This 5-inch phone that was announced in October with the code-named “Aero” has everyone talking about how closely it resembles the iPhone 6. With a uni-body aluminium design, this mid-range phone does pack a punch. Will the HTC One A9 be able to overcome its image of being a “copy”? Let’s take a look!
Performance
The One A9 runs on a Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor and is powered by 2GB of RAM, making it quite capable and smooth when it comes to multi-tasking. The storage just about suffices, with 16GB of internal memory. But you can always add more storage with the expandable micro SD slot, which accepts up to 2 TB.
Camera
With a standard 13 megapixel rear camera, the One A9 does shoot excellent images with advanced Optical Image Stabilisation. You can also edit and modify images with the RAW capture in Pro mode, and speed videos up to 12x for a dramatic effect with Hyperlapse.
Design
While the One A9’s design is being branded as a copy of the iPhones, there’s a touch of the typical HTC character in it that gives it a different feel. The edge-to-edge display on the all metal design give it a premium feel, and the wide variety of colours it comes in makes it stand apart from the competition. Which one’s your style: Carbon Gray, Opal Silver, Topaz Gold or Deep Garnet?
OS & Battery Life
The One A9 launched with Android Marshmallow – the latest version of the OS. It was one of the few phones to do so, right after the Nexus range launched by Google. And while it does run HTC’s own Sense UI on top of it, this phone has a much lighter, faster version of the UI, making it a real pleasure to use. The phone has Dolby Audio surround sound for audiophiles and Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 so it gets charged 40% faster.
The battery is a 2150 mAh, non removable one but lasts for up to 16 hours of 3G talk time.
All in all, we believe this is a really good phone at a reasonable price. It’s not just for those who can’t afford an iPhone -the HTC One A9 stands tall on its own merit.
The HTC One A9 is now available on Direct Mobiles with no upfront costs.
