Hands-on first impressions of the HTC Windows Phone 8X (gallery)

The HTC Windows Phone 8X looks and feels great with a fairly small footprint for a 4.3 inch device. Note the curved glass on the front display.

The back of the 8X shows the bold blue color, HTC branding, and Beats Audio label.

The volume button and microSIM card slot are found on the upper right side.

The power button and 3.5mm headset jack, with amp, are found on the top. The camera and flash are on the upper part of the back.

The back material has a matte finish with soft touch feel.

Like the HTC One X, there are holes drilled in the polycarbonate material for the speaker.

I like the way HTC added their bold color scheme to the headset speaker on the front. You can also see the front facing camera to the left of the speaker.

Here you can see the curved back and how it tapers into all sides of the 8X.

The 8X next to the One X. The 8X doesn't look that much smaller than the One X, but the curved back helps give it a feel that it is imuch smaller.

Back of the 8X and One X.

Smartphone lineup of One X, iPhone 5, 8X, Lumia 900, and Galaxy Note II.

Beats Audio is included on the 8X and in addition to the software has a powered amp to boost audio performance.

These are the HTC specific apps loaded on the 8X.

We have seen these handy phone utilities on HTC devices in the past and they do help improve the functionality of the devices.

Here you can see what version of the OS I am testing on the HTC Windows Phone 8X.