Remember HTC? We wouldn't blame you if you didn't. What was once a company that competed against Samsung in terms of innovation in the Android smartphone space, now remains a shadow of its former self. To lend some perspective, HTC is credited for being the first smartphone OEM to create a community program in the form of HTC Elevate, much before OnePlus or Xiaomi came into the picture, but sadly, the program has been shut down. For 2020, HTC is aiming for revival, and it is doing so by releasing two mid-range phones for the Taiwanese market. Meet the new HTC U20 5G and the HTC Desire 20 Pro.
HTC U20 5G
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Specification |
HTC U20 5G |
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Dimensions and Weight |
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Display |
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SoC |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G:
Adreno 620 |
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RAM and Storage |
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Battery & Charging |
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Rear Camera |
Photo:
Video:
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Front Camera |
32MP, f/2.0 |
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Other Features |
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Android Version |
Android 10 |
HTC was rumored to be making a 5G smartphone this year, and the HTC U20 5G is the phone. This is a mid-range smartphone, and all of its specifications hover around this reality. HTC has launched the device in Taiwan only for now, so the specifications are tuned for that market.
One of the things that stand out for the HTC U20 5G is its size, thanks to the 6.8" display. The bezels on the device are thin on three edges and noticeable on the chin. The phone is also among the heavier phones to have released this year, with a good 215g of weight, explained by the inclusion of a 5000 mAh battery. These features can be attributed to being a by-product of 5G, as most 5G phones this year have been large and heavy to incorporate all the hardware necessary for 5G. However, the specifications of the phone do not point towards support for mmWave 5G.
Nonetheless, the phone does come with a decent set of specifications. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC is a capable performer, and it has been paired with adequate amounts of RAM and storage to ensure that most users will get a comfortable experience. HTC has also played it safe with a rear fingerprint scanner, possibly avoiding issues some users have complained on some other phones with side fingerprint scanners. The camera setup on the device is modest as well, with a 48MP quad-camera setup comprising of the usual combination of lenses.
HTC Desire 20 Pro
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Specification |
HTC Desire 20 Pro |
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Dimensions and Weight |
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Display |
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SoC |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC |
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RAM and Storage |
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Battery & Charging |
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Rear Camera |
Photo:
Video:
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Front Camera |
25MP, f/2.0 |
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Other Features |
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Android Version |
Android 10 |
A lot of specifications of the HTC Desire 20 Pro were already known before launch, so there is little that surprises us here. What surprises us is that it largely retains the camera setup that we see on the HTC U20 5G, so users in Taiwan will not be compromising on versatility when they need to choose across the two phones. The Desire 20 Pro does stand out on its design though, as that pattern on the back gives it a unique identity.
On the inside, the phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC, the same SoC that we have seen on devices like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 that was launched in August 2019. There is no 5G support on this device, but that is alright since it is targeting a different audience segment. Surprisingly, the phone retains the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is absent on the U20 5G.
Pricing and Availability
The HTC U20 5G will be available for NT$18,990 (~$641), while the HTC Desire 20 Pro will be available for NT$8,990 (~$304). Currently, both phones are restricted to the Taiwanese market. We do expect the HTC Desire 20 Pro to make its way to other markets like Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. HTC has indicated that both the phones could make their way outside of Taiwan, but the wording is slightly ambiguous and open to interpretation.