The Desire 820 is HTC’s new 64-bit mid-range flagship phone

When it’s not producing flagship phones like the One (M8) or the Butterfly 2, HTC is flooding the rest of the market with several Desire models. These devices vary anywhere from mid-range to low-end, and everywhere in-between. This week, the company is launching another model called the Desire 820, which is geared towards the former group, in fact, HTC says this is meant to replace the six-month-old 816. But with a few better specs and an octa-core chipset with 64-bit compatibility, it’s hard to blame Peter Chou and his army of design-oriented individuals for coming out with another one so soon.

The Desire 816, introduced at MWC in February of this year, has been one of HTC’s unheralded successes. Featuring bold bright colors, the company’s signature BoomSound speakers, and a generously proportioned 5.5-inch screen, it appealed to the more budget-conscious buyers eager to have a big entertainment device while on the move. HTC is sticking close to that winning formula today with the introduction of the new Desire 820. It still measures 5.5 inches across, it still has a 720p resolution, and its rear camera still uses a 13-megapixel sensor. And yes, the bold colors are back and bolder than ever. What makes the Desire 820 different, however, is that it’s among the first Android devices to ship with a 64-bit-capable processor — Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 615 — which will be supported by the upcoming release of Android L. That may or may not make a difference in performance during the phone’s lifetime, but it’s a nice step en route to making even smarter and more capable chips.