When will htc u 11 appear. HTC U11 review: a smartphone with flagship characteristics, but not without flaws
A unique phone with excellent audio capabilities.
Verdict
- Great camera;
- Excellent sound characteristics;
- Impressive two-tone paint job;
- Edge Sense is only half done;
- The screen gets a little dark;
- Low camera shutter speed;
If you're an HTC fan, good news. HTC has a new flagship smartphone that is, in many ways, every bit as great as you could hope for.
It has a very impressive list of features, a unique design, an innovative squeezable design, and an excellent camera. The latest processor cranks up the performance inside a phone that's neither too big nor too small, and its interface is sleek enough compared to anything HTC has done.
In fact, if you're an HTC fan and praise the company above all other manufacturers, you can skip this entire HTC U11 review and just buy the smartphone (though we recommend reading up on the compliant Edge Sense, which takes some getting used to) and then wait feverishly at the front door, waiting for my HTC U11.
However, for everyone else, things are a little more complicated. Yes, HTC offers quite a strong list of features, but it comes with a fairly steep price tag that puts it head-to-head with some of the strongest competitors.
HTC is entering a world where Samsung and LG are showing eye-popping screens, and Sony has already rolled out the big guns, including a 4K display and excellent Slow Motion video recording on .
HTC, by comparison, doesn't offer a ton of distinctive features, but it's pretty much a proper smartphone. But is a smartphone right for you?
CharacteristicsHTCU11:
- Weight: 169 grams;
- Dimensions: 153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9 mm;
- OS: Android 7.1 Nougat;
- Screen size: 5.5 inches;
- Screen resolution: 2560 x 1440 pixels;
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835;
- RAM: 4 GB / 6 GB;
- Memory: 64 GB / 128 GB;
- Battery: 3000 mAh;
- Main camera: 12 MP;
- Front-camera: 16 MP;
PriceHTCU11:
HTC U11 comes to Russia for 45-50,000 rubles, which is a very high price tag on the market. It may be cheaper on credit, but it's still too expensive compared to the Samsung Galaxy S8.
In the USA it costs $649 (37,000 rubles), which corresponds to the international price tag. Unfortunately, pricing in Russia is strange.
That's quite expensive for a smartphone, even if it offers some of the best specs - so you'll want to be sure HTC offers enough before paying the high price.
Design
- The two-tone shimmer panel is impressive;
- Solid chassis;
- The back panel quickly collects fingerprints;
The HTC U11's design is something that will take some getting used to - but it's worth your time. When you pick it up, the first impression is a bit overwhelming, as the polished Gorilla Glass is so light that it leaves the impression of plastic.
The glass nature isn't as attractive and doesn't feel quite premium compared to last year's HTC 10, but don't let that bother you. After a few days, you'll get used to how it feels in your hands - the HTC U11's body is well built and remains durable.
Aesthetically pleasing, the U11 packs a punch that few smartphones on the market can boast. The Liquid Surface design language offers two colors at once, if you choose the "Amazing Silver" and "Brilliant Black" options, they appear as blue/purple and black/green depending on what angle you look at it from.
There are also Solar Red, Ice White and Sapphire Blue options - and the red was easily our favorite, as you'll see in the photos.
The color shifts are truly impressive... but only if you've never touched a smartphone with your hands, as the U11 is one of the most fingerprint-friendly phones we've seen. Ever at all.
The only saving grace is the fact that the prints are easy to erase, but the overall effect remains unpleasant. In the box you'll find a special plastic case that won't ruin the phone's appearance and will help keep it clean, but even then it's too prone to grease stains.
It's also annoying to have to hide a palm-sized smartphone in a case... and that's a particular phone issue that can turn a user off.
In terms of the rest of the design, the U11 doesn't invent anything new; HTC assembles a smartphone by putting all the right parts in the right places.
The fingerprint scanner on the front, in the Home button, is easy to recognize and works great. We might be willing to give it some credit after Samsung played up the "hidden scanner" on the back, but it works great.
The HTC U11's curved glass is probably one of the most striking things about the new smartphone, and the company has put a lot of effort into it, for good reason.
Yes, it's the usual black box design that many phones come with, but the U11 offers quality and vibrant colors.
The volume buttons and power button on the right side fit nicely under your thumb or index finger, depending on your dominant hand, but otherwise the U11's design is very clean.
This is partly because the smartphone is waterproof (IP67 rating), which means you can throw it in water, but in real life you can only splash it in shallow water, take it with you in the shower, or simply wash it under running water. without having to spend a lot of money on repairs.
The problem we encountered during the review was the lack of a headphone jack, HTC solved the follower of Apple and Motorola by abandoning the headphone jack in favor of a single slot.
The USB-C port at the bottom of the smartphone will serve as the power source and audio port for most, meaning you'll have to switch connections if you need to charge your smartphone while listening to music.
Overall, we're big fans of the way HTC has rethought its design strategy. There are many ways to make a smartphone look extraordinary, but HTC comes up with a wonderful design, continuing the legacy of the series, to make you proud when you place the phone on the table.
Screen
- A high resolution;
- A little dull;
- Auto brightness isn't perfect;
The HTC U11's screen is the part that's hard to see. Until recently, a 5.5-inch display remained a practical solution because it's hard to do anything wrong with that size.
It's a large, bright and clear display with QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution, offering crystal clear images like any other smartphone on the market while saving battery life.
Not convinced the HTC U11 is for you? Look at the following options instead:
SAMSUNG GALAXY S8
This is our phone of the year so far, and the reason for that is simple: it does everything brilliantly, combines performance and stunning design, there is no other phone on the market quite like it.
The Infinity Display is the highlight of this phone, and while some critics have questioned the new big screen aspect ratio, its power and battery life, gaming performance and potential, wow!
The downside is the sky-high price tag, where the HTC U11 wins hands down... but the Galaxy S8 does almost everything an HTC smartphone can, and it's also waterproof.
LGG6
Be sure to take a look at the LG G6, as it's a smartphone that promises to only get better with time... because its price will drop, increasing the phone's appeal to no end.
This is already a serious proposition, as the G6 offers a huge display that looks like a Samsung, a decent dual camera, a smart interface and good build quality.
However, it relies on older hardware, so the performance hasn't gone very far... and the price is still quite high as a result.
SONY XPERIA XZ PREMIUM
Unless you're against Sony's design language, its XZ Premium is a real contender for this year's laurels.
The 4K screen is HDR-compatible, so it's capable of showcasing some brilliant films - and the quality will only get better over time as more mobile HDR content comes our way from Netflix and Amazon.
Capturing video in Super Slow Motion mode is amazing, and while we found the switch a little awkward, the results are amazing.
Depending on what you like about your HTC smartphone, last year's model could be a very smart purchase.
The metal structure looks more expensive and more advanced than plastic-look glass panels, in our opinion, and the user interface is largely identical. The included headphones are of good, if not top quality, and are on par with the U11's offering, as is the strong audio output.
The camera isn't quite as powerful, but it still does a decent job - all said, if you can still find the HTC 10 in stores at a decent price, you should consider it as a competitor, especially for fans of the brand.
The HTC U11 is an incredibly impressive smartphone in a sea of other incredibly impressive phones. The basic specs won't excite HTC fans, but the shrinkable sides can really impress.
Amazing!
The HTC U11 is an incredibly impressive smartphone in a sea of other incredibly impressive phones. The basic specs won't excite HTC fans, but the shrinkable sides can really impress.
HTC was one of the first companies to release a smartphone using the Android operating system. Even better, she was the first to make the interface of Google's operating system truly easy to use. For a long time, the HTC Sense shell was one of the important advantages of the company's smartphones, but with the development of Android it ceased to be unique. In addition, increased competition among smartphone manufacturers has undermined HTC's position and the company has been experiencing a sales decline for several years. The company's next hope was the flagship HTC U11, presented in May of this year, but only now starting to hit the Ukrainian market en masse. The smartphone promises users high performance, a good camera, as well as pressure-sensitive side edges of HTC Edge Sense, which are a new control element. Let's see how all this shows up in use.
Design and materials
The design of HTC U11 echoes the company's past models; the model took some of the body elements from HTC One 10 and HTC U Ultra. Such continuity of style, on the one hand, does not carry anything unique, on the other, it retains recognition. At least among fans of the brand.
As a result, the HTC U11 looks and feels nice in the hand, but compared to the mass of other smartphones, the model stands out only in its colors. The device is available in red, black, white, blue and light blue.
The front and back panels of the HTC U11 are made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which is curved at the edges. It is worth noting that the oleophobic coating on the display is good, but the back panel easily collects fingerprints.
As mentioned above, the glass is rounded to the edges, smoothly flowing into the aluminum frame of the case. The parts fit very well, the gap between glass and metal is minimal.
The frames of the HTC U11 are quite large by modern standards. And if their size on the sides of the display is related to pressure sensitivity, then the frames at the top and bottom could be made smaller. Moreover, the fingerprint scanner does not occupy the entire area under the display; HTC has made it quite compact. Because there is a blank area between the scanner and the display, it might even appear that the company wanted to place its logo there but stopped at the last minute.
However, he found a place on the back. The rather large HTC logo contrasts with the small camera block, but at least they are on the same line.
The smartphone case is protected from water and dust according to the IP67 standard; dust cannot get into it, and the device can be briefly immersed in water to a depth of 1 meter.
Display
The 5.5 inch Super LCD 5 screen of the HTC U11 has a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels.
According to our measurements, the screen has more than 100% coverage of the sRGB color space, but with a bias towards blue and green, while by default it has a rather “cold” color rendering (at 8000K).
The latter can be corrected in the settings and the colors made warmer; there is a separate option for this. In addition, there is a “blue color filter” that allows you to make the screen “warmer” from sunset to dawn, or according to your own schedule, reducing eye strain in the evening.
According to our measurements, the minimum display brightness in HTC U11 is 4.9 cd/m2, the maximum is 406 cd/m2, and the contrast is 1166:1.
Overall, the smartphone's display shows a clear picture with vibrant colors and good viewing angles.
Platform and performance
The HTC U11 has a top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor clocked at 2.45 GHz, as well as Adreno 540 graphics. Our test model had 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory, but there is also a 6 GB/128 GB version. The smartphone supports the installation of microSD cards, but its tray is universal, which means that if the user has two numbers, the second nano SIM will take the place of the memory card.
As you'd expect from Qualcomm's flagship processor this year, the performance of the HTC U11 is very strong. In the AnTuTu test, the smartphone scores more than 171 thousand points. For comparison, Google Pixel XL with last year's top-end Snapdragon 821 processor scored more than 141 thousand points in the same test.
Thus, the performance of HTC U11 will be sufficient for any applications on Android for at least several more years. The same applies to games; thanks to fast graphics, the smartphone can easily handle the most demanding games, be it The Banner Saga or XCOM.
Interface
HTC U11 has Android 7.1.1 operating system with HTC Sense interface. Unlike the first versions of the shell, which were replete with improvements for Google's OS, modern HTC Sense is trying to be closer to the Android interface. At the same time, thanks to themes, the appearance of icons, fonts, sounds and background images can be changed to your taste.
It's also nice that HTC decided to use Google Photos, Google Music and Google Calendar as standard programs. But it should be noted that the HTC U11 also has pre-installed applications from HTC itself. For example, the Boost+ utility, which is supposed to optimize the system, the TouchPal keyboard, the Viveport store for purchasing programs and games for the HTC Vive virtual reality helmet.
Also, HTC could not ignore the topic of “virtual assistants” and added the HTC Sense Companion application to its interface, which, based on the user’s data, should give him useful tips.
But in practice they are almost always useless and HTC Sense Companion cannot compete with Google Assistant.
Sensitive side edges of HTC Edge Sense
An innovation in the HTC U11 and a generally unique feature of the device are pressure-sensitive side edges, called HTC Edge Sense. They work quite simply, you just need to determine the squeezing force in the settings, it can be one short press or a long press and hold, and you can perform quick actions.
For example, in this way you can turn on the camera, voice recorder, voice assistant, flashlight, access point, take a screenshot, and also launch any program on your smartphone.
Since it’s easy to squeeze the HTC U11, the frames of the case help, you quickly get used to the HTC Edge Sense. At least it's really convenient to launch the camera quickly.
Fingerprint's scanner
Below the display on the front side of the HTC U11 there is a touch-sensitive Home key, which also houses a fingerprint scanner. The button turned out to be narrow, there is enough space on the panel under the screen, and it could have been made larger.
However, the key is easy to locate blindly, and the scanner itself is fast.
Camera
The main camera in HTC U11 is 12-megapixel with large 1.4μm pixels, f/1.7 aperture and optical stabilization.
Even though the smartphone's camera shots came in last place, the HTC U11 actually takes very good photos for a smartphone. In good lighting, the camera pleases with detail and rarely misses the white balance in automatic mode.
But there is one exception here: in backlit conditions, the camera copes poorly with shadows and misses the mark with white balance.
When shooting in low light, detail drops and noise appears, but for a smartphone, the HTC U11's camera can take excellent night shots.
The front camera is 16-megapixel with f/2.0 aperture. It also provides good detail, so selfie lovers will be pleased.
Audio
The description of the HTC U11 is replete with different marketing names that are used for the sound technologies in the device. Thus, HTC is trying to emphasize another positioning of the smartphone as a multimedia device.
You should start with two external BoomSound speakers, one of which is located on the bottom edge of the case, and the second is combined with the earpiece. They sound really loud; in this regard, HTC U11 is still unrivaled among flagships. In the settings you can change the BoomSound modes, there are only two of them: “Music” and “Theater”.
In the latter, the device tries to make the sound a little more spacious, but due to the small size of the speakers it turns out poorly. So a smartphone will not replace a portable music speaker yet, but watching movies or videos from YouTube from it, outputting sound to the built-in speakers, is quite comfortable.
The HTC U11 does not have a 3.5 mm headphone jack, it is replaced by a USB Type-C port. For him, HTC released HTC USonic headphones, which come bundled with the smartphone and work with the technology of the same name, which adjusts the sound to the user’s hearing characteristics.
Unfortunately, the device we tested did not come with a delivery kit, so there were no branded headphones or an adapter. And then one interesting feature of the HTC U11 became clear: the device refused to recognize the USB Type-C to 3.5 mm adapter from Xiaomi Mi6 and Moto Z.
Apparently, it only works with the included adapter. As a result, it was not possible to check the sound quality through wired headphones. And wireless headphones connect to HTC U11 via Bluetooth 4.2 with support for the A2DP profile and the aptx codec, so there are no problems with playback and sound quality, the main thing is to choose good headphones.
Autonomy
The built-in battery in HTC U11 has a capacity of 3000 mAh, which is enough for one day of smartphone operation in medium load mode. The latter includes up to 30 minutes of calls per day, active use of mail and instant messengers, background updating of social networks, about an hour of music, reading books and watching videos. In the PCMark battery life test, the smartphone lasted 6 hours 37 minutes under high load with a display brightness of 200 cd/m2, which is a good result.
HTC U11 supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology; from 0% charge to 50% the smartphone is charged in 30 minutes, and a full charge takes 1 hour 50 minutes.
Site evaluation
Pros: good build, protection from water and dust, display, performance, user-friendly interface, camera, stereo speakers, fingerprint scanner, battery life, fast charging
Minuses: The back of the case is dirty, third-party adapters from USB Type-C to 3.5 mm headphone jack do not work
Conclusion: The HTC U11 is a flagship smartphone with a good 5.5-inch display, fast performance, loud external speakers and a camera that can take great pictures. This model marks the first time HTC has used the responsive side edges of HTC Edge Sense, which can be configured to launch apps or specific actions. Without this option, the smartphone would not be worse, and it can hardly be called its big advantage, but at least it’s convenient to quickly launch the camera through HTC Edge Sense. With all this, the HTC U11 does not stand out with its interesting design compared to other flagships and will definitely not compete with them due to its lower price. In addition, the smartphone does not have a 3.5 mm jack for wired headphones, and to connect them you need a USB Type-C adapter from HTC; others simply do not work. However, it is worth noting that the HTC U11 is one of the company's best smartphones in the last few years, and it will definitely please its fans, as well as those who decide to give HTC another chance
12 MP (HTC UltraPixel 3 with 1.4 micron pixel size, ultra-fast autofocus, BSI sensor, optical stabilization system (OIS), self-timer up to 10 seconds, face detection, Pro mode with manual control of settings, support for a long 32-second shutter speed and the ability to record in RAW format, accelerated mode HDR Boost, Panorama, Hyperlapse video, Slow motion video shooting, 4K video recording with 3D Audio / Hi-Res Audio surround sound and Acoustic Focus, simultaneous video and photo shooting Video Pic) , 16 MP (BSI sensor, real-time quick makeup, auto selfie, voice command selfie, selfie timer up to 10 seconds, HDR Boost, selfie panorama) Fingerprint sensor. Sound: HTC USonic sound enhancement system with active noise reduction, HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition loud sound system, 3D Audio surround sound recording using 4 built-in microphones, Hi-Res Audio sound recording, Hi-Res Audio certified sound support. Always ready for voice command. Motion Launch gesture control system. Sensor Hub for tracking physical activity. HTC Connect for wireless audio and video streaming from your smartphone. The function of reducing the ringer volume when you pick up the smartphone. The function of increasing the ringer volume when the smartphone is in a bag or pocket. The function of turning off the ringer when turning the smartphone screen down. Proximity sensor. Motion sensor (G-sensor). Electronic compass. Gyroscope. Magnetic sensor. Edge Sensor housing compression sensor. Capacitive control keys. DisplayPort image output. HTC Sense Companion is a built-in assistant with artificial intelligence for tips and help in business.The editors would like to thank the ALLO online store for providing the HTC U11 smartphone for review.
I haven't tested HTC smartphones in a million years (3 years). For me and not only for me, these devices have long left the market and, if they are present somewhere, it is only due to inertia. And then HTC U11 comes out. Maximum hardware, top camera, original design and costs a damn $650. Why not buy HTC U11 and do review? Bought it, made it.
Where did you come from?
U10 was introduced last year, it had a very good camera, but some kind of unclear design, positioning and generally beee.
The previous flagship perfectly reflected the general state of affairs at HTC. The company has long had one foot in the grave (this does not concern the Vive project), no one needs their smartphones, because they do not offer anything interesting, and are either expensive or very expensive. Well, objectively. The situation in some places is even worse than that of Sony. The death throes of both manufacturers have been going on for many years.
And then, on June 16, HTC presented its flagship 2017 - U11. The smartphone has several noteworthy features:
- uncompromising performance
- aggressive and catchy design
- top camera on the market (according to DxOMark)
- reasonable price tag of $650 (in Russia 44,990 rubles)
Of course, this upstart is worthy of a full review and comparison with its competitors, which is what we will do now.
How devices are packaged in Taiwan
The packaging, which had a rather original appearance, revealed a very rich set of components.
Let's see...
- charger with support for QC 3.0 (5 - 12 Volts and 1.25 - 2.5 Amps)
- USB C cable
- headset with the same plug HTC USonic Adaptive Earphones
- USB C to 3.5 mm adapter
- plastic case of average lousy quality (will do for the first time)
- a cloth for wiping your smartphone (wow! it’s so glossy)
- SIM card ejector
So how? The only thing missing is some film on the screen. But wait! HTC is a world-famous brand, and not some Chinese production of Uncle Lao. I mean, do you need glass for the screen? Buy it for yourself!
Without case
Design
I think he's wonderful!
On the one hand, it doesn’t have any features like curved screens or any non-standard aspect ratio. Just a single block with a screen in front and a slightly protruding camera in the back.
On the other hand, the device is as glossy as possible. Thought Jet Black looked flashy? So the U11 body reflects and refracts light even more.
At the same time, its color is deep, rich and very beautiful.
I didn't take any chances with blue or red cases, but bought the option called Brillian Black. In fact, the only thing that is black here is the front panel.
But I would call the color of the back dark emerald. With a slight pearlescent tint. Overall, this whole thing looks amazing.
The back covering, by the way, is not metal, polished to a shine, but tempered glass specially created with the help of an army of underground gnomes with multi-layer mineralization of something like that.
In general, we are interested in something else. What about fingerprints and scratches?
Fingerprints, of course, accumulate, but they are almost invisible. Both front and back we have a very cool oleophobic coating. This makes the device incredibly slippery.
Our standard “ears” have a USB Type-C plug. They also support the HTC USonic profile, which seems to improve the sound and adjust the sound to your specific characteristics (scans the ear canal and all that). As a result, I liked the sound with HTC USonic more than without it.
In addition, the HTC USonic Adaptive Earphones headset is equipped with active noise reduction. Frankly, I didn't catch it. External noise is heard in the same way as through alternative “ears” without noise reduction.
In general, the headset included in the kit is of high quality, and thank you for that!
Software
The smartphone runs on Android 7.1.1. Slapped on top is HTC's own Sense shell, of which almost nothing remains of the elegance, beauty and functionality of the old days.
Standard wallpapers (animated balls) are simply terribly primitive, and the clock widget from the days of Windows Mobile 6.5 is absolutely wild!
Yes, all this, of course, can be easily changed (a million alternative themes are supported), but it still says something about the software developers.
However, the main thing is that there are no glitches and the system works stably. And here there are no questions for U11.
Many manufacturers do not have time to perfect their devices by the time of release, but here the smartphone has just been presented, and already works as if it had passed the entire Greek alphabet of tests.
Of weirdness.
There is no file manager on the smartphone, not even a bad one. Some cut-off crutches start if you connect a flash drive via an OTG adapter. This is where the matter ends.
There are no “industry” applications (for photos and music) - everything is replaced by analogues from Google, which just wants to sign you up for something and send all your data to the cloud.
Battery life
It is very alarming that all this wild hardware (QS 835 + Quad HD screen) powers a battery with a capacity of only 3,000 mAh. It would seem that the smartphone should be discharged to zero by 5 pm, but in reality everything is completely different.
HTC U11 easily lasts one full day under normal load.
At the same time, you use everything you need, do not turn off the wireless modules, and the screen glows for 4-5 hours.
This is what high-quality software optimization means. By the way, many developers try to unload applications so that they do not eat up battery power, thereby we get a silent one when not a single notification arrives. There are no such problems here - all applications send notifications on time and without delay.
Fast charging Quick Charge 3.0 (although the processor also supports 4.0) is present. The device charges from zero to 100% in a little over an hour and a half.
Bottom line
The price of the smartphone in Russia is 44,990 rubles for the version with 4 + 64 GB memory and 49,990 rubles for the older version (6 + 128 GB). And this despite the fact that in the USA they are asking $650 for a smartphone in the minimum configuration (about 39 thousand rubles). As you can see, the pricing policy is quite adequate, which cannot be said about competitors (hello, Sony!).
I really liked U11. This is a chic alternative to kingship. Especially considering that the camera in the U11 gives more opportunities, and our hero costs 10 thousand less. In addition, you get the same fast processor, perfectly optimized software, and high-quality headphones right in the box.
Of course, there were some controversial issues. Not everyone will like the flashy appearance; the smartphone is very slippery (this is now the norm) and it is too big for a 5.5-inch device. However, all these are mostly taste nuances; I cannot attribute them to minuses.
For my taste, HTC U11 is the most successful flagship of this year so far. Yes, I haven’t tested Nubia Z17 (on the road) yet, but in terms of photo quality they are unlikely to be worthy competition for our hero. Somewhere nearby, maybe, but they certainly won’t push him off the leader’s pedestal.
HTC's U11 is a smartphone that has been unfairly neglected amid the hype surrounding the latest flagships from Samsung and Apple. It really was a cool and fun gadget to use, with a slightly inflated price tag.
And recently, the Taiwanese released an improved modification of the U11+ with an updated design, the latest version of Android, a more capacious battery and many interesting software features. We tested this device and prepared a detailed review of the HTC U11 Plus, which will tell you why it is one of the best flagships at the beginning of 2018.
Price and characteristics
U11 Plus has not yet gone on sale in Russia. The recommended price of a smartphone in Europe is 800 euros, so it’s pointless to expect a price tag below 60, or at best 55 thousand rubles. This is a considerable amount, which is still less than what is asked for the Pixel 2, LG V30 or Galaxy Note 8.
HTC U11 Plus Specifications:
- Display: 6’’ Quad HD+ Super LCD6, Gorilla Glass 5, 72% of the front panel area
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (4*2.45 + 4*1.9 Kryo), Adreno 540 graphics;
- Memory: 4/64 GB or 6/128 GB;
- Cameras: main - 12 MP HTC UltraPixel 3 (4 microns, f/1.7, optical stabilization); front - 8 MP (f/2.0);
- Sound: stereo speakers, 192/24 kHz Hi-Res Audio;
- Battery: 3930 mAh, fast charging;
- Operating system: Android 8.0 Oreo.
The dimensions of the device are 158.5*74.9*8.5 mm, weight – 188 grams. The case is certified to the IP68 waterproof standard (withstands complete immersion in water to a depth of over 1 meter).
Design and ergonomics
With the release of U11+, HTC joined the already quite extensive 18:9 club. Smartphones with full-screen displays are now more relevant than ever, and therefore repeating the mistake made in the regular U11, where thick frames and an outdated display format spoiled all the fun of using the device, was like death for HTC.
HTC U11+ cannot be called completely frameless; it still has a solid chin and a frame above the screen, but the side edges of the body have noticeably become thinner. 
The main design highlight of the U11 Plus is the back panel of the smartphone. It is made of glass, the surface of which shimmers, and overall looks extremely impressive in daylight. There are 5 color variations of the flagship on sale – red, white, black, blue and light blue.
The glass back panel with beveled corners also causes a serious drawback in the ergonomics of the U11 Plus - it is an extremely slippery phone, which is almost impossible to use comfortably without a case. In the absence of a protective case, scratches on the body of the device cannot be avoided. 
HTC U11+ lost the multifunctional Home key, there was simply no room left for it on the thin frame under the display. The fingerprint scanner has moved to the rear panel, which many will consider a plus, and the on-screen keys are now integrated into the operating system interface.
Note the considerable weight of the smartphone – 188 grams, which is determined by the use of a more capacious battery. In the hand, the U11+ feels like a solid device, and the moderate compromise with the slenderness of the device in favor of increasing its autonomy seems completely justified to us.
Screen
The 18:9 diagonal of the HTC U11+ display is 6 inches, the resolution is 2880*1440 pixels. It uses a proprietary SuperLCD matrix, which in fact is the familiar IPS, tuned to the DCI-P3 color space, which makes color reproduction richer than that of standard screens of this type.
Internal settings allow you to adjust the white balance, enable a blue light filter, or select the sRGB mode for more accurate color reproduction. But even out of the box, the U11 Plus has no problems with the picture - it is clear, contrasty and rich, and HDR 10 support provides excellent color depth when watching videos.
But there is a fly in the ointment - the maximum brightness level is disappointing, only 300 nits, which is why using the smartphone under the bright sun may not always be comfortable. We also note a slight inversion of colors when looking at the display at an angle.
Performance
HTC U11+ is powered by the well-proven Snapdragon 835 processor. The smartphone is available in two versions – with 64/4 and 128/6 GB of memory; it is possible to expand the internal storage with MicroSD memory cards. The smartphone copes with any, even the most resource-intensive tasks with a bang, the interface flies, and heavy toys work without problems at maximum graphics settings.
In all synthetic tests, the gadget shows results similar to other Android smartphones on the 835 Dragon. In AnTuTu Benchmark, U11+ scored 180,195 points, which is 300 points more than One Plus 5T, and secured first place among its peers.
Under peak load, the U11 Plus case gets slightly warmer, but the phone cannot be called hot. Overall, in terms of performance, this is a first-class flagship.
Software features
HTC U11 Plus runs on Android Oreo with the company's Sense UI launcher. There is support for Smart Dislpay (analogous to Samsung's Always One), which, in order to save energy, can be configured to turn on only at those moments when the smartphone's sensors detect its movement.
The fingerprint scanner is very fast and accurate. We didn’t find any problems with recognizing all five fingers (it’s simply not possible to add more) during the entire testing of the smartphone. 
Now in more detail about Edge Sense. There are built-in pressure sensors on the sides of the smartphone that determine the degree of compression of the case in the appropriate places. When you first start using your smartphone, it will prompt you to set up functions that will be activated when you squeeze the edge with the appropriate force and duration. This can be as simple as turning on the camera or activating a voice assistant, or more complex action algorithms - for example, it is possible to control the interface within applications, and this can be configured separately for each program. 
Also, by compressing the body, interaction with the Edge Launcher is implemented. This is a drop-down tab for quickly launching applications, enabling wireless interfaces, and interacting with other frequently used smartphone functions. 
Edge Sense is an extremely interesting and useful feature that you get used to literally from the first minutes of using your smartphone. And we really think that this is a significant advantage of the U11 Plus over other flagships.
Camera
HTC U11+ is equipped with a single 12 MP main camera with f/1.7 aperture (1.4 pixel size), optical stabilization, dual-tone flash and UltraSpeed autofocus system. The interface of the standard camera application has both a simple and intuitive regular shooting mode, and a Pro mode with manual settings and the ability to shoot in RAW format.
Photos taken with the U11 Plus look great. They are practically standard in terms of color rendition, dynamic range and detail; the smartphone also focuses very quickly.
Like Google Pixels, U11+ has an intelligent mode - HDR Boost. In daylight, it does more harm than good, since when HDR is turned on, the clarity and sharpness of the resulting images noticeably drops. 
But when shooting at night, HDR Boost is indispensable; it noticeably reduces the amount of noise and, on the contrary, improves detail, which can be seen in the comparison below: 
The selfie camera has a resolution of 8 MP, f/2.0 aperture and fixed focus. The images turn out good in all respects; in poor lighting conditions, the already familiar HDR Boost helps out.
HTC U11 Plus can record 4K video at 30 fps and 1080p/60fps. In terms of 4K shooting, this is one of the best flagships on the market - colors, detail, smooth operation of the stub and autofocus speed are at a very good level, as well as the sound, which is recorded using four microphones (you can choose the AAC or FLAC codec).
Speaker and sound quality
HTC traditionally pays a lot of attention to sound quality in their top-end smartphones, and the U11+ is no exception. The gadget is equipped with front-facing stereo speakers, which in terms of maximum volume are now the best on the market - the Taiwanese flagship screams at as much as 90.5 dB.
When playing music through the speaker, you can select two sound modes - Boom and Theater. The latter is ideal for watching videos, Boom is designed for music. In any of the modes, the sound quality is impressive; in terms of the sophistication of all frequencies, the U11 Plus can compete with an average portable speaker. 
The smartphone lacks a 3.5 mm headphone jack, the functions of which are performed by the USB-C port. The adapter comes with the smartphone, which also includes USonic branded headphones. In addition to the fact that these in-ear headphones support the active noise reduction function, they sound an order of magnitude better than the bundled AKG of the eighth galaxy, so 90% of HTC buyers will not have to think about replacing the headset.
Autonomy
One of the main trump cards of the U11 Plus promised by the manufacturer is autonomy. The smartphone is equipped with a 3930 mAh battery with support for Qualcomm Quickcharge 3.0 fast charging. The phone is enough for a full day of daylight even with intensive use, but given the appropriate potential, this is still not a two-day phone.
The same Mate 10 Pro from Huawei with a battery of similar sizes under a similar operating scenario lasts longer. The reason for this may be crude energy saving algorithms or the 2K screen resolution in the Taiwanese flagship, but the fact remains: you can squeeze two days of battery life out of the HTC U11 Plus only if you actively save battery power. 
When testing autonomy, the U11+ gave 6 hours of active screen in mixed operating mode, 9 hours when playing video and 5.5 hours when playing games at medium screen brightness.
Conclusion
The HTC U11 Plus is a great smartphone in many ways: it has an excellent camera for both photos and video, an impressive appearance, high-quality speakers, top-end performance and many interesting “flagship features” - from IP 68 water resistance to a compressible Edge Sense frame.
But the Taiwanese have fallen a little short of achieving the title of ideal flagship. The display, excellent in terms of color rendering, has a relatively low maximum brightness, and the almost 4000 mAh battery provides less autonomy than it could.
These are serious criticisms of a flagship that claims to be the “best”, and therefore we cannot definitely recommend the U11 Plus for purchase. However, this really cool smartphone will undoubtedly find its buyer.
Despite all the financial difficulties and a rather modest range of models, HTC still has a dedicated and loyal audience. Fellow journalists tirelessly write obituaries, analysts publish frightening forecasts, but despite all this, life is still in full swing at HTC headquarters, the company's factories continue to work, and management does not relax or fall into depression. In general, the company understands that they literally expect a miracle from it - and this miracle should be the HTC U11.
Two months ago I shared the first one, then I still didn’t know when it would go on sale in Russia and how much it would cost. Expectations, admittedly, were not the most rosy - all the company’s previous devices, including the recent one, turned out to be, to put it mildly, more expensive than they should have been. But now U11 has appeared in Russian retail for 45,000 rubles - cheaper than Samsung and Sony. And this time everything is fair: no Lifestyle version with “cut down” characteristics, no “special” games for Russia - we have exactly the same U11 that we expected to see.
The technical specifications are the same as other 2017 flagships, the design is fresh and cute, and the main camera claims to be the best this season. And of course, HTC simply could not do without some exotic feature, in this case it is a new control element - Edge Sense. In general, recently many manufacturers have offered an additional way to interact with the device. So far, Apple has done this best with its 3D Touch feature. But if the iPhone has all this implemented on the screen, then HTC was more original - in the U11, pressure sensors are located on the side faces. Well, let's find out how convenient it turned out to be in everyday life.
⇡ Technical specifications
| HTC U11 | Apple iPhone 7 Plus | Huawei P10 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 5.5 inches, IPS, 1440 × 2560 pixels, 534 ppi, capacitive multi-touch |
6.2 inches, Super AMOLED, 1440 × 2860 pixels, 529 ppi, capacitive multi-touch |
5.7 inches, IPS, 1440 × 2560 pixels, 515 ppi, capacitive multi-touch |
5.5 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 401 ppi, capacitive multi-touch |
5.1 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 432 ppi, capacitive multi-touch |
| Protective glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | No data | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835: eight cores (4 × 2.4 GHz Kryo + 4 × 1.9 GHz Kryo) | Samsung Exynos 8895: eight cores (4 × 2.5 GHz M1 + 4 × 1.69 GHz Cortex-A53) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 820: quad core (2 × 2.15 GHz Kryo + 2 × 1.6 GHz Kryo) | Apple A10 Fusion: four cores, 2.23 GHz | HiSilicon Kirin 960: eight cores (4 × 2.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A73 + 4 × 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A53) |
| Graphics controller | Adreno 540 | ARM Mali-G71 MP20, 850 MHz | Adreno 530, 624 MHz | No data | ARM Mali-G71 MP8, 900 MHz |
| RAM | 4/6 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 3 GB | 4 GB |
| Flash memory | 64/128 GB | 64 GB | 32/64 GB | 32/128/256 GB | 32/64 GB |
| Connectors | 1 × USB Type-C | 1 × USB Type-C | 1 × USB-C | 1× Lightning | 1 × USB Type-C |
| 1 × nano-SIM; | 1 × 3.5mm headset jack; | 1 x nanoSIM | 1 × 3.5mm headset jack; | ||
| 1 × nano-SIM/microSD | 1 × nano-SIM; | 2 × nano-SIM | 1 × nano-SIM; | ||
| 1 × microSD | 1 × microSD | 1 × microSD | |||
| Cellular connection 2G | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | |
| Cellular 3G | DC-HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | DC-HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (84 Mbps) 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz | DC-HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | |
| Cellular 4G | LTE Cat. 16 (up to 1024 Mbit/s, 150 Mbit/s), bands 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 16 (up to 1024 Mbit/s, 150 Mbit/s), bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 17, 20, 28 | LTE Cat. 12 (up to 600 Mbit/s), bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 10 (450 Mbit/s), bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbit/s, 50 Mbit/s), bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41 |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4/5 GHz, 2 × 2 MIMO (866 Mbps) | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| NFC | Eat | Eat | Eat | Yes (Apple Pay) | Eat |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS |
| Sensors | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | |
| Fingerprint's scanner | Yes, in front | Yes, in the back | Yes, in the back | Yes, in front | Yes, in front |
| Main camera | 12 MP, ƒ/1.7, phase detection autofocus, optical stabilization, LED flash, 4K video recording | 12 MP, ƒ /1.7, phase detection autofocus, optical stabilization, LED flash, 4K video recording | Dual module, 16 MP ƒ /1.8 + 8 MP, ƒ /2.2, hybrid autofocus, optical stabilization, dual LED flash | 12 MP, ƒ /1.8, autofocus, quad-LED flash, optical stabilizer | Dual: 12 MP, ƒ /2.2, laser autofocus, LED flash, 4K video recording; black and white camera - 20 MP |
| Front-camera | 16 MP, phase and contrast autofocus, dual LED flash | 5 MP, fixed autofocus | 7 MP, no flash | 8 MP, contrast autofocus, no flash | |
| Nutrition | Non-removable battery: 11.4 Wh (3000 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 13.3 Wh (3500 mAh, 3.8 V) | Removable battery 12.16 Wh (3200 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 11.1 Wh (2900 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 12.6 Wh (3200 mAh, 3.8 V) |
| Size | 153.9 × 75.9 × 7.9 mm | 159.5 × 73.4 × 8.1 mm | 159.7 × 78.1 × 7.6 mm | 158.2 × 77.9 × 7.3 mm | 145.3 × 69.3 × 7 mm |
| Weight | 169 g | 173 g | 174 g | 158 g | 145 g |
| Water and dust protection | IP67 | IP68 | No | Yes, IP67 standard | No |
| operating system | Android 7.1 Nougat | Android 7.0 Nougat, Grace UX shell | Android 7.0 Nougat, LG UX 5.0+ shell | iOS 10 | Android 7.0 Nougat, EMUI 5.1 shell |
| Current price | 44,990 rubles | 59,990 rubles | 39,000 rubles | from 62,990 rubles | 35,990 rubles |
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⇡ Design, ergonomics and software
HTC U11 is unlike any of the company's previous smartphones. Cases machined from solid pieces of aluminum without any painting are becoming a thing of the past. Large glass panels, smooth shapes and colors that cannot be described in one word are in fashion. Samsung, Sony, LG, Huawei - everyone, in one way or another, tried to work with glass, its shape and processing. So HTC's decision is taken for granted. Perhaps, there was one device from the Taiwanese that showed similar features - the HTC U Ultra, released a little earlier, tested the production and assembly technologies used in the U11.
U Ultra could hardly be called a beautiful smartphone, U11 looks much more interesting and harmonious - for this it was only necessary to slightly reduce the body and “play” with the shape of its individual elements. The body itself is still made of aluminum, but the metal is visible only on the ends and side edges, while the front and back panels are completely covered with curved glass.
This is not the best choice in terms of practicality - the glass quickly becomes covered with fingerprints, but in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S8 this does not bother anyone, so it shouldn’t be here either. The problem is easily solved by a thin transparent case, which is initially included in the U11 package - the appearance of the smartphone does not suffer in any way. Yes, the glass is tempered on both sides - Gorilla Glass 5, it is not at all afraid of small scratches.
HTC U11 comes in five colors: red, blue-gray, blue, black and white. However, such a description will not give a complete picture of the true color of the device. For example, white has a slightly pearlescent tint, and depending on the color temperature of the lighting, it can have a pinkish or bluish tint. Red, under certain conditions, can become yellow or orange, but the dark blue smartphone, which we got for testing, changes color in the range from ash-gray to dark turquoise. It looks very cool, although, obviously, not everyone will appreciate such a bold approach.
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The fingerprint scanner is located under the screen, in the Home key. It is quite compact - about the same shape and size as the Sony Xperia /. There is no physical pressing - the panel responds to a short touch. To the left and right of it there are two more touch keys: the left one sends back, the right one displays a list of running applications. The buttons are beautifully illuminated and give clear vibration feedback.
On the top edge there is only a slot for SIM cards and microSD. And on the bottom there is a microphone and a USB Type-C connector. The HTC U11 does not have a mini-jack and this is perhaps the most controversial point. On the other hand, the basic kit includes an adapter made in the same style as the iPhone, and the included headphones are initially equipped with USB Type-C and sound unexpectedly great. I will tell you more about this below.
The lower parts of the side edges are sensitive to pressure, or rather to squeezing the smartphone from both sides. This is the same Edge Sense that is touted as the main feature of the HTC U11. Before starting use, you can adjust the compression strength, and I would immediately recommend setting it to maximum to eliminate false positives. And the essence is extremely simple - by default, compression turns on the camera application, and then allows you to take a photo without changing the position of your hand. If desired, you can assign another function for this, but only one. I assumed that it would be possible to select different functions for different compression strengths, but this would only complicate a rather simple thing. I won’t say that Edge Sense radically changes the feel of the device, but it’s convenient to shoot in this way, perhaps even more convenient than with a dedicated button, like Sony smartphones.
