HMD Crest Review: Previously known for manufacturing Nokia-branded smartphones, HMD has now launched its own brand of handsets named HMD Crest and Crest Max. Both are budget-friendly smartphones with starting prices at INR 14,499. We received the HMD Crest for review. Let's delve into the details.
Display: 6.67 Inch OLED, 90Hz refresh rate
Chipset: Octa-core UNISOC T760 (6nm), Mali-G57 MC4 GPU
RAM: 6GB/8GB LPDDR4x
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Software: Android 14
Battery: 5000mAh with 33W wired charging
Rear Camera: 50 MP (main) + 2 MP depth sensor
Front Camera: 50 MP
The handset is available in three color variants: Midnight Blue, Royal Pink, and Lush Lilac. We reviewed the Midnight Blue variant, which features a glass panel on the back and a White Crystal finish. During the 10-day review period, we assessed the handset's performance, camera, and other specifics.
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Let's start with the looks. Its design is rather average, similar to other budget smartphones. The handset measures 8.4mm in thickness and weighs 210 grams, which some may find heavy.
The HMD Crest features a 6.7 Inch display with a punch-hole for the selfie camera. The bezels around the display are somewhat thick, making them hard to ignore, and the additional black layer around the punch-hole camera is significantly noticeable even with the screen on.
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Now, speaking of the sides, the handset follows the usual button layout seen in other smartphones. It employs plastic for the sides and offers dual SIM support. However, it supports only one SIM card if a memory card is used. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner enhances security. This model is equipped with IP52 Water Resistance and 5G support.
The HMD Crest boasts a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, which is quite attractive. Although the colors may look a bit dull in certain areas, the overall experience within this price segment is commendable.
If you watch videos on YouTube, you may notice some color tone shifts; white balance can sometimes be an issue. While reading text on the phone is clear and accurate, the video quality can appear a bit blurry. The display supports Widevine L1 and HDR, enabling HD content on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The AMOLED display is a fantastic feature, but the color tone issue is a significant drawback.
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The HMD Crest is powered by the UNISOC T760 processor, which gives it decent speed. This performance could be appealing to many users. It performs well compared to other phones in this price segment.
We played Free Fire Max on this device for about 30 minutes, and the handset did not overheat, which is a plus. Gaming was smooth with no noticeable lag. However, switching between apps took a bit of time. For average users, this handset should suffice.
The HMD Crest sports a dual rear camera setup with an LED flash. The cameras and flash are encased in a chrome finish, adding a stylish touch. It features a 50MP primary camera and a 2MP depth sensor, along with a 50MP front camera for selfies.
The handset captures impressive photos in daylight, standing out against other devices in its category. The portrait mode occasionally fails to generate a blur effect. The stock camera app takes some time to process images after capturing them.
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The HMD Crest runs on clean Android. It comes with only a few preloaded apps that can be very useful. It provides a clean experience, not usually found in handsets priced under INR 15,000.
One of the unique selling points of this smartphone is its support for a self-repairing kit, which has to be purchased separately. This kit allows you to replace the phone's panel, display, battery, and charging port.
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Overall, the HMD Crest is an average smartphone priced at INR 15,000. It offers many good features and a few drawbacks. The AMOLED display is a highlight, although color balancing is an issue. The phone shows excellent app opening speed but lacks smooth app opening animations, which may be a matter of personal preference. Its 5000mAh battery easily lasts a full day on a single charge. The camera setup performs well in daylight, capturing good photos.
