HTC First vs. Galaxy S3 vs. Droid DNA: Facebook Phone Spec Showdown

After much adieu, we finally actually know what the Facebook Phone is. As it turns out, it’s not a phone from Facebook at all; It’s a modified version of the Android operating system that can run on multiple Android handsets. But only one phone – for the time being, at least – will come with the new Facebook Home interface pre-installed. HTC First act as the catalyst for your new Facebook experience, integrating the social network into every part of the device. Is it worth picking up the HTC First to get your Facebook fix? We take a look at how well the new handset, available April 12, stacks up to some of the best Android handsets available now.

	HTC First	Galaxy S3	Droid DNA
Size	125.6 x 64.93 x 8.96mm	136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 (mm)	140.9 x 70.6 x 9.7 (mm)
Weight	124g	133g	140g
Screen	4.3-inch LCD	4.8-inch Super AMOLED	5-inch Super LCD 3
Resolution	1280×720 pixels	1280×720 pixels	1920×1080 pixels
OS	Android 4.1 with Facebook Home	Android 4.0 with TouchWiz UI	Android 4.1 with HTC Sense 4+
Storage	16GB	16/32GB	16GB
SD Card Slot	No	Yes	No
Processor	1.4GHz Dual-core Snapdragon 400	Dual-core Snapdragon S4 (US)	1.5GHz, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro
RAM	1GB	2GB	2GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+	Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+	Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, EV-DO Rev.A
Camera	Front 1.6MP, Rear 5MP	Front 1.9MP, Rear 8MP	Front 2.1MP, Rear 8MP
Bluetooth	Yes, version 4.0	Yes, version 4.0	Yes, version 4.0
Battery	2000mAh	2100mAh	2020mAh
Charger	Micro USB	Micro USB	Micro USB
Marketplace	Google Play Store	Google Play Store	Google Play Store
Price	$100	$200+	$200
Availability	AT&T	AT&T, Sprint, T-Mob, Verizon	Verizon

Obviously, the biggest emphasis on the HTC First is its Facebook integration. But given that, you’d maybe expect a better camera. The 5-megapixel front-facing camera seems like it leaves a bit to be desired, assuming the phone is designed to encourage sharing. There’s also a bit of a shortage on storage solutions with the device. It’s 16GB of built in memory is pretty standard, but that’s as big as it gets with no SD card expansion. The Snapdragon 400 series is a nice inclusion, especially on a budget-priced device.

The fact that the HTC First’s runs Facebook’s Home UI is it’s big selling point, but you don’t have to have the First to get that experience. Facebook Home will run on a variety of different upcoming phones (including the HTC One and Galaxy S4) and will roll out for download on the same day the HTC First comes available. If you already have an Android device that is or will be compatible with Facebook Home, why get a new phone – especially one that isn’t breaking much new ground?