The design falls short of HTC's usual sky-high standards in terms of build quality, but when it comes to the 8-megapixel camera, the name doesn't lie.
Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds.
Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
The HTC Vivid is one of AT&T's first two 4G LTE-compatible phones.
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Screen
The Vivid is large, with a 4.5-inch qHD display. There's no Swype support on this one, just HTC's virtual keyboard. (Read the full HTC Vivid review.)
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4G
Even if you don't live in AT&T's 4G LTE network area, the phone will default to HSPA+ (tagged as 4G on the phone). (Read the full HTC Vivid review.)
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Back
I'm not at all a fan of the plastic backing, slanted or no. There's a little metal, sure, but this is probably one of HTC's least attractive phones. (Read the full HTC Vivid review.)
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Top view
Still, the price is fair for the specs it offers, including the camera quality and faster speeds. (Read the full HTC Vivid review.)
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Side view
At its thinnest point, the Vivid is 0.4 inch thick. (Read the full HTC Vivid review.)
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Studio shot
This is the standard studio shot taken with the HTC Vivid.
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Blue bike
The color reproduction here was spot on. (This photo, taken with the HTC Vivid, was cropped and resized, but otherwise untouched.)
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Pop dog
I love this picture, taken in direct sunlight, for its lush color and the way it relates the texture of the folded, rippled, and cut material. This photo was cropped, but not resized. It was also untouched.
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Leafy glow
Lighting and colors were occasionally off. The bright yellow leaf in the center was completely in shadow, not in light, and its shade is more similar to the yellow-brown leaves around it, rather than that neon yellow hue. This photo was cropped, but not resized. It is also untouched.
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Lots going on
I shot this to see how the camera handled a busy scene. Edges here are less distinct, likely because I was also standing farther back. This photo was cropped and resized, but otherwise untouched.
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Front-facing
The 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera did well outdoors in even lighting. Colors don't pop as well, but the photo isn't grainy or overexposed. This photo was cropped and resized, but otherwise...you know the drill.
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City parking
The yellow and blue pop in this outdoor shot, and I was impressed that the pink building in the background kept its color. This untouched photo was cropped, but not resized.
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Alice in Wonderland
The decor at my hip New York hotel sits in a dark, unevenly lit lobby. The colors could be a little richer and edges sharper (as they are when viewed on the Vivid's lush screen). This untouched photo was been cropped and resized.
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I have no idea what this is
Like some fantastical creature, this Seussian hotel furniture shrouds its true purpose in feathery blue strands, whose texture and color the camera has captured beautifully. The untouched photo has been resized and cropped.
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Low lights
The extremely ironic elevator of this Manhattan hotel is completely dark, save some deep electric blue lights accenting the pitch black. That sounds like the perfect place to test low-lighting sensors. Here's the resulting photo, taken with flash. Now I see why that boring old elevator required such an optical illusion. This untouched image was cropped and resized.
