Review: HTC Vivid for AT&T
Screen
The HTV Vivid sports a 4.5-inch qHD display with 540 x 960 pixels. It is a Super LCD, which HTC has favored in its high-end smartphones. In short, it looks fantastic. The pixel density is really good, which means text, graphics, and images are rendered smooth and sharp. It is plenty bright for use both indoors and out and is generally a pleasure to use. I have absolutely no complaints.
Signal
Phone Scoop does not have access to AT&T's limited-footprint LTE network, so we were only able to test the HTC Vivid using AT&T's HSPA/HSPA+ network. The Vivid's signal indicator has a little "4G" symbol in front of it, which is really unhelpful. Does the 4G symbol mean HSPA, HSPA+, does it mean the phone is in an area with AT&T's enhanced backhaul, or is LTE available? Who knows. Whatever network the Vivid connected to during out tests, it consistently showed three or four bars of coverage, even in areas known to have poor AT&T coverage. Other AT&T phones displayed more variety in the signal indicator. Bottom line, though, the Vivid didn't drop any calls while I tested it, didn't require and re-dials, any showed consistently quick data performance.
Sound
Call quality is a bit of a disappointment with the Vivid. Not only are calls scratchy and garbled sounding, but the volume from the earpiece is flat-out pathetic. Set to the maximum, I could *barely* hear calls in a quiet coffee shop. In a noisy bar or restaurant, no way, not even close. You'll have to step outside. Sadly, the same goes for the speakerphone. It was worthless in a quiet coffee shop. If I have to put my ear up against the phone to hear the speakerphone, the speakerphone totally fails at doing its job.Ringers and alerts are plenty loud for when you're home chilling out, but if you're anywhere else where there's actual noise, it's highly likely you'll miss calls. The ringers and alerts just aren't loud enough. Lastly, the vibrate alert is weak, too.
Battery
With only HSPA/HSPA+ coverage available in my neck of the woods, the HTC Vivid did just fine when it comes to battery life. The device typically lasted about a day and a half between charges, meaning you would go from breakfast on Monday to lunch on Tuesday and be safe. Most users will probably want to charge the Vivid every night, but you'll be safe for the entire day if you don't have access to power between breakfast and bedtime. Battery life in an LTE coverage area may be quite different; we weren't able to test that.
Hands-On: HTC Vivid for AT&T
What is C Band 5G?
HTC Vivid
