HTC Touch HD review

HTC Touch HD Review

Reviewed by: Andrew Lim

Reviewed on: 7 November 2008

Where it gets a little more exciting is when you realise that the HTC Touch HD packs HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS, which all work well and provide a fast and easy way of staying connected and located. Depending on which network you're on, 3G speeds will vary.

We tested out the Touch HD's GPS with Google Maps and it looks great on the large screen. Another feature that benefits from the Touch HD's large screen is the Opera Mobile Web browser that displays full pages similar to the iPhone's browser.

The 5-megapixel camera sounds impressive but we weren't overwhelmed by the picture quality. It sufficed for small to medium-sized prints but wasn't as sharp as we expected. There's no flash, either, so shots in low light don't come out well.

The HTC Touch HD packs a 5-megapixel camera

Performance
Battery life is quoted at 420 minutes talk time with 3G turned on and 680 hours on standby. We found that with regular use -- activating features like the GPS and HSDPA -- it lasted for a full day before needing to be recharged.

Conclusion
While we'd like to say it's as good as the iPhone 3G, we can't. Windows Mobile just doesn't offer the same ease of use, even with TouchFLO 3D. Still, it is one of the best Windows Mobile devices we've seen, so don't write it off because of that.

If you don't mind using a stylus every now and then, we thoroughly recommend the Touch HD. Plus, small details such as the responsive screen and 3.5mm headphone jack are clear signs that HTC is listening very closely to its customer base.

We found the HTC delivered an overall experience better than the Touch Diamond. We still hope the next version will come with a mechanical keypad, though, and while we're wishing for new features, Google Android would be nice, too.

Edited by Marian Smith