HTC may have launched the U Ultra recently, but that phone was more of an experimental device than one that’s truly designed as a flagship level device. The HTC U11 is the true 2017 flagship from HTC, and there’s a number of reasons why it’s getting that differentiation. First off it follows the numbering line of flagships from the company, from the One M7 way back in 2013, and now using the new U moniker to denote the massive change in design language. While HTC has been known for the metal unibody phones it pioneered by many years ago, the U11 and U Ultra mark a big change to all glass backs, and the U11 is using this new change in a positive way by debuting as the company’s first flagship phone with IP67 water and dust resistance.
The latest in mobile processing technology, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, also makes its debut on an HTC phone, and puts the U11 on par with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium in terms of overall performance. UFS 2.1 grade storage keeps things blazing fast even while loading massive amounts of data, and 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM will ensure applications not only start up quickly, but stay in memory for quick access later. HTC doesn’t include a 3.5mm audio jack on the U11, much to the chagrin of consumers, but thankfully does include a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter in the box for backwards compatibility. They also are including some amazing USonic headphones in the box, headphones that’ll likely make you say wow when listening.
You’ll also find an interesting new feature that we’ve never before seen on a smartphone too: squeezable sides. HTC has equipped the U11 with pressure sensitive sensors on the left and right sides, allowing users to squeeze the phone to launch apps and perform actions. On top of this HTC is debuting the new Ultrapixel 3 camera sensor with the U11, a next-generation sensor from the company that helped pioneer larger pixel sizes in modern smartphones back with the One M7. While HTC has made a few stumbles with its camera decisions over the years, HTC is clearly back at the top of its game with the U11, which features the best camera we’ve ever seen from a smartphone. All this for $649/£649/€749, which is cheaper than some other flagships on the market as well. Check out the review below for all the low down, and don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube!