2011 is set to be the year of the dual-core powered Android phone and two of the biggest in Australia are the Motorola Atrix and the upcoming HTC Sensation.
Read our comprehensive Motorola Atrix review and our HTC Sensation preview, and check out our roundup of the best upcoming smartphones in 2011.
Both of these Android phones have similar specifications — the Motorola Atrix has a 1GHz dual-core processor, a 4in qHD display, a 5-megapixel camera that records 720p HD video, and a fingerprint reader.
The HTC Sensation on the other hand has a slightly larger 4.3in display that also boasts a qHD resolution, but betters the Atrix's 5-megapixel camera with an 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash that doubles as a 1080p HD video recorder. The Sensation also has a slightly faster 1.2GHz processor and features a unibody aluminium design.
So how does the Motorola Atrix compare against the HTC Sensation when it comes to specifications?
Motorola Atrix vs HTC Sensation: Specifications
| Feature | Motorola Atrix | HTC Sensation | Verdict? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system (OS) | Google Android 2.2 (Froyo) | Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) | Draw |
| Display size | 4in | 4.3in | HTC Sensation |
| Display technology | Capacitive TFT | Capacitive SLCD | HTC Sensation |
| Display resolution | 540x960 pixels (qHD) | 540x960 pixels (qHD) | Draw |
| Multitouch | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| Camera | 5 megapixels, LED flash, autofocus, geotagging, image stabilisation | 8 megapixels, dual-LED flash, autofocus, geotagging, image stabilisation, face and detection, instant capture | HTC Sensation |
| FM radio | No | Yes | HTC Sensation |
| GPS | Yes | Yes | Draw |
| Internal memory | 16GB | 1GB | Motorola Atrix |
| Expandable memory | microSD card slot | microSD card slot | Draw |
| Dimensions | 117.8 x 63.5 x 11mm | 126.1 x 65.4 x 11.3mm | HTC Sensation |
| Weight | 135g | 148g | Motorola Atrix |
| Application store | Google Android Market | Google Android Market | Draw |
| Processor | ARM Cortex A9 dual-core (1GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core (1.2GHz) | HTC Sensation |
| 3G networks | HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 | HSDPA 900/1900/2100 | Motorola Atrix |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g/n | Draw |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 with A2DP | 3.0 with A2DP | HTC Sensation |
| NFC (Near Field Communication) | No | No | Draw |
| HDMI-out | Yes | Yes (via MHL) | Draw |
| Quoted talk time | Up to 9 hours | Up to 6 hours 40 minutes | Motorola Atrix |
| Quoted standby time | Up to 250 hours | Up to 400 hours | HTC Sensation |
| Adobe Flash support | Yes | Yes | Draw |
Motorola Atrix vs HTC Sensation: Design
One of the most lauded features of the Sensation is HTC's unibody aluminium design, which has also been used on a number of HTC's other Android phones including the original Desire, the Desire HD, the Legend and the recently launched Incredible S. The HTC's unibody casing is constructed from a single piece of aluminium. If HTC's other Android phones are anything to go by, the Sensation will look and feel every bit a premium piece of industrial design, and the finish won't be easy to scratch or mark.
The HTC Sensation Android phone uses a unibody aluminium design that is constructed from a single piece of aluminium.
Although the Motorola Atrix lacks the aluminium unibody design of the HTC Sensation, its plastic frame feels relatively well constructed, and also has an attractive carbon-like pattern printed onto the rear. The Motorola Atrix is less than 11mm thick, which is a nice surprise given it comes with a large 4in capacitive touchscreen.
The clear winner here is the HTC Sensation. In addition to boasting a larger display than the Atrix, HTC has also managed to wrap the phone in a unibody design, and aluminium beats plastic any day in our books.
