Verizon’s new HTC One Remix has been available for a few days now, so we thought it would be a good time to take a few minutes and share our first impressions about the device. Since the launch of the HTC One (M7), HTC has focused its efforts on delivering premium handsets to the US market with particular emphasis on design and build quality. The HTC One Remix may not have the same processor, camera or display as this year’s flagship HTC One (M8), but HTC has done an incredible job at transposing the exterior of the M8 onto the Remix. The smooth curves the rounded corners allow the phone to nestle gently in the hand and the cool powder-coat finish on the aluminum chassis brings back memories of last year’s HTC One. The only thing we don’t like about the design if the Verizon logo on the front where the HTC logo typically sits.

Since the HTC One Remix only costs $100 when paired with a two-year contract, it’s not surprising that it sports a smaller 4.5-inch 720p display, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor and 1.5GB of RAM. Mid-range specs which match the mid-range sticker price. That being said, the performance of the HTC One Remix is quite remarkable. We’ve loaded up many of our favorite games (Monument Valley, Asphalt 8 and Wind-up Knight 2) and have yet to experience any stutters or lag. Yes, the initial load time takes a few seconds longer than it does on our HTC One (M8), but that’s to be expected.

Unlike the HTC One mini from last year, the HTC One Remix does not have an UltraPixel camera on the back. HTC chose to equip the One Remix with a traditional 13 megapixel camera. Many will be excited by this change, but we’re not so sure that the new camera is substantially better than the 4 megapixel UltraPixel sensor HTC has been using lately. Yes, the images are larger, but that’s about it. Low-light pictures with the HTC One Remix are substantially worse than what you get with the HTC One (M8). It all depends on what you shooting habits are. If you take most of your pictures during well-lit daytime hours, you camera on the HTC One Remix should serve you well. Fortunately, the HTC One Remix does keep the 5 megapixel front-facing camera of the One (M8). If you’re into selfies, you’ll definitely want to check it out.

So far, we’ve been impressed with the battery life provided by the 2,100 mAh battery inside the One Remix. We’ve managed to make it through a full day of heavy use (12-14 hours) multiple times without any effort. With a little babying, the battery on the HTC One Remix could easily get you through a day and a half.

For more details on the HTC One Remix, be sure to check back in for our full review in the next week or two.