HTC One (M8) 'High Performance Mode' benchmark-boosting confirmed

We have been hearing reports that handset manufacturers optimise their phones to perform better in benchmarks than real world usage, and Samsung was famous embroiled in such a controversy for its Galaxy S4 flagship.

However it seems HTC considers this as a potential feature rather than 'cheating' or 'fixing'. HTC, on being asked about suspected benchmark rigging, said that its latest One (M8) flagship features a 'High Performance Mode', which detects a benchmark app and produces the best possible performance.

(Also see: Apple iPhone 5s vs. Sony Xperia Z2 vs. Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. HTC One (M8))

On Friday, a report raised benchmark rigging suspicions on HTC One (M8)'s impressive performance on AnTuTu benchmark tests that had floored other mobile heavyweights like Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 and LG G Pro 2. The report then cited AnTuTu X (a special edition of the benchmark to prevent fraud and cheating) results of the One (M8), results that were significantly different from the device's original AnTuTu scores.

(Also see: HTC One (M8) vs. HTC One)

Following up, CNET's Eric Mack tried to get answers from the Taiwanese handset maker. The company responded:

"Thanks for your email about the HTC One (M8). Benchmarking tests look to determine maximum performance of the CPU and GPU and, similar to the engine in a high-performance sports car, our engineers optimize in certain scenarios to produce the best possible performance. If someone would like to get around this benchmarking optimization there are ways to do so, but we think most often this will not be the case.

For those with a need for speed, we've provided a simple way to unleash this power by introducing a new High Performance Mode in the developer settings that can be enabled and disabled manually. The HTC One (M8) is optimized to provide the best balance of performance and battery life, but we believe in offering customer choice, as there may be times when the desire for performance outweighs the need for battery longevity."

HTC also revealed that the 'High Performance Mode' feature is currently not available in the One (M8) US model, but admitted that it will be rolled out in upcoming software update.

Earlier, Samsung was caught rigging the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4 to artificially boost benchmark scores.

(Also see: HTC One (M8) India launch in April; compatible with country's 4G LTE networks)

HTC unveiled its One (M8) after months of leaks, at an event in New York in March. The One (M8) runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat with the company's brand new Sense 6 UI on top, which HTC calls the biggest upgrade since Sense debuted. The phone is powered by a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, alongside 2GB of RAM. The HTC One (M8) comes with a 5-inch full-HD display and will be available in 16GB and 32GB storage options, with support for expandable storage via microSD card (up to 128GB).