Handsets

HTC One M8 has the lowest screen latency of any smartphone to date

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HTC-One-M8-BlinkFeed

Whether it’s slicing up fruit in your favorite mobile game, or scrolling through menus and homescreens, screen latency is absolutely vital to the user experience on our mobile devices. Contrary to popular belief, the time it takes for your smartphone to register the touch of your finger tips doesn’t always have to do with the amount of GHz found on your smartphone either. Much of this is software based. You may have heard from friends or family (or even experienced it yourself) how responsive iOS can be even on the oldest of hardware (yes, GPU acceleration helps a good deal as well).

Imagine our surprise to find a newly released Android device smashing previous records when it came to screen latency — the all new HTC One M8. In a review we came across from the French tech blog Lesnumeriques, they found the HTC One M8 scored an incredible 46ms screen latency. The next closest device (which held the previous record) was the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 at 67ms, followed by a variety of Apple products like the Apple iPhone 5/5s with 75ms. For reference, here’s a chart showing some older devices.

smartphone-screen-latency

We should note that left out of their tests was the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2, two of the biggest smartphones of the year (although their previous iterations can be found scoring relatively high). You would think a faster processor comes largely into play, except for those awkward times when it doesn’t.

So what does this tell us? Well, it let’s us know that the future Microsoft envisioned is closing in fast, and the HTC One M8 could be leading the way. Score another one for the M8.

[via XDA]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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65 Comments

  1. I want to see how the Nexus 5 scores with ART set as the runtime.

    1. Why would ART make any difference whatsoever to screen latecy?

      1. “Regular applications will also benefit from smoother animations and more instantaneous responses to touch and other sensor data.”

        Still feel like being a smart a$$?

        http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/11/06/meet-art-part-1-the-new-super-fast-android-runtime-google-has-been-working-on-in-secret-for-over-2-years-debuts-in-kitkat/

        1. Damn, u didn’t have to own him so hard…. I think he’s crying

          1. I generally try to be as cordial as possible, but their word choice of whatsoever convinced me otherwise.

  2. This is awesome. The less input lag modern devices have the closer it will be to reality when using the touchscreen.

  3. DAT bezel…DAT camera…

      1. Truth is not trolling : )

        1. I have been using the M8, for a phone, the camera is more than enough.

          1. The camera may be good enough for you, and people that just post to social networks, but it is not more than enough. I need detail and contrast. Cell phone cameras have replaced point and shoots. Most people don’t have a DSLR, or don’t want to carry one around. Most people now use their camera more than the phone app. It needs to be good enough that if looked at on anything other than a phone screen, that it doesn’t look terrible.

          2. If you need detail and contrast, buy a camera :) I think you will be pretty surprised how better it’swork than a phone camera + you gets real zoom too

          3. More than enough for what? Cause you’re not printing that without pixelation. At 4megapixels, you can forget good quality letter sized prints at A4 or higher.

            Here, if you want to test for yourself, open up in photoshop a default A4 sized paper at 300dpi. (or 72dpi, just be consistent) Now open up a new 2464 x 1632 (also at 300 dpi or 72) fill the color black and drag it to the A4. You see how much smaller it is? You need to stretch it to make it fit the A4. This is a serious problem if you intend to print your photos.

            Gsmarena says, “but is led down by its Duo camera, which is mid-range material at best” Tell them whats wrong so HTC will fix it, don’t compromise like a blind isheep lol.

    1. I think the phone looks great bro. But beauty is skin deep, these are the kinds of stuff that gets the geek in me going.

      1. It’s not about the looks. The phone is already extra long, due to the speakers. All of the bezel surrounding the screen makes it much worse than it has to be. The camera, that is a shame.

        1. Yeah but I guess they had to compromise something. You can’t have speakers in the front and… make that two speakers in the front and expect it to be short. But that Jay leno chin, they coulda done something about I think. The engineering sizzle was not there. Still a beautiful phone. And I don’t think it’s that long. If I had to critique it, i’d like a flat back instead of the concave one.

          1. Yeah, the curved back makes the dot view case very hard to use.

          2. Do you work for Samsung ?

          3. Every single review has pointed out how awkward using the case is. The worst part is that you have to hold it open, hanging down to take a picture. Live in denial all you want

          4. If you don’t realise when you buy a flip case that it has to be open to “see the screen” what difference does it make hanging down, this is the case with 90% of flip cases?

            I don’t live in the denial – I have the phone two weeks and I have to say its the best phone I’ve ever used – To me Samsung is tacky cheap, bloated, has way too many gimmicks, over saturated screen, and doesn’t offer anything innovative.

            HTC is so easy to use – simple, straight forward, unbloated UI, great camera (don’t care what facts people say about camera), best battery life ever, awesome BOOM sound, best screen (441ppi) density with realistic colours, very useful motion gestures, a great selfie camera, and last but not least that amazing aluminum uni-body. Your also forgetting that HTC has won smart phone of the year last year and thats not by chance.

            Regarding the curvature and the dot view case, its comes in really handy for me when I sit my phone down its at an angle facing me, so I can watch movies etc.

            Mate – to summarise I think the HTC One (M8) is for smart, sophisticated people – a true all rounder. The SGS5 is for teenie boppers and people that think the’ve got the best phone because everyone else has one so it must be good ! Fools I tell you haha

            Also for the record I’m generally not a fan boy – but heck this HTC One (M8) deserves a lot of recognition. Go HTC (I dont work for HTC) :)

          5. Usually when phones have flip cases, they fold back flat with the phone. You talk about Samsung plastic, yet you use the cheaply made plastic dot view case that is not even polycarbonate. I guess you missed the posts about the S5 having the best display ever. When you start talking about over-saturated colors, I know you are clueless. In the display settings, you choose your display mode. I use movie mode, most realistic colors available. Don’t even get me started on Sense gimmicks.

          6. Don’t worry I won’t get you started – you seem like an idiot. If your so set on Samsung what are you reading a HTC One (M8) article, must be spooking you out, God forbid HTC surpassed Samsung in sales and you suddenly didn’t have the “best phone ever”. Yeah people that write the articles about SGS5 screen being the best are just like you – fools. Like the HTC ad suggests the HTC One (M8) is for people who think for themselves – just as I done.

          7. Well the M8 sure isn’t for people that want to take pictures. The display is the best, you are just in denial. HTC will never surpass Samsung. The ad you mention is another example of why they are failing. I buy Samsung phones for two main reasons, camera, and battery life…two things HTC could never get right.

          8. Your opinion means nothing to me – as for battery life it may not be interchangeable but it is one hell of a good battery. That is all

          9. Your opinion means nothing to me either. HTC is as dead as Blackberry. Enjoy it while you can.

          10. *Aham battery life on is better at real life test. The Extreme/Ultra saving modes are better on M8 too, 30h VS 24h at 10% :)

          11. Lol that guy is a known Samsung fanboy (and a douche), don’t waste your time with him.

          12. well last year the battery life between htc and smasung were pretty much the same in real world conditions.

          13. May we add open access battery to the list as well.

          14. Absolutely! I hope Samsung sticks to their ways of accessible batteries.

          15. I think the camera is great on the M8(this is from a former Galaxy Note 2 and 3 owner).

          16. Hanging down like Samsungs case ;) I know you can take photos with a little 2 inch screens but who doing it? No options there.

        2. It’s all about the look! You looking at the phones so extreme much everyday, so it’s importent to have a phone there don’t look like grap. The front of S5 looks like a 2 year old phone and the back looks like a 15 year old phone. :)

      2. He’s not your bro, guy!

    2. really though. dat camera is what bothers me the most. everything else is beautiful. camera is such a deal breaker i’m willing to trade the looks for the galaxy s5 camera. what a shame.

      1. Yeah, I’m really excited about the S5 isocell camera. Just can’t decide between the white or black. I’ll probably stick to white.

        1. The white looks much better, but it’ll probably get blue really fast if you put it in your jeans.

          1. I would think that your jeans would have to be wet, for it to possibly rub off. My S4 never stained, although it isn’t soft touch. I had the white Note 3 for about a month before I sold it. I carried it in my back pocket, never any staining. I’m going to be hopeful on the S5 : )

          2. If the soft touch becomes like the 2012 white N7, there’s going to be a problem.

        2. Go black. It looks much better I think. Or blue if it’s available. Or if you like the bandaid look…

          1. I might would go blue, if the front was blue as well. I know they can do it, as they have before. Not sure why the black fronts this time around

    3. DAT English Class

      1. My English and grammar are immaculate. That is a fact.

    4. http://www.androidcentral.com/about-megapixel-myth-46-print-htc-one-camera-looks-awesome

      this was last year’s camera as well. I just came from the LG G2 and I was extremely worried about the camera based off of some of the reviews. And then I thought about how many pictures I’ve printed off since I owned my first blackberry and it was two pictures (total) out of 1000s.

      good luck with your samsung, people seem to like them.

      1. It’s not just about printing. You can’t zoom, or crop. Smartphone cameras have replaced point and shoots. HTC didn’t get that memo. The craziest part is that they removed the very useful OIS, to put in a software gimmick to blur out parts of a photo. There are apps that can do that. I just knew that they would go to at least 8 MP this time. I was very disappointed.

    5. Yes the bezel for the HTC logo is big but it’s easy to get use to.
      The camera on mine works just fine for family pics and outdoors stuff.

  4. Wish they get rid of that giant bezel.

  5. Whether it’s slicing up fruit in your favorite mobile game, or scrolling through menus and homescreens, screen latency is absolutely vital to the user experience on our mobile devices. http://qr.net/tbHA

  6. Hopefully picking up mine on Friday. Cant wait !

    1. I’m eagerly waiting for friday!

    2. Has The HTC One M8 Not Come Out Yet? Serious Question, I Was Able To Purchase One On Sunday.

      1. Not on T-Mobile. Not till Friday

  7. Am I the only one noticing there’s a device on there with a latency of more than half a second?

    1. Tab Pulse 10, that’s what’s up! Might as well stick a resistive touchscreen on there.

      1. Just saying, as someone who used resistive screens for years on Windows Mobile, they aren’t that bad, and certainly aren’t this bad. They just suck in that you have to jab them with a stylus for them to see the input.

        1. The real issue becomes clearer when you need high precision finger tracking. When you write on the device with a capacitative or wacom stylus things get much much closer to real world writing as the latency drops. Imagine swiping a line on the screen and it taking half a second for the line to follow your finger. Great news.

  8. What is the screen latency for the Moto X?

    1. Yeah, I would say that the MotoX would score very well on this. Unusual that it’s not on the list.

    2. Yea the first two phones I looked for is the Moto X and Nexus 5. Don’t care about any of these other devices.

      It’s great to see at least a couple Android phones on par and even besting the Apple devices though.

  9. Beyond a certain point i’m not convinced this is all that noticeable, there are allot of other factors which come into play.

    It’s not like Apple users are complaining about latency issues and they still have arguably the best experience when it comes to interface smoothness on flagship devices.

  10. Um, why isn’t the HTC M8 on the chart? Old chart?

    1. Yea they said that was a prior list.

  11. I played with both the HTC M8 and the iPhone 5s this week and the HTC seemed much quicker overall, although I didn’t notice any difference in screen latency. It might be that at such a quick response time, any improvement is tough to notice.

  12. No, thats not true. I noticed that the iPhone 5c (which is similar to the iPhone 5) has a lower latency than the HTC One m8: At least in the browser, the app draw, on the homescreen, and in the gallery.

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