Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width

Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.

60.6 mm (millimeters)
6.06 cm (centimeters)
0.2 ft (feet)
2.39 in (inches)
Height

Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.

107.2 mm (millimeters)
10.72 cm (centimeters)
0.35 ft (feet)
4.22 in (inches)
Thickness

Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.

12.3 mm (millimeters)
1.23 cm (centimeters)
0.04 ft (feet)
0.48 in (inches)
Weight

Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.

100 g (grams)
0.22 lbs
3.53 oz (ounces)
Volume

The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.

79.9 cm³ (cubic centimeters)
4.85 in³ (cubic inches)

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.

Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM7225A
Technological process

Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.

45 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU)

The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.

ARM Cortex-A5
Processor size

The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.

32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture

Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.

ARMv7
Level 1 cache (L1)

Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.

16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2)

L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.

256 kB (kilobytes)
0.25 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores

The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.

1
CPU clock speed

The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).

600 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.

Qualcomm Adreno 200
Amount of random access memory (RAM)

Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.

512 MB (megabytes)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology

One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.

LCD
Diagonal

For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.

3.5 in (inches)
88.9 mm (millimeters)
8.89 cm (centimeters)
Width

Approximate screen width

1.94 in (inches)
49.31 mm (millimeters)
4.93 cm (centimeters)
Height

Approximate screen height

2.91 in (inches)
73.97 mm (millimeters)
7.4 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio

The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side

1.5:1
3:2
Permission

Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.

320 x 480 pixels
Pixel Density

Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail.

165 ppi (pixels per inch)
64 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth

Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.

24 bit
16777216 flowers
Screen area

Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.

56.33% (percentage)
Other characteristics

Information about other screen features and characteristics.

Capacitive
Multi-touch

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Positioning

It so happened that HTC has never had good sales in the budget handset segment, although attempts to gain a foothold in this segment are made with enviable regularity. Year after year, the manufacturer releases new inexpensive handsets, and in 2010, HTC surprised everyone with its decision to enter the market of budget solutions with a touchscreen phone based on a closed system. The reason for the failure was the same each time: a small manufacturer cannot afford to release, for example, a couple of budget models at once or even 4-5 units at a time, which Samsung or LG now do from time to time. In addition, HTC is traditionally considered a company that sells expensive smartphones, and the high cost of devices, usual for the manufacturer, has always been reflected in the budget segment. Simply put, inexpensive smartphones from HTC have always cost more than handsets from competitors with similar characteristics.

The HTC Smart model is the company's first and last attempt to enter the market of budget solutions with a touch phone

At the beginning of 2011, the company decided to change its strategy, and the Wildfire S smartphone was introduced for the budget segment, which outwardly resembled the flagship of that time from HTC, and was technically at the level of devices in the mid-price range. And, perhaps, in some markets the company would have been able to become successful with this device, but in Russia, for example, by the time sales of the HTC Wildifre S began, there were several more interesting devices in the mid-price range on sale, which had already become cheaper during their stay on the market. LG Optimus One, for example.


The HTC Wildfire S smartphone was interesting for its time, but ran into cheaper devices from competitors, LG and Samsung

Thus, the company is still looking for a solution that can make the HTC name more successful in the low-cost handset market. Now, more than ever, the manufacturer needs a successful product in the budget or mid-price segments, because this year the company is not at all alone in the traditionally strong top segment. Another attempt to reach users in the segment of low-cost devices, and maybe just to dilute the lineup if HTC abandoned the idea of ​​gaining a foothold here, the HTC Desire C smartphone. I’m not afraid of this word, a big name for the device, albeit with the letter C, and also An interesting design and an adequate price right from the start should make Desire C the very smartphone that will help the company in the public sector market. Will it work?


Design, body materials

Externally, the device resembles older models; if you don’t put smartphones next to each other, when they are immediately distinguished by their different dimensions, then when turned off, the HTC Desire C can easily be mistaken for One S or One X, for example.

The smartphone is available in three colors: bright red, black and white. I had a white device in my hands, in which the battery cover is made of smooth plastic, whose properties are very similar to the material used in the white HTC One X. In the red and black devices, the plastic has exactly the same properties, the frame around the display in the device made of metal, the screen is protected by a layer of glass. I was not able to scratch it using not very strong movements of scissors and a knife across the screen, but over time the glass will probably be covered with barely noticeable small scratches.


I liked the appearance of the smartphone, the device does not look too simple, the design does not have the glossy plastic and various “glitters” that are so common in inexpensive Korean devices, everything is strict, but at the same time simple and beautiful. If I were choosing an inexpensive smartphone based solely on design, I would definitely consider the HTC Desire C among the first. It's a pity that the device is made not only by its design.

The cover on the white smartphone is very easily soiled, as with other colors, I don’t know. If you decide to carry the device not in an empty pocket, but in a pocket with coins or in a backpack, for example, then every time you take out your smartphone with something like this cover:



The surface of the cover gets dirty all the time, and it constantly needs to be wiped and cleaned if you don’t want the device to look “a little dirty.” This is probably not a critical drawback; after all, glossy devices are also always dirty, but it was worth pointing out.


The protective glass of the screen also gets dirty all the time, and this is very noticeable, so you have to wipe it too.


By the way, the inside of the smartphone body is made of red plastic, regardless of the color of the device, black, white or red. This looks interesting.


Assembly

There are almost no complaints about the build quality; in my sample, the battery cover at some points of connection with the body had gaps of about half a millimeter, but I don’t think that this is a serious design flaw, but otherwise nothing creaks or plays, and in the hand the device feels like ok assembled.


Dimensions

The smartphone is compact in size. As befits a budget device, you can compare it with other inexpensive “sensor devices”:

  • HTC Desire C– 107.2 x 60.6 x 12.3 mm, 100 g
  • HTC Wildfire S– 101 x 59 x 12 mm, 108 g
  • Apple iPhone 4S– 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 140 g





Desire C fits perfectly in the hand, it is comfortable to talk through, it is comfortable to hold it with one hand and use it to navigate the device’s menu.

Controls

The smartphone runs on Android 4.0, so its controls have been redesigned in accordance with the requirements of the Quartet. This means that, like in flagships, there are not the usual four keys below the screen, including the search button, but there are three standard buttons. From left to right these are the “Back”, “Home” keys and calling up the “Recent Apps” menu.


The touch keys are spaced apart, their layout is simple and clear, but there is no backlighting of the keys; apparently, it was decided to save money on this. I can’t say that I personally really miss backlit keys, but for sure some people find it more convenient to use a smartphone with backlit buttons than a smartphone without backlighting, so, in my opinion, removing it here is a strange move by HTC.


Each time you press a button, the device vibrates barely noticeably; in other HTC smartphones the vibration is a little stronger, but here it is almost not felt. The context menu button here, as in the One series smartphones, has been replaced by a Recent Apps key of dubious use. There is also no search button that is familiar to HTC. But HTC has solved another problem, which is typical for devices running Android 4.0, for the new Desire C. The fact is that many programs from the app store that are not yet optimized for the new OS are displayed on smartphones with a black bar that takes up significant space, which is on-screen key to open the context menu. So, HTC Desire C does not have this bar, and to call the context menu you just need to hold the “Recent Apps” button for a couple of seconds, I can’t say that it’s convenient, but it’s definitely better than a black bar that is 10% of the usable screen area.

But for the other two buttons, double actions, as before (by pressing and holding the button), are not provided, it’s a pity.

Let's take a quick look at the rest of the controls. On the right edge of the smartphone there is a key for adjusting the volume; pressing it blindly is not easy because the button is thin. At the bottom left is a microUSB connector, and at the top is a power key and a 3.5 mm mini-jack for headphones. When you hold down the power key, a menu appears with the option to turn off the smartphone, put it in airplane mode, and reboot.



On the front side, in the upper part, there is a speaker, next to it there is a light sensor and a proximity sensor. On the back side at the top there is a peephole for a 5-megapixel camera, a beautifully designed ring speaker grille, and in the lower area there is the Beats Audio logo, the impact of which on the minds of users and on sound quality we will talk about later in the text.



There is no indicator light in the smartphone.

The memory card slot in HTC Desire C is located under the battery cover, and the SIM card slot is under the battery itself.


Screen

The HTC Desire C has a capacitive TFT touch screen with a diagonal of 3.5” and a resolution of 320x480 pixels (HVGA). The company used a display almost similar in characteristics to both the previous budget phone (HTC Explorer) and the year before (HTC Wildfire S). The physical dimensions of the screen are 73x49 mm, it displays up to 16 million colors and has a good brightness reserve with the function of automatically adjusting the backlight level.


The viewing angles are maximum, the image is not distorted even with the maximum screen deviation. The colors on the display are not bad, but it lacks a little richness in the overall picture. However, it would be naive to demand anything from such a screen. In the sun, the picture on the screen completely fades, and it becomes almost impossible to see anything.





The display supports up to 4 simultaneous presses. The screen responds to touches generally well, but sometimes there are problems, so in order to check a box, you have to poke it three or four times.

It's surprisingly comfortable to type on the smartphone screen. At first, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to write essays with the HTC Desire C after the top-end devices, but it turned out to be completely different: the keyboard is comfortable, with large keys, and typing is easy, the main thing is to get used to it, but it doesn’t take long more than one day.

In general, the display, of course, is one of the main weaknesses of this smartphone; it is small, low-resolution and completely unreadable in the sun.

Camera

The smartphone has a simple 5-megapixel camera with a fixed focus. I will allow myself to omit a detailed description of its capabilities; they are minimal, and the quality of the images is such that there is no particular point in delving into the settings to improve its (quality).


The maximum image resolution is 2592x1728 (in wide-screen shooting mode), if desired, you can select a resolution with an aspect ratio of 4:3. There are settings for white balance, ISO value, as well as exposure, contrast, sharpness and saturation of the photo. Effects are provided for photos.



The maximum video resolution is 640x480 pixels; you can also select effects for video, specify white balance and adjust exposure, contrast, saturation and sharpness. During video recording, you can scale the image.

You can evaluate the quality of photos and videos using the examples below.

Scaling:

Autonomous operation

HTC Desire C uses a Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 1230 mAh. My device worked for an average of 24 hours, and this despite the fact that I listened to music on it for 3-4 hours a day and generally used the device in much the same way as the One series smartphones before. An hour of conversations a day, 10-20 text messages and a configured Gmail account with the push-mail function, as well as about an hour of “sitting” on the Internet.


The operating time indicators are not bad, especially compared to the 5-6 hours of operation of the flagship, but if we remember that this is a budget device, it turns out that it does not work for long. In my opinion, an inexpensive device, even on Android, should work on one charge for at least one and a half to two days.

Performance

The smartphone is built on the Qualcomm MSM7225A platform and has a processor frequency of 600 MHz. By the way, the company’s previous budget device, HTC Explorer, was on a similar platform, as well as many other inexpensive devices: LG Optimus L3, Sony Xperia Tipo, ZTE Skate. The device has 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of memory for storing user data; in addition, there is a slot for a microSD card. Before moving on to describing the speed of the smartphone, I suggest taking a look at the results of several benchmarks:


When performing the most ordinary tasks, such as opening a menu, launching mail or opening contacts, the smartphone often slows down, and when working with the HTC Desire C, you need to immediately get used to the approximately second delay between a press and the device’s response to this press. I won’t describe the smartphone’s capabilities in terms of video playback, because watching high-quality videos on such a small display is still pointless, but in terms of operating speed in general I can call the HTC Desire C very weak. Just a couple of years ago, such stuttering in an inexpensive device could have been forgiven, but now times have changed, and users are already accustomed to more or less smooth operation of at least the main smartphone interface. Here, delays and stutters occur precisely during daily work with ordinary programs, such as a browser, phone, and so on.

Interfaces

The smartphone operates in GSM (850/900/1800/1900) and UMTS (900/2100) networks. Both high-speed data transfer standards are supported - EDGE and HSDPA. Enabling and disabling different communication modules can be done in the settings menu, through one of the system panel tabs called up from above, or using widgets. There is a widget with a strip of icons for switching interfaces, there are separate button widgets, as well as a standard Android widget.

To synchronize with a PC and transfer data, the included microUSB cable is used. USB 2.0 interface. When connected to a computer, a menu appears in which you can select one of five connection types: charging only, disk drive (microSD card memory is visible), HTC Sync, Internet modem (using the device as a modem) and connecting to a PC to access the network via computer.

Built-in Bluetooth 4.0 module (A2DP, EDR). Most common profiles are supported.

Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n). The operation of the Wi-Fi module did not cause any complaints. On your smartphone, you can configure rules for Wi-Fi to go into sleep mode, use only a static IP address when connecting, and add security certificates. HTC Desire C also has a “Maximum Wi-Fi performance” setting. When using Wi-Fi, the device practically does not heat up.

Wi-Fi router. The smartphone has a function of “sharing” 2G/3G Internet connection via Wi-Fi. It works as follows. In the settings of wireless interfaces, the “Wi-Fi router” option is enabled and its settings are opened, where the user is asked to select the network name, password, and connection type (WEP, WPA, WPA2). In addition, you can set the maximum number of connections to your smartphone or separately block or allow each new connection.

NFC. Support for the NFC interface is stated as an option for the HTC Desire C, but my device did not have this option.

Navigation

The smartphone uses a GPSOne chip on the Qualcomm platform. It takes 10-15 seconds to find satellites. For navigation, the device has only basic applications from Google - Google Maps and Google Navigation. The HTC Locations program based on Route66, which is familiar to more expensive models, is not here. Using Google Maps, you can get directions, search for addresses by street names or places. With Google Navigation you can use navigation with route guidance and voice guidance.

Software

The smartphone runs Android 4.0.3 OS and HTC Sense 4.0 is used as the interface. Externally, the interface looks like in older devices, but is functionally stripped down. So, most of the widgets available on the One series models are missing, it is impossible to call up a matrix of all desktops to quickly jump to each of them, the weather application does not have proprietary animations, there may be some other limitations that I missed.

The “Recent apps” button brings up mini-pictures with fragments of the screens of recent applications, rather than their screenshots, that is, the switching system here is reminiscent of the one that was in the tablet version of Android 3.0.

The set of programs is standard for HTC, there is an application for reading news, Adobe Reader, Facebook, a trial version of the Polaris Office program, as well as a free version of SoundHound. And a little more about sound.

Sound

Usually I try not to rant about sound, since I’m not particularly strong in this component, but the presence of the Beats Audio nameplate on the body of the inexpensive HTC Desire C prompted me to compare the sound of this device with the HTC One S, which happened to be at hand, because I HTC One X temporarily gave it to Zhenya Vildyaev so that he could write this joyful text:

I checked the sound quality of the HTC Desire C with Chinese Awei es900i headphones, bought for, I wouldn’t lie, 150-200 rubles in Hong Kong, because some comrades assured me that the headphones sound quite decent and, by our standards, at least “a couple of thousand." Upon arrival, the headphones were given to several friends for testing, and their sound was indeed found to be quite good. But let's return to the sound of the budget phone from HTC.


With the Beats Audio effect disabled in the HTC Desire C, the sound is clear, but somehow flat and inexpressive, while on the HTC One S, also with the “enhancers” disabled, I liked the sound much more, the sound is spacious and deep, if it can be described that way. If you turn on Beats Audio, the sound just becomes a little different, I can’t say whether it’s better or worse. But in general, I want to convey a simple idea, despite the presence of the Beats Audio logo on both the Desire C and the One S, the second one sounds better, this is noticeable even to me, a person whose “ears” were trampled by a bear. Imagine then how noticeable this difference in sound will be for a listener with some understanding of sound.

Conclusion

There are no problems with the sound quality and the quality of network reception; my device received the network perfectly during the two weeks that I used it. The speaker in the HTC Desire C is not bad, the interlocutor can be heard clearly, the voice is clear and without noise, the volume is slightly above average. The ringing speaker is average by the standards of expensive smartphones and quite weak by the standards of a budget phone. Personally, I’m used to the fact that an inexpensive device should ring very loudly, albeit at the expense of call quality. Here, apparently, they decided not to sacrifice sound quality. As a result, even at the maximum volume level, the call is barely audible when you walk along a quiet street, for example. The vibration alert is average in strength.


The smartphone is already available for sale at a price of 8,990 rubles; if you wish, you can find it a little cheaper, say, for 8,500 rubles. In my opinion, the HTC Desire C has two serious advantages, and even then, one of them is subjective. The first is the convenient Sense shell, thanks to which the device is convenient to use right out of the box; it is perfect for the role of a “dialer”. The second is the design, thanks to which the device stands out from the background of monotonous budget phones. Then there are the disadvantages: an outdated low-resolution screen, a slow platform and, accordingly, delays and the general thoughtfulness of the device when working with it, a stripped-down version of Sense, unexceptional operating time results, worse than that of the HTC Wildfire S, which is a year and a half old, the camera (even more so) With the device it was at least possible to take a close-up of text or an object).

And, perhaps, the most important disadvantage of the device is, oddly enough, its cost. For 7,000 rubles you can buy the best smartphone in every way, HTC Wildfire S, and for 6,000 you can buy the same simple HTC Explorer as the hero of this review. Only both Wildfire S and Explorer, at a lower price, work on the old version of Android, but without freezing.

When, after an unsuccessful attempt to enter the budget market with the HTC Smart touch phone, the company released Wildfire S, it seemed that the key to success was about to be found, because the approach chosen was interesting and, perhaps, even correct, it just needed to be improved. And then the vague HTC Explorer came out, that is, the company returned to the path of releasing budget phones on a residual basis. Unfortunately, the HTC Desire C is made in the same way: the device has an interesting design and a high-quality interface, but nothing more, and it is not at all clear how it should attract users?

Characteristics:

  • Class: smartphone
  • Form factor: monoblock
  • Case materials: matte plastic, metal frame
  • Operating system: Android 4.0.3, HTC Sense 4.0 proprietary interface
  • Network: GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS/HSDPA 900/2100
  • Processor: 600 MHz on Qualcomm MSM7225A platform
  • RAM: 512 MB
  • Storage: 4 GB, microSD card slot
  • Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/), Bluetooth 4.0 (A2DP), microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset
  • Screen: capacitive, TFT, 3.5” with a resolution of 320x480 pixels (HVGA), automatic backlight level adjustment
  • Camera: 5 MP with fixed focus, video recorded in VGA resolution (640x480 pixels)
  • Navigation: GPS on Qualcomm platform gpsOne chip (A-GPS support)
  • Additionally: accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor, FM radio
  • Battery: removable Li-Ion with a capacity of 1230 mAh
  • Dimensions 107.2 x 60.6 x 12.3 mm
  • Weight: 100 g.

Are you interested in the characteristics of HTC Desire C? We have collected all the important information to help you make your choice.

This is a 2012 model, with a 3.5″ diagonal LCD screen and a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels.

The performance is driven by a single-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM7225A processor with a maximum frequency of 1 GHz, graphics and 0.5 GB of RAM. Battery capacity 1230 mAh.

Fans of mobile photography should pay attention to the camera with an f/0 aperture and a resolution of 2592 x 1944 pixels (5 megapixels).

We analyzed ebay, banggood and aliexpress stores. HTC Desire C is not currently for sale, the price is unknown.

Price in Russia

Want to buy HTC Desire C cheap? Look at the list of stores that already sell the device in your city.

The most important

Frame

Screen

Hardware and operating system

Main camera

Front-camera

Connection

Multimedia

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