HTC is placing its bet on the new HTC One, hoping that the metal beast it unleashes will become the smartphone juggernaut that will crush both the iPhone 5S and the Galaxy S4, following their respective release dates in 2013.

Flashing equal amounts of aesthetic and functionality, the One was greeted with accolades by many experts, with Zach Epstein of BGR News declaring that barring any major upheaval in the current year, the HTC flagship will win hands down against its rivals.

What makes the HTC One a surefire winner? Experts have so far cited five chief reasons that make the Android handset the force to reckon with in year 2013.

The best mix between iPhone 5S and Galaxy S4

The iPhone 5S is metal, the GS4 is plastic. The former will likely sport 4-inch screen while the latter is phablet size at 5-inch. As a result, these two main foes create a smartphone split that the HTC One hopes to grey out with its most apparent characteristic - an aluminium chassis and a 4.7-inch display screen, protected by a Corning Gorilla glass.

In essence, the One is the compromise for consumers who believe Apple's screen-size of choice is woefully outdated. The same One also represents the best alternative for buyers who were shunning the oversized footprints of the GS4.

Realistic display rendering

It is no secret that HTC One is a 1080p Full HD device that boasts of immersive screen display quality. Its pixel density of 468ppi eclipses that of the GS4 and probably will surpass too whatever Apple will deliver via the iPhone 5S a few months from now.

However, the One is a cut above the rest as HTC made sure that the GPU behind the handset's screen prowess will render closer-to-life images and video clips, veering away from the exaggerations that are normally associated with Apple's Retina and Samsung's AMOLED. What HTC serves is crisp and crystal-clear but suggests real lives at the same time, reviewers said.

First-rate music playing capabilities

It has been on HTC's DNA to deliver the best music experience on a portable gadget that also doubles as a smartphone. However, the HTC One raised the bar on this respect thanks to a dedicated audio chip that rattles the ears two ways - through earphones with sufficient aid from Beats technology or via the One's stereo front speaker. The latter draws its might from an embedded amplifier, plus the Beats Audio. The result is phone music experience that is virtually unparalleled.

HTC calls this service BoomSound, which is fitting for a value mobile sound package with the word 'incredible' written all over it.

The enhanced Sense 5

The cranky Sense skin from HTC is no more, thanks to engineering skills and better hardware support. The new Sense now handles handset behaviour more efficiently, even providing a more intuitive device environment that is sure to encourage higher audience migration, which no doubt HTC badly needs.

In other words, HTC successfully cooked up a pretty and sumptuous smartphone menu that gives justice to the Android setting, experts said on their reviews.

Superb gadget design and material

In his review, Mr Epstein recounted the two occasions when the HTC One suffered nasty falls while in his possession. Unlike the fragile Nexus 4, the One survived the 'unintended drops' totally unscathed. Indeed, "the One combines an impeccable design, a sleek aluminium body ... and sturdy construction," he concluded.

What its manufacturer has achieved in HTC One can be summed up into this: "a handful of innovative features into a single package that is class-leading in almost every regard," Mr Epstein said.

As mentioned above, the HTC One carries all the potentials of becoming a winner, likely even edging the combined efforts coming from the iPhone 5S and the Galaxy S4. It now lies on HTC's hands to convince as many consumers as possible that the One is the best smartphone to date. Such undertaking, however, could prove more daunting than actually coming up a with an A1 product.