HTC One mini 2 review: Growing up

26 May 2014
Another season, another flagship, another mini in tow. Guess we all know the drill but HTC had quite a few decisions to make. To begin with, they went for a bigger screen, placing the mini 2 right between the original and last season’s flagship...

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  • A
  • Anoni-Mouse
  • iGP
  • 23 Jul 2015

I've had one of these for a few months now.
It's been a horrible experience - the worst phone I've ever had.
1. The brushed aluminium might seem all nice and lovely, but it's really slippy
and althought I've never dropped a phone before, this one has slipped out of
my pocket several times, and even out of my hand a few times.
2. You can't use it to make a phone call!
I know maybe no-one uses their phone for this any more - the review certainly doesn't mention making phone calls anywhere - but every single call I've made on this phone (honestly, I'm not kidding) has cut off in the middle. The problem (apparently) is that I hold the phone to my left ear, and my ear somehow presses the appropriate buttons to put the phone into airplane mode. Before you say it, no, I don't have funny/large/unusual ears.
Basically, I used to love HTC phones, but now I wouldn't touch them.
I'd advise anyone else to avoid them too.


    • h
    • htc user
    • 3Yi
    • 04 Dec 2014

    u knw wht dis phone is truly amazinng it"s boom sound speakers r truly awesome its fast ,fluid, highly responsive . i luv this phone!!!!!!!

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • JaB
      • 02 Dec 2014

      Great phone. Everything I needed out a phone.
      •clear screen
      •quick
      •great variety of apps and games
      •looks amazing and fit in the hand perfectly
      •and just an all round great phone. Would highly recommend it

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • 98W
        • 22 Jul 2014

        Please no foul language, be polite and use common sense

          • D
          • AnonD-267028
          • IWc
          • 07 Jun 2014

          Mammamia, 01 Jun 2014Am I the only one that thinks the naming is stupid? HTC One... moreThere're trying to fool us for using the HTC One name and ended up with this STUPID series. Salute to Sony, they are the only one offering true Mini(Compact) in the market for now. All other "mini" are crap for that price.

            • D
            • AnonD-267028
            • IWc
            • 07 Jun 2014

            2128, 06 Jun 2014much much better to use iphone 5s than this htc mini. its n... moreI can tell you it's plain STUPIDITY, with that price you can get other phone with SD 800 chip, unless you insisted on their design.

              • 2
              • 2128
              • 3xK
              • 06 Jun 2014

              much much better to use iphone 5s than this htc mini. its not mini at all with lower specs than the z1 compact. its xpensive too. I don't know what HTC wants to prove.

                • k
                • kkkk
                • PT7
                • 03 Jun 2014

                AnonD-265341, 26 May 2014Z1c eats this. I am disappointed htc. You can do much bette... moreGoodluck with ur Soapbox...

                  • M
                  • Mammamia
                  • Lgs
                  • 01 Jun 2014

                  Am I the only one that thinks the naming is stupid? HTC One mini Two

                    If HTC released a mini same size and slim finesse as there HTC One S with state of the art premium specs it would be a major winner. Keep the footer buttons on the bottom of the One S where they are. mini boom speakers up front or to the sides. or one speaker front and one back, SD Card, removable bat, good cameras front and back, 2 gig ram, sense 6, choice of the new blink busy screens or the traditional well accepted one pic piece home screen and call it One Classic or One S Classic, it would be a phone for keeps. A good looking, not too big a phone but big enough for most, you could even make that a 4.5 in that same body by reducing the top bezel a tad. win win win..

                      • S
                      • Smuti
                      • pu4
                      • 29 May 2014

                      AnonD-246723, 26 May 2014Just like the article mention repeatedly z1 compact ia lots... moreWhy good luck HTC. They don't deserve it. This phone is a joke. And again that utter stupid wastefull htc logo in the front, idiots. The only thing micro not even mini in this monstrosity is the hardware. A phone bigger then last year's flagships, but not even possible to touch them anywhere else.

                      GSMarena was way to biased towards HTC in this review, it doesn't deserve the amount of praise it got over the Z1 compact.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • FED
                        • 28 May 2014

                        AnonD-225840, 26 May 2014length/width should be 2, or lower. for instance 130mm len... moreIts not so much for the speakers, it's their stupid logo taken up a good size of the useless screen. Cut out the Basel for the logo. The lower speaker moved up, stretch screen out more to the top and sides, the phone would look great in proportion, and they can even have a 4.7 screen too.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • 4At
                          • 28 May 2014

                          Anonymous, 27 May 2014The whole point of a mini is to make it small! Looks like H... moreI don't get why they call these phones "mini" either, but its definitely mini compared to some of these ridiculous sized phones 5.5"+ screens.. Sheesh I have large hands too but I find my 4.7" optimus G to be ideal, and its certainly not mini.

                          I don't get what phone makers are thinking here.. I'd like to upgrade from my LG OG but there are practically zero cutting edge phones any less than 5" screen size.. I don't get it.

                            • R
                            • Robot286
                            • 4Jn
                            • 28 May 2014

                            Htc makes awesome phones, but this was underwhelming.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • spX
                              • 27 May 2014

                              The whole point of a mini is to make it small! Looks like HTC don't get the memo...
                              This is almost as big as the LG G2.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-246723
                                • IVN
                                • 27 May 2014

                                M and M, 27 May 2014The thing is the removable battery is an optional feature w... moreNo matter how you twist , its a disadvantage . And you try to mislead people about 3-4 although all they need is 1 to double the battery life instantly without a brick attach to your phone and need 2 hours to charge your phone .

                                  Anonymous, 27 May 2014unfortunately to you, most people prefer the freedom of rem... moreThe thing is the removable battery is an optional feature which has its good and bad sides and should not be counted as a negative thing (no removable cover makes the phone tougher and allows for better and lighter design especially for metallic cases).

                                  I don't know people who walk around with 3 spare batteries in their pockets and open their phone cover 2 times a day. You have external power banks and cases for that and if your battery gets old, it only takes more time to change a "non-removable" battery, just that, which is irrelevant since you're supposed to do it only once in 2-3 years.

                                  People buy samsung mainly because they think it's cheap, but flipping in on and off your phone cover at will is not as a big extra freedom and big deal as they try to make it. I don't know why GSM Arena tries to make it look like some companies don't know how to make a flip cover.

                                    • A
                                    • Andrew
                                    • 9JE
                                    • 27 May 2014

                                    Anonymous, 27 May 2014unfortunately to you, most people prefer the freedom of rem... moreI agree with M&M, it shouldn't be listed as a "disadvantage". The problem is that the phone itself doens't manage good battery. Sure it's worth it to mention, for those who really care about it. But if your phone's battery lasted a good time you wouldn't care either. So removable battery shouldn't be considered the 'problem'.

                                    I have Z1c now and am still laughing at all these wannabe minis. :) Before this I had Xperia P with worst battery life in history and I would still never have wanted to change out the battery for a spare. Everyone is different, sure.. but buy a Z1c, no battery problems. ;)

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • 6$v
                                      • 27 May 2014

                                      M and M, 27 May 2014GSMA why you continue to label the lack of a user-replaceab... moreunfortunately to you, most people prefer the freedom of removable battery.
                                      i think that was one of many reason that makes people bought Samsung phones.
                                      all of their phones have removable battery.

                                        • A
                                        • AdamBoy64
                                        • Fv4
                                        • 27 May 2014

                                        M and M, 27 May 2014GSMA why you continue to label the lack of a user-replaceab... moreNot for all people,
                                        But not being able to carry around a spare battery does limit where you can take it.

                                        A battery is a component that can fail - just like anything else. Instead of being able to fix it yourself, you then have to get someone else to do it.