Event Coverage

Hands-on: HTC Butterfly 2

By Sidney Wong - 19 Aug 2014

Hands-on: HTC Butterfly 2

World's First 13MP Duo Camera

The HTC Butterfly 2 is not a variant of the One (M8); it is the third member of a generation of smartphones which started off in Japan two years ago.

HTC hasn't forgotten about its Butterfly portfolio even though we haven't heard much about it for the past seven months - until today. The Taiwanese company refreshed its Butterfly line-up earlier today with the unveiling of the Butterfly 2, also known as the J Butterfly HTL23 in Japan.

How different is the Butterfly 2 from its predecessor, the Butterfly S? Is it also better than the One (M8) and (E8)? Read on for our first impressions of the Butterfly 2. But first, here's a quick look at the three Butterfly models: 

HTC Butterfly 2 vs Butterfly S vs Butterfly
  HTC Butterfly 2 HTC Butterfly S HTC Butterfly
  HTC Butterfly 2 HTC Butterfly S HTC Butterfly
Launch SRP
  • From S$898
  • From S$988
  • From S$928
Operating system
  • Android 4.4.2 KitKat with HTC Sense 6
  • Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense 5
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense 4+
Processor
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.5GHz
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core 1.9GHz
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHz
Built-in Memory
  • 2GB RAM
  • 2GB
  • 2GB RAM
Display
  • 5-inch / 1,920 x 1,080 pixels / Super LCD 3
  • 5-inch / 1920 x 1080 pixels / Super LCD 3 with Gorilla Glass 3
  • 5-inch / 1920 x 1080 resolution / Super LCD 3 with Gorilla Glass 2
Camera
  • Rear: Duo Camera (Primary 13-megapixel with BSI sensor, f/2.0 and 28mm lens with secondary camera for capturing depth information)
  • Front: 5-megapixel with BSI sensor, F2.0 aperture, wide angle lens and HDR
  • 4-megapixel HTC UltraPixel camera with BSI, HTC ImageSense 2, f/2.0
  • Secondary: 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera / wide angle lens / F2.0
  • 8 Megapixels / Autofocus with HTC ImageChip, f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lens with BSI sensor
  • Secondary: 2.1 Megapixels
Connectivity
  • Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX enabled, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), NFC, DLNA, Micro-USB 2.0,
  • Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Miracast, NFC, 4G LTE
  • Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0 with aptX enabled, DLNA, Micro-USB 2.0, 3.5mm stereo audio jack
Storage Type
  • 16GB internal storage
  • microSD expansion up to 128GB
  • 16GB internal storage with free 25GB Dropbox storage for two years
  • microSD support up to 64GB
  • 16GB with free 25GB Dropbox storage for two years
  • microSD (Up to 32GB)
Battery
  • 2,700mAh
  • 3,200mAh
  • 2,020mAh
Dimensions
  • 145.4 x 70.2 x 9.9mm
  • 144.5 x 70.5 x 10.6mm
  • 143 x 70.5 x 9.08mm
Weight
  • 151g
  • 160g
  • 140g
 

 

Design & Handling 

HTC claimed that the Butterfly 2 sports a new design with a distinct curve that separates it from the One family of smartphones. To be honest, the differences are subtle and do not degrade the excellent in-hand feel of the device in any way. We have always been fans of the design philosophy taken by HTC for its Butterfly smartphones and we are glad to see the company continuing to upkeep the standard in the latest Butterfly 2.

HTC continues to deliver smartphones with the best build quality regardless of the materials used.

In tune with its design mantra for 2014 - form follows materials -, HTC clearly understands how to use plastic in the right way as it did for aluminum on the One (M8) and One (2013). You get the same sturdy polycarbonate chassis as its predecessors and the One (E8) although there are two unique design elements featured on the Butterfly 2.

Unlike the rest of its smartphones, the Butterfly 2 is the first HTC smartphone to sport an IP57 rating for water and dust resistance. As a quick recap, the first digit (in this case, "5") refers to the phone's protection against limited dust ingress. Six is the highest rating for dust resistance. 

The second digit "7" refers to the water protection and the level that is specified by the manufacturer; given its protection level, HTC states that the Butterfly 2 is able to stay underwater up to 1 metre for 30 minutes. Level eight is the highest rating for water proof protection. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has an IP67 rating while the Sony Xperia Z2 is IP58 rated. This makes the Butterfly 2 on-par with the Xperia Z2 in terms of dust resistance, but worse against water, and on equal footing with the Galaxy S5 in terms of water resistance, but poorer protection against dust.

There is no fiddly protective cover or flap to deal with on the HTC Butterfly 2.

Despite the varying levels of protection in the respective categories, the Butterfly 2 one-ups its rivals in terms of waterproof design. While the Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z2 require watertight covers or flaps to protect their card slots and charging ports, the Butterfly 2 has no cover over its open ports (microSD and nano-SIM card slots). This means that you no longer need to ensure that the covers/flaps are pressed down for a tight seal. It also helps that the Butterfly 2 has a non-removable back, which eliminates the possibility of water damage if it had a removable rear and one point is not fully depressed down. As such, the Butterfly 2 tries to reduce human error to ensure the phone is better protected to the standards it has to live up to.

Unlike the HTC One (M8), you do not need to use a pin to eject the nano-SIM and microSD card slots on the HTC Butterfly 2 (pictured at the bottom). You have to ensure that the trays are fully inserted to prevent any water damage.

The volume controls are divided into two buttons on the HTC Butterfly 2 (top), which is different from the single strip on the HTC One (M8).

There is no protective cover for the microUSB port and 3.5mm audio output jack, yet the phone is still able to be immersed in water for up to 1m for 30 minutes.

HTC also made it very convenient to remove the nano-SIM and microSD card slots on the Butterfly 2. While some phones such as the Apple iPhones require a pin to eject the card trays, you only need to insert your finger into the slit to pull the respective tray out. 

Another key design feature of the Butterfly 2 is the use of special coating on the rear. In case you haven't noticed, the Butterfly 2 comes in three colors: red, blue and white. Like the One (E8), only one color model (in this case, it's white) comes with a matte texture on its rear. HTC said that it uses a unique anti-stain finishing to ensure that the white rear does not change color over time. 

The other two colors also received some attention; they have a unified color reflection thanks to a special treatment that ensures that the color intensity remains the same from any angle you view the phone. Whether or not this coating has any true value remains to be seen, but we're sure about one thing - the glossy rear of the red and blue models are quite susceptible to fingerprints and smudges.

Notice how unsightly fingerprints and smudges look on the blue and red models of the HTC Butterfly 2. 

Fortunately, this issue can be resolved with the purchase of a third-party case/cover or HTC's official Dot View case for the Butterfly 2. Working on a similar concept as the One (M8) and (E8), the Dot View case provides all round protection for the Butterfly S while giving you a retro look when using it. As the Butterfly 2 has different dimensions from the other two phones, it is not possible to use the same Dot View cases. In case you don't know, HTC recently updated the Dot View app to support 18 default themes and offers wallpaper customizations. 

 

The 13-megapixel Duo Camera 

The Butterfly 2 (left) is the second HTC handset to come with Duo Camera.

HTC made waves across the camera phone industry earlier this year when its flagship One (M8) launched with two rear cameras. Officially known as Duo Camera, it consists of a primary 4-megapixel UltraPixel sensor with a secondary camera for capturing depth information. This also allows the user to carry out a series of imaging effects, known as Duo Effects on the One (M8). For more information on the Duo Camera and its effects, do check out our comprehensive hands-on article with the One (M8) and its review where we've tried more imaging options.

The company hit another milestone with the Butterfly 2; it is the world's first smartphone to use a 13-megapixel Duo Camera. If you've been keeping track of the camera modules used in recent HTC phones, you would realize that the use of HTC's UltraPixel sensor has been rather inconsistent across the board. This would confuse consumers because the company has been boasting about the low light capabilities and superior imaging performance of the sensor. The One (2013), One Mini, One Max, Butterfly S and One (M8) deploy the UltraPixel module whereas the Butterfly 2, One Mini 2 and One (E8) use a 13-megapixel sensor.

Darren Sng, the Head of Product Marketing, stated that the decision to use a 13-megapixel camera module on the Butterfly 2 was driven by market demand. While declining to comment which is superior, Darren states that he believes both cameras deliver good imaging performance. If you need our opinion, check out the imaging performance between the HTC One (E8) and the (M8) model.

Meanwhile, we took the Butterfly 2 and LG G3 for a spin during a tour in Tokyo. Here are two comparisons:

Left: HTC Butterfly 2. Right: LG G3. <br> The Butterfly 2 seems to take photos with a lighter tone as evident in the AOKI billboard on the right side. Photos also tend to be less sharp compared to the LG G3.

Normal daylight shot taken with Auto mode.
HTC Butterfly 2, f/2.0 at 4mm, 1/100 sec, ISO160
LG G3, f/2.4 at 4mm, 1/141 sec, ISO50
Click for enlarged image

Top: HTC Butterfly 2. Bottom: LG G3. <br> Color accuracy is better on the HTC Butterfly 2 although the words are not as sharp as the LG G3. Noise level is also more apparent on the Butterfly 2.

Night shot taken with Auto mode.
HTC Butterfly 2, f/2.0 at 4mm, 1/17 sec, ISO500
LG G3, f/2.4 at 4mm, 1/24 sec, ISO150
Click for enlarged image

 

Software 

The Butterfly 2 runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat with HTC Sense 6.0. As such, you can expect similar software features as the One (M8) and (E8) such as Zoe app, BlinkFeed, Motion Launch Gestures and Extreme Power Saving mode.

The interface navigation remains similar to other HTC handsets. Similar to other recent high end Android smartphones, the HTC Butterfly 2 comes with Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

 

Availability and Pricing 

The Butterfly 2 will be available in Taiwan from 2nd September, and will also be sold through telcos and retailers in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Information on pricing is not available at press time as well as local availability. We'll update you as soon as we get more details.

If UltraPixel is stopping you from getting the HTC One (M8), there is no reason for you not to get the Butterfly 2.

We are putting the Butterfly 2 through its paces, so stay tuned to HardwareZone for the review in the next couple of days! 

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