This year’s CES event saw some of the most amazing mobile phone devices to grace this planet, and one of them , without doubt is the new HTC Desire 826. HTC had made it clear that , they would be focussing on their Desire lineup , and that the new Flagship device, aka, the rumoured HTC HIMA,which was to be announced at the event, would be released later.
The Desire 826 is a Phablet, but HTC has made sure that it sticks to the mid range ecosystem, where the Desire lineup belongs. The specifications and the overall design indicate that the Desire 826 might just be one of the best mid range Phablets in the world.
Lets take a look at the major specifications of the Desire 826
Connectivity -The Desire 826 comes with 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity on-board, thus complying with the current industry connectivity standard.
Display – The 826 comes with a 5.5 inch Full HD 1080p display , with a pixel density of around 401 ppi. HTC is known to have one of the best displays in the market , and 1080p will just prove that point further. It is interesting to note , how , even the mid rangers these days are getting the Full HD treatment. The pixel density is strong and we can expect some crisp text and fluid browsing, and video playback.
Performance – The 826 features the Snapdragon 615 chipset, which is the best chipset on offer for the mid range lineup. The chipset feature a Quad core 1.7 GHz Cortex A-53 CPU and a Quad core 1.0 GHz Cortex A-53 processor. The Adreno 405 GPU rounds up the performance package for the 826. Users couldn’t have asked for a better performance package for a mid range, and HTC hasn’t gone complacent from their side either. This phone should outperform any mid range competition thrown at it. Couple that with the updated Sense UI, and you get a nothing short of a power package.
Memory – The memory package is also a treat. We get a strong 2GB RAM with 16 GB of internal memory. The memory can be expanded via SD card upto 128 GB. HTC has not left any stone unturned while loading this phone with these specifications. The memory is robust, and the 2 GB RAM put a smile on the faces of the performance junkies.
Camera – The smartphone camera section is undergoing a major overhaul , with all companies coming bringing their own tricks to the table, and HTC has followed suit. The rear camera is a standard 13 MP sensor, which will be responsible for some the most crisp photos you will ever click. Its the front camera, where the Taiwanese giant has put in a little surprise. They have removed the standard front camera sensor, and replaced it with their 4 UltraPixel sensor. The UltraPixel sensor was heavily criticised in the most, mostly because people felt uneasy , when they say the camera specs in the stores. The sensor itself didn’t prove too strong as a rear camera, when it took a heavy beating against the more standard camera sensors of the other smartphones in the market. HTC seems to have done their homework, and brought the sensor out to the front , where it can establish itself as one of the best “selfie” cameras in the market. The UltraPixel has shown a very impressive low light performance, so users will not have to rely on an external flash component to click low light selfies.
OS – The Desire 826 will boot Android 5.0.1 Lollipop out of box, and with the new updated Sense UI , the package will be mouth watering.
Battery – The Desire 826 will feature a 2600 mAh battery which will easily take you through a day on a single charge. The new android Lollipop is said to bring in better battery management features, which will aid the users to probably even stretch the battery performance, but will have to be tested in the real field to give any conclusion.
All in all, the Desire 826 is a complete package, and while HTC claims that the device is a mid range, I can’t help but ask why it isn’t a flagship.
The phone has a fresh spec list and it looks like HTC finally got themselves a winning combination in the mid range area. Some may argue about the battery being a tad bit under rated, but thats completely an individual’s view.
The pricing is where I am a bit skeptical. HTC does not have the best pricing schemes, and while the Desire 816 did get some traction going, it was quickly overshadowed by the smaller, more aggressive brands. Also, while people go out of the way to pay for HTC phones, they still son’t end up with a ” Best in the segment product”. I fear that fate might replicate here as well. The fact that HTC has given us a surreal spec list, for a phone which they clearly state is mid ranger, means that the pricing will have to be high. You cannot really give the world the best at the price of the mediocre, and in order for this phone to sell, the folks in Taiwan will have to come with a marketing strategy so strong , that it should draw the people to go out of their way one more time, and this time, really end up with the best, in their hands.
