HTC Magic Review

Key Features

Processor 528 MHz ARM 11	Battery Capacity 1340mAh
RAM 288MB	Storage 288MB
Display 3.2-inch	Resolution 320×480 pixels
Rear Camera 3MP	Front Camera n/a

When the HTC Magic was released, a lot of people immediately compared it to the iPhone. With its looks and features, this was pretty much predictable. But how does the HTC Magic compare to the iPhone? Is it better? Will it finally topple over iPhone’s reign as leader of the smartphones?

At first look, one will see that the HTC Magic is well-designed. It is definitely better-looking than the T-Mobile G1, the only other android phone available in the UK. Unlike the G1, the HTC Magic does not have a slide-out keyboard. This makes the device more compact and a whole lot lighter. Obviously, the touchscreen is a little bit smaller, too, and this can be a problem for some people. Right below the screen are buttons for navigating the device. There is a trackball that proves to be useless as you can navigate the menu through the touchscreen. When it comes to inputting text, you have to use the on-screen virtual keyboard. This takes some getting used to and some might say that a real slide-out keyboard would have been better, but if you have an Unlimited Texts contract I am sure you will still text the best as the HTC Magic’s responsive screen makes typing so much easier. The vibrating feedback is also a great help. Another good aspect is the accelerometer, which allows you to change from vertical to horizontal orientation. This is especially helpful when you’re viewing web pages.

The aspect where more work should have been done is the camera. The HTC Magic has a 3.2 MP camera that has no flash or micro mirror. This means that the chance of you getting nice shots in low light is slim to none. Photo and video quality is not very impressive. Having said this, in normal light the camera is adequate.

Generally, the HTC Magic is better than the G1. If you are into android phones and you already have the G1, we recommend getting an upgrade by purchasing an HTC Magic. It may not be as nice as an iPhone but this HTC Mobile is still a great device.