The Challenge
HTC Sensation XE and Samsung Galaxy S2 are the best selling high-end, Android-based smartphones for HTC and Samsung, respectively. While Samsung Galaxy S2 needs no introduction, being the world’s highest selling smartphone, Sensation XE is the upgraded version of HTC’s best-selling Sensation series. The new Sensation comes with Beats Audio from Dr Dre audio enhancement feature. Both the devices come with Android 2.3.4, or Gingerbread and offer comparable user experience on many fronts.
Design
In terms of design, Samsung Galaxy S2 is much sleeker phone than HTC Sensation XE. If we compare the dimensions, Samsung Galaxy S2 is 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49 mm, as compared to 126.1 x 65.4 x 11.3 mm, HTC Sensation XE. Galaxy S2 is thinner than Sensation XE and also feels more sleek in hand. In terms of weight, Galaxy 2 is lighter at 116 grams, as compared to 162.5 grams Sensation XE. Sensation XE has a far more superior build quality and feels more sturdy, while S2 is made of plastic to keep it light.
Processing Speed
Both are high-end phones and are expected to board processing power enough to run multiple applications or play graphics intensive games smoothly. HTC Sensation XE delivers this promise with help of a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon processor and a 768 MB RAM. Samsung Galaxy S2, on the other hand is based on 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor supported by 1 GB of RAM. Sensation looks like scoring over S2 in terms of processing power but variants of S2 are available that too come with 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. If we talk in terms of GPU, Sensation XE has Adreno 205 GPU, while S2 boards Mali-400MP GPU.
Display
Both gadgets have a 4.3-inches capacitive touchscreen display, however, difference lies in the type of display. HTC Sensation XE boards a S-LCD display that has a pixel density of 256pp, while Samsung has its Super AMOLED Plus with a pixel density of 217ppi.The screen resolution for the two stands at 540×960 pixels and 480×800 pixels, respectively. Both displays support up to 16M colors and are multi-touch. While Sensation XE looks better on the page, Samsung S2 delivers better in practical.
Camera
Both devices have 8-megapixel rear cameras that feature auto-focus, Geo-tagging and can record high-definition videos at 1080p. The difference lies in flash and quality of the front camera. HTC Sensation XE has dual-LED flash, while Samsung has single LED flash. The front-camera in Galaxy S2 is 2 MP, while Sensation XE has 0.3 MP. Samsung S2 has additional features such as face and smile detection and image stabilization.
Storage
HTC Sensation XE comes with 4 GB internal storage, while Samsung S2 supports massive 16/32GB internal memory. Both come with a microSD card slot expandable up to 32 GB.
Software
Both devices run on the latest Android OS, Gingerbread. In terms of user interface HTC Sensation has a Sense UI and offers a number of widgets and apps. It also comes with Beats Audio, which offers more superior sound experience. Samsung S2 comes with a TouchWiz UI that has some unique apps such as KIES Air that helps you in accessing your phone over Wi-Fi.
Connectivity
HTC Sensation XE has GSM and HSDPA bands that offer speeds up to 14.4Mbps on HSDPA and 5.76Mbps on HSUPA. Galaxy S2 supersedes Sensation by offering speeds up to 21 Mbps on HSDPA and 5.76Mbps on HSUPA. Both come with WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and WiFi Hotspot.
The Verdict
HTC Sensation XE looks like a more superior phone in terms of specifications, but Samsung Galaxy S2 is the current choice of most people for some reason. Galaxy S2 is more sleek, has a superior display and a better camera quality. Sensation on the other hand offers better sound experience and a richer UI. Sensation XE is yet to enter major markets and only time will tell whether it will be able to infiltrate the S2 market or not.