HTC Desire S

“Upon a casual glance, the HTC Desire S doesn’t seem to hold a lot of promise especially if you consider that the original Desire will get Gingerbread – and we guess there are enough of them already running unofficial ROMs. On the other hand though, the Desire S is a reasonable option for upgraders coming from the Legend too.The design may be a bit played out, but this is still one of the prettiest and best build droids out there. The screen falls short of the Retinas and Super AMOLEDs of the world, but it’s among the best in its class. And 3.7” is still considered by many to be the perfect screen size. The poor imaging is the big issue in the otherwise spotless performance, but with HTC it’s almost part of the charm.”

“The HTC Desire S is a perfectly good phone that, combined with HTC Sense, brings a smartphone that will serve you well, giving you a super-connected out-of-the box experience. However it is no longer the high-end smartphone it once was, making this the HTC Legend for 2011. It’s a device that offers something solid, but we feel something in the upper mid-range.As we said at the beginning that’s all well and good, but while this would have been classed as a high-end smartphone once, it is no longer the case. Of course, if you start to look at it that way you would be better off opting for something like the HTC Desire HD with it’s bigger screen, or if you’re looking for something more meatier still, the LG Optimus 2X with it’s Tegra 2 processor or the Samsung Galaxy S II, which looks to have every piece of tech going when it comes out in the next couple of months.”

“The reason the Desire has kept up with everything that's come after is because it was so far ahead in the first place. The Desire S isn't. It's a great phone, and one we would wholeheartedly recommend in a vacuum. In fact, we recommend it even not in a vacuum, but we can't help but have our gaze drawn to the HTC Incredible S and the Samsung Galaxy S2.The former is out now, and though it doesn't offer Android 2.3, it's very similar to the Desire S, but cheaper. The latter is due out before too long, and will aim at the same higher-end market the Desire S does, but with more advanced tech.The HTC Desire led the revolution, but the Desire S could be just another member of the rabble.”

“The HTC Desire S is unquestionably an improvement on its predecessor, but some may feel that it's not enough of an upgrade. We love the unibody design and inclusion of Android 2.3, but the absence of 1080p video recording, a higher-resolution display and dual-core processor makes this feel more like a mid-range device than a market-leading proposition.Still, even if it doesn't push the envelope in terms of raw technical power, the Desire S is one seriously appealing mobile. It delivers a streamlined, user-friendly interface, all the power of Android, and a stunning design.”