Looking through the specifications of this device and assessing the look of the photos, you do not particularly expect that the smartphone will be remembered by something. Standard design and functional set. It is believed that it is impossible to make a first impression again, but HOMTOM HT37 confidently refutes this view. After acquaintance with it in memory there are distinct associations which allow to allocate it in a number of the set of similar devices. The manufacturer took him to the line “C” with the slogan “Color your life, stay young and energetic”. This specification is quite suitable for the subject of the review. The phone is provided for review by our sponsor Geekbuying.
HOMTOM HT37 Specifications
- Display: 5 inch, 1280×720, IPS, 2.5D glass
Processor: MediaTek MT6580, 4 cores for 1.3 GHz
Graphics: Mali 400 MP2
Memory: 2Gb
Built-in Memory: 16Gb + Full-Length Micro SD Memory Expansion Slot
Operating system: Android 6.0
Network: 2G – GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz, 3G – WCDMA 850/1900/2100 Mhz
Wireless interfaces : Bluetooth V4.0, WI-FI 802.11b / g / n
Dimensions : 147mm x 72mm x 8,9mm
Weight: 161g.
Unboxing & First Impression
The following accessories are included:
- Homtom HT37 Smartphone
Removable 3000mAh battery
MicroUSB Cable
Power Plug
Quick Start Guide
The box is made neatly, the laconic design and color add a touch of the high cost. On the screen was a protective film, but I took it off in order to check the quality of the glass smartphone. Just say that the oleophobic coating is very weak – the screen quickly gets dirty, so you can safely use the film – you will not lose anything. A charger with a European plug will charge your smartphone in 3 hours 10 minutes. The maximum current is 1A.
Design and Build Quality
The design is not the most original in the market, but it must be recognized that it is one of the best built and best finished in this price range.
The front is in plastic, but the back cover is aluminum, looks very good. It looks quite good quality, well built and profiled. As for physical appearance, it seems a phone more expensive than it actually is.
Upstairs is the 5-megapixel selfies camera, the speakerphone calls, proximity sensors, and a series of colorful LEDs that dance to the beat of the music.
These LEDs are also on the lower part, next to the stereo speaker that receives the audio from a dedicated sound chip, so the quality is great considering the price of the mobile. In the video, you can see the LEDs in action.
The back, home, and menu buttons are screen-printed, but not backlit. They work very well, with good sensitivity to the touch. At the back is the main 8-megapixel camera, with the GalaxyCore GC5005 sensor, accompanied by an LED flash.
Below the fingerprint reader, which is not the most accurate I have tried, but does its job and does not unlock with a finger other than yours, which in the end is the important thing.
On the right side is the volume up and down button, and the power button on and off. Here the HT37 gets another positive point, because the buttons do not dance, but are perfectly fitted and do not give a feeling of fragility. On the left side, there is nothing.
At the bottom edge are the micro USB connector, one of the two loudspeakers, and the microphone for calls. On the top edge is the Jack 3.5 to connect the headphones, and the second speaker, which although there are no holes the sound comes out by the Jack.
The back cover opens to access the battery, which is removable, and to SIM and microSD cards. At the same time, 2 SIM cards and a microSD card can be inserted up to 128 GB in size.
Display
The screen of the HomTom HT37 is a 5-inch IPS at HD resolution. It is quite correct for the price paid for the phone looks good and reacts well to the beats. Although as expected, it has some shortcomings.
The resolution is 1280 × 720 pixels, with a density of 294 ppi. This is the usual configuration on most low-cost 5-inch handsets. The screen looks good, the colors and the contrast are correct. The maximum brightness indoors is good, but in exteriors, with directly impacting sunlight it loses visibility.
As for the tactile, it behaves well, the precision is good and the sensitivity too, but it only has 2 points of simultaneous contact. If for example, you have an application to do something you need to press or pinch with three fingers at a time, you will not be able to use this functionality.
As I say, in general, is a correct screen for the price of the phone, and you can not expect more than a smartphone so cheap.
Music Disco Light Feature
The main smartphone chip is the LED illumination on the lower and upper edges of the display, accompanying the reproduction of any sounds. If desired, it can be turned off, but the first few weeks, such a desire is unlikely to come to mind. A sophisticated modern user may think that such a simple design and technical solution does not carry anything interesting. This perception will be immediately dispelled when watching your favorite video. The flashing lights create a cozy atmosphere and fascinate. Of course, dynamic lighting has already been used in smartphones and not only, but this is the case when a successful solution does not lose relevance.
Hardware and Performance
It assembles a low-end processor with discrete processing power, though quite solvent. And is that the 2 GB of RAM help to achieve fluidity in daily use, applications, and games, something not so common in this range.
The processor capacity is sufficient for the Internet, social networks, messengers, etc. Even playing can be quite comfortable, though not at the maximum graphics settings, like Asphalt 8 or Mortal Combat X. They are games with good graphics that runs with enough fluency to play them pleasantly.
The processor is the MediaTek MT6580 4-core 1.3 GHz, accompanied by 2 GB of RAM. It is a processor that already has a few years behind, is not new technology or leading.
The good thing about this is that it is very proven, it will not give the typical problems of the newly launched things that have to be polished little by little. The HomTom HT37 is not designed for demanding tasks, those who buy it is not for playing heavy games or as a working tool.
Its proper use is to call, speak for Whatsapp, upload photos to social networks, surf the internet, play entertainment games, etc. Therefore, you will not even notice that the processor is underperforming because you will not need more than it is able to give.
HomTom HT37 Benchmark
In synthetic tests HT37 scores very few points, for example in Antutu only 24459 points. In 3D, only 885 points, sediment test – not supported. The thing is that the Mali 400 MP2 video does not support Open GL 3.0, on which the test is built. The processor scored 9578 points.
Epic Citadel in high quality – 45.3 fps
Geekbench 4 in single-core mode – 419 points, in multi-core – 1232 points.
Camera
The rear camera is the 8-megapixel Galaxy Core GC5005. It does not stand out for the quality of the photographs, but it does its job well. Take normal pictures, with a quick focus and with functions like HDR, Panorama or Portrait.
The cameras in low-end smartphones are justified, without exception, there are none to be saved. If you are looking for a good camera you will have to look for a phone of more than $200 (in case it is Chinese, if there will be to raise to $300). But back to the previous, who buys a phone at this price what he wants is a smartphone that works well and as complete as possible, even if it is not the best in anything.
Here I leave you a few photos made with the HomTom HT37 so that you think for yourself if the quality is what you need.
Android 6 Marshmallow OS
The HomTom HT37 brings Android 6 series Marshmallow, under a proprietary launcher of the manufacturer that modifies it graphically and changes respect to Android stock.
The HomTom HT37 brings Android 6 series Marshmallow, under a proprietary launcher of the manufacturer that modifies it graphically and changes respect to Android stock. The icons are different and the way to organize the applications too, as there are no applications drawer as in the stock version, but are stored on the desktop as in iOS iPhone.
There are those who prefer that Android comes in its pure version and others who like this kind of customizations. If you look only at the part of optimization and fluency, there is nothing to object, the system is fluid and works perfectly.
Connectivity
As for communication. The smartphone supports work only in 2G and 3G networks. The speed of 3G in my area is about 12 – 15 megabits, which is enough for most tasks. Communication is confident, the spoken speaker is very loud (60% is enough for me). Several times in conversation dynamics during communication I heard a small background noise (such as hissing), but I did not notice any regularity, maybe these were problems on the side of the mobile network operator. WiFi only works on 2.4 GHz networks, so it can actually only provide a bit more than 50 Mbps. The signal is sure, I think in many respects positively affects the metal cover on which the contacts are connected.
But navigation is bad. If necessary, of course, it will bring you to the destination, but as a regular navigator, I would not use the smartphone exactly. The first satellite search took about a minute with 3G enabled. Usually, this time takes a few seconds. With a hot start, the connection time with the satellites is much better – 5 seconds, but if you significantly change the location before the next turn-on, you again have a cold start and about a minute to connect. In addition, the chip does not support working with GLONASS, only GPS. Therefore, the number of satellites “in operation” does not exceed a dozen, and the positioning accuracy is 4-5 meters. In addition, in bad weather (dense clouds, rain), be ready for communication loss, since the number of satellites in the active connection drops to 4-5.
Battery
The battery of 3000 mAh is sufficient for full-time operation during daylight hours. Active streaming video viewing also with backlighting can tire the phone in 3-4 hours, but for such capacity, it is quite a decent figure.
Conclusion
Summary of the good and the bad, with my opinions of HomTom HT37 after analyzing it.
- In design and materials is what is normally in the low range, built with metal body and have finished quite good quality. There is no doubt that its appearance makes it look more expensive than it actually is.
- The 5-inch IPS screen at HD resolution is correct, it does not stand out for anything in particular, neither for good nor for bad. The only thing that only has 2 simultaneous pressure points.
- The processor is modest, it is not intended to process large amounts of information or very heavy applications. But when accompanied by 2 GB of RAM the fluidity is very good in everyday use, even in relatively demanding games.
- The 8-megapixel camera makes just right photos, to upload to social networks and share them through WhatsApp. The quality does not give for much more.
- The battery of 3.000 mAh has a good autonomy, enough to spend the whole day without worrying that it is exhausted.
Where to buy the HomTom HT37
To buy HOMTOM HT37 I recommend the store Geekbuying.com. It is the cheapest, with free shipping and available in 3 colors: Gray (the one in this review), Silver and Rose Gold.
Update on Aug. 9 : Use coupon code: HTMHT37 to grab HOMTOM HT37 at $69.99