HTC also wants to get involved in the fight for emerging markets, which are usually dominated by mid- and lower-priced models. A classic example of this is the HTC Desire 500, a model that looks youthful and sporty and that mixes low and medium category elements when it comes to hardware.
It all comes at a price, which we can say is decent, and whether the phone will achieve the expected success depends mostly on those who opt for this phone. To help you with that, we will go in order…
HTC Desire 500 design
First and foremost is how the phone looks. The HTC Desire 500 seems kind of light and really refreshing.
There is no classic combination of black and gray, beige is white, blue, and black, which gives this phone an optional look that attracts young people. However, the HTC Desire 500 is also produced in a black version, so if this one is too “teenage” for you, you can always opt for the black version.
HTC Desire 500 4The phone is made of plastic, but the quality is at an enviable level. Plastic is “resistant” to prints, so it almost always remains shiny.
It is commendable that HTC has planned for this model to open the case under which a replaceable battery, micro SD, and micro SIM slots are hidden.
As with most of today’s models, the background is slightly wavy, so the HTC Desire 500 lies nicely in the hand and can be easily used with one hand.
The same cannot be said for keys that are slightly harder to press.
The opposite is the capacitive keys at the bottom of the screen, which are easily accessible and respond quickly to touch.
Speaking of the side buttons, their good side is that they look very nice, so if that matters to someone, here are the good things.
HTC Desire 500 screen
At 4.3 inches, we can freely say that the HTC Desire 500 is one of those phones that won’t force you to use the other hand with its screen.
When it comes to the quality of the display, it is an LCD screen with a resolution of 480 × 800 pixels and a density of 217 pixels per inch. That would mean that the screen is quite decent, with very correct colors and viewing angles. The screen also responds relatively well to sunlight, leaving plenty of room for a normal reading of what is on the screen at that moment.
HTC Desire 500 specification
The Desire 500 comes with a quad-core processor and at first glance, this can be a pleasant surprise factor. However, it is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200, which we cannot say is any sprinter, because with 1.2GHz paired with 1GB of RAM it does not give impressive results. Far from the phone not reacting to tasks, but it sometimes takes some time to do some work, even when some games are involved.
Another complaint is only 4GB of installed memory, of which barely over 1GB remains available to the user. Fortunately, there is a micro SD extension so this problem can be overcome somehow.
The HTC Desire 500 isn’t a 4G phone, though it might be. However, in developing countries, there is almost no access to the LTE connection, so this is not a big drawback if it is a drawback at all. Other connections include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC.
When it comes to the battery, we have already said that it is changeable, ie that it can be removed. It has 1,800mAh, which is enough for approximately 12 hours of talk time over a 3G network, which is certainly a result above average. As the processor and screen are not parts of the phone “hungry” for energy, HTC Desire 500 will easily last all day.
HTC Desire 500 camera
The 8MP camera combined with LED flash and HTC Sense app gives a large list of modes and effects, including panoramic, macro, and low light shots.
The quality of the photos is at the expected level and the colors are nicely displayed. When it comes to video, the situation is a bit worse, but the 720p resolution at 24 frames per second and can’t offer any top results.
HTC Desire 500 conclusion
The Desire 500 is a solid mid-range device that offers a lower-end screen and processor but still does a really good job. In addition, its 8MP camera and eye-catching design are additional attributes of this likable phone.
With small hiccups at work from time to time and buttons that take time to get used to, the HTC Desire 500 seems to give just enough for its price. A problem for this model may be the aggressive competition in which the LG Optimus L7 II, two Xperias (L and SP) stand out, although the LG Optimus L9 is not far from this class.