Over the last couple of years, I’ve become something of a fan of mid-range Android devices. Before then, I found mid-range devices to be underwhelming. Before then, mid-range devices simply didn’t feel as pleasant to use compared with the flagship models. However, as both Android has matured and the hardware has improved, many mid-range devices are toting superior hardware than two-generation old flagship handsets. The specification is largely meaningless to me but how the device performs in the hand, how long the battery lasts and what features from the flagship device have filtered down into the mid-range. In the case of HTC, the standout features of the One device for me have been BoomSound, the in-call audio quality and (a little part of me can’t believe I’m writing this as I have always enjoyed my Nexus products) HTC Sense. Mid-range devices are also significantly cheaper than the flagship model; sometimes they’re around half the price!
This brings me to HTC finally introducing the HTC Desire 820 and Desire 620 into the UK and German market via multiple sources. The HTC Desire 620 has gone on sale in Germany for €271 (about £210 or $320) and the Desire 820 at €319 (£250 or $375). The Desire 620 is based around a 720p resolution, 5.0-inch LCD panel and a 2,100 mAh battery and the Desire 820 uses a 720p resolution, 5.5-inch screen and a 2,600 mAh battery. Both of these handsets use newer generation 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon processors (but both are currently running Android 4.4 Kit Kat so cannot yet run Android in 64-bit mode). The Desire 620 is based around the 64-bit quad core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 1 GB of RAM and the Desire 820 ups the ante with the dual / quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615, that being, it combines a high performance 1.5 GHz quad core processor with a high efficiency 1.0 GHz quad core processor, and twice the RAM at 2 GB. The Desire 820 also doubles the internal storage of the 620, offering 16 GB to the 620’s 8 GB. Both models feature 4G LTE connectivity in addition to the usual plethora of radios. The Desire 820 comes with a 13 MP rear camera and an 8 MP front facer, whereas the Desire 620 has an 8 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front facing unit.
Neither device is a particular bargain in the same way that we might consider the Motorola Moto G, but of the two the slightly older Desire 820 looks to offer more hardware for a relatively small increase in price – as long as you’re okay with a large, 5.5-inch screen. And they’re certainly cheaper than opting for the HTC One M8! Let us know in the comments below if you’re interested in either of HTC’s mid-range devices.