Just how much plastic is there?

[Gathomblipoob]

 

[TomsAndroid]

Hey guys,

It seems that there may be more plastic on this phone than I originally thought.

My impression before today: All aluminum phone except for the glass screen and the white plastic bands on the back of the phone for the antennae. (Basically no plastic at all)
My impression as of today after reading more posts: All aluminum back with plastic sides adhered to the glass screen. (sides meaning the areas that house the volume rocker, headphone jack, and power button). And of course the plastic bands on the back of the phone for the antennae.

Now which of these descriptions is more accurate for this phone? Due to screen lighting, I really can't tell from images if the sides are machined metal or a soft off-white plastic.

Really having second thoughts if there is that much plastic! Someone straighten me out.

Thanks.

What would you get instead, if you want more metal?

Tom

 

[melodic]

when i first saw that picture i thought it was a block and the speaker grilles were apart of the block. but those speaker grille pieces are actually glued on. i'm sure the phone will still be awesome, but that picture is a bit misleading.

 

[Ted Ockels]

What would you get instead, if you want more metal?

Tom

Haha. Guess I don't have an option that way.

Silly as it sounds probably go S4. If I buy a plastic phone why not get the best plastic phone?

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when i first saw that picture i thought it was a block and the speaker grilles were apart of the block. but those speaker grille pieces are actually glued on. i'm sure the phone will still be awesome, but that picture is a bit misleading.

This

 

[JHBThree]

when i first saw that picture i thought it was a block and the speaker grilles were apart of the block. but those speaker grille pieces are actually glued on. i'm sure the phone will still be awesome, but that picture is a bit misleading.

You assumed it was. However, nowhere did HTC say it was. In fact, HTC makes it clear its a metal/composite unibody, not an all metal unibody.

 

[melodic]

You assumed it was. However, nowhere did HTC say it was. In fact, HTC makes it clear its a metal/composite unibody, not an all metal unibody.

LOL, you're hilarious man. why are you getting so defensive?!

i'm sure i'm not the only one that made that assumption... regardless of what htc said, the way they show that photo looks like its all one piece of aluminum.

 

[Joelist]

I thought it was that the plastic on the sides is a sheath for the antennae, and the antennae are thus actually outside the main body of the phone. I see this thread confirms it.

Actually that is VERY clever industrial design - you get the sturdiness of an aluminum unibody without the reception issues.

 

[JHBThree]

LOL, you're hilarious man. why are you getting so defensive?!

i'm sure i'm not the only one that made that assumption... regardless of what htc said, the way they show that photo looks like its all one piece of aluminum.

Except if you look at the picture, you can clearly see an entire plastic substructure that runs up to the grilles and around the entire phone.

 

[melodic]

Except if you look at the picture, you can clearly see an entire plastic substructure that runs up to the grilles and around the entire phone.

obviously i now know the sides are plastic and not metal. but when i first saw that photo i assumed that picture showed everything that is aluminum. if you are saying the very first time you saw that photo you could already tell that the sides/edges were plastic then you are really talented!

 

[3Dee]

Okay, so I have an HTC One (UK based), and yes, if you're expecting nothing but aluminium and glass then the plastic sides (which are still quite a promintent part of the phone) will come as a surprise, but the One still feels - and looks - awesome. Both in terms of weight and feel it definitely seems like a 'quality' device, although I think the aluminium adds to this rather being the sole reason - the awesome screen (in terms of design and quality) and the placement of the speakers are also big factors. It's a really beautiful 'thing' - one of those devices where as much as you love it, you also feel the responsibility of keeping it safe and not just throwing around!

 

[Pauley]

This may be helpful... Metal-morphosis of the New HTC One — HTC Blog

 

[SeanBlader]

This may be helpful... Metal-morphosis of the New HTC One ? HTC Blog

Thanks for the link Pauley, I love looking at the artists original intent, and having done similar things on websites, it's impressive to me to see how close they got to matching the original design with the results, amazing.

 

[JHBThree]

obviously i now know the sides are plastic and not metal. but when i first saw that photo i assumed that picture showed everything that is aluminum. if you are saying the very first time you saw that photo you could already tell that the sides/edges were plastic then you are really talented!

Or you can look at the picture. Its really not that hard. You can see the hooks and clip structures that are built into the plastic. You can also see the entire plastic mounting structure that starts right around the camera and goes up to the top of the phone under the grille. Its right there, easy to see.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[melodic]

Or you can look at the picture. Its really not that hard. You can see the hooks and clip structures that are built into the plastic. You can also see the entire plastic mounting structure that starts right around the camera and goes up to the top of the phone under the grille. Its right there, easy to see.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2

yes of course NOW after i found out i can see it. its ok, my pre order is supposed to arrive on friday. thanks!

 

[Xsie]

Well that confirms my fear. Looks like it has quite a bit of plastic. Doesn't seem very unibody aluminum to me... or maybe I don't know what that term means

At this point all I can do is wait for it to arrive at my door and hope it's stunning to hold and use. Probably making too big of a deal out of this.

When I held it yesterday it felt very solid. I checked the edges cause on another thread said that the edges were rough. The unit I had for 20 mins yesterday were smooth n sleek. Very solid. I thought I read somewhere that the plastic that is in this phone is for the antennas n reception.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

People freak out way to much about the word "plastic." The high-grade plastics used in today's top phones are stronger than the aluminum, which will dent long before the plastic will crack. Polycarbonate is used in the canopies of jet fighters for Pete's sake. Do you really need something stronger than that?

 

[adriandb]

Polycarbonate is used in the canopies of jet fighters for Pete's sake. Do you really need something stronger than that?

Yeah that stuff is just slightly thicker than what they use on phones.

 

[JRDroid]

Well that confirms my fear. Looks like it has quite a bit of plastic. Doesn't seem very unibody aluminum to me... or maybe I don't know what that term means

At this point all I can do is wait for it to arrive at my door and hope it's stunning to hold and use. Probably making too big of a deal out of this.

The body is one solid piece of aluminum. They carved out channels in the aluminum body and injected the plastic into it. I have played with the phone in person, and you seriously cannot feel any gap at all between the metal and plastic.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Yeah that stuff is just slightly thicker than what they use on phones.

And subject to much greater forces. I agree that the plastic in modern phones isn't suitable if you plan to throw it at Mach 2. Then again, neither is the aluminum unibody of the One. But drop a Samsung phone and and HTC one on the sidewalk, and I bet the One shows more damage.

 

[adriandb]

And subject to much greater forces. I agree that the plastic in modern phones isn't suitable if you plan to throw it at Mach 2. Then again, neither is the aluminum unibody of the One. But drop a Samsung phone and and HTC one on the sidewalk, and I bet the One shows more damage.

Now I'm trying to picture what it would look like to throw a phone at mach 2.