Can the HTC Desire C match the
specifications and performance of its group test rivals? Let’s find out...
Flash-less camera
The only product in the group to not
provide a flash for the camera, not that it would make a big difference to the
overall quality which was not the best it has to be said
Design touches
The HTC Desire C was certainly one of the
best built handsets in the group. The white smooth finish at the back is also a
nice touch, giving the handset a premium feel.
600Mhz processor
While the phone did not provide an
ultra-smooth experience it could at least run the majority of apps that we
launched. It only suffered from a games point of view when there was lots of
on-screen content
Recent app button
HTC has brought the recent app button - a
core feature of Android ICS tablets to the table and provided a dual functionality
to boot. By long pressing the button, it works like an Android Menu button
Being a HTC device, we had no problems
finding this handset on all of the major networks. The price is relatively low
but on balance we still felt that you were paying more for the name rather than
the specs that were on offer.
The Desire C certainly emanates the same
trademark build quality we have come to expect from the manufacturer and it was
definitely one of the best built handsets in the group. The sturdy feel is also
matched by a lovely smooth white finish at the back which also displays the
phone’s Beats Audio logo - a feature that is normally found on the high end
phones to enhance audio playback when a pair of your favourite headphones are
plugged in.
Our only gripe was that you needed to
remove the back cover to access the micro SD card slot, but it’s good to see
the feature included to boost the already respectable internal storage.
When powering up the device we were
pleasantly surprised, not only by the fast boot time, but also by the inclusion
of the latest Sense Ul and Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 OS. Additionally, HTC has
included a dual function on the recent app button at the base of the screen, so
if you long press it this will act as the
Android Menu button of old, with the short
press showing your recent apps. You will also find plenty of apps preloaded to
get you started, such as Polaris Office for creating Office documents.
However, when compared to the Samsung,
swiping between screens, manipulating web content and loading of applications
did eventually start to highlight the phone’s low-end processor, with a certain
level of lag evident. The 3.5 inch screen itself also lacked the vibrancy of
the Sony, but it was still better than the Motorola, and on screen colours had
a natural tone to proceedings during video playback.
Also, despite the lower CPU, the smartphone
still managed to stream content from YouTube and run graphic heavy games like R
Type and Dead Trigger, albeit with traces of slowdown when there was more on screen
action. Unfortunately, the simple point and shoot five megapixel camera was
less effective, with the majority of shots looking muddy or suffering from
overexposure. The video recording audio pickup also had a minor distortion
issue.
Battery life was below average from a video
playback point of view and a daily charge would be essential if you play a lot
of games.
Head to head
Design
Compared to the Sony it had a more robust
build quality and we liked the smooth white finish at the back of the handset.
In some ways the design quality justifies the higher asking price. The position
of the micro SD card was less desirable, though.
Availability
Available on all the major networks, but If
you go outside 02 you have to pay a slight premium. 02’s $16-a-month top-up
provides you with either 500MB of data and 300 texts a month, or 75 minutes,
500 texts and 100MB of data.
For a 600Mhz CPU it did manage to run most
of the apps we tested. The 5-MP camera wasn’t great, but it was boosted by the
Sense Ul, ICS and a respectable range of bundled apps, Including Its Beats
Audio technology for headphone playback.
Battery life
We ran the phone with the backlight on max
and the Wi-Fi enabled to get a worst case scenario and it drained to 55% from a
full charge compared to the Samsung’s 74%. Expect dally charges!
Verdict
Available on all the major networks, the
Desire C comes with a solid build, ICS and a nice selection of bundled apps
Information
Price: $224
More information: www.htc.com
Technical specs
·
Operating system: Android 4.0.3
·
Processor: Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon, 600
MHz Cortex-A5 CPU, Adreno 200 GPU
·
Memory: 512MB RAM, 4GB storage (upgradeable
via SD), 25GB Dropbox for 2 years
·
Dimensions: 107.2 x 60.6 x 12.3 mm
·
Weight: 100g
·
Display: 3.5”, 320 x 480 pixels
·
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS,
HSDPA, 14.4Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
·
Camera: 5-MP rear (no flash), No front camera,
VGA video recording
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