Sprint has just confirmed the official release date for the Evo 4G LTE: May 18th for $199.99 on a two-year contract. Pre-orders for the dual-core Snapdragon S4-equipped handset were already open since May 7th, so now all those who put their money down without a definite delivery date can also rest assured that the proper launch is near.

The EVO 4G LTE is built upon the same basic components as the HTC One X that's already out on AT&T, including a 4.7-inch Super LCD 2 display with 1280 x 720 resolution, a 1.5GHz dual-core applications processor and an LTE modem, plus an 8-megapixel camera enhanced with ImageSense software. Of course, the onboard OS is Android 4.0 with the Sense 4 skin applied on top. Sprint's modifications to that core include a red kickstand, an anodized aluminum shell, and a bigger 2,000mAh battery. The company will be hoping those extra attractions get potential buyers to jump on its bandwagon, though we wonder how much the LTE aspect of this phone is worth when Sprint hasn't yet activated that service anywhere in the US.

Compare this: EVO 4G LTE vs. One X vs. Droid Incredible 4G LTE vs. vs. One S