The HTC 10 has stood the test of time remarkably well. After months of use I haven’t had any serious issues with the phone.

Unlike competing phones, like the Huawei P9, the HTC 10 remains lightning fast. Games open in a matter of seconds and run chug- and stutter-free and I’m yet to have a serious software crash.

The phone has also survived more than average wear and tear. As well as several standard accidental drops onto TrustedReviews' carpeted floor, the phone also survived a hazardous impact with a tree after an accidental trip while running. It remained crack and chip free.

Battery life has slightly deteriorated, but not as much as I’d expected. The HTC 10 still easily lasts a full day off one charge and I regularly manage to eek out two days with light use.

The camera is still a slight annoyance, but only because I’ve experienced the majestic awesomeness of the Galaxy S7 – which still has the best phone camera sensor on the market.

The HTC 10’s camera isn’t bad, but the use of Ultrapixel tech, which instructs the camera to capture bigger pixels and more light, works a little too well. Photos taken in even moderately bright lighting conditions are regularly washed out and have unwanted flare effects. Careful use can get around the issue, however, and I’m still more than happy to snap memento shots of meetups with friends.

However, the phone’s biggest selling point remains its advanced audio qualities. HTC’s been leading the mobile audio market for quite some time and the 10 cements its position as the best phone maker for music fans.

Putting aside the phone’s Boomsound speakers that, while above average, are only useful to cretins that insist on using their phone to listen to music outloud, the HTC 10’s standalone headphone amp is its best feature.

The HTC 10 uses a dedicated DAC as well as headphone amp. HTC claims the 10’s amp is twice as powerful as competing phones, and after a few months with the phone I believe it. The HTC 10 consistently delivers superior audio quality to competing phones, including the Galaxy S7, LG G5 (without its add on DAC), OnePlus 3 and Huawei P9 on a variety of genres.

Everything from heavy metal, punk, prog and jazz sounds fuller and better balanced on the HTC 10 and it’s a key reason the 10 remains my handset of choice, even though it falls behind its archrival, the Galaxy S7, in other areas.

Key features

With the HTC 10, the Taiwanese company is well and truly back. After the disappointing One M9 and One A9, the HTC 10 is a stunning phone that not only looks fantastic with a bold design, but it also performs like a champion.

The Snapdragon 820 CPU and 4GB takes care of all the intensive tasks, while the quad-HD 5.2-inch display is crisp, sharp and super bright. HTC has done a great job at ensuring Android isn't ruined by bloatware by removing a load of duplicate apps. It has some nifty new addition too, like a clever way of locking out access to certain apps.

While HTC claims you'll get multiples days of battery life we only managed one, but it did easily make it from morning until bedtime. One of the biggest issues with the One M9 was its poor camera, and it has mostly been sorted here. The 12MP UltraPixel sensor takes great and very detailed photos, while the selfie shooter is the best on the market. It does sometimes overexpose shots, but it's still a good camera.

Buy Now at Amazon.com from $599.99

At time of review the HTC 10 was available for £569.99.