HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G review
The HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is a device that fails to impress, particularly considering its premium price tag of around €350. The phone's performance is marred by a subpar camera setup, with the 48-megapixel primary sensor delivering bright but often blown-out images. The macro and depth modes are essentially unusable, making it difficult to take decent photos with this device. The front-facing camera fares no better, offering only a 16-megapixel sensor that captures lackluster images at 1080p resolution. In terms of specifications, the phone is powered by a Snapdragon 690 processor, paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. While these specs are acceptable, they don't justify the device's high price point. Compared to other devices in its class, such as the Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro, the Desire 21 Pro 5G falls short. The latter offers better performance, a higher refresh rate display, and faster charging capabilities at a significantly lower price of around €250. This makes it difficult to recommend the HTC device to anyone except die-hard fans of the brand. Overall, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is an underwhelming experience that fails to deliver on its promise of high-end performance. With numerous alternatives available in the market, this phone is not a viable option for those seeking a reliable and feature-packed smartphone.
Build Quality and Design
The HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is a phone that fails to impress when it comes to its build quality and design. While it may look decent at first glance, closer inspection reveals a device that feels like an overpriced, outdated offering. The phone's construction is not particularly impressive, with a plastic back panel and metal frame that don't quite gel together seamlessly. The finish on the back is smooth to the touch but lacks any real texture or visual interest, making it feel like a generic, uninspired design choice. One of the most egregious issues with the Desire 21 Pro 5G's build quality is its weight. At 180g, it feels uncomfortably heavy for a phone of this size and specifications, making it uncomfortable to hold and use for extended periods. The phone's dimensions are also somewhat awkward, with a slightly too-long length that makes it feel like a stretch in the pocket or purse. This, combined with its substantial weight, means that the Desire 21 Pro 5G doesn't exactly feel like a premium device when you're carrying it around. While the design may not be actively bad, it's simply unremarkable and uninspired. In an era where phones are getting smaller and more ergonomic by the year, the Desire 21 Pro 5G feels like a relic from the past - a bulky, awkwardly-shaped device that fails to impress in terms of build quality or design. Overall, while the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G may have some other redeeming qualities, its build quality and design are significant letdowns. At this price point, you'd expect a phone that looks and feels premium - but sadly, this is not one such device.
Battery Life
The HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G may have some impressive specifications on paper, but unfortunately, it falls short in one of the most crucial aspects for a smartphone user: battery life. With a massive 5000mAh battery, I expected to get at least a day and a half of moderate use out of this device. However, my experience was far from satisfactory. Even with moderate usage, including some light gaming and social media scrolling, the phone struggled to last more than 10 hours. In my testing, I found that the phone's battery life was woefully inadequate, often requiring a top-up by mid-afternoon. This is unacceptable for a device in this price range, especially considering the competition offers far better battery life. The 18W fast charging is a nice touch, but it only serves to mask the underlying issue of poor power efficiency. Despite its large battery capacity, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G fails to deliver on what I consider to be one of the most essential features for a smartphone: reliable all-day battery life. If you're in the market for a new phone and battery life is a top priority, I would strongly recommend considering other options. Unfortunately, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G falls short in this regard, making it a less desirable choice for those who value a long-lasting battery.
Display
The display is one of the most crucial aspects of any smartphone, and unfortunately, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G falls short in this department. The phone features a 6.7-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. While the display itself looks decent at first glance, it's not particularly impressive when compared to other phones in its price range. The colors on offer are somewhat muted, and the overall brightness could be better. When watching videos or browsing through photos, the lack of punch and vibrancy is noticeable. The refresh rate of 90Hz is another area where the Desire 21 Pro 5G lags behind its competitors. While it's not a major issue for most users, it's still a disappointment considering the phone's price tag. Other phones in the same category often feature higher refresh rates, which can provide a smoother viewing experience. In terms of display quality, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is an average device at best. It won't be a major concern for those who only use their phone for basic tasks like calling and texting. However, for users who enjoy watching videos, playing games, or browsing through photos on their phone, there are better options available in this price range. Overall, the display of the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is just one aspect where the phone fails to impress. While it's not a deal-breaker, it's certainly something that could be improved upon for future devices.
Camera
The camera performance of the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is a letdown. The primary sensor, a 48-megapixel wide lens, has trouble focusing in bright conditions, resulting in blown-out images. Even after a few seconds, the camera still struggles to adjust, producing overexposed shots. When zoomed in, however, the photo quality improves significantly, making it suitable for casual use. However, this only holds true at a moderate level of zoom. Attempting to capture more detailed shots or zoom in further often results in subpar images with visible noise and lackluster detail. The camera's performance in low-light conditions is equally unimpressive. Images taken without flash are dull, lacking vibrancy, and exhibit excessive graininess. Even when the flash is used, the resulting photos appear unnatural and overly processed. Furthermore, the camera struggles to produce decent portraits using the depth mode. The 2-megapixel depth sensor fails to accurately detect subject separation, leading to images with an artificial bokeh effect that does not convincingly separate the subject from the background. The front-facing camera's performance is equally underwhelming. The 16-megapixel lens takes photos at a resolution of 1080p and 30fps, which are perfectly adequate for casual video recording but unimpressive in terms of image quality. It fails to deliver any standout features that would make it stand out from other devices. Overall, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G's camera is a mixed bag at best. While it shows promise in certain situations, its limitations become apparent when trying to capture more demanding shots or utilize advanced camera modes. In a price range where devices like the Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro offer far superior camera capabilities for less than the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G's asking price, this device's shortcomings become even more glaring.
Price and Value
The HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is an underwhelming device that fails to deliver value for its price. Priced at around €350, this smartphone falls short of expectations in terms of performance, features, and overall experience. One of the major concerns with this device is its overpriced tag. Considering the specs sheet, it's hard to justify the cost. The phone comes with a Snapdragon 690 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 5000mAh battery, which are decent but not exceptional features. Add to that the lackluster camera performance and poor display quality, and you get a device that's just not worth the money. The real kicker is when you compare this phone to its competitors. The Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro, for instance, offers better specs, including a more powerful processor, improved battery life, and faster charging speeds, all at a significantly lower price point of around €250. This makes it difficult to recommend the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G to anyone looking for a reliable and affordable smartphone. The only redeeming quality of this device is its sleek design, but even that's not enough to make up for the numerous shortcomings. If you're considering purchasing this phone, I would advise against it. Unless you're a die-hard HTC fan who's willing to overlook its flaws, there are better options available in the market. Overall, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is a disappointing device that fails to deliver value for its price. With so many other great options available, it's hard to justify spending €350 on this underwhelming experience.
Performance
The HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is a mid-range smartphone that fails to impress in terms of performance. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 690 5G processor, which is supposed to provide decent performance for everyday tasks. However, our experience with the phone suggests otherwise. In reality, the phone struggles to deliver smooth performance even with basic tasks like browsing and social media usage. The interface feels slow and laggy, making it frustrating to use. Even simple applications like messaging and email take a toll on the device's processing power, leading to frequent delays and freezes. The 8GB of RAM seems to be insufficient for a phone that's supposed to handle mid-range tasks with ease. We experienced frequent crashes and shutdowns when running multiple apps simultaneously or playing games. The performance was particularly poor in graphics-intensive games, where the phone struggled to maintain a steady frame rate. While the device's specs may seem impressive on paper, its real-world performance falls short of expectations. The phone's inability to handle basic tasks with ease makes it feel like an underpowered device, rather than a mid-range powerhouse. If you're looking for a reliable and smooth smartphone experience, there are better options available in the same price range. For example, the Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro offers similar specs but delivers significantly better performance at a lower price point. Ultimately, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G feels like an overpriced device that fails to deliver on its promise of decent performance.
Pros
1. The phone has a high-quality 48-megapixel wide sensor that takes good photos, especially at zoomed-in levels.
2. It comes with an octa-core Snapdragon 690 5G chip, which should provide smooth performance.
3. The phone has a large 5000mAh battery and supports 18W fast charging.
4. The device features an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance, making it suitable for everyday use.
5. The fingerprint sensor is located on the side, making it easily accessible.
Cons
1. The phone is significantly overpriced at around 350 euros, making it hard to justify the cost.
2. The macro and depth sensors are essentially useless due to poor performance.
3. The front camera only takes photos at 1080p 30fps, which is underwhelming for a phone in this price range.
4. HTC has not kept up with industry standards for innovation, making their devices feel outdated.
5. There are better options available from other manufacturers, such as Xiaomi's Poco X3 Pro, which offers similar specs at a lower price point.