Review Summary HTC Thunderbolt Hardware

Review Summary HTC Thunderbolt Hardware

Design and build quality:

The HTC Thunderbolt measures 4.75 inches tall, 2.44 inches wide, 0.56 inch thick, and weigh 6.23 ounces. It is relatively huge and heavy compared to the iPhone 4 (around 20 percent heavier), but if you are comfortable with the EVO 4G, you’ll feel right at home. The phone’s build quality is solid and the tapered back and soft-touch finish make it comfortable to hold in the hand. A kickstand at the back enable you to prop the phone on a desk to watch videos, conduct speakerphone calls. Overall, the Thunderbolt is a legitimately handsome device.


Display:

The 4.3-inch display is bright and clear. It’s said to be an upgrade from EVO’s display due to its superior viewing angle that never washes out or inverts. The touchscreen is very responsive to touch as well.


Speakers:

Speakers are loud and audio quality is good, however since it’s hidden underneath the kickstand, it’s muffled when the kickstand is closed.


Storage:

The HTC Thunderbolt comes with 8GB of internal memory and a preinstalled 32GB microSD card.


Cameras:

The phone has a 1.3MP front-facing camera and a 8MP rear camera. Both produce good quality photos, especially the 8MP rear camera is said to be doing a good job of producing nice-looking images even in low-light situations. In video mode, it’s capturing clear and nice-looking HD video as well. The only drawback is that there’s no physical shutter key on the phone, so you’ll have to use the touch screen to snap photos.


Ports:

There’s a Micro-USB port on the left side, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on top of the device. The microSD card slot is hidden behind the battery. Unlike the Evo 4G, there is no HDMI port which is a big deal for some and a complete non-issue for others.

HTC Thunderbolt Software

The HTC Thunderbolt is running the latest version of HTC Sence on top of Android 2.2.1. It looks similar to any other Sense device from the past year or so — a good-looking alarm clock, social networking widgets, enhanced calendar and address book apps, and lots of other attractive touches.


Besides the standard Google services, the non-standard apps that HTC and Verizon pre-loaded includes: Adobe Reader, Bitbop(TV/movies streaming service),Blockbuster, City ID(service that displays the city and state of incoming calls), FM Radio, Kindle, Let’s Golf 2, Quickoffice, Rhapsody, Rock Band, VZ Navigatorm, Slacker, TuneWiki, V CAST Apps, and V CAST Media. What’s missing, though, is Skype or any preinstalled video chat client. According to Cnet, Skype Mobile and Qik aren’t currently supported on the smartphone, and Tango and Fring appear to be the only clients that work with the ThunderBolt for now.

HTC Thunderbolt Call Quality

Call quality was mostly good — reception is good, voice quality is strong, and earpiece is loud. Speakerphone quality is also decent. Everything was crystal clear on the Thunderbolt end, but it sounds a little “staticky” on the other end although still totally audible.

HTC Thunderbolt Performance

Phone Performance:

With the next-gen 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 Snapdragon processor and 768MB of RAM, the Thunderbolt performed as well as any high-end smartphone that doesn’t have Nvidia’s dual-core Tegra 2 chipset. The phone feels smooth and fast overall, and there’s no complain of lagging from reviewers.


4G Speed Performance:

The ThunderBolt is the first smartphone to work on Verizon’s LTE 4G network, and it delivers by far the fastest Internet access for a handset. The maximum download speed is over 15Mbps, while the minimum is 5Mbps. Upload speeds were also fast; about 2Mbps with the hotspot and 4Mbps tethered. In real life usage, a 5.1MB MP3 file is downloaded in 20 seconds, and a 16.4MB photo album is uploaded in just 47 seconds. Verizon does not charge extra for LTE: $30/month… and for now, you get unlimited data.

HTC Thunderbolt Battery Life

The HTC ThunderBolt comes with a 1,400mAh lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 6.3 hours and up to 13 days of standby time. In Cnet’s battery drain tests, the ThunderBolt delivered 5 hours of continuous talk time over 4G. With heavy usage of the 4G network for Internet access though (i.e. streaming using Bitbop and YouTube), the battery run out in 2 to 3 hours. The bad news is that there’s no way to disable the Thunderbolt’s 4G radio and stay on on CDMA / EV-DO alone to conserve the battery.

Conclusion

The HTC Thunderbolt is one of the best smartphone in Verizon’s expansive lineup. It delivers the fastest 4G experience, a premium design, and a solid feature set. The only drawback is that it runs out of battery too fast, especially with heavy 4G network usage. Just be sure to pick up a spare or extended battery, and it shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

HTC Thunderbolt User ReviewsHTC Thunderbolt Expert ReviewsBonnie Cha  from CNet says:Given Rating: The HTC ThunderBolt is Verizon’s fastest and most powerful smartphone yet. The 4G speeds do not disappoint, blowing right past the competition and taking the browsing and streaming experience on a smartphone to the next level. It also serves as a fine hot spot/modem. Couple that with HTC’s premium design and a solid feature set and the ThunderBolt looks like a pretty attractive option. However, all of this comes at the expense of battery life, and with more LTE smartphones coming to Verizon in the coming months, including the dual-core Motorola Droid Bionic, it complicates the buying decision. If you have the luxury or the patience to wait, it might be worth sticking around to see how the Droid Bionic and others perform, but for early adopters who crave the speed now, the HTC ThunderBolt can certainly deliver. Just be sure to pick up a spare or extended battery.
Chris Ziegler from Engadget says:Given Rating: First-generation devices are often, if not usually, a little rickety — proofs of concept that are more about the manufacturer (or carrier) being able to say that they’re first to launch a particular feature than they are about delivering a solid, all-around winner. Fortunately, that’s not the case with the Thunderbolt: HTC’s managed to put together a handset here that we can honestly recommend with a straight face, owing in no small part to the fact that it borrows heavily from the company’s existing parts bin. If you’re looking for the sexiest 4.3-inch phone of the bunch, the Inspire still beats it — you can’t go wrong with the thinner, metal, unibody shell — but the Thunderbolt is easily one of the best Android devices in Verizon’s expansive lineup even before you take the LTE capability into account. And if you’re lucky enough to live or work in an LTE market (or one that’s going live this year), it’s the best choice by a country mile.
Sascha Segan from PC Mag says:Given Rating: The HTC Thunderbolt is the most powerful smartphone for Verizon Yes right now, so it gets our Editors’ Choice for touch-screen smartphones. Just make sure to buy a second battery.


Verizon has a bunch of new LTE phones coming out soon. The Motorola Droid Bionic looks intriguing because of its Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, which should make it terrific for games. Maybe the LG Revolution or Samsung Stealth will solve the Thunderbolt’s battery issue. We don’t know, though, so for now we’re recommending the Thunderbolt.


We’d recommend the Thunderbolt for 3G users as well. It’s a bit better than the Motorola Droid X because HTC Sense is smoother than Motorola’s Blur software, and you get the benefit of 4G when it comes to you. Until then, enjoy the better battery life on 3G.


The unlimited 4G data plan is another reason to buy this phone now—after all, you don’t know if that plan will be offered with any future phones.


The Thunderbolt is still a big, heavy, expensive phone ($249 with a two-year contract), so it’s not for everyone. On Verizon, the iPhone 4 ($199, 4 stars) is very easy to use and has an even better selection of apps, and the HTC Droid Incredible ($99, 4.5 stars) is an Android phone which fits better in smaller hands than this device does. But neither of those phones come anywhere near the HTC Thunderbolt’s Internet speeds in LTE areas. While we’re concerned about the Thunderbolt’s short surfing time on 4G, we think the incredible speed of LTE is worth it.
Armando Rodriguez from PC World says:Given Rating: The HTC ThunderBolt looks, feels, and handles like a solid piece of hardware. Although its specs aren’t anything we haven’t already seen in the Droid X or the Droid 2, the ThunderBolt’s ability to utilize the unprecedented speed of Verizon’s LTE network makes it a special phone indeed. Users who like to run high-bandwidth apps on the road–as in streaming high-def video or playing online games–will find no faster phone on the market right now.
Reviewer from infoSync says:Given Rating: Verizon’s first 4G LTE phone is not too shabby at all. The phone joins one of the strongest data networks in the country and gives users 40GB of storage space out of the box. It has a front-facing camera, Android 2.2, HTC’s beautiful Sense interface, and a kickstand to hang with the rest of the premiere multimedia smartphones. Yes, the phone is indeed a striking start for Verizon’s LTE network, and will certainly be a hot seller this year.


We could have used some extra battery life and a camera with better low light sensitivity, but our main concern centered around the Thunderbolt’s tendency to freeze randomly like a deer in the headlights. After spending over a month with the HTC Inspire 4G, we have seen the phone freeze or glitch up intermittently, but it’s usually due to an unstable application. The fact that the Thunderbolt called it quits while we were browsing the Internet led us to proceed with caution when we were prepared to go balls to the wall with this phone.


Regardless, the phone is one of the best smartphones on the market, and will definitely fit the needs of those who live within LTE territory. With download speeds of 5 – 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 – 5 Mbps, the HTC Thunderbolt is the first of the soldiers on its way to 100/50 Mbps speeds Verizon Yes hopes to one day offer. But for now, the Thunderbolt has struck, and the competition will be scrambling to clean up the debris.
Scott Lowe from IGN says:Given Rating: In short, the HTC Thunderbolt is a solid smartphone with a lot to offer, but those who strive to be on the cutting edge might want to wait for a dual-core, Android 2.3-powered, 4G LTE handset.
Reviewer from Phone Arena says:Given Rating: There’s a lot to like about the HTC Thunderbolt – fast web browsing and data speeds, Sense user interface, ample 4.3” display, 8MP camera, 32GB memory card, and overall snappy performance thanks to the 1GHz Snapdragon processor. If you’re in need of the newest and fastest smartphone now, the ThunderBolt is clearly the best choice out there for Verizon. But our two concerns are with the buzzing we heard in the earpiece speaker, and with the color difference we saw with the displays of the two units we received. Because of this, we’d recommend at this point you purchase it from a local store so you can see and try it out there. Just in case it has any issues, you can exchange it on the spot. But if you aren’t in a major rush, we’d suggest waiting a while, as there are three other LTE phones coming out in the next few months, and it’s hard to tell at this point which one may turn out to be the best. With that said, yes, guys, it is super-awesome to use data with Verizon’s brand-new 4G LTE network, and the HTC ThunderBolt makes the experience even better.
Mark Spoonauer from Laptop Magazine says:Given Rating: The Thunderbolt lives up to its name by being the fastest 4G phone on any network–by far. Provided you’re in an area with LTE coverage, you’ll be able to load sites, download apps, and start streaming videos in the blink of any eye. This smart phone can also easily replace a USB modem or MiFi. Unfortunately, the Thunderbolt runs out of gas too fast. Overall, we prefer the slimmer and lighter iPhone 4, which has a better display, higher-quality apps, and longer battery life. As for Android fans, they may want to wait for the dual-core Motorola Droid Bionic to come to Verizon (complete with beefier 1930mAH battery). Still, if you have a need for serious speed right now, the Thunderbolt will satisfy.
Brandon Miniman from Pocket Now says:Given Rating: The HTC Thunderbolt on Verizon is phone that many have been eagerly anticipating, and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s an example of a mature and time-tested hardware configuration (that’s the 1GHz Snapdragon CPU with 768MB of RAM) coupled with software that is stable, pleasing to use, and very fast. Add to that access to Verizon’s speedy 4G network, and you’ve got a really compelling device on your hands.


We were a bit underwhelmed by the spec sheet of the Thunderbolt, especially after recent announcements of upcoming phones with 3D qHD displays, dual core processors, and even more RAM. But then again, those next-generation devices, like the EVO 3D and Galaxy S II, aren’t due out until the middle of the year.


And, those that desire great battery life or a device that is small and light might want to look elsewhere. If you fall under the category and are on Verizon, consider the Samsung Fascinate or Droid Incredible.
Eric M. Zeman from Phone Scoop says:If the Thunderbolt were a regular 3G smartphone, it would be a near home run. Aside perhaps from the large and weighty size, everything about the Thunderbolt is solid. It has a good design; solid signal performance; good voice call performance; and good battery life when in 3G-only areas.


The Sense user interface and other applications customized by HTC make this Android device a cinch to use and adjust. The camera application is great, and mostly produces great results. Aside from a severe case of the shakes, the HD camcorder also does well.


With LTE 4G coverage, the Thunderbolt’s browsing and download prowess is second to none. Speeds are Millennium Falcon-fast and are capable of out-pacing most wired home broadband connections. But it comes at a severe cost in battery life. Intense LTE use can wreck the battery in just a couple of hours. Two-hour battery life isn’t acceptable in any device, let alone a smartphone.


(It’s a shame, really. I have to question why the Thunderbolt doesn’t have a larger battery. At only 1400mAh, it seems HTC is limiting the battery on purpose in order to sell the extended-life battery, which packs 2750mAh at a cost of $50.)


Would I recommend the HTC Thunderbolt, Verizon’s first LTE handset? Sure. It’s a great smartphone. The only significant drawback is the crippled battery life when using the Thunderbolt’s best feature.


The Thunderbolt is like a Ferrari. It may be fast as all get-out, but that speedy engine consumes a lot of fuel.
Julie from The Gadgeteer says:As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I haven’t had all that much time with this phone. But the time I’ve spent with it, I do like it a lot. At first I thought I’d want to ditch my Droid X and buy one, but the initial infatuation quickly wore off. While I do like this phone, I don’t think it’s a worthy upgrade from my current phone due to the fact that the screen size is the same, the processor is the same speed and the form factor is almost identical. However, if I were shopping for a brand new phone, the HTC ThunderBolt is the one I’d buy. But as it is, I think I’ll hold on to my Droid X till something more exciting comes along.
Jonathan S. Geller from BGR says:The HTC ThunderBolt is a phone from the future in many ways. It delivers the fastest internet speeds of any device I have ever tested (at least 2-3 times faster than anything else, in fact), and it runs on a very fast (and customized) version of Android to deliver great performance. In many ways, however, the ThunderBolt resembles phones from a year or two ago — in styling and in thickness and heft.


I’m not a fan of any smartphone that features a display beyond 4-inches, and the sheer thickness and weight of the ThunderBolt makes it a non-starter for a role as my daily driver. In addition, the poor battery performance makes it a tough sell. It’s awesome that I can use the ThunderBolt to email presentations, download files and and stream video at ridiculous cellular data speeds, but all that means nothing if my battery dies after just a few hours of usage. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the HTC ThunderBolt isn’t the right device for you, however.


My advice is to definitely play with one in person at a Verizon Yes store to see if the device is your perfect Android match. If you can look past the poor battery life — or if you don’t mind reinforcing your pants pockets so that the added weight and size of the extended battery doesn’t rip right through them — then you’ll find yourself with an amazingly fast smartphone packed with all the bells and whistles you need.
HTC Thunderbolt VideosHTC Thunderbolt SpecificationWeight6.23 ouncesScreen Size4.3-inchResolution480 x 800CPU1GHz Qualcomm SnapdragonRAM768 MBInternal Storage8 GBExternal Storage32 GB microSD preinstalledBattery Life6.3 hours talk timeFront Camera1.3MPRear Camera8MPBluetooth2.1+EDROperating SystemAndroid 2.2 (Froyo)