Two new smartphones! Are you excited? We are. The HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III are the newest, fastest, fanciest smartphones available, but choosing one over the other isn’t an easy task. Our only option is to pit them head to head and see which comes out on top.

Performance

Both phones offer the best performance we’ve ever seen in a smartphone. The Galaxy S III features a 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor, and the One X has a 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor. Both have their strengths and weaknesses; however, this is only true for the European versions of the phones. U.S. variants of both the One X and the Galaxy S III use the same 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. This category is a tie.

Score: One X – 1; Galaxy S III – 1

Camera

If you use your smartphone camera often, camera quality is something worth considering. Both phones have top-notch cameras, featuring 8MP sensors with zero shutter lag; however, the One X manages to pump out just a little bit more quality in its images. The Galaxy S III does have a few extra features, such as the ability to select the “best photo” from a burst of up to 20 shots, but we feel quality is ultimately more important. This is a win for the One X, though only just.

Score: One X – 2; Galaxy S III – 1

Features

This is another difficult category to call a clear winner. The HTC One X has features such as Beats Audio and 25GB of Dropbox storage space, but the Galaxy S III has S-Voice (a feature similar to the iPhone 4S’ Siri) and 50GB of Dropbox space. Ultimately, it’s a tie.

Score: One X – 3; Galaxy S III – 2

Display

The One X and Galaxy S III are large phones, with 4.7 and 4.8 inch displays respectively. While they’re basically the same size (and resolution, at 720p), the technology behind them is not. The Galaxy S III uses a Super AMOLED display which is vivid and easier on your battery but sacrifices finer details and wider viewing angles. The One X has what HTC calls a Super LCD2 display which does almost the opposite – sacrifices vivid color for brightness, finer detail, and wider viewing angles. Which is better is really personal preference. This category is a tie as well.

Score: One X – 4; Galaxy S III – 3

Design

At first glance, it appears that the One X has this category in the bag. It features a high-quality unibody design, making it sturdy and lightweight; however, it lacks a MicroSD slot, and the battery is not removable. The Galaxy S III doesn’t have that “premium” material feel, but it is still sturdy and has the bonus of a MicroSD slot and removable battery; it’s also a bit slimmer (though it doesn’t look it). Again, chalk this one up to personal preference; we’re calling it a tie.

Score: One X – 5; Galaxy S III – 4

Availability

This one is a little tricky. The Galaxy S III is currently only available in Europe, but comes to all major U.S. carriers starting June 21^st. The One X is available in the U.S. now, but only with AT&T and Sprint (as the HTC Evo LTE). T-Mobile and Verizon will not be getting a One X at all, though they offer the smaller but similarly equipped HTC One S and Droid Incredible 4G respectively.

Score: One X – 5; Galaxy S III – 5

Ultimately, the match is a draw, but when making your own choice, it’s important to focus on the details. If a feature like voice recognition is high on your list, you may prefer the Galaxy S III, but if you’re an avid smartphone photographer, you’ll probably want to consider the One X. Of course, it also matters which carrier you’re with.