HTC One mini 2 review: a worthy addition to the ranks of the One clan

Display

Screen with a resolution of 1280 by 720, ppi – 326, made using Super LCD 2 technology, covered with Gorilla Glass 3 with an oleophobic coating.

The contrast is good, the viewing angles are excellent, the maximum brightness is high - there are no problems with readability in the sun, but the minimum brightness is too high, however, this parameter, apparently, is of little concern to any manufacturer at all. The display is good for everyone, but the colors are not as saturated as those of the “big brother” due to the clearly elevated color temperature, which is traditionally impossible to adjust for NTS.

Performance

There are no changes on the hardware front: a quad-core Snapdragon 400 with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, paired with an Adreno 305 accelerator, 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM with the long-awaited possibility of expansion using microSD cards. In AnTuTu, the result is quite typical, 3D games run as expected well, although not all with maximum graphics quality, and GTA: San Andreas is almost at minimum. But in everyday work, the difference between the M8 can only be found if you compare them directly.

Review of the HTC One Mini 2 smartphone

For the second year in a row, HTC is using a mini-flagship theme for its top-end device. The confusion over the naming of the year's older model - One again, only this time - did not carry over to the junior model. Before us is a simple and clear HTC One Mini 2. In the appearance of the device, the source of inspiration for the designers is easily discernible - the same materials, the same design as in the One M8. The filling contains the middle segment of smartphones, and the name contains the aspirations of marketers. Due to the increase in the exchange rate, the model seemed to have become more expensive compared to last year (with the HTC One Mini), but in fact it has helpfully become cheaper if you convert the price tag into foreign currency. Let's see how interesting the One M8, only in the mini version, turned out to be interesting for fans of the brand this year and compared to the rest of the market.

Specifications

If the flagship smartphone HTC One (M8) clearly and significantly surpassed its predecessor, then in the mini-flagship segment the improvements are not so radical. I would say the most important thing is the appearance of a slot for a memory card and a 13-megapixel main camera instead of a module with four ultrapixels. The front one has also become better: with a resolution of 5 MP, which is enough for beautiful selfies with friends or against the background of something beautiful. The screen diagonal has grown by 0.2 inches, along with the size and capacity of the 310 mAh battery. The OS version has been updated - now Android 4.4.2, and at the same time the latest Sense 6.0. The Qualcomm processor, which has actually turned into a symbol of a low-budget device, is now quad-core, with Cortex-A7 cores, 1.2 GHz (it was dual-core with Krait 200 at 1.4 GHz), the amount of RAM has not changed and performance has increased insignificantly, but exactly Rapid growth in performance has been the yardstick of the smartphone segment for years. The body of One Mini 2 has become “even more metallic,” like the older one. The device now has an NFC module, but the infrared port still doesn't work out. The model will be available in black and bronze colors at a price of 6,000 UAH at the start of sales, which is exactly 1,000 less than the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini and... I would like to say how much more than they asked for the HTC One Mini of the first version, and the model in Can't find it for sale anymore. But no, no doubt, you will have to compare the HTC One Mini 2 only with devices currently on the market.

Performance

Sony this year became the only one to release a real and full-fledged mini-flagship. HTC and Samsung are still targeting the technically unadvanced user, who will look for similar external features in a simplified “idol” rather than a race of innovations. That’s why both companies equipped their minis with a Snapdragon 400 processor with four Cortex-A7 cores and Adreno 305 graphics. It would have been natural to see 1.5 or even 2 GB of RAM in the HTC One Mini 2, but this did not happen. As a result, neither in benchmarks nor in real life did I feel any particular difference in operating speed compared to the previous generation Mini. But the device interface “flies” quickly, I didn’t notice any lags, and it responds to fast games with a comfortable amount of fps. But somewhere in the depths of your soul there still remains a sediment - like, what, a smartphone for 6 thousand UAH and only 1 GB of RAM? Although, perhaps, users who are seduced by the ideal shapes and perfect materials of the body will not have such mercantile doubts. A heavy load also leads to some heating of the case, but everything is within reason and tolerable even in the summer heat.

Autonomy

The autonomy of the smartphone also failed to increase noticeably compared to its predecessor. The HTC One Mini 2 has a 2110 mAh battery, which is 10 mAh more than the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini. There is still a difference in the actual operating time between the two models - and it is on HTC's side. Although purely symbolic: if on a typical working day I brought the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini home with 20-25% battery charge, then the HTC One Mini 2 had 25-30%. Over the weekend, smartphones lasted for a couple of days. That is, the owner of an HTC One Mini 2, if he does not abuse his smartphone too much, can count on one and a half, or even two whole days of operation for his pet on one battery charge. The predecessor behaved approximately the same way. But this still incomprehensible result is produced by the updated AnTuTu Benchmark autonomy test.

Frame

The same, rear view
A quick glance at the HTC One Mini 2 immediately becomes clear that its body is “even more metallic,” like the older model of this year. HTC One M8 and Mini 2 are twins in everything except the main camera module (there are already two of them in the older model) and, in fact, sizes. But rare inclusions of plastic on the body are located in the same places. In addition to the functional load (covering areas with communication modules), they also perform an aesthetic one. It turns out more charming with them.

In terms of appearance, in my opinion, HTC One Mini 2 has no equal among mini-flagships. Although the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, if it were glass rather than plastic, would be a worthy competitor to the One Mini 2.

Sandwich of HTC One Mini 2, Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini and Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

The HTC One Mini 2 case breaks two records among “mini phones” at once - it is the narrowest and the thickest at the same time. In general, the thickness is not noticeable and cannot be felt by the palm. But if you carry your smartphone in a case, it obviously won’t fit in your pocket, and it’s not always convenient to operate it with one hand due to its considerable length.

The same, rear view

The metal is slightly scratched, but traces of mechanical “injuries” are not striking.

On the front side there is the hallmark of HTC flagships - two large and high-quality speakers on the bottom and top, which is why smartphones are so long.

The front 5-megapixel camera is impressive at first glance with its size.

HTC One Mini 2 also turns on using a button located on the top end. Unlike the flagship smartphone, its smaller copy does not support special unlocking gestures, so this button location is an omission for the “baby” to work.

The holes for the SIM and memory card are securely hidden in metal slots; a paper clip is required to install them. Cards are supported in nanoSIM format, and you can install at least 128 GB of “memory” in your smartphone - the smartphone will read them.

Both buttons (screen lock and volume control) are compact and neat, with a moderately soft stroke. The volume control key, I would even say, is too compact. It is not so easy to find it with your fingers, this is a minus. But the plus is that it is practically impossible for foreign objects in the bag to control the volume of a call or music playback on occasion. So the chances of going deaf from a riotous player in a busy crowd on the subway are reduced to zero.

This is what the HTC One Mini 2 package looks like. It includes decent quality headphones and a clip with which you can install nanoSIM and microSD.

Screen

HTC One Mini 2 is equipped with a 4.5-inch LCD2 display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. The matrix is ​​characterized by maximum viewing angles and the absence of slight inversion into blue and yellow colors when viewed from a certain angle, which is found in some IPS matrices. High resolution gives a pixel density of 326 ppi, at which it is impossible to see a single point on the screen, the picture looks smooth. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini and Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, the One Mini 2's display does not support glove use.

The screen is bright enough to use the smartphone under the sun, although the brightness is not as prohibitive as in the company's previous favorites - HTC One M8, HTC One Max. Our colorimeter noted “only” 373.56 cd/m2 versus more than 400 in other top HTC models, but comfortable operation is more important than numbers. The black color is good by the standards of a smartphone screen, 0.37 cd/m2, and the contrast is simply gorgeous - 1.010:1. Since HTC uses predominantly black and white colors in its interface, this also has a beneficial effect on screen readability in direct sunlight.

The HTC One Mini 2's display calibration is mediocre. Those areas of the interface that, in theory, should be white appear bluish - the screen has an excessively high color temperature (10500K on average) and an overwhelming amount of blue. The color gamut does not reach sRGB in the red and yellow areas - and this is noticeable to my trained eye. There is no option to adjust the color temperature or adjust colors manually in the settings.

Interface and camera

HTC One Mini 2 runs Android 4.4.2 - this is the most current version of the OS today. On top of it, the proprietary laconic and strict interface of Sense version 6 is used. Exactly the same interface (only except for the pre-installed FitBit sports application and support for some gestures) is used in the HTC One M8, so I refer curious readers to its review.

The HTC One Mini 2 camera has replaced exotic ultrapixels with ordinary megapixels - as much as 13 MP. It didn't do her any good. It focuses and shoots very quickly, seemingly as fast as the HTC One M8. The interface is identical to that of the older model.

It is inferior to its competitors in shooting in cloudy weather and in poor lighting. Both Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini and Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. One trip to the beach on a cloudy day ended with such gloomy photos.

In light evening twilight or gloomy office dungeons, the result is also not so great.

But on a bright, sunny day, or vice versa, on a dense night, the quality of the photographs is not inferior to competitors. Needless to say, the front camera shines compared to them. Below you can see a gallery with all examples of photographs, and in a separate gallery on Torba you can see them in original resolution.

Competitive environment

gg’s editorial plans - in the near future we plan to prepare comparative material dedicated to this year’s mini-flagships. In terms of specifications, the HTC One Mini 2 is the simplest of the trio (Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini and Sony Z1 Compact), but not the most affordable. Both competitors have waterproof cases and screens that support work with gloves, and each of them has some other additional goodies. But with all this age of smartphones, we somehow forgot that sometimes it makes sense to pay not only for gigahertz and megapixels, but also simply for design, for beauty, for materials. HTC One Mini 2 is one of those rare devices that you will have to shell out for “beautiful eyes”. The price of 6,000 UAH (at the start of sales) has a lot of irrationality - a flagship “name”, an extra-metallic body, perfectly fitted parts and - unlike last year’s “mini” - support for memory cards. In terms of performance, the device belongs to the average level, and in terms of price, it significantly exceeds this typical average for today. Samsung has taught us that this is normal for mini-flagships, because few of those who buy them pay attention to the characteristics. And HTC is trying to adhere to the same tactics.

Another thing is Sony. Six months ago, the company went crazy and released its “mini” called Compact with honestly flagship characteristics and off-the-scale performance. Everything about the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is good - a waterproof body (although it’s still a bit thick for my taste), 2 GB of RAM along with a Snapdragon 800 processor, slightly better battery life, and even a lower price (the model has been on the market for a long time). obviously in great demand and does not enjoy the faith of sellers) - 5500 thousand UAH online on average. Only its screen diagonal is smaller - 4.3 inches versus 4.5 for other mini-flagships. But compared to other advantages, this small drawback pales. And for the second time, the editors of gg note with surprise that in the segment of flagship devices this year, the most profitable and rational purchase is a Sony device. In such an environment, it will be difficult for HTC One Mini 2 to become a star. The main audience of the flagship will be those who are not happy without the HTC One M8, and who do not have enough money for a top model. But or girls who are HTC fans, for whom the One M8 does not fit into their small hands.

Bottom line

Lately, all the smartphones in my hands have been divided into two groups: those that work crookedly, and those that are ideal from all sides, but cost a lot of money, especially with the current exchange rate. HTC One Mini 2 belongs to the latter. It’s a nice device, although not without its flaws (the camera is weaker than its competitors, the screen calibration let us down, the lack of support for working with gloves). It could be recommended to anyone and everyone who does not have enough money or finger length for the original HTC One M8, but for the same money you can buy a much more advanced Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, which was lucky enough to appear before the rise in exchange rates, and get an equally beautiful device, and even in a waterproof case and with incredible performance. But if the issue of price vs. “parrots” compared to other fps is not a pressing issue for you, and it’s the HTC One Mini 2 that makes you fall in love at first sight and involuntarily open your wallet, then we won’t dissuade you from buying it.

4 reasons to buy HTC One Mini 2:

• body design and materials are similar to HTC One M8, but the price is one and a half times lower;
• excellent sound, especially from the speakers;
• a display with high contrast that is perfectly readable under the sun;
• best-in-segment front-facing selfie camera;

3 reasons not to buy HTC One Mini 2:

• for the same money you can buy a more advanced Sony Xperia Z1 Compact;
• the screen does not support operation with gloves (while competitor screens do);
• not the best main camera in its segment.

Software part

And all this thanks to Android 4.4.2, covered with the HTC Sense 6 shell. Laconic, fast, with a minimum amount of animation - that’s all about it. But the fact that they “cut out” the possibility of waking up with a double tap or swipe will be perceived ambiguously by many. On the one hand, this is convenient, but the body is smaller and, despite the not the most convenient location of the power button, it is quite possible to reach it with one hand. On the other hand, very often smartphones that are equipped with this function live their own lives in your pocket: they make calls, send SMS, and so on.

First impression

It looks great and feels good in the hands, Ash Ti Si phones generally have an excellent design, which is a good option for those who love beautiful and stylish things, but the lack of a slot for a second SIM card is a little frustrating. The most popular colors for purchase are Silver and Gold; we got our hands on the gold version of the case for review and, to be honest, it looks gorgeous.

Autonomy

Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 is well known for its battery conservation. And with a 2100 mAh battery, the Mini 2 lasts about the same as the M8 - about 6 hours of screen activity. In tests - 9 hours of HD video over Wi-Fi, about 5 hours of 3D games, 8 hours of browsing. In the new AnTuTu performance test, the HTC One Mini 2 scores almost 8 thousand points; there is nothing to compare it with yet, so let's take it as a basis. But there is also an ultra-energy saving mode, familiar to us from the Galaxy S5, which reduces the functionality to a simple dialer, but at 10% the smartphone lives for another day.

Camera

You are unlikely to cry about the loss of the second camera and two-ton flash, but to compensate, NTS installed a 13 MP module with an aperture of 2.2, the front camera remained as it was - one of the best 5-megapixel with an aperture of 2.0 and autofocus. The software is the same, starting from color rendering, automatic white balance and ending with manual settings. Speed ​​is undoubtedly the advantage of ultrapixels. Detailing in good lighting is undoubtedly an advantage of 13 megapixels; sharpness is good throughout the entire frame, but noise is a little visible even in this lighting. When it gets dark, the advantage of ultrapixels becomes overwhelming over almost any Android flagship. The Mini 2 doesn't have the best 13 MP camera, but thanks to good color reproduction and correct white balance, photos are not a shame to show on a large TV. The video is of average quality, recorded in FHD at 30 frames per second.

Little things

1. Accelerometer
2. Social networks HTC BoomSound
3. Dual front stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers
4. Digital compass
5. GPRS
6. EDGE
7. HTC Connect
8. WiFi 802.11 a,b,g,n
9. Bluetooth 4.0
10. GPS
11. GLONASS
12. DLNA for wireless media streaming from phone to TV or computer