Htc U11+ Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The HTC U11 Plus is a flagship smartphone from the Taiwanese company, HTC. It was first released in November 2017 and has since garnered a lot of attention for its powerful specifications and sleek design. The phone boasts a large 6.0-inch Super LCD6 display, a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, and a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash. It also features IP68 certification, making it dust and water-resistant up to 1.5m for 30 minutes. With its impressive battery life and high-quality sound, the HTC U11 Plus is a top contender in the smartphone market.

Design and Build Quality

The HTC U11 Plus boasts a sleek and stylish appearance that is sure to catch the eye of any onlooker. The phone is built with a glass front and back, which gives it a premium feel and look. It is also constructed with an aluminum frame that complements the glass design and provides a sturdy structure.

The phone features a large 6.0-inch Super LCD6 display that dominates the front of the device. The display has a resolution of 1440 x 2880 pixels, which provides crystal-clear images and sharp text. Additionally, the screen-to-body ratio of approximately 78.3% gives the phone a modern and bezel-less appearance.

The HTC U11 Plus is also ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in the hand. This is due to the curved edges and the slim profile of the phone. The phone is 8.5mm thick, which is thin enough to make it easy to handle. The phone is also IP68-certified, which means it is dust and water-resistant. This is a great feature for people who are always on the go and need a phone that can withstand the elements.

The build quality of the HTC U11 Plus is excellent. The phone feels solid and well-constructed, which gives it a sense of durability. The glass and aluminum materials used in the phone's construction are of high quality and lend to the phone's overall premium feel. The phone is also available in three color options: Translucent Black, Ceramic Black, and Amazing Silver, which gives users a variety of choices to match their personal style.

Overall, the design and build quality of the HTC U11 Plus are top-notch. The phone's sleek appearance and sturdy construction make it a great choice for people who want both style and durability in a phone.

Display

The HTC U11 Plus boasts a large 6.0-inch Super LCD6 display with a resolution of 1440 x 2880 pixels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The screen size and resolution provide an immersive viewing experience, making it ideal for gaming, streaming, and browsing. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which adds an extra layer of durability.

The color accuracy and vibrancy of the U11 Plus's display are impressive, with deep blacks and vibrant colors that pop. The brightness is also noteworthy, making the screen easy to see even in direct sunlight. Touch sensitivity and responsiveness are excellent, and the display is highly responsive to touch, making navigation smooth and effortless.

The U11 Plus's display is powered by LCD technology, which is known for its excellent color accuracy and brightness. However, LCD displays are generally not as power-efficient as OLED displays, which can impact battery life slightly. Nonetheless, the U11 Plus's display is power-efficient and optimized to minimize battery drain.

Overall, the HTC U11 Plus's display is one of its strongest features. Its large screen size, high resolution, and vibrant colors make it a pleasure to use, while its durability and touch responsiveness make it practical for everyday use. Anyone looking for a smartphone with a large, high-quality display will find the U11 Plus a compelling option.

Performance

The HTC U11 Plus is a phone that is built for performance. It comes with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset and an octa-core processor that can handle even the most demanding tasks with ease. Whether you are multitasking, streaming videos, or playing graphics-intensive games, this phone delivers a smooth and lag-free performance.

The phone also comes with two RAM and storage options - 4GB RAM with 64GB storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage. This allows you to choose a configuration that suits your needs. You can store all your files, apps, and media without worrying about running out of space.

In terms of multitasking and app performance, the U11 Plus excels. It is capable of running multiple apps simultaneously without any noticeable lag or slowdown. The phone also comes with a dedicated gaming mode that optimizes performance for gaming. This mode ensures that you get the best possible gaming experience, with smooth graphics and minimal lag.

When it comes to benchmark scores, the U11 Plus performs exceptionally well. It scores 6654 on Geekbench 4.4 and 13fps on GFXBench ES 3.1. These scores are a testament to the phone's powerful performance.

In real-world usage, the U11 Plus is a reliable and responsive phone. It launches apps quickly, loads web pages fast, and handles multitasking with ease. The phone also runs the latest version of Android, which is optimized for performance and efficiency.

Overall, the HTC U11 Plus is a phone that is built for performance. It delivers a smooth and lag-free performance, whether you are multitasking, gaming, or streaming media. With its powerful chipset, ample RAM and storage, and optimized software, this phone is a great choice for anyone who values performance and speed.

Software and User Interface

The HTC U11 Plus runs on Android 8.0 Oreo with HTC's Sense UI on top. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate, providing a smooth and intuitive experience. The phone comes with a few pre-installed apps, but they are not overwhelming and can be easily uninstalled if desired. One of the standout features of the software is the Edge Sense technology, which allows users to perform certain actions by squeezing the sides of the phone. This can be customized to launch different apps or perform specific functions.

The customization options on the HTC U11 Plus are extensive, allowing users to personalize their device to their liking. The phone includes a theme engine that provides a range of color schemes, wallpapers, and icon packs. Users can also customize the home screen layout, add widgets, and change the font style and size.

The user-friendly interface makes it easy to access and manage settings, with quick toggles available in the notification shade. The multitasking experience is also smooth, with the ability to switch between apps quickly and easily.

In terms of software support, HTC has been fairly consistent with updates for the U11 Plus. The phone received an upgrade to Android 9.0 Pie, and security updates have been released regularly. Overall, the software and user interface on the HTC U11 Plus provide a solid and enjoyable experience for users.

Camera

The HTC U11 Plus has an impressive rear camera setup, boasting a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, dual pixel phase detection autofocus, optical image stabilization, and dual-LED dual-tone flash. The camera is capable of recording 4K video at 30 frames per second and 1080p video at 30/60/120 frames per second, with HDR and 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound recording. Overall, the camera produces sharp and vibrant photos with excellent dynamic range, even in low-light conditions.

The zoom capabilities of the camera are limited, but the image stabilization feature compensates for any shakiness when zooming. The front-facing camera features an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, and produces decent quality selfies with good detail and color accuracy.

The camera app is user-friendly and easy to navigate, with a variety of shooting modes including pro mode, panorama, and slow-motion video. The pro mode allows for manual control over settings such as ISO, shutter speed, and white balance, giving users greater flexibility and creative control over their photos.

Overall, the camera on the HTC U11 Plus is a standout feature, producing high-quality images that rival those of other flagship smartphones on the market.

Battery Life

Connectivity and Networking

When it comes to connectivity and networking, the HTC U11 Plus is well-equipped to handle all your communication needs. This smartphone features GSM, HSPA, and LTE network technologies, making it compatible with most carriers around the world. It also has dual-band Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and DLNA capabilities, ensuring that you can connect to a variety of wireless networks and devices.

With Bluetooth 5.0, the U11 Plus offers improved range and faster data transfer speeds compared to previous Bluetooth versions. It also supports aptX HD, which delivers high-quality audio over Bluetooth. NFC is another convenient feature, allowing you to use your phone for contactless payments and other transactions.

The U11 Plus has GPS, GLONASS, and BDS positioning capabilities, providing accurate location data for navigation and other location-based services. The phone also features various sensors, including a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass.

There is no 3.5mm headphone jack on the U11 Plus, but it comes with USB Type-C 3.1 for charging and data transfer. This port supports fast charging and can charge the phone up to 50% in just 30 minutes. The U11 Plus also has IP68 dust and water resistance, making it durable enough to withstand exposure to water and dust.

Overall, the HTC U11 Plus provides a comprehensive range of connectivity and networking features, making it a versatile and reliable device for communication and media consumption.

Additional Features

The HTC U11 Plus boasts a number of additional features that make it stand out in the crowded smartphone market. Firstly, the phone is IP68 certified, which means that it is both water and dust resistant, making it a great choice for those who lead an active lifestyle or who work in challenging environments.

In terms of storage, the phone comes with 64GB or 128GB of internal storage and is compatible with microSDXC cards for expandable memory, which is great for those who like to store a lot of music, photos, or videos on their device.

The audio quality on the HTC U11 Plus is also impressive, with the phone featuring 24-bit/192kHz audio and stereo speakers that deliver clear and powerful sound. While the phone doesn't have a headphone jack, it comes with a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter for those who want to use wired headphones.

The design of the phone is also noteworthy, with the Translucent Black and Amazing Silver color options featuring a unique translucent back panel that allows you to see the internal components of the device. This is a great feature for those who appreciate a phone with a distinct look and feel.

Overall, the HTC U11 Plus offers a range of additional features that make it a great choice for those who value durability, storage capacity, audio quality, and unique design elements in a smartphone.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the HTC U11 Plus to other related phones, a few devices come to mind. Firstly, the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is a comparable phone with a similar display size and resolution, as well as a comparable processor and RAM. However, the HTC U11 Plus offers more storage options and a larger battery capacity, potentially making it a more practical choice for heavy users.

Another phone to consider is the Google Pixel 2 XL, which also features a similar display size and resolution as well as a comparable processor and RAM. However, the HTC U11 Plus offers expandable storage and a higher resolution front-facing camera, while the Google Pixel 2 XL boasts a better camera overall and a more streamlined user interface.

Finally, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is another phone to compare to the HTC U11 Plus. The Huawei Mate 10 Pro also features a large battery and comparable processor and RAM, but lacks expandable storage and has a slightly smaller display. However, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro offers more camera features and a more affordable price point.

Ultimately, the HTC U11 Plus holds its own against these other related phones and stands out with its unique design and features, making it a great choice for those looking for a high-end smartphone.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

To wrap up our review of the HTC U11 Plus, we have found this phone to be a solid performer with a lot of impressive features. With its beautiful design, high-quality display, and powerful performance, this phone is sure to please many users.

The camera is one of the standout features of this device, with its excellent low-light performance and fast focusing. The battery life is also impressive, with the ability to last all day on a single charge.

However, the lack of a headphone jack may be a dealbreaker for some users, and the software could use some improvement in terms of bloatware and updates.

Overall, we believe that the HTC U11 Plus is a great option for those looking for a high-end smartphone with a great camera and impressive performance. It may not be perfect, but it certainly holds its own against the competition.