Review : HTC Desire HD

The HTC Desire HD was announced back in September, and when it was announced it had a range of impressive specifications and features. It comes with Android 2.2 Froyo, and the model we tested is the UK version.

Hardware

HTC has always made quality devices, even back when no one knew who it was. The Desire HD is a shining example of that. The exterior is a unibody, matte aluminum that feels solid and comfortable. The back is elegantly curved while the edges have a slight frontward bevel that adds significantly to the ergonomics of the device.

 One of the first things I noticed while using this device was how cool it was – temperature wise. The aluminum unibody must act like a heat sink, drawing device-killing heat from the innards of the phone to the outside.

 The covers to the battery compartment and the microsd and SIM slots are unusual in that they are two separate pieces -- unlike the single cover we've seen before -- and they are relatively small: not an entire back, or back-plate like other devices have. Unfortunately, the battery compartment cover proved tricky to remove, and frustrating to try and put back iton place. Also, the lower cover never seemed to fit right, leaving a bit of a gap and uneven edges.

The screen on the Desire HD is the biggest feature – and the biggest drawback to the device. It’s big, but not too big. Where it falls short is with the super-high reflective surface of the display. Inside the display isn’t bad, but when you step outside in any kind of moderately bright light, you’ll be hunting for shade to be able to see the image.

Screen resolution is quite good, images are clear, and text is crisp.

Weight: 5.78 ounces

Width: 2.68-inches

Height: 4.84-inches

Thickness: 0.46-inches

Screen: 4.3-inches, 480x800 WVGA

CPU/GPU: 1GHz (QSD8255 45nm Snapdragon)/Adreno 205 graphics

Memory: 768MB RAM, 1.5MB internal storage, 8GB Class 2 microsdhc (included)

OS: Android 2.2 (Froyo) with HTC Sense UI and HTC apps

Connectors: 3.5mm stereo audio/headset jack; microUSB 2.0 port

Radios: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth; 3G, GPRS, EDGE; USB & WiFi tethering built-in

European Bands: HSPA/WCDMA: 900/2100 MHz; GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Asia Pacific Bands: HSPA/WCDMA: 900/2100 MHz; GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Battery: 1230mAh

Camera

The camera app on the Desire HD is by far the best I’ve ever used. It’s fast, it’s intuitive, and the video preview fills the entire screen rather than being boxed into a much smaller frame. It comes with everything you’d expect, from geo-tagging, automatic white-balancing, automatic dual-LED flash, and more. Still pictures are an impressive 8-megapixel (3264 x 1952), and video comes set at 800 x 480 with the capability of shooting up to 720p HD (1280 x 720).

Both pictures and videos were reasonable, but won’t replace your SLR or dedicated point-and-shoot camera. Video and stills don’t turn out well in low light, which is to be expected. Image quality in moderate-light isn’t as good as I had expected, resulting in dark images, or other sorts of “noise” in the images.

Sample images have been reduced to 550px wide. No other image manipulations have been applied.

Performance

With a second-generation, 1Ghz CPU I expected a little more speed than what I experienced. The overall performance of the device and Sense UI launcher was generally fast and snappy, but I encountered intermittent periods of very noticeable lag in seemingly random places. Restarting the phone resolved the issue.

Music and videos played flawlessly without hesitation, skips, pops, or other anomalies.

Call Quality/Network Speed

Call quality using both T-Mobile's network and Google Voice were clean and clear. The device fits easily in the hand for traditional phone-to-face holding and both sides of the conversation were superb. Calls made using various Bluetooth devices and the included wired headset were equally clear.

Network speed over 802.11g and 802.11n was fast and reliable with network acquisition quick and easy. Since the phone doesn't include T-Mobile's 3G bands I was unable to test 3G performance, but EDGE was reliable and as fast as you'd expect. I tried using a friend's AT&T SIM which should theoretically have provided 3G connectivity, but for some reason that we could not discover, did not; EGDE worked equally as well on AT&T as it did on T-Mobile

Battery Life

When I cracked open the battery compartment for the first time I was honestly surprised to see a 1230mAh hiding inside – it seemed somewhat small. The G2, with a slower processor, small screen, and HSPA+ radio, has a 1300mAh battery.

During the initial several days of using the Desire HD as my daily-use device, the battery was in the red by noon. I don’t put much stock in the battery indicator or battery life for the first week of use. During this period you’ll typically be using significantly more battery life while downloading, installing, and configuring apps, contacts, Tweets, and emails; and the device is still calibrating its measurements of battery itself.

Unfortunately, battery life didn’t improve all that much after the initial break-in period. The phone will last all day, as long as you’re not watching much video, streaming much audio, or doing a lot of eBook or webpage reading. Add in any of those items and you’ll want to have a charger in your car and on your desk. Even more discouraging is that the ability to obtain an extended battery is all but eliminated by the design of the Desire HD’s battery compartment.

Pros

+ Large screen
+ Solid construction
+ Wonderful ergonomics

Cons

- Poorly fitting compartment covers
- Small battery capacity
- Screen is very reflective

Conclusion

The Desire HD is a beautiful phone with respectable performance and speed. As long as you can charge up the battery in the middle of the day, you won’t be disappointed with this large-screen handset.

Rating: 4 out of 5