HTC’s U11 Plus is a Contender for the Best Phone of the Year

HTC U11 is among one of the best smartphones ever made. Even though it ticked every box, its price was its only flaw which kept it from becoming a commercial success.

Following up on the U11, HTC has revealed the U11 Plus, which is an improved version of the original.

Display and Battery

With an aspect ratio of 18:9, the U11 Plus has a 6-inch QHD+ display. It is a Super LCD 5 panel using a DCI-P3 color space. HDR10 is supported along with HDR video support (needs a software update for full HDR).

The screen fits in almost the same sized body as the U11 but it’s bigger with smaller bezels, almost 10% bigger than the U11.

Along with the bigger display, the battery is one of the noticeable and major improvements from the HTC U11.

The U11 Plus is packed with a 3,930 mAh battery while the U11 had a 3,000 mAh battery. The U11 Plus supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3 but no wireless charging.

Build, Software, and Hardware

HTC U11 had IP67 certification which means dust and water resistance up to 1 meter and 30 minutes. The U11 Plus went a step ahead and is IP68-certified and ensures higher level of water-proofing.

The U11 Plus will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

Moving on to the hardware, U11 Plus packs almost the same internal specifications as the U11. It runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and the same camera as before. 4 GB RAM with 64 GB storage or 6GB RAM with 128 GB storage will be the two options available (6 GB/128 GB model available in UK only).

U11 Plus is also equipped with the newest wireless audio features – Bluetooth 5, Sony’s LDAC, and Qualcomm’s AptX HD are present. HTC claims that the U11 Plus’ speakers are 30% louder than the speakers on U11. The fingerprint sensor is now at the back of the phone.

Price and Availability

The HTC U11 Plus is a flagship with premium features and build. We can expect a very high price – as high as 800 EUR (~98,000 PKR).

It will ship in three colors, Translucent Black, Ceramic Black, and Amazing Silver.

HTC U11 Plus Specifications

• CPU: Octa-core (4×2.45 GHz Kryo & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo)
• Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835
• GPU: Adreno 540
• OS: Android 8.0 Oreo
• Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE
• Design:
  • Dimensions: 158.5 x 74.9 x 8.5 mm (6.24 x 2.95 x 0.33 in)
  • Weight: 188 g (6.63 oz)
  • IP68 certified waterproofing.
• Display: 6-inch Super LCD6 with 1440p (1440 x 2880) resolution, 16M colors (~538 ppi)
• Memory:
  • RAM: 4 GB/6 GB
  • Internal: 64 GB/128 GB
  • Card slot: yes, by up to 256 GB (uses SIM 2 slot) – dual SIM model only
• Camera:
  • Primary: 12 MP, f/1.7, phase detection autofocus, OIS, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
  • Secondary: 8 MP, f/2.0, 1080p, HDR, panorama
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
• Battery: Non-removable Li-Ion 3930mAh
• Price: 800 EUR (~98,000 Rs)