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There is no question that the HTC Sensation XE is a great all round smartphone and the welcome addition of Ice Cream Sandwich and Sense 3.6 keeps it in the running against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2 and iPhone 4S.
We liked
There's a lot to like with the Sensation XE starting with the solid, premium handset that looks impressive with its red accents.
The Beats Audio technology really does work and makes tracks sounds great – although the improvement may not be noticed on more acoustic and less bass-heavy songs.
The Sensation is fully featured, capable of taking quality photos and video, offering ereading and radio apps and providing support for the easy streaming of media.
We disliked
There isn't anything major to dislike with the Sensation XE. The placement of the microUSB port is unfortunate if you like to keep using you phone while it's charging and even though battery life has been improved it still requires a nightly charging ritual.
Some people may find the Sensation XE a little on the heavy side, especially if you are used to the likes of the wafer thin Galaxy S2 and the disappointing 1GB of internal memory is significantly less than the likes of the iPhone 4S and Motorola Razr.
Final Verdict
The HTC Sensation XE is an excellent mobile and for any audiophile out there, this sound be taken into serious consideration.
The upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich and Sense 3.6 has breathed new life into the Sensation XE, allowing it to happily compete in the mobile market for the next year or two.
We have seen other Ice Cream Sandwich phones unveiled at MWC 2012 in Barcelona, but considering they will go in at the top of the price bracket, the Sensation XE is set up to be a bit of a steal.
