HTC Desire 601 – Hardware Review
It’s been quite some time since we presented you with our last smartphone review, and thus we feel it’s time to present you with a new review. This time we are able to present you with our opinion of the HTC Desire 601, a new challenger for the Acer Liquid E2.
Just like the Acer Liquid E2, The Desire 601 also has a 4.5” screen, which is again a very comfortable size to work with, making it a phone which doesn’t belong in the ‘phablet’ section just yet. Performance wise we are offered with a dual-core CPU, which still offers us a solid performance.
When it comes to the overall sound of the Desire 601, the device makes use of the so called HTC BoomSound, which is pretty much a synonym for speakers that surpass the performance of other smartphones on the market. You’ll be presented with crystal clear sound and a volume that easily surpasses the already loud Liquid E2, making this a device that can be easily used as a media device without having to plug in some earphones or a headset.
Comfort wise the HTC Desire 601, feels pleasant to work with because of the curvy shape of the smartphone. The soft padding on the backside of the device is also a fun addition but it also makes way for some greasy marks on the surface which are harder to remove than on regular plastic surfaces. Of course, it’s a small mishap for the comfort you receive in return.
The Desire 601 offers us a 5MP camera that will provide you with crisp and clear pictures, which means you’ll be certain you’ll always have a fairly decent camera close by.
HTC does its best to create its own interface in cooperation with the latest Android versions that are thrown at us. The Desire 601 presents us with the ‘’HTC BlinkFeed’’ feature which can be compared with a prettier version of the Windows 8 menu’s. You’ll have the option to customize your ‘homepage’ to your liking. This creates your own social media device and offers you the chance to receive the updates you want to and thus have your own ‘mini page’ on your smartphone.
Again we are offered with a smartphone that is easy to work with, fun extra features and comfort combined. Sadly there is one item that will take some time getting used to. Most phones have three main buttons to navigate your way through your phone. These are often simple ‘back, home and menu’ buttons. The HTC Desire 601 only has two of these and leaves out the menu button, which can cause some frustration when you’re used to having a menu button. Again this is only a slight flaw to overcome and might just be me acting difficult.
Battery life can be compared with most phones on the market, and thus it’s the typical formula of having to recharge on a daily basis. There aren’t that many issues with delays when leaving the phone on without a reboot for longer periods of time.
To game or not to game?
As usual we do our best to see if the current generation of smartphones have a lot of potential when it comes to gaming purposes. It’s only natural we take a closer look at the Desire 601 as well, to see how it pairs against the other phones we have previously discussed.
The smartphone itself has a very comfortable size to work with and the soft padding makes the Desire 601 a lot more comfortable for longer gaming sessions. Combine this with the fact that the phone itself does not heat up that much after longer periods of time, make this a very fun gaming device.
Loading times of games are quite average and thus, HTC’s smartphone offers you smooth gaming sessions. Again, keep in mind that the smartphone is a middle priced device, it will not be the fastest one on the market. That being said, it’s easy to say that the Desire 601 is still a solid device to game on.
The screen size, even with the small frame surrounding the device, it remains easy to work with. Also, an honorable mention goes to the fact that the phone has a very clear screen.
As previously discussed, battery life can be compared to other models on the market and thus even after gaming sessions, the phone will last to up to a day.
Own opinion
It’s easy to start off with saying that the Desire 601 feels natural in the palm of your hand and that it was made to be used for longer periods of time. (And thus as a social media device.) Also the small frame that supports the phone adds up to the overall design, making it look quite good.
Having to deal with one less shortcut button than I was used to was an annoyance at first, but after only a short while it’s something that will feel just as natural as having to work with three shortcut buttons. After the short transition period, working with the combination of the HTC BlinkFeed and Android is a delight. Not only does it work smooth, it looks quite good too. It feels as if that extra bit of design went in the construction of a decent OS.
The hardware never showed any true signs of slowing down after using the phone for longer periods of time, even after filling up the memory.
A small remark, that went out to the Liquid E2 as well, is the fact that the soft padding gets dirty really fast and takes a bit more effort to keep clean. Only a small remark, but one that should be made.
Conclusion
The HTC Desire 601 is a solid smartphone for a moderate price. The smartphone might be a tad more expensive than the Liquid E2, it has several features that easily surpass Acer’s phone, as well as some that might prove inferior to its competitor. In the end it’s a matter of taste, and thus the Desire 601 is a phone worth checking out if you’re looking for a new device in this price range.
HTC Desire 601 - Hardware Review,
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