What's good
- Decent performance during basic tasks
- Good battery life
- Sturdy build quality
What's bad
- Very low resolution screen
- Poor camera
- Bad viewing angles
After releasing the One M8, HTC shifted its focus to the more mid-range market with the Desire 610. There's no mistaking that the Desire 610 is marketed to the budget crowd. It's outer shell is made entirely of two-tone plastic. The back cover offers a glossy plastic that reviewers noticed gathered fingerprints rather quickly. The front and sides offer a matte plastic, which Trusted Reviews states, "…prevent[s] the HTC Desire 610 from slipping through your fingers…[and] gives the phone a stylish charm." While it might be made of plastic, critics note that it overall is well-built and sturdy.
Although it only has a 4.7-inch screen, its dimensions are fairly chunky at 5.6 x 2.8 x 0.4 inches. Most of this additional size is due to the large bezels surrounding the display and the inclusion of speakers above and below it. Despite its size, experts were surprised at how comfortable it was to hold and use for extended amounts of time.
As mentioned, the display measures 4.7-inches and provides a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels for an overall pixel density of 234ppi. While the display provided accurate colors, reviewers noticed significant fuzziness in text and icons, more viewing angles and mediocre brightness. For them, the flaws outweighed any potential positives the display might offer.
Inside the Desire 610 is a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1 GB of RAM. While not top-of-the-line, it ran smoothly enough for reviewers when scrolling through menus or browsing the web. They only ran into issues when playing intensive games or when multi-tasking. The battery life is on par with other devices, and reviewers were able to eke out 2 days of light usage and around 1 day of moderate to heavy use. Internal storage is limited to 8GB though there is an expandable microSD slot that accepts up to 64GB.
Experts suggest budding phoneographers look elsewhere for a decent camera. The Desire 610 offers an unimpressive 8MP rear camera and while MP count isn't everything, image quality fell flat. Even in good lighting situations, critics were unable to capture finer details or proper exposure for their pictures and moderate-to-low light led to grainy and more smudged details.
Despite its accessible price, many reviewers have a hard time recommending the HTC Desire 610. CNET states, "Although the Desire 610 is affordable, its uninspiring specs mean it's still not cheap enough." PC Advisor adds, "We like the phone, but when you compare it with close rivals, it becomes more difficult to give it a hearty recommendation."
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Eugene Kim, PC MagazineBudget-friendly is no longer synonymous with low quality—even dipping down into the free-with-contract realm nets you a perfectly usable phone these days. But while lower-end phones like the Lucid 3 feature designs that are simply tolerable, the HTC Desire 612 is distinctive and, dare I say, d...
- Jared Newman, PCWorldThere was a time, back in Android’s early days, when any $350 phone that worked reasonably well would have been a triumph. But those days are long gone, and if you’re looking to save money on an AT&T-supported phone, you have several better options than the HTC Desire 610.For the sam...
- Eugene Kim, PC MagazineThe HTC Desire 610 is one of the most affordable, modern Android smartphones on AT&T at the moment. It offers good performance for the price and has some useful features that aren't a given in the budget realm, like nice front-facing speakers and up-to-date Android software. That said, there are...
- Lanh Nguyen, Android AuthorityThe HTC Desire 610 is available now from AT&T for just 99 cents with a two-year contract, but can also be picked up at its full price of $200, which is a price point that gives the Moto G a run for its money. While the display may not be as good, the Desire 610 does offer LTE connectivity, which...
- Ashleigh Allsopp, ComputerworldThe HTC Desire 610 will appeal to anyone looking for a reasonably priced all-rounder to use for browsing the web, taking good photos, emailing, texting, making phone calls, playing casual games and running Android apps.The HTC Sense software is sleek and easy to use and you'll be satisfied with the...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the HTC Desire 610 user manual here.
HTC backs up the Desire 610 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Desire 610 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact HTC support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find HTC's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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