HTC 10 review: A great phone, but avoid paying full price for it

You can get a decent Android phone like the Oppo F1 for $300 these days. If you want something more premium, the Samsung Galaxy S7 can be had for under $700 while the Nexus 6P, with its huge AMOLED display and full metal body can be had for nearer $600. So if a phone is going to carry a big premium price like the Galaxy S7 Edge ($900) or LG G5 ($950), it can't leave us wanting. The price has now been set in Australia - it's $1,099. However, you can get it for around $950 online.

A great camera, 24-bit audio, decent interface and Vive VR partnership are all attractive.

Great 24-bit sound; Good camera; Fast; Looks and feels good; Vive VR partnership;

Battery isn't great; Expensive in a sea of good rivals;

DxOMark Mobile report: HTC 10

4.6 out of 5 for Exposure; 4.5 out of 5 for White Balance accuracy; 4.3 out of 5 for Color shading in low light*; 4.5 out of 5 for Color shading in bright light*; 3.0 out of 5 for Color Rendering in low light; 4.5 out of 5 for Color Rendering in bright light;

Texture (bright light): 4.8 out of 5; Texture (low light): 4.0 out of 5; Noise (bright light): 4.2 out of 5; Noise (low light) 4.0 out of 5;

Serious spec: HTC 10 camera review

Thanks to very well-balanced noise reduction across the ISO range the HTC 10 produces very good image detail, falling just shy of the very best current smartphones. Panorama and HDR modes lack behind the best but on the upside the HTC offers full manual control and DNG Raw capture for those who want maximum control over capture and editing. If image quality is a key priority and you can live with the HTC 10's rather minor shortcomings the device is an easy recommendation for any mobile photographer.

Capturing excellent image detail across all light levels and full manual control;

Panoramas and shooting in adverse weather conditions;

HTC 10 p review

If you want a smartphone for the future, then don’t get the HTC 10. If you want a smartphone for right now, there are few better alternatives. Yes, this flagship is no box of tricks. Instead, it excels in the art of the familiar, with a pristine screen, ultra-powerful processor, a faultless take on Android and an elegant yet sturdy design. This stuff may be a marketer’s nightmare, but it’s really important when you’re stuck with a handset for two years or more. Especially now HTC’s flagship camera is broadly up to scratch again. So let’s go back to those headline innovations. Would you trade a two-day battery life for 3D Touch? Of course not. What about waterproofing? Nope. Maybe a wide-angle camera? Once more, no. And that, friends, is why the HTC 10 is a comeback story with a happy ending. Buy the HTC 10 here SIM free or on contract here

Stellar battery life; Lush aluminum design; Pristine screen;

Low light photos can be iffy; No real innovations;

HTC 10 review review