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HTC HD2 Windows Phone Smartphone Review

Author Edward Chester
Published 7th Nov 2009
Manufacturer HTC
Supplier O2
Price £499 SIM-free
Latest Price Click here
Design Score 9 for Design
Features Score 10 for Features
Usability Score 8 for Usability
Value Score 9 for Value
Overall Score 9 for Overall
HTC HD2 Windows Phone Smartphone
award recommended

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HTC has a history of making enormous, feature-rich smartphones and the phone I'm looking at today is the pinnacle of those efforts so far. The HD2 incorporates an enormous 4.3in capacitive touchscreen, a 5-megapixel camera, and plenty more besides, but with it running Windows Phone can it possibly be our favourite handset of the moment?

Well we weren't joking when we said enormous. At 121mm tall and 67mm wide, the HD2 is some 5mm taller and wider than the iPhone 3G/3GS, which some people find too big too handle already. Now, 5mm may not sound like all that much but when added all over it makes for a significant increase. At 11mm thick, it's at least a tad thinner than its fruity rival and it's still markedly smaller than the behemoth that is the Toshiba TG01.


Adding to the feeling of this being a large phone is the size of its screen. While, the iPhone's screen actually fits within the palm of your hand (even if the whole phone doesn't) and is thus completely accessible using the thumb of one hand, the HD2's screen always requires a readjustment of your grip or your other hand in order to use all of it. Again, this isn't uncommon per se but it's definitely the marker of a phone we feel goes beyond the point most people would find comfortable for everyday use. Also because the screen fills so much of the device, you're left with very little room to position your hands without pressing and activating some part of it.


Nevertheless, if all you want is the biggest and best screen on your mobile then you won't be disappointed. Not only is it enormous but its resolution of 800 x 480 pixels is equal to the best on the market and is double that of the iPhone's and most Android phones. Combined with excellent brightness, pitch-like blacks, and wonderfully vivid colours, it is simply a joy to behold. In fact, because it uses standard LCD technology, rather than AMOLED, it seemed to suffer less from the slight over saturation that plagues devices like the Samsung Galaxy, and the Samsung Jet (Samsung does seem to be at the forefront of this display technology when it comes to phones).

Whatever task we put this phone to, its screen never failed to amaze us. Probably the most memorable thing was this phones ability to fit the entire TrustedReviews website on screen and still maintain readable text… when held in portrait mode! Of course, watching video, viewing photos, and all the other multimedia tasks one can enjoy on a modern mobile phone are dutifully taken care of as well.


Helping our perhaps (on second read) over-zealous enthusiasm for this phone's screen is the fact that it's glass is super tough and scratch resistant. You've probably also guessed from this that it uses capacitive touch sensing as well and, again, it is superbly implemented, reacting instantly to any gesture with the lightest of touches. Multitouch is also supported but more on that later.

 

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Latest 4 of 34 Comments

Have your say: Leave a comment below about this article.

comment Andy said on 9th November 2009

PSV: Your comment wasn't "censored" it was published on 7th November, it's the seventh one down from the top. The review has been amended. Thank you.

comment Mo said on 12th November 2009

What happened to that video review guys?

comment Ed said on 13th November 2009

@Mo: Jees, patience!

There are very few review samples going round. We got one of the first but had to give it back within four days - I also happened to be off sick... more

comment lifethroughalens said on 13th November 2009

That's very poor on HTC's behalf - These units are now available from Vodafone and T-Mobile in the UK with O2's launch pencilled in for the 23rd (finger's crossed) and stock is fil... more

See all 34 comments on this article.

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