Tale of the tape: Comparing the HTC One (M8), iPhone 5s, Galaxy S5

The HTC One (M8) is now on sale, and soon, it will be joined by the Samsung Galaxy S5. Along with the iPhone 5s, consumers will soon have quite a few top devices to choose from.

Here’s how the three devices stack up.

Screen

Users who simply want the largest screen possible should go with the Galaxy S5. The Samsung device features a 5.1-inch, full 1080p HD screen. In second place is the HTC One (M8), which features a slightly smaller, 5-inch 1080p HD screen.

The iPhone 5s is much smaller than its rivals, with just a 4-inch high-resolution Retina screen.

Price and availability

For now, getting the iPhone 5s is much easier than getting the GS5 or the One (M8). The Apple device came out last September, so it’s available widely. A 16-gigabyte version of the gadget normally retails for $199.99, with a two-year contract but it’s not hard to find an iPhone 5s for less than that -- Best Buy and Wal-Mart often have it on discount.

The HTC One (M8) is on sale online through AT&T;, Sprint, Verizon and Best Buy, but until April 9, only Verizon will sell the device in stores. T-Mobile will begin selling the Taiwanese phone in stores and online on April 11. A One (M8) with 32 gigabytes of storage normally retails for $199.99, but most carriers offer monthly payment plans as well.

Customers can preorder the GS5 from AT&T;, Sprint and T-Mobile, but it won’t arrive until April. Verizon is also set to carry the device but has not when it will begin selling it. The GS5 comes with 16 GB of storage and normally retails for $199.99 with a two-year contract but can also be purchased with monthly payment plans.

Thickness

Users who want the slimmest phone will want to get the iPhone 5s, which is 0.3-inches thick. That’s followed by the 0.32-inch thick GS5 and the 0.37-inch thick HTC One (M8).

Weight

The iPhone 5s is also the lightest of the three, weighing 0.25 pounds. Meanwhile, the GS5 weighs 0.32 pounds and the HTC One (M8) comes in at 0.35 pounds.

Camera

The HTC One (M8) has a very unique situation when it comes to its camera. The device actually sports three: one on the front and two on its back, including the main lens which captures images with HTC’s UltraPixel technology.

The two cameras on the back, meanwhile, work together to let users capture depth in their photos. HTC also claims that the Duo Camera, as the pair of back cameras is formally called, also makes it possible for users to refocus their photos after they have already been shot.

In terms of megapixels, the GS5 is the winner. It sports a 16-megapixel rear camera. Samsung also boasts about the camera’s ability to quickly focus on its subjects

On paper, the iPhone 5s features the least exciting rear camera, offering just eight megapixels. When it was announced, Apple marketed the camera’s ability to quickly shoot multiple photos and shoot video in slow motion, but those features are also available on the GS5 and HTC One (M8).

Processor

The HTC One (M8) is powered by a 2.3-gigahertz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor while the GS5 has a slightly more powerful 2.5-gigahertz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor.

Apple uses its own 1.3-gigahertz dual-core A7 chip for the iPhone 5s.

Operating system

Both the HTC One (M8) and the GS5 use Android 4.4 KitKat, the latest version of Google’s operating system, but they each has a slightly modified interface: The One (M8) uses HTC’s Sense, while the GS5 runs Samsung’s TouchWiz software.

The iPhone 5s, meanwhile, runs iOS 7, the latest version of Apple’s mobile software.

Color options

The iPhone 5s is available in three color options from all retailers: silver, gold and black.

The HTC One (M8) is also available in three colors: gray, silver and gold. However, AT&T; and Sprint only sell the gray option. Verizon sells gray and silver. Only Best Buy carries the gold version.

The GS5 can be ordered in either black or white from AT&T;, Sprint and T-Mobile.

Misc.

Each of the devices claims at least one feature unique to it.

For HTC, that feature is its dual, front-facing BoomSound speakers. They sit on either side of the One (M8)’s screen, making it great for watching movies and playing video games.

The iPhone 5s’ standout feature is the fingerprint scanner found on its home screen. This keeps the device secure while letting users quickly unlock the iPhone 5s with a scan of a fingerprint.

Samsung followed Apple’s lead and added a fingerprint scanner to the GS5, but the South Korean company also included a heart rate sensor on its device. Users can measure their heart rate by placing one of their fingers on a component found on the back of the device.

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