HMD Arc, the latest device from HMD, is finally in the country.

This is HMD’s most affordable smartphone in its lineup of devices available in the Kenyan market. It boasts a repairable design, long battery life, and Android 14 Go at just Ksh 11,1000.

The phone gets the basics right as an entry-level smartphone that brings everyday usability without the usual compromises. Before I share my first impressions, here’s what you get in the box.

Unboxing

HMD Arc is packaged inside a neat purple box with subtle branding and a neat design. Opening the box, you get the phone, a SIM ejector tool, a pair of headphones, a Type-C cable, a charging brick and a user guide.

The phone comes with a plastic back case and has a pre-applied screen protector.

Design

The phone has a solid feel and comes in two colours—Shadow Black and Electric Purple – my unit, which is pretty beautiful and elegant. It is lightweight and fits comfortably in the hand, and you’ll have no issue with one-handed use. The button layout is easy to access, with the power button(which also functions as a fingerprint reader) and volume rockers on the left side. The bottom has the bottom-facing speaker, Type-C port, microphone, and headphone jack.

The phone boasts Gen 1 repairability, but the phone doesn’t shout about it.

Display and Software

You get the 6.52-inch LCD screen, and the display is modest, usable for checking social media and browsing and watching multimedia content. It gets the job done, despite it lacking the sharpness or vibrancy or the high refresh rate.

The phone runs on Android 14 Go with minimal bloatware. The interface is clean, and the setup is beginner-friendly and quick.

Battery and Performance

My few days with the phone are going really well when it comes to battery life. After a full day of use, the phone has some charge left. After spending a whole day browsing the web, messaging, replying to emails, and checking out my social media feeds, I ended up with around 30%. I’m waiting to see if it can reach what HMD claims of 51 hours of battery life with its 5000mAh battery. HMD says it can support up to 800 charge cycles, so you’re well taken care of when it comes to long-term reliability.

You get a wall adapter rated at 10W for charging when you run low on power.

The HMD Arc spots 4GB onboard RAM and an additional 4GB of virtual RAM, which helps with multitasking. This isn’t a phone made for gaming or multitasking, as it has a Unisoc 9863A chipset, but it handles the essentials really well so far. You get 64GB onboard storage plus the option to increase with the dependable microsd card slot.

Camera

You get a 13MP main camera at the back and a 5MP selfie camera – both capped at 1080p video recording. You have various modes to play around with, including portrait and night mode, and we’ll dig deeper for our full review. However, our first shots were decent enough to share on social media. The phone is able to capture decent shots in both daylight and lowlight scenarios.

Final Thoughts So Far

HMD Arc isn’t about specs on paper, as the phone delivers value where it matters – long battery life, repairability, and purposeful design.

If you care more about those and staying connected more than chasing the latest trends, the HMD Arc might be what you’re looking for.

For a budget device, the Arc punches above its weight with its design made not to stand out but to get out of your way. It’s practical, purposeful and built to last long while maintaining everyday comfort.

A much newer processor would have pushed the phone even further, especially when it comes to supporting heavy loads such as gaming and making the switching between camera modes more buttery smooth.

Overall, it’s an ideal phone if you’re a budget-conscious user or you’re searching for a secondary device that won’t give up after a year of use. The features talked about above offer safety and simplicity.

Pricing and Availability

HMD arc is available for purchase in Kenya starting from Ksh 11,000 from HMD’s website, PhonePlace Kenya, Kilimall, FoneXpress and Avi Communication.

HMD Arc Launches in Kenya with Repairable Design