HTC Sensation XE preview

HTC Sensation XE, close-up of the front buttons

HTC Sensation XE, front, back and side views

The just announced HTC Sensation XE, a special edition update of the July-released HTC Sensation, sees the Taiwanese smartphone maker adding for the first time its newly-acquired Beats Audio technology to one of its phones.

Also beefed up is the processor, with the HTC Sensation XE’s dual core 1.5 GHz trumping the HTC Sensation’s dual core 1.5 GHz.



Beats Technology works to provide a sound more akin to what was put together in the music recording studio. In addition to using Beats Technology software to improve sound, the HTC Sensation XE also ships with a pair of Beats by Dr Dre earphones. The earphones feature an in-line remote control, with switches to allow tracks to be played, paused or skipped, or to answer and end phone calls.

“Beats has found a unique way to harness popular culture in a manner that is unlike any other brand today,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corp. “It’s an exciting brand that has been built around providing something very special, and we believe our strategic partnership will provide customers with unbeatable sound on HTC phones. We obsess over every detail of a consumer’s mobile experience, and audio is a critical part of that experience.”

HTC Sensation XE, close-up of the front buttons

HTC Sensation XE specifications

  • Operating system: Android Gingerbread (Android 2.3)
  • Processor: 1.5 GHz, dual core
  • Network: HSPA/WCDMA – Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz; Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE – 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • Screen: 4.3 inch touchscreen, qHD (540 X 960) resolution
  • Storage: Total storage – 4GB; Available storage – up to 1GB, RAM – 768MB
  • Main camera: 8 megapixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash
  • Front camera: VGA, fixed focus
  • Video recording: 1080p HD
  • Connectors: 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin) port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection
  • Internet: 3G – up to 14.4 Mbps download speed, up to 5.76 Mbps upload speed; GPRS – up to 80 kbps downloading
    EDGE – up to 236.8 kbps downloading
  • Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
  • Sensors: Gyro sensor, G-Sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor
  • Audio supported formats:: Playback – .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9); Recording – .amr
  • Video supported formats: Playback – .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3); Recording: .3gp
  • Maps: Internal GPS antenna, With Locations, explore maps with zero wait, zero dead spots, and zero data roaming fees
  • Battery: 1730 mAh rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
  • Talk time: WCDMA – Up to 445 minutes; GSM – Up to 550 minutes
  • Standby time: WCDMA – Up to 540 hours; GSM – Up to 310 hours
  • Recommended computer requirements: Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 3.0, A2DP for wireless stereo headsets, FTP and OPP (object push) for file transfer, PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit. Other supported profiles: AVRCP, GAP, GOEP, HFP, HID, HSP, MAP, SPP, SDAP.
  • Dimensions: 126.1 x 65.4 x 11.3 mm (H x W x D)
  • Weight: 151 grams (with battery)
HTC Sensation XE with Beats by Dr Dre earphones

HTC Sensation XE release date

In the press release HTC stated that the Sensation XE smartphone would be available in “Asia Pacific from late September”, though there is not as yet any specific mention of an Australian release date.

| HTC Australia |