Software, Wrap Up

Out of the box, the HTC Desire 816 runs Android 4.4 with HTC's custom Sense half dozen.0 skin. The vast bulk of the software is identical to what was plant on the HTC One M8, then if yous want to go an thought of what this smartphone is like to use, head over and check out the software department of my I M8 review.

While many of the One M8'south software features have made the spring to the Desire 816, including BlinkFeed and the pleasantly-skinned standard applications, some haven't made the cut for hardware reasons. One such app is Sense TV, as the Want 816 doesn't have an infrared LED to control dwelling house entertainment devices.

The keyboard on the Desire 816 is the same HTC-made keyboard that I've come up to love in past devices, and cheers to the big display, it's even easier to use. Some manufacturers reduce the size of the keyboard on large-screened handsets, often making them less usable, but I'm glad this hasn't happened with the 816.

Many of the settings from the HTC One M8, such equally Exercise Not Disturb mode and HTC Connect have fabricated the transition to the mid-range Desire 816, although y'all don't go Movement Launch. With the Ane M8, Motion Launch allowed you lot to turn on the device past simply double-borer the display, which negated the issues associated with the poor push button placement. The Desire 816 suffers from poor button placement, which is where Motility Launch could have helped.

At that place's also even so the issue of having duplicate apps for some things, such as having both Chrome and Cyberspace for spider web browsing, or having the Gallery and Photos apps for viewing images. This is more an event with Google's restrictions on OEMs and the GMS package, and something I hope will be addressed in future Android versions, equally constantly having to select which apps to utilize detracts from the overall experience.

Wrap Upwardly: A Solid Mid-Range Contender

Despite some flaws, the Desire 816 is a very capable big-screened smartphone for its decidedly mid-range price. HTC hasn't skimped on optimization or hardware in a number of departments, resulting in a handset that'south more than compelling than what the company has dished upward in this market place segment in the past.

It may be powered by 'but' a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC, but the performance around the Bone and in games is great, oft matching it with the top-end phones. Most of the software found on the 1 M8 has made the transition as well, so you largely go the same basic experience as HTC'due south fantastic flagship.

The chief reason to purchase a Desire 816 is its big display, and HTC has really delivered without breaking the bank. The 5.v-inch Super LCD ii panel is bright and looks great from every angle, displaying images with decent colour saturation and contrast. The panel's 720p resolution is quite good as well, as not all smartphones of this size and course pack Hard disk drive displays.

Both cameras on the Want 816 are more than than serviceable, being able to capture fairly skilful images when the weather are correct. In that location's no Duo Camera or UltraPixel sensor to create cool effects or improve low-light photography, but the basic photographic camera application gets the chore washed. And what you practice become hardware-wise from HTC's high-terminate phones is BoomSound, which as always delivers a superlative-notch smartphone sound feel.

The i area that, surprisingly, has let the Desire 816 down is the design. The phone is but likewise big for the display, with unnecessary bezel bulking up the handset and causing it to be more cumbersome than it should exist. The build quality isn't nifty either, thanks to a glossy, cheap plastic back panel that isn't joined to the remainder of the body as well equally it could be.

Regardless, for $325 unlocked and outright, the Desire 816 is worth considering if y'all want a large brandish on your smartphone but don't want to spend as much as a Galaxy Notation 3 or LG G3.

Pros: Large, loftier-quality display on a mid-range handset. Decent performance and battery life. BoomSound is ever a welcome addition. Affordable cost for the hardware you get.

Cons: Build quality is lacking, and the design makes the phone too cumbersome.