HTC One M8s official, basically a One M8 repackaged with a mid-range Snapdragon 615

You thought HTC was done duplicating the HTC One M8? Here’s another — it’s the HTC One M8s. It’s identical to the HTC One M8, save for the chipset inside: it’s sporting a Snapdragon 615 compared to the Snapdragon 801 found in the original.

Going with a mid-range chipset is an odd choice for a refresh of yesteryear’s flagship, but we imagine HTC did it for the 64-bit compatibility it brings. It’s also not a terrible chipset performance wise, though it’s our understanding that it’s weaker in benchmarks compared to the Snapdragon 801.

Nearly everything else about the HTC One M8s remains the same, though HTC is now using a 13 megapixel rear sensor to go along with the secondary duo camera on the rear, while the front enjoys a 5 megapixel sensor. Here are the rest of its specs:

• 5-inch 1080p display


• 2GB of RAM


• 16GB of internal storage w/ microSD card slot


• 2,840mAh battery


• GPS w/ GLONASS, WiFi AC  2.4GHz + 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC


• BoomSound Speakers


• 146.41 x 70.61 x 9.55mm


• 160 grams

The HTC One M8s will see a launch in Europe, though there’s no indication it’ll make its way anywhere else. We’re not sure what compelled HTC to make this handset over simply offering a discounted HTC One M8, but there it is anyway.

Between us, we’re just about ready for something that doesn’t look identical to what the company has made for the past 3 years and we hope this is the last device on that long train.