HTC 7 Trophy review

We’ve covered Windows Phone 7 itself in a couple of previous reviews, but we haven’t touched on its gaming or music capabilities much. The new HTC 7 Trophy is being touted as a gaming and music handset, and it’s definitely got the hardware to handle both: a 1GHz processor, 3.8in screen and both Dolby Mobile and SRS sound technology.

The hardware specification doesn’t just stop there, mind you. You also get 8GB of internal memory and a 5-megapixel camera with flash, although there’s no memory card slot so you’ll have to manage your photos and music carefully. Snaps were typical of a phone camera, with noise in dark areas and visible compression artefacts. Battery life was also a bit disappointing, lasting just under 20 and-a-half hours in our light usage test, so if you’re not careful with WiFi, 3G and GPS you’ll need to recharge every night.

The Trophy’s design has a retro hint, with a thin chrome strip that runs around the screen and the rounded corners. Elsewhere it’s modern and practical, especially in the rubberised finish on the rear that aids grip. A brushed-metal finish on the rest of the case feels sturdy, and the weight of the phone adds to the favourable impression of build quality. The screen itself is bright and colourful, with an oleophobic coating that makes touch gestures feel smooth and controlled, and also rules out unsightly smudges from oily fingertips.

For a phone that’s meant to showcase gaming and music, we were disappointed to find no free games or music installed. You can play trial versions of games or download free games, but if you want to play something else, or listen to music, you’ll have to buy it from the Xbox or Zune Marketplace.