As expected, HMD has taken the wraps off its new affordable smartphones for the Indian market, the Crest and Crest Max. Despite the fact that the Finnish company has already released a bunch of Android smartphones under its own brand, these are the first HMD-branded phones launched in India.
Not only that, but HMD also confirmed that the Crest is its first phone manufactured in India. Officially unveiled earlier today, HMD Crest and Crest Max will be available for purchase via Amazon India during the Great Freedom Sale next month.
Price and availability
As far as the price goes, HMD announced that the Crest will be available for Rs 14,500 ($175 / €160), while the Crest Max will be priced to sell for Rs 16,500 ($195 / €180).
However, Amazon will offer major discounts on both phones, so customers will be able to pick these up for just Rs 13,000 ($155 / €145) and Rs 15,000 ($180 / €165), respectively. The HMD Crest will be available in Midnight Blue, Royal Pink and Lush Lilac, while the Crest Max comes in Deep Purple, Royal Pink and Aqua Green.
HMD Crest | Image credits: HMD India
Even though these are considered affordable smartphones, both Crest series devices pack decent specs. For instance, they are both equipped with Unisoc T760 chipsets and large 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED displays with 90Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla equivalent glass (whatever that means).
HMD Crest at first glance
Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED
Processor: Unisoc T760 6nm, 2.2GHz
Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB storage
Camera: 50MP + 2MP depth
Battery: 5,000 mAh, 800 cycles, 33W fast charging
The regular Crest packs 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, while the Crest Max comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. When it comes to photography, the HMD Crest sports a dual camera setup (50MP main + 2MP depth), while the Crest Max has a much better triple camera (64MP main + 5MP ultra-wide + 2MP macro). What they both have in common is the huge 50-megapixel front-facing camera that can be triggered by using various gestures.
Another thing that the Crest phones have in common is the 5,000 mAh battery, which features 33W charging support and is rated for 800 charge cycles.
Other highlights of HMD’s new affordable smartphones include 3.5mm audio jack, dual-SIM support, Wi-Fi 5, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Also, they both feature 5G support and run on Android 14.
HMD Crest Max at first glance
Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED
Processor: Unisoc T760 6nm, 2.2GHz
Memory: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage
Camera: 64MP + 5MP (UW) + 2MP (macro)
Battery: 5,000 mAh, 800 cycles, 33W fast charging
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According to HMD, the Crest series will only receive 2 years of security patches, which is pretty disappointing. There’s no mention of how long the company will offer OS updates, but it’s probably safe to assume that it won’t be longer than 2 years, just like in Skyline’s case.
On the bright side, HMD says both phones come with Repairability 1.0, which makes it easier to replace various components like the back panel, battery, display, and charging port. HMD claims that the perk extends the phones’ lifespan reduces e-waste.
Now, one could argue that adding a Unisoc chipset to these phones is a bad choice, especially in a sensible market like India. But let’s not forget that HMD has already released the Pulse series in Europe and the US, and all three phones that are part of the lineup come with Unisoc T606 chipsets.
On the other hand, the HMD Skyline, which isn’t available in India yet, is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor.
The Unisoc chipsets seem to be HMD’s choice for those devices where processing power is not that important. The Crest and Crest Max are advertised for their photography capabilities (especially selfies), not for their powerful processors.
It will be interesting to see how customers will react to this decision and whether or not HMD will bring the Skyline to India, something that fans have been asking since the Qualcomm-powered phone made its debut last week.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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