental-looking.

 Doogee D1 Turbo Mini selfie

At the rear is an 8Mp camera with an HDR mode, face detection, smile shot, a 40-picture burst mode and more. It supports panorama, picture-in-picture, motion-tracking, multiple-beauty face, multi-angle shots and more.

As you can see from our test shot below (which was taken a few seconds after the test shot shown in our 16Mp Elephone P5000 review), the sky has been completely blown out and the photo is over-exposed. The image is sharp enough, though, and not at all bad for a superbudget phone. It's better than the 5Mp camera on the Kestrel, anyway.

Doogee F1 Turbo Mini camera test shot


Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: Software

The Doogee phone runs the latest version of Android KitKat (4.4.4) and supports FOTA updates. The software is largely standard KitKat, with a few additions such as Music and Video apps and the aforementioned CameraBox. Go Keyboard is also preinstalled, and the Doogee supports some smart gestures. Examples include three-finger screenshots, two-finger volume and a double-tap of the Home button to lock the screen from any menu. You can also use gestures to take a photo, browse photos, skip a song and more.

Privacy options include an app lock feature that lets you lock down specific parts of the phone from unwanted access, plus a Visitor mode, which hides away your pictures, texts and call logs so people can't snoop at your stuff while pretending to borrow your phone.
Doogee F1 Turbo Mini review: Battery life

The Doogee F1 Turbo Mini is fitted with a 2000mAh battery that, given the low-power screen and hardware, is more generous than it might sound. After a working day's typical use the battery had 60 percent remaining, suggesting it'll last at least a full day away from the mains and perhaps a little more depending on your usage.

The F1 also has an Ultra power saving mode that can shut down non-essential apps to keep things going as long as possible.

 

LG announces the G Flex2 in India for $878, available later this month

 

LG has launched their latest flagship smartphone – the LG G Flex2 – in India. The phone is priced at Rs. 55,000 ($878) and will be available sometime later this month.

The LG G Flex2 is the successor to last year’s G Flex, which met with a lukewarm response from reviewers and customers alike. This year’s model features a new 5.5-inch Full HD curved P-OLED display, Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage space with microSD support, 13 megapixel rear camera with OIS and laser autofocus, 2.1 megapixel front facing camera, 3,000mAh battery and Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The G Flex2 also features the self healing back from the original G Flex but is now improved to be quicker and hide small scratches better.

LG is only launching the 32GB model in India. It will be available in Flamenco Red and Platinum Silver.

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini UK release date, price and specs predictions: When is the Galaxy S6 mini coming out? We know there will be a Samsung Galaxy S6. We know there will be a Samsung Galaxy S6 mini. And here's what else we think we know

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini UK release date, price and specs predictions: When is the Galaxy S6 mini coming out?

We know there will be a Samsung Galaxy S6. We know there will be a Samsung Galaxy S6 mini. And here's what else we think we know

When is the Samsung Galaxy S6 mini coming out? With the Samsung Galaxy S6 pegged for March's MWC, Samsung will in typical fashion follow up that smartphone with the launch of a compact version. Here we reveal our Samsung Galaxy S6 mini UK release date, price and specs predictions. Also see: Samsung Galaxy S6 UK release date, price and specs rumours  

Here's where you can find out first about the Galaxy S6: Samsung Galaxy S6 launch live video stream: Unpacked 2015 at MWC.

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini UK release date: When is the Samsung Galaxy S6 mini coming out?

We don't expect to see the Samsung Galaxy S6 mini unveiled at the same time as the Samsung Galaxy S6, which will more than likely be unveiled at an Uncovered event prior to Mobile World Congress 2015 (our guess is on 1 March). Last year Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini several months later, with it going on sale in the UK on 7 August at £389.95. (Read our reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy S5 mini here.)

As with that phone, the Samsung Galaxy S6 mini will likely launch in late July/early August 2015. We'll update this article when more details are available. Also see: Best new phones 2015 

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini UK price: How much will the Samsung Galaxy S6 mini cost?

A compact version of the Samsung Galaxy S6, the S6 mini will command a lower price tag - but it won't be what you might consider cheap. We expect pricing to fall in line with previous mini Galaxy handsets, just short of £400 SIM-free. Like those phones the price will drop rather rapidly (the S5 mini is right now around £315 ). 

Samsung Galaxy S6 mini: specs predictions 

The S6 mini's spec has not yet been confirmed. By looking at the differences between previous Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy mini handsets we can hazard a guess at what we're likely to see, however.  

The key differences between the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Galaxy S5 mini are as follows:

• Screen: The S5 has a 5.1in full-HD (1080p) panel, while the S5 mini has a 4.5in HD (720p) screen 

• Processor: Both S5 and S5 mini have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chip, but the S5 mini's is slower-clocked at 1.4- rather than 2.5GHz 

• RAM: While the S5 has 2GB, the S5 mini has 1.5GB

• Storage: The S5 is available with 16- or 32GB of storage, with SD support for up to 128GB; the S5 mini is 16GB only, and supports SD cards up to 64GB in capacity 

• Design and build: The S5 mini is naturally smaller than the S5 with its smaller screen, but it's also chunkier at 8.1mm versus the S5's 7.1mm 

• Cameras: The S5 boasts a 16Mp camera that can record 4K video, but the S5 mini's 8Mp alternative shoots at full-HD max 

• Battery: A lower-capacity 2100mAh battery in the S5 mini when compared to the S5's 2800mAh battery is understandable, given the smaller screen and less powerful hardware 

You can read more about the differences between the S5 and S5 mini in our comparison review.

With this in mind, we expect to see the following differences between the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 mini: 

• Screen: While the Samsung Galaxy S6 will reportedly have a 5.5in Quad-HD (1440x2560) Super AMOLED panel, we reckon we'll get a 4.7in full-HD (1920x1080) screen in the S6 mini. That means a very high pixel density of 468ppi. Both will be protected with ultra-tough Gorilla Glass 4 

• Processor: The S6 will likely get the Exynos 7420, but in the UK we can expect the Snapdragon 810, a 64-bit octa-core chip. The S6 mini will get the same processor, but it will be slower-clocked 

• RAM: The Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to come with 3GB of RAM; we'd be pleased with 2GB in the S6 mini 

• Storage: It's unlikely anything will change here, with both phones available with 16GB of storage, and potentially 32GB for the standard S6. However, microSD support up to 128GB in the S6 mini is likely 

• Design and build: There are reportedly two Samsung Galaxy S6 builds in the works, one half metal with a removable plastic rear, and the other with a unibody metal chassis. We reckon the latter could well have been the recently unveiled Galaxy A7, and that Samsung will offer a half-metal, half-plastic build with the S6 and S6 mini. As before, expect the mini to be smaller but a tad chunkier to fit in all that tech. You'll be able to buy the S6 and S6 mini in Charcoal Black, Copper Gold, Electric Blue and Shimmery White 

• Cameras: Samsung is reported to be adding a 20Mp camera to its Galaxy S6, so the 16Mp version found in the S5 could make its way to the S6 mini, allowing for 4K video recording. Following the selfie craze both will get 5Mp cameras at the front 

• Battery: Expect to find a lower-capacity battery than is found in the S6, but slightly larger than the 2100mAh found in the S5 mini. This is to be expected given the more powerful screen and hardware, and extra room available 

• Everything else seen in the Samsung Galaxy S6 will also appear in the S6 mini: expect to see a fingerprint scanner, a UV scanner, a heart-rate monitor, an IR blaster, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, enhanced themes and customisation and a Themes store, plus TouchWiz

Read next: Best smartphones 2015

19 best new phones you should be most excited about in 2015: best new phones coming from Apple, Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG, Xiaomi and others

 

Samsung Galaxy S6 If you're a Samsung fan but would rather stick to a phone than a phablet then the S6 is just what you're looking for. With Samsung finally answering build-quality criticisms, it follows in the trend of the Galaxy Alpha and Galaxy Note 4 with a metal and glass body. There's also a quad-HD screen, plus plenty of other radical new features, including a super-fast Samsung Exynos processor (paired with 3GB of RAM), and a redesigned fingerprint scanner that works a lot more like Apple's Touch ID and, you know, actually works. The Samsung Galaxy S6 was unveiled at a Samsung Unpacked event on 1 March 2015, and will go on sale on 10 April 2015. You can pre-order it now from MobileFun, where prices start at £579. Read our Samsung Galaxy S6 review and learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S6 here. You can relive the Galaxy S6 launch right here: How to watch Samsung Galaxy S6 launch live stream. Best new smartphones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge A second version of the Samsung Galaxy S6 launched alongside the standard S6 at MWC. It follows the trend set by the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge, but with two curved screen edges rather than one and a marginally higher-capacity battery than is found the S6. In other respects the specs are in line with the standard S6, but expect to pay a premium for that fancy screen. Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge here, which will go on sale in the UK on 10 April 2015. You can pre-order it now from MobileFun, where prices start at £649. You can relive the Galaxy S6 Edge launch right here: How to watch Samsung Galaxy S6 launch live stream. Best new smartphones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 mini Best new phones 2015 A Samsung Galaxy flagship launch is traditionally followed by several variants, most importantly a compact version, but we've also seen variants that offer, for example, improved cameras or more ruggedised designs. The Samsung Galaxy S6 mini is likely to arrive a few months after the standard Samsung Galaxy S6, perhaps in late July/early August, and will be a more compact version of its bigger brother with a slightly slimmed down spec. We expect to see a 4.7in full-HD screen, a slower-clocked Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, perhaps 2GB of RAM and 16- and 5Mp cameras. You can read our Samsung Galaxy S6 mini predictions here. Best new smartphones 2015: Samsung Galaxy S6 Active Best new phones 2015 Yet another rumoured Samsung Galaxy S6 variant, the Active should be a rugged version of the Samsung Galaxy S6. It's a credible theory, given that the Samsung Galaxy S6 no longer features waterproofing. Plus, with an S4 Active and S5 Active before it, we could well see an S6 Active, but probably not until the summer. We've rounded up all the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: Samsung Galaxy A7 Best new phones 2015 Samsung has confirmed its Galaxy A7, a gorgeous phablet with a 6.3mm unibody metal chassis, a 5.5in Super AMOLED screen and a 64-bit octa-core processor. The Samsung Galaxy A7 is not yet on sale on the UK, but will come in both single- and dual-SIM variants. Read all about the Samsung Galaxy A7 here. Best new smartphones 2015: HTC One M9 HTC One M9 We are massive fans of the HTC One M8, and the HTC One M9 is even better. Although HTC has kept the full-HD screen rather than the quad-HD screens seen in the new Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, the HTC One M9 is a very attractive phone with some impressive performance. You can check out our HTC One M9 review here, and learn more about the HTC One M9 rumours here. The phone will go onsale in the UK on 31 March 2015. You can pre-order it now from EE, which also has the exclusive on the gold edition. You can relive the HTC One M9 launch here: How to watch HTC One M9 launch live stream. Best new smartphones 2015: HTC One M9 Plus / Prime / Ultra Best new phones 2015 Coming alongside the HTC One M9 is said to be a 5.5in-screen phablet version known as the HTC One M9 Plus or HTC One M9 Ultra. Except not exactly alongside - we'll likely be waiting until September for this variant. If rumours are true, the HTC One M9 Ultra / Plus will pack a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and 3GB of RAM. It will also feature a fingerprint scanner. Read all the HTC One M9 Plus / Prime / Ultra rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: Sony Xperia Z4 Best new phones 2015 Sony has traditionally updated its flagship handsets every six months, usually at IFA in September and MWC in March. Well not any more - the Sony Xperia Z4 was a no-show at MWC 2015. Many of the rumours point to a summer release, perhaps with the phone tying in with the new James Bond movie, with actor Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes expected to be involved in its design. Rumour has it that it will be a super-fast Android Lollipop smartphone with an octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, potentially 4GB of RAM and a Quad HD screen. Check out all the Sony Xperia Z4 rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: LG G4 Best new phones 2015 We stand by our statement that the LG G3 was the very best phone you can buy in 2014. Things can only get better with the LG G4. The LG G3 was officially released in the UK at the end of June 2014. We've heard rumours that the LG G4 will arrive in April, but it should certainly be here by the summer. Read all the LG G4 rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: LG G Flex 2 Best new phones 2015 The G4 isn't LG's only exciting new smartphone for 2015. At CES 2015 it unveiled the G Flex 2, a curved-screen handset. The G Flex 2 is a 5.5in-screen smartphone with a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core chip, and it features self-healing technology. Read all about the LG G Flex 2 here, and relive the LG G Flex 2 live launch here. Best new smartphones 2015: Microsoft Lumia 940 Best new phones 2015 Part of the reason we're so excited about the upcoming Microsoft Lumia 940 is that it will be one of the first handsets to run full Windows 10 - Microsoft is to finally tackle the Windows Phone apps problem by running one OS across phones, tablets, PCs and laptops. The Lumia 940 has the beefiest spec of any Windows Phone we've seen too. Microsoft is holding an event at MWC in March, but that's probably too early to see a Windows 10-powered Lumia 940. Check out all the Microsoft Lumia 940 UK release date, price and specs rumours here, and find out more about Windows 10 for phones here. Best new smartphones 2015: iPhone 7 / iPhone 6s Best new phones 2015 The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released in September, and in the months leading up to that the rumour mill went mental. Be prepared for more of the same with the iPhone 7, which will launch in September 2015 running iOS 9. As always, we're expecting a faster processor and some upgraded specs, but little change to the design. (Note that it will probably be called the iPhone 6s rather than iPhone 7, but we're sticking with iPhone 7 for now.) Check out all the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Best new phones 2015 Everyone always bangs on about Samsung's Galaxy S line-up, but it's the Note series that really impresses. The Note 4 was unveiled at a Samsung Unpacked event prior to September's IFA tradeshow (3 September 2014), and right now sits at the top of our fastest smartphone and best phablet charts. Like the new iPhone the Note 5 won't be released until September 2015, but it's going to be well worth the wait. Check out all the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: new Nexus 6 2015 Best new phones 2015 In 2012 we had the Nexus 4, then in 2013 the Nexus 5 and, on 15 October 2014, the Nexus 6. We can't possibly be about to get a new Nexus 7, since that's already a tablet, so we're going for new Nexus 6 2015. It'll likely run Android M, and be unveiled in October 2015 with a November 2015 on sale date. Whereas Google offered flagship specs with mid-range prices for the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5, the Nexus 6 is more costly at £499. We're hoping Google will go back to its excellent-value roots with the new Nexus 6 2015, but we'll bring you all the rumours as we hear them. Best new smartphones 2015: Xiaomi Mi Note and Xiaomi Mi Note Pro Best new phones 2015 Xiaomi has officially unveiled its Mi Note and Mi Note Pro, with the latter hailed as the most powerful phone in the world. Both offer staggering value at £244 and £350 respectively, given their amazing specs. These two Chinese phones are fitted with 5.7in curved screens - the Mi Note full-HD and the Note Pro Quad HD. The Mi Note Pro in particular should offer unrivalled performance, thanks to a 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 64-bit octa-core chip, a massive 4GB of RAM and Adreno 430 graphics. And still it's thinner than the iPhone 6 Plus. There's loads more to drool over in Xiaomi's juicy spec sheet too - read more about the Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi Note Pro UK release date, price and specs here. The Mi Note went on sale in China on 27 January and sold out within minutes, while the Mi Note Pro is expected at the end of March. Best new smartphones 2015: OnePlus Two Best new phones 2015 The OnePlus One is an amazing phone if you've managed to get hold of one. It's priced from £229 but has the spec to match a £600 smartphone, hence OnePlus marketing it as a 2014 flagship killer. According to OnePlus co-founder Carl pei, the OnePlus Two will surprise us, and is likely to focus on flagship-rivalling design rather than specs. He told our sister site PC World the OnePlus Two would arrive in June 2015, along with a second model - perhaps a OnePlus Mini? We expect to see a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 3300mAh battery and a 5.5in 2K screen. It will also run OnePlus' own OxygenOS, rather than Cyanogen. Check out all the OnePlus Two rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: Tesco Hudl smartphone Best new phones 2015 The Hudl tablet has seen phenomenal success, allowing the masses to enter the world of tablet computing. Tesco's taking a slightly different tack with its smartphone, however, which will be a high-end device with an aggressive price. Just the type of device we get excited about. The Tesco Hudl smartphone was supposed to be here in time for Christmas 2014, but Tesco put the project on hold. Despite recent financial problems causing Tesco to sell off its Broadband & Homephone and Blinkbox services, it remains committed to its mobile business. Check out all the Tesco Hudl smartphone rumours here. Best new smartphones 2015: Ubuntu smartphone Best new phones 2015 The Ubuntu phone is finally here in the form of the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition. It costs €169 and runs a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. More importantly, this is not an Android or iOS phone, it runs Ubuntu Linux - and that's interesting. You can find out more about the Ubuntu phone here.

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs HTC One M9: Design and build

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs HTC One M9: Design and build

 

The HTC One M9 looks very similar to its predecessor, but now has a scratch-resistant coating, machine-drilled buttons and a sapphire glass lens on the rear of the camera. The power button has moved to the side, and HTC has employed a new two-tone design with the back and sides getting contrasting adonisation.

The Galaxy S6 shows much more of a departure from the norm for Samsung, with the company finally tackling plastic build quality concerns. This phone actually looks a bit like the iPhone 6. While last year's Samsung Galaxy S5 had a dimpled plastic rear cover, the S6's mirror-finish metallic back is made with Gorilla Glass 4, just like the display. Like the HTC the S6 now has a unibody design with a metal frame, which will upset some long-term Samsung fans as there is no longer a removable battery or support for microSD. (HTC's battery is non-removable too, but it has managed to squeeze in a microSD slot.)

The Samsung is much thinner than the HTC, measuring 143.4x70.5x6.8mm against its 144.6x69.7x9.61mm. It's also lighter, just 138g in the face of the One M9's 157g.

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs HTC One M9: Hardware

Screen

Neither phone has seen a size increase in the display department, with the HTC offering a 5in panel and the Samsung 5.1in. However, while HTC has stuck with its full-HD Super LCD 3 screen, Samsung has switched its full-HD Super AMOLED panel for a Quad-HD version, apparently 20 percent brighter than that found on the S5 and with much higher resolution. So, while the HTC has a super-high pixel density of 441ppi, the Samsung has a staggering 577ppi.

Processor and memory

HTC uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 64-bit octa-core processor inside the One M9, with four cores clocked at 2GHz and four at 1.5GHz. Samsung has opted for its own Exynos processor, another 64-bit octa-core chip, with four cores clocked at 2.5GHz and four at 2.1GHz. Both phones have 3GB of RAM. Until we have finished our full testing we won't be able to tell you which setup is faster.

Storage

Both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 come with 32GB of storage, and the Samsung is also available in 64- and 128GB models. Sadly, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has lost its microSD support; the HTC One M9 supports microSD up to 128GB, meaning it has 32GB more total storage potential than the Galaxy S6.

Cameras

Photography is another area in which it is difficult to judge performance on specs alone. However, HTC has moved its One M8's 4Mp UltraPixel camera to the front and placed at the rear a 20Mp camera. Although this means it's lost its dual-camera setup at the back, this one uses a dynamic exposure algorithm that produces a similar effect.

At 20Mp its higher in megapixels than Samsung's 16Mp camera, but this has been tweaked since the S5 with smart optical image stabilisation, an IR sensor that can automatically adjust white balance, a f1.9 wide-angle lens, and the fact it is always on in the background allowing you to pick it up and begin shooting in 0.7 seconds. At the front of the S6 is a 5Mp camera with real-time HDR. Both HTC and Samsung support 4K video recording.

Other hardware

Beyond core specs, the Galaxy S6 comes with dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC, Bluetooth 4.1, A-GPS and an IR blaster. The fingerprint scanner and heart-rate monitor are also still present, with the former working via touch rather than swipe. Samsung has also unveiled its Samsung Pay mobile payments service, which will be coming to the UK later this year.

HTC offers high-end wireless connectivity to match the Samsung Galaxy S6, but no fingerprint scanner, heart-rate monitor or mobile payments tech (although NFC is supported).

The HTC has the higher-capacity battery in this comparison, at 2840mAh against the Samsung's 2550mAh. Neither are removable.

Samsung Galaxy S6 vs HTC One M9: Software

The HTC One M9 and Samsung Galaxy S6 both come with Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is the latest version introduced with the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.

Although they will run the same operating system, the experience will be quite different since Samsung adds its TouchWiz user interface and HTC adds Sense 7.0. Samsung has toned down its heavily criticised TouchWiz in the S6, and you now get Office apps preinstalled. With Sense 7.0 you'll find the familiar Blinkfeed aggregator, plus a new Themes app and some other extras.

HTC One M9 review: Hands-on with the new HTC One M9 - a gorgeous flagship Android phone but the hardware hasn't moved on much for 2015

The new HTC One M9 is absolutely gorgeous, but hardware hasn't moved on much so can it compete with the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S6? Read our HTC One M9 hands-on review. HTC One M9 specs, HTC One M9 display.

Announced at MWC 2015, the HTC One M9 is the Taiwanese firm's flagship smartphone for 2015. It 

was announced on the same day as the Samsung Galaxy S6 which is one of its main rivals - at least until LG and Sony unveil their new premium handsets. NOTE: The software on our HTC One M9 review unit is not final so we will be updating this review on 23 March with more details including benchmarks. Until then, this is a hands-on review of the phone. HTC One M9 review hands-on: UK release date and price The HTC One M9 will hit the shops on 31 March 2015 and the official price is £579 matching the Samsung Galaxy S6 which will arrive just after on 10 April. Unusually the iPhone 6 is now a cheaper option as it starts at £539 - but the entry level Apple phone has just 16 GB of storage. (Also see: HTC One M9 UK release date, price and specs.) The HTC's price is acceptable, but more than was the HTC One M8 when it launched at £550. With the M9 being a similar phone, as we'll explain, the older generation looks like a bit of a bargain at the £350 mark saving you more than £200 – it could well drop even further once the M9 goes on sale. It's similar to the situation with the LG G2 and the LG G3 - if you're happy to not have the latest handset, there are bargains to be had. More here: HTC One M9 vs HTC One M8 comparison. HTC One M9 review price If you don't think you can afford the HTC One M9, the firm does normally offer a mini version (read our HTC One Mini 2 review) but there's no sign of it yet. Don't worry because HTC didn't announce them together last year. For now we'll have to focus on the full-size phone. The Galaxy S6 is, of course, the HTC's main competitor but watch out over the coming months for the LG G4 and Sony Xperia Z4 which will both want to upset the party. For more on this see: HTC One M9 vs Samsung Galaxy S6. HTC One M9 review hands-on: Design and build As you can see from our photos, HTC hasn't altered the design of the M9 much compared to the M8 or even the original HTC One. It's more a case of design evolution which the company likens to that of the Porche 911. Also see: HTC One M8 vs HTC One M9. It might be easy to criticise HTC for having another similar looking smartphone but we can hardly blame it considering how nice the previous two generations are. If you look close enough, there are some changes, though. HTC One M9 review design The HTC One M9 is made from a similar metal block to that of the M8 and uses the same curved shape and hairline finish while using angular features from the HTC One M7 (the original HTC One). The firm tells us the process takes 70 steps to complete. New features in the design include a scratch-resistant coating, machine drilled buttons and a sapphire glass lens on the rear camera. The power button is now on the side instead of the top which we think is a much better place for it and it has a textured finish so you can feel the difference next to the smooth volume buttons. It's still easy to get confused between them, though and the volume buttons might have been better placed on the left. Motion Gestures mean the power button isn't needed half as much, though – see software, below. Colour options are similar but HTC has employed a new two-tone look with the back and sides getting contrasting adonisation. In our photos you can see the rear cover has a silver finish while the sides are gold. If this model doesn't float your boat then there will also be 'gold on gold' and 'gun metal grey on grey'. HTC One M9 review: Hands-on with HTC's best ever smartphone. The One M9 is absolutely gorgeous, with good sound and a fantastic camera All in all the HTC One M9 is a very desirable smartphone when held in the hand – easily one of the most desirable. It fits nicely and like the M8, is one of the only phones on the market to compete with the iPhone on build quality. It screams of craftsmanship but the stepped design might not be to everyone's taste as at certain angles it looks like a case. We were hoping for a thinner and lighter design and although HTC tells us the device is slightly lighter than its predecessor we weighed them both at 158 g, it's also marginally thicker at 9.7 mm compared to 9.6 mm. It's 10.4 mm where the camera slightly sticks out. HTC's original Dot View case was a winner and there's a new version for the M9. It's a pretty similar affair and you can customise what is shown through the tiny holes in the front cover. The big difference is a clear back which partly wraps round the side so you can still admire the metal chassis. There's nothing worse than buying a gorgeously made product then hiding it behind a case. HTC One M9 review hands-on: Hardware and specs HTC has decided to stick with a 5in screen for the M9 and has also kept the resolution at Full HD (1080 x 1920). There's no upgrade here so it might seem lower grade than Quad HD devices such as the LG G3 but HTC tells us the higher resolution isn't needed on a display this size and would mean a sacrifice in the battery department. HTC One M9 review screen 5in is a solid size which is neither too big, nor too small but we can't help but feel disappointed that HTC has done nothing here to upgrade. We've seen Quad HD on the LG G3 and now the Samsung Galaxy S6 and it's simply better. The M9's screen looks good but the aforementioned rivals look incredible. There are some other things which remain the same too, such as 32 GB of internal storage (around 21 GB available) and a microSD card slot capable of accepting up to 128 GB cards. There is a 64 GB model but this has not been confirmed for the UK market. Wireless setup remains strong with 11ac dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, NFC and an IR blaster. The One M9 also supports 4G LTE networks via the nano-SIM slot if you have the right tariff. If you were hoping for any new features like a fingerprint scanner or heart rate monitor then it's bad news. What HTC has done instead is focus on improving existing hardware in the audio and photo departments. While the above remains the same compared to the M8, there are some hardware improvements. Memory has been boosted by 50 percent to 3 GB and there's a new processor in the form of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 which is both octa-core and 64-bit (quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 and quad-core 2 GHz Cortex-A57). It comes with the Adreno 430 GPU and we really can't fault the performance. It's really only the camera app which doesn't open instantly. We're waiting for the final software before we publish benchmark results so come back on 23 March to find out how it did in the lab. Also see: what's the fastest smartphone 2015. The BoomSound front facing stereo speakers are still a key feature and although HTC hasn't added support for High-Res 24-bit audio (look to Sony for that on smartphones and tablets), it has added Dolby Audio. HTC One M9 review: Hands-on with HTC's best ever smartphone. The One M9 is absolutely gorgeous, with good sound and a fantastic camera A new audio feature is called HTC Connect and means a simple three finger swipe will send the audio to a connected speaker – a reverse gesture will bring it back. We tested this out with the Harmon/Kardon One (above) will be exclusively bundled with the M9 and it worked first time although with a slight delay. With BlackFire technology and some more speakers you'll also be able to have a multi-room setup playing different tunes in different rooms or the same one on everything. Other M9 users will be able to hook into the system and queue their own tracks. HTC One M9 review hands-on: Cameras As you've probably noticed from the photos, the HTC One M9 no longer has the Duo Camera setup consisting of two camera lenses. Instead, HTC has gone for a 20 Mp rear camera with the same dual-LED flash. This is the biggest hardware change compared to the M8 and confirms HTC has given up on the refocussing element. HTC One M9 review cameras We like the stylish and easy to use camera app which has various modes. There's Camera, Selfie and Panorama but you can add more like Bokeh and Split Capture. With 20 Mp on offer, there's plenty of detail and we found the camera accurate at auto focussing and shooting quickly. The M9 does crop to 16:9 by default though, so you'll need to head into the settings to get all those available pixels. You can shoot in a regular mode, but quickly switch to others such as HDR, Night and Macro. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, you can enter manual mode and start fiddling with the white balance, ISO, shutter speed and even focus. It's displayed on the screen in bars like the Lumia 1020. On the video side it can now record video in up to 4K resolution and uses a 'dynamic exposure algorithm' to mimic the human eye, we're told. Default is Full HD, though and to rival the iPhone there's a Slow motion mode which can do up to 120 fps. HTC hasn't completely given up on the UltraPixel (which lets in more light) as the front camera on the M9 is the rear camera from the M8. Whether or not it was good on the back of the last generation, it makes for a good selfie camera on the M9 with a crisp and detailed image which works well in low light. To go with the new hardware is a software feature called One Gallery which we haven't been able to try out but will in theory bring all your photos together from the likes of Dropbox, Flickr, Google Drive and Facebook into one place. HTC One M9 review: Battery life HTC increased the battery size from the original HTC One to the One M8 and has done so again with the new One M9. It's now 2840 mAh compared to 2600 mAh which is a slightly smaller jump from last time around and the battery is still non-removable which is the same across most flagship smartphones. Despite the larger capacity, we’ve found the battery life to be no different to the HTC One M8. With an average usage pattern, the M9 lasted us a couple of days before needing to be charged. That's still a good effort with many phones only managing just one day. NOTE: The final software may affect battery life. There's no wireless charging which is a shame but HTC still offers its Extreme power saving mode which put the M9 into a basic mode (although not greyscale like similar features on rival phones), allowing access to a small selection of simple functions like phone and messages. HTC One M9 review hands-on: Software (non-final) As you would expect, the HTC One M9 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop which is the latest version. However, HTC doesn't leave it as is so puts its own skin or user interface over the top. The M9 introduces Sense 7.0 which means you get HTC's style including icons and apps but there are also some new features. HTC largely does things its own way with BlinkFeed to the left of the main homescreen, a grid view recent apps menu and a vertically scrolling app menu. However, the stock dropdown notification bar is in use (with some HTC style added) and the good news is that you can customise which quick settings you want – thanks, HTC. HTC One M9 review software Sense 7 Luckily you can tweak the way you want to use the phone so the BlinkFeed panel can be removed, you can opt for the stock Lollipop card system for recent apps and although you can't make the app menu scroll horizontal you rearrange around, hide them and adjust the grid size. Talking of customisation, this is the main emphasis of Sense 7.0 so there's a new Themes app where you can download various user interface themes. However, you can edit details yourself such as icon styles and fonts (see above). The software will also generate a theme for you based on a photo which is pretty cool. HTC One M9 review software Sense 7 themes Motion Launch Gestures are still part of Sense and mean you can do handy things like double tap the screen to turn it on and off. Up, down, left and right swipes will unlock, turn on voice dialling, launch the widget panel and open BlinkFeed respectively – all with the screen off. We've already mentioned HTC Connect and One Gallery in relation to audio and photo but another new feature is called HTC Sense Home – it's not an app but the launcher with HTC now uses. The software is location aware so you can use a different lock- and homescreens depending on where you are. HTC One M9 review: Hands-on with HTC's best ever smartphone. The One M9 is absolutely gorgeous, with good sound and a fantastic camera For example, when at work you'll get icons for your email and calendar and these will automatically get replaced with a remote control app and Facebook when you get home. You can select what you want for each layout but suggestions will be made based on your habits. We've only been using it for a few days but it's already pretty handy, although the suggestions can be annoying.

iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S6: Design

The S6 retains the style of a Galaxy S flagship, but Samsung has tackled plastic build quality complaints head on with a new metal chassis and Gorilla Glass 4 front and back. You could even argue that this Samsung smartphone looks a teeny weeny bit like an iPhone 6.

Indeed, the bottom of the Galaxy S6 is very similar to the iPhone 6 with drilled holes for the speaker, a central USB port and the headphone jack. The Samsung is ever so slightly thinner, though - just 6.8mm against the iPhone's 6.9mm. Funnily enough, Samsung made a few jibes at Apple at its launch event, pointing out that this super-thin phone won't bend