Viktor Zaikovsky called it the best that the company has produced in the last 2-3 years, praised the new design, moisture and dust protection, performance and camera, but at the same time, he was neutral about the Edge Sense compression sensitivity technology, and the lack of mini- jack, modest battery life and a combined SIM / microSD slot. What has the manufacturer changed in his new solution?

First of all, we are talking about a new 6-inch Super LCD 6 screen with 3D Gorilla Glass 5 protective glass and an aspect ratio of 18: 9 (2880 x 1440 pixels) coming into fashion. HTC notes that the screen has been calibrated for the DCI-P3 color space, which promises rich, natural colors. In the near future, with a software update, support for HDR10 technologies will also appear. The fingerprint scanner, like in the Google Pixel 2, has been moved to the back in order to use the screen as much as possible of the frontal plane.

The smartphone is left with the excellent high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 platform, complemented by 6GB of RAM and 128GB of high-speed flash storage as standard (in some markets, there will be a simpler version with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of flash memory). Support for microSD cards is still available.

The smartphone retains its quirky Liquid Surface finish from an aluminum base wrapped in glass. This time HTC offers two finishes: Ceramic Black and Translucent Black. Unfortunately, the latest performance is likely to be a limited edition. It should be noted that the device not only retained its protection against water and dust, but its level became slightly higher: IP68 instead of IP67 for the U11. But the weight of the device has significantly increased: 188 grams (158.5 × 74.9 × 8.5 mm) versus 169 grams for its predecessor.

One of the big advantages of the new device (obviously, the company drew attention to the criticism of the original U11) is a very impressive 3930 mAh battery (versus 3000 mAh for the U11) - there will probably be enough charge so as not to think about it all day. There is support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3 fast charging technology, which is important for such a battery.

The U11 Plus retains the excellent, albeit single, 12-megapixel main camera of the U11, but the front camera is 8-megapixel instead of 16-megapixel - however, the manufacturer promises that the new front camera module will allow you to take better self-portraits. As HTC promises, the volume of the built-in BoomSound HiFi speakers has become 30% higher, while the smartphone supports the latest technologies in wireless sound, including Bluetooth 5, Qualcomm AptX HD and Sony LDAC. The 3.5mm audio jack was not returned, but the included USonic headphones are not bad, adjust to the user's ears and support active noise cancellation.

The device is running the latest significant version of Android Oreo with the HTC Sense interface with a number of additions such as a one-handed mode, an updated Edge Launcher home screen, and so on. Supports personal assistants Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, which can be invoked using Edge Sense technology. One can be launched by lightly squeezing the edges, and the second by tightening it. HTC believes that the presence of two voice assistants provides a certain amount of flexibility: at home, someone may prefer Alexa, and on the road - Google.

In general, Edge Sense has been updated, and it can be much more useful: for example, in Google Maps, you can enlarge the map by compression, and in YouTube, you can immediately go to the feed of subscriptions. Another possibility is to bring up a new radial menu for compression applications. All this can turn out to be both useful innovations and add-ons that are hardly applicable in reality.

The start of accepting pre-orders for the HTC U11 Plus will take place on November 20. So far, it is reported that in the UK the device will cost 700 pounds, and in other EU markets - 800 euros. That's a high price tag, but still lower than the Pixel 2 XL, LG V30, and iPhone X.

The trend for bezel-less design and elongated displays gained momentum so quickly that many manufacturers did not even have time to notice how their recent innovations became obsolete. Chinese companies were the first to catch on. Oppo and Nubia quickly updated theirs, packing the old stuffing into new cases. Now the time has come to undergo restyling and the flagship of the Taiwanese HTC.

HTC U11 Plus can hardly be considered a truly new smartphone model. The device is built on the same hardware platform as the one released in May, has the same memory capacity and the same main camera. At the same time, visually, the novelty is strikingly different from its predecessor. HTC U11 Plus got rid of the huge bezels around the screen that disfigured the U11, and although it's still a long way from a new smartphone in this regard, it looks nice and quite modern.

The screen itself, of course, has also undergone changes. Now, as expected, it has an aspect ratio of 18: 9 instead of the previous 16: 9. The display diagonal has grown from 5.5 to 6 inches, and the resolution has increased from 2560 x 1440 to 2880 x 1440 pixels, but thanks to the narrowed bezels, the dimensions of the case remain almost the same. The new screen, according to HTC, supports video playback with high dynamic range HDR10, but this feature has not yet been implemented in software. Buyers will have to wait until the end of the year for the corresponding update.

Of the notable changes in the design of the HTC U11 Plus case, the fingerprint scanner should be highlighted, which, due to the disappearance of the Home button, has moved to the rear panel. As before, the device is responsive to compression (Edge Sense) and is dust and water resistant, but has been upgraded from IP67 to IP68. This means that the device can be immersed in water to a depth of more than 1 meter for a long time without any consequences.

In terms of hardware, as already mentioned, HTC U11 Plus has hardly changed compared to its predecessor. It still comes with the top-end Snapdragon 835 chipset, which can be paired with 4 or 6 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of storage. The main camera, which has a resolution of 12 megapixels, has remained the same, but instead of a 16-megapixel front camera, the device is now equipped with an 8 megapixel photo module. Despite this, HTC assures that its new smartphone will surpass the U11 in image quality - probably due to software optimizations.

An unambiguously nice change is the increased capacity of the battery. If HTC U11 was equipped with a battery of only 3000 milliampere-hour, then the new product received a battery with a capacity of 3930 milliampere-hour - 31% more. The increased weight of the smartphone will have to pay for the increased autonomy - the HTC U11 Plus weighs 188 grams versus 169 grams for the U11.

Specifications HTC U11 Plus:

• 6 ″ Super LCD 6 display with a resolution of 2880 x 1440 pixels (pixel density 536 ppi), support for the extended color range DCI-P3 and protective glass Gorilla Glass 5
• Snapdragon 835 SoC (8 Kryo 280 processor cores up to 2450 MHz)
• graphics accelerator Adreno 540
• 4/6 GB RAM
• 64/128 GB flash memory + support for Micro SD up to 2 terabytes
• two Nano SIM slots (the second slot is shared with Micro SD)
• protection of the case against dust and moisture according to IP68 standard
• 8MP front camera with f / 2.0 aperture, 85 degree viewing angle and HDR support
• 12MP rear camera with OIS, f / 1.7 aperture and dual-LED flash
• 3930 mAh battery with support for fast charging Quick Charge 3.0
• Android 8.0 with HTC Sense shell
• communication: 3G, LTE (bands 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 29, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41), Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.0
• navigation: GPS / A-GPS, GLONASS
• Sensors: Distance Sensor, Accelerometer, Light Sensor, Fingerprint Scanner, Compass, Gyroscope, Hall Sensor, Edge Sense
• NFC support
• interface connectors: USB Type-C
• case dimensions: 158.5 x 74.9 x 8.5 mm
• weight 188 g
• smartphone colors: black, silver-blue

Sales of HTC U11 Plus in Europe will start on November 20, and the price of the device will be 799 euros for the version with 6 GB of RAM. The smartphone will be offered to buyers in three colors - silver-blue, glossy black and black with a transparent back cover. Out of the box, the device will run the latest Android 8.0 Oreo.

Specifications

• Android 8.0 with HTC Sense
• Display 6 inches, Quad HD + (2880 x 1440 pixels), 537 ppi, geometry 2: 1, Super LCD 6, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, automatic brightness control, color profile DCI-P3, screensaver in standby mode, analogue AlwaysOn Display;
• Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 64 bit, 8 cores, frequency up to 2.45 GHz;
• Li-Ion 3930 mAh battery, fast charging QC 3.0, declared talk time - up to 25 hours, standby time - up to 14 days;
• Memory: 4/64 GB or 6/128 GB, memory cards up to 2 TB;
• Cameras: main 12 MP HTC UltraPixel 3 with a pixel size of 1.4 microns, f / 1.7, optical stabilization; frontal at 8 MP, BSI, f / 2.0;
• LTE Cat 15 Bands 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32; VoLTE;
• Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth version 5.0 (support for the LDAC codec, aptX HD), USB Type-C 3, NFC;
• Sound: HTC USonic with active noise canceling, HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition loud sound system, 3D Audio surround sound recording with 4 built-in microphones, Hi-Res Audio stereo sound recording;
• Edge Sense compression sensor
• nanoSIM (combined slot - either two SIM cards, or one SIM card and memory card);
• Fingerprint sensor on the back;
• Sensors: G-sensor, proximity, electronic compass, gyroscope, magnetic sensor, Sensor Hub for tracking physical activity;
• GPS and GLONASS;
• IP68 water protection;
• Dimensions - 158.5 x 74.9 x 8.5 mm, weight - 188 grams.

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger (fast charging)
• USB Type C cable
• USB Type C to 3.5 mm adapter
• Wired stereo headset
• Instructions
• Plastic case
• A clip for removing the SIM card

Positioning

I don’t know where the reasoning came from that the most expensive smartphone in the lineup must necessarily be a flagship, this is not at all the case, and the example of HTC U11 and the variants created on its basis proves this. So, the U11 Plus model is a larger screen size (the display has grown from 5.5 inches to 6), a simplified front camera, but in general, exactly the same set of features and an increased battery capacity. A niche device is not for everyone, which has not even been widely marketed in Russia. If you want, then it can be called the U11 variant for connoisseurs, that is, those who understand devices and know for sure that they want a bigger screen.

The mass consumer today chooses from two preferential brands - Apple and Samsung, then they remember Huawei (as an option, Honor) and Xiaomi, but neither HTC nor Sony has the preferential choice, these companies are not heard. The history of Motorola is repeating itself, the company produced excellent smartphones at reasonable prices, but the mass consumer ignored them, as they initially chose among other brands. And, as I see it, completely in vain. Exactly the same with HTC, these are devices at the level of other companies, with an adequate price for a set of characteristics, but buyers bypass them. And, again, in vain.

HTC U11 and, as a result, U11 Plus (and you can also recall U11 EYEs, this is a simplified U11 Plus and cheaper, moreover, but about it in the conclusions) - these are devices for those who are not afraid to choose the wrong brands. hearing and enjoying the recognition of the crowd, for those who are able to reasonably approach the issue and clearly understand what exactly they are looking for in the smartphone. Such people are a minority in the world, which is quite understandable. Let's discuss what is great about the U11 Plus and what might not be that high.

Design, dimensions, controls

Most modern smartphones are created according to one template, and it is difficult to surprise us with their appearance, they are of the same type. HTC decided to play with the appearance due to the color scheme, the glass back and the metal frame of the smartphone can be painted in different colors, for example, ceramic black (there is no ceramic here) or blue (amazing silver - in fact it is a metallic blue), in Asia also model with a pattern on the back is available.

A little tired of black smartphones and therefore chose blue metallic, I wanted a bright device. The first thing that surprised me is that it is very similar to Huawei Mate 10 Pro in terms of dimensions and perception in the hand, they look the same type. And from the point of view of possibilities, I would put them side by side.

The rear glass surface is instantly covered with handprints, and they are visible both outdoors and indoors. This annoys me, so I used the bumper cover from the kit so as not to see handprints. Surprisingly, it was not possible to neatly put on the cover the first time, all the time there were fingerprints, which I initially wanted to get rid of. In the bumper, the phone becomes massive, which can and should be written as a disadvantage, not everyone will like it. Many people call such 6-inch models shovels, and compared to the same Galaxy S8 + or Note 8, it is not so thin, bulky.

Compared to Galaxy Note 8

With dimensions of 158.5 x 74.9 x 8.5 mm, the device weighs 188 grams. You can work with one hand, but only if you have a large hand, such a device will not work for a woman, it will look big. As you already understood, the backrest is made of glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 5), in theory it can be broken when dropped, in practice it is difficult to do, as well as in other flagships with such glass. Small scratches will appear quickly if you do not use the case, but they are not annoying.

The metal frame is in the body color, matte, there is no gloss in my color version, which is not bad. There are no buttons on the front surface, due to the lamination it seems that the screen takes up all the space without a trace, but this is not the case. To the right of the speaker there is a LED, it blinks green if you have missed events (this is better than the information on the screen in standby mode, which is, it is not there, but more on that in the "Display" section).

On the right side there is a paired volume control key, a little lower - an on / off button (it was made ribbed).

At the bottom you can see a speaker, a USB Type C connector, as well as one of the four microphones, the second is on the top, and the other two are at the back. This device is distinguished by the absence of a 3.5 mm jack (there is an adapter in the kit), which I see as a disadvantage. But as many as four microphones and one of the best noise canceling systems on the market, this device handles wind and other bad weather with ease. But, in addition to this, it also has the ability to record video with improved sound (Hi Res), and several other chips, more about them later.

A combined tray for SIM-cards and memory cards is located at the top end. Considering that you can choose between different memory options, there is nothing to complain about.

The smartphone has protection against water (IP68), which I consider already necessary for all devices of this level, so this is a plus.

The fingerprint sensor is located on the back, it is quite comfortable, and it is easy to press on it without even looking. Including holding the device with one hand.

The bottom line in terms of design and ergonomics, I will say this - perfectly assembled, for men and owners of large hands. A bit boring from the point of view of appearance, but they buy such devices not to be fashionable, for this there is an iPhone. This is the device for the job.

Display

6-inch screen, Quad HD + (2880 x 1440 pixels), 537 ppi, 2: 1 geometry, Super LCD 6, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, automatic brightness control, DCI-P3 color profile, screen saver in standby mode, analogue of AlwaysOn Display. Now let's understand in order what this screen can do.

Since this is LCD, not AMOLED, it was impossible to implement a full-fledged version of AlwaysOn Display here, when the screen saver is always on in standby mode, it was too gluttonous and costly for the battery. For lovers of watches, there is a workaround on the screen, turn off all energy-saving functions and then they will hang as long as possible, well, how long, until the battery says hello, but it will do it noticeably faster.

There is no way to choose a screensaver, change icons or quickly go to some menu items, a clock in standby mode and icons only for information (on Samsung, you can go to specific applications, which is more interesting). The watch is rather dim, which is also understandable, there is no comparison with the same flagships from Samsung, so you shouldn't really count on this function, and it shines, as a rule, when it is not needed at all.

The display has a “With gloves” mode, the sensitivity is increased and you can work in winter in the cold, you won't type text, but you will be able to select a menu or launch an application.

Automatic brightness control reduces this brightness quite aggressively, which I don't like. Manual adjustment is better, but the brightness is definitely not enough in the sun, although the picture remains readable.

From the additional settings I will note “Night mode”, this is a blue filter, the eyes do not get tired at night, but the color rendition becomes unusual, you can set to work on a schedule.

You have the opportunity to choose a color profile (sRGB or the default DCI-P3, in which the colors are richer). In the profile, you can also play with the warmth of colors, set the option that suits you best.

Also in the screen settings there are Motion Launch gestures, you can call certain applications / functions by touching the display.

After Note 8, I lacked the brightness of the screen outdoors, the colors are faded, in the bright sun the picture in the camera does not very well convey the result. But the screen is excellent indoors, there are no complaints about it. As a result, I turned off the automatic brightness control, used the device at 60-70% of the maximum brightness. Nice, but not the best display, comparable to regular iPhones, for example, the same iPhone 8/8 Plus.

Battery

Li-Ion battery, 3930 mAh capacity, QC 3.0 fast charging, matching charger included. The declared working time in the talk mode is up to 25 hours, in the standby mode up to 14 days.

My first impressions were extremely good, on average two days of work with 30 minutes of calls, about 6-6.5 hours of screen work, LTE is always on. And later in Moscow these numbers were repeated, the device worked well (the operating time is comparable to the same Huawei Mate 10 Pro).

But as soon as I went on a trip outside Moscow, the phone, which I did not use, began to show some miracles, in two days it was discharged to zero (10 minutes of screen operation). I tried to experiment with different SIM cards, realized the following problem, the device is very sensitive to re-registration on the network, moreover, in Android 8, a bunch of some Google services, after re-registration, start to break into the network and download something. As soon as you turn off data transmission on a trip, everything returns to normal. Obviously, the problem is of a software nature and there is a hope that this will be corrected.

As for me, the device shows itself to be a long-liver, if you close your eyes to re-registration, which eat up the battery. Within the same city, most likely you will not notice this. I traveled by metro in Moscow and did not see such problems.

The full charging time is just over 1.5 hours using the supplied standard device.

Communication capabilities

I'll start with the most interesting thing, in addition to support for the AptX HD codec, Android 8 added the LDAC codec from Sony and this device is one of the first to support it (you just need an appropriate headset). The sound quality on wireless headphones with LDAC is noticeably higher than that of the same AptX HD, they play better. I checked it on 1000XM2 from Sony, here LDAC is turned on out of the box, you can see it in the bluetooth settings. On Sony smartphones, you also need to install a proprietary program, which really surprised me - I wanted everything to work by default, as it is done in HTC. Bluetooth version 5.0

The device has NFC (Mifare), you can use the chip in the Android Pay payment service. Dual-band WiFi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, USB 3.1, in a word, nothing unexpected.

GPS operation does not raise any questions, navigation is excellent, both in pedestrian and car versions.

With 4G, everything is fine, LTE Cat 15 Bands 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32 are VoLTE.

Memory, RAM, performance

The choice before you is simple, take the 4/64 GB or 6/128 GB model, the latter is preferable, especially since the difference in cost is not overwhelming. The combo slot can accommodate a memory card of any size. Inside, the well-known and well-proven Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 64 bit, 8 cores, frequency up to 2.45 GHz. Look at the results of synthetic tests, they speak for themselves (I have a 6/128 GB version).

Both in everyday tasks and in heavy games, you will not see any problems, the device is very fast and its performance will be sufficient for at least several years.

Camera

The front camera is 8-megapixel, you can't say anything special about it, it is very simple, but it copes with its task quite well, look at the examples of pictures.

But the main camera is fully consistent with the one that we see in the regular U11, the algorithm for processing images is slightly different, but the company does not provide any details about what and how it differs. Here are the technical characteristics of the module - 12 MP HTC UltraPixel 3 with a pixel size of 1.4 microns, f / 1.7, optical stabilization; frontal at 8 MP, BSI, f / 2.0.

To begin with, in the daytime this camera is excellent, it is one of the best on the market and there is no doubt about it, it is on a par with the flagships from Samsung. However, take a look at the comparison of pictures from HTC and Note 8, they are of the same order and some pictures are better on HTC, some on Note.

The camera algorithms in HTC do not always work out the scene with backlit objects correctly. For example, wandering in Los Angeles in a beautiful garden where citrus fruits grow, I caught myself on the fact that the setting sun shines strongly on the fruits, it turns out a bright spot of light. An attempt to select this spot for focus in manual mode did not lead to anything, the illumination remained. In the “brains” of the camera, this kind of illumination was real, although my eyes showed otherwise, the brain completed the picture, and the fetus was evenly illuminated, although there was a glare, but it was barely perceptible. I'm sure the reality was exactly as HTC showed me.

And by default, if you take a photo on the Note 8, it will be exactly the same, with a luminous side of the fruit.

But if we select a luminous barrel on the Note 8's screen, then we will instantly see how the exposure equalizes the light and now both fruits are visible, as well as in the final shot.

But on HTC, even after doing this operation, you will get exactly the same result.

And is such a reality needed in the final snapshot? I think no. And I have accumulated a dozen such examples, look at the top of the cactus, compare the pictures, we can distinguish one with the Note 8 instantly.

There are completely manual settings: ISO (100 to 800), shutter speed (32 to 1/8000 sec), focus from 80 mm. The device can shoot in RAW (DNG). The files are 24 MB each (average JPEG size is 4 MB).

Now let's say a few words about the sound that is recorded from 4 microphones, the default is 3D. In this mode, when you bring the subject closer (zoom in), the directional microphone increases the sound recognition quality. But at the cost of cutting off additional noise, which is not always acceptable.

As for me, it's better to just turn on Hi-Res so that the device records a 24-bit soundtrack, that's enough for your eyes. For concerts and other similar events, this device is one of the best. But he cannot record a walk in the park with a rustle of leaves, or rather, he is too smart and cuts off this rustle. Here are these 3D sounding videos.

But these are with the usual Hi-Res sound.

As for the camera, my conclusion is that this is not the ultimate dream, but in the daytime the camera is excellent, and in the dark it shoots quite tolerably, I like it. Of the minuses, I will note only one - in this segment they already use dual cameras with might and main, but this is more of a tribute to fashion - HTC has made a good camera that will suit the average consumer to the fullest.

HTC EDGE Sense - lateral squeeze of the phone

Most manufacturers are very tight with ideas, they simply do not exist and are copying other people's flagships from generation to generation. HTC is doing great with ideas, so by squeezing the edges of the device you can call up certain functions or a camera, but I like the radial menu, which you can customize to your liking. Unusual, but extremely convenient as soon as you get used to it, the freedom to choose what you can do with this function is gigantic.

The HTC brand is far from the most popular when choosing a smartphone. And in vain. If consumers understand the technical characteristics of the offered models, then HTC gadgets can at once go into the category of favorites. Moreover, the manufacturer does not stand still and quite often pleases consumers with new products.

In 2017, the Taiwanese company HTC presented another smartphone - HTC U11 Plus. As you might guess, the new gadget is an improved version of the previously released HTC U11. Below we will consider what characteristic features the manufacturer has endowed with his next brainchild and compare what differences it has from its predecessor.

Design

The appearance of the U11 Plus is very similar to the U11 - a rather large smartphone with rounded corners. The difference in weight and size is negligible. The novelty "got heavier" by about 10%, and its weight was 188 g. The thickness of the gadget added 0.6 mm, and in width - minus 1 mm. The width of the smartphone has decreased due to small bezels on the front. And the consequence of reducing the frames is the fingerprint scanner "moved" to the rear panel.

The appearance, frankly, cannot be called elegant. Like many flagships released in 2017-2019, it is quite large and not very comfortable in the hand. But all these little things are very reasonable: HTC sacrificed a little design in order to "cram" a more powerful battery into the smartphone.

But you should not conclude from this that the design of the gadget is unattractive. Not at all. It's just not one of the super thin smartphones.

The body of HTC U11 Plus is metal and is waterproof and dustproof. By the way, the protection level has increased to IP68. The back of the phone is made of high quality glass and looks very stylish. Reverse side of the medal: due to the material of the cover, the device slides in the palm of your hand. And it captures every touch of the phone in the form of fingerprints on its mirror surface. There are rescues in the form of a cover. Although in it, the phone, which is not distinguished by its compactness, increases even more in size.

The “plus” color scheme is presented in the following variants: black, silver-blue and transparent-black.

Display

The display size has increased by half an inch compared to its predecessor and is 6 inches. The pixel density (538) and the screen resolution (1440x2880 pixels) have also increased. The new gadget uses a Super LCD6 matrix, which occupies more than 80% of the surface of its front side. Responsible for protection is Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The location of the control buttons remains the same: on the top there is a slot for a SIM card and microSD, on the bottom - a speaker and a USB Type-C port. On the right side there is a slider for adjusting the volume level and an off key. By the way, the card slot did not bring any pleasant surprises. All the same difficult, often, choice: 2 SIM cards at the same time, or one, but with a memory card. It would seem that it is high time for a flagship of this level to take a step forward in this matter, but no. As with most phones - we attribute this to the disadvantages.

DCI-P3 mode is responsible for more accurate color reproduction. There are no significant differences in color indicators. Is that the contrast has increased slightly, and the brightness, on the contrary, has dropped slightly.

The main characteristics of the gadget

Camera

The main camera of HTC U11 Plus remains 12-megapixel and still takes excellent quality footage. Color rendition, detail, night photography - everything is at a decent level. The dynamic range is similar to that of the Google Pixel. It's just as wide. And this is understandable: HTC partnered with Google to create the Pixel.

But the front one has cut the megapixels in half (8-megapixel). But in this matter, the manufacturer claims that the quality of selfies in the improved model has only gotten better.

The presence of both phase and laser autofocus significantly speeds up the process of determining the focus. It is possible to shoot in RAW (DNG). The average weight of files is 24MB.

Sound and speakers

There are no surprises in terms of sound. The presence of two stereo speakers makes the sound loud and clear. There are settings to improve sound quality.

There is a peculiarity with connecting a standard headset: the U11 Plus lacks a 3.5mm jack. But in the box with accessories for this case there is an adapter (if you want to connect your own headphones).

And, of course, the Taiwanese manufacturer took care of the "native" headset. The headset, it should be noted, is of pretty good quality.

The main feature of the "native" headphones is the HTC USonic function. The point is that the equalizer is adjusted individually by analyzing the shape of the ear. And this form is analyzed specially by the microphones in the headphones. There is a good quality dictaphone, the sound quality is close to a professional one. Writes sound in AAC and FLAC.

Autonomy

Non-removable 3930 mAh battery. Here, a clear advance is noticeable compared to its predecessor (3000 mAh). And the reason for the bulkier body of the HTC U11 + is obvious.

The full charging time of the phone is 90 minutes. The manufacturer claims that you can talk for 25 hours without interruption until completely discharged. Standby time - 1.5-2 weeks.

There is also a plus sign for the updated version of the gadget. The phone comes with a special adapter for fast charging (Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 standard).

Wireless charging is not supported.

Interface

The gadget operates on the Android 8. The shell, like all smartphones from the Taiwanese manufacturer, is a proprietary HTC. There is a program that analyzes all user actions and periodically gives hints - HTC Sense Companion.

Boost + is an installed application (a collection of utilities) designed to optimize smartphone performance.

Now about custom modes. There is a mode for working with gloves in the cold season. By activating it, the touch sensitivity of the sensor is increased. Of course, keeping correspondence with gloves will be very problematic, but you will be able to answer a call or open an application.

It is possible to set the "night mode" so that there is less stress on the eyes. Activation can be performed according to a pre-established schedule.

You can also control the gadget by squeezing its sides. This thing is called HTC EDGE Sense. This is a completely new way of interacting with a smartphone. Having set up the phone for the desired function, you can, for example, take a selfie by simply squeezing the body of the phone. The compression level is also set independently.

You can also set a color profile according to your preference. Colors are varied on a warmer / colder basis. The default is DCI-P3.

Motion Launch gestures open predefined applications or functions.

About the communication capabilities of U11 +

The navigation is great. There is a GPS that supports A-GPS. And also the gadget is equipped with the GLONASS system. Dual-band WI-FI 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac.

Memory card version 3.1. The phone supports NFS, it is possible to use the chip in Android Pay.

Bluetooth with version 5.0.

There is also an interesting point. If you have an appropriate headset, the gadget supports the LDAC codec, previously only the AptX HD codec. Using LDAC on a wireless headset, the sound quality is dramatically improved.

Processor and memory

The hardware part of the device is absolutely identical to the HTC U11. Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 launched - the most powerful Android chipset of 2017, 64 bit, 8 cores, up to 2.45GHz. Octa-core processor. Responsible for the graphics Adreno 540. Supports microSD up to 256 GB. The performance of the gadget is decent, therefore, the phone itself is smart to use.

Memory. It was by this criterion that the gadget was divided into HTC U11 Plus 64GB and HTC U11 Plus 128 GB. The first option has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM. A more sophisticated second option - 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage. Basically, there is not much difference in price. Here, everyone decides according to their needs.

There are no complaints about games, it "pulls" all popular toys without problems. AnTuTu testing recorded 158,712 points. On the Price China test, the performance score was 9.8 points, and the overall score was 9.9 points.

Contents of delivery

Smartphone package standard:

• Telephone;
• User manual;
• A clip for removing from the microSD slot and SIM card;
• Stereo headset;
• USB Type C cable;
• 3.5 mm adapter;
• Phone charger;
• Plastic cover.

Pros and cons of HTC U11 Plus

Dignity

• Good battery life;
• Decent main camera;
• Excellent performance
• Approximate to a professional voice recorder;
• Sound quality.
• Fast charging capability.

Flaws

• Bulky design
• On the back panel, fingerprints from use are very noticeable;
• Can slide in hands;
• No wireless charging
• Hybrid slot for SIM-card and memory card;
• The price is higher than the average budget.

HTC U11 vs HTC U11 Plus comparison

	U11	U11 Plus
Appearance
Dimensions, mm	153.9*75,9*7,9	158.5*74,9*8,5
Phone weight, g	169	188
Protected against moisture	IP 68	IP 68
Protected against dust	IP 68	IP 68
Display
Diagonal length in inches	5.5	6
Screen view	LSD5	LSD6
Screen resolution	1440x2560	1440x2880
Density, pixels	534	538
Color spectrum	16777216	16777216
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass 5	Gorilla Glass 5
Photo and video camera
Main, megapixels	12	12
Front, megapixels	16	8
Main camera autofocus	f / 1.7	f / 1.7
Audio recording	stereo	24-bit / 192kHz
Facial camera video	1080 rub	1080 rub
Focus facial camera	f / 2.0	f / 2.0
Sound and speakers
3.5 connector	-	-
Loudspeaker presence	+	with stereo speakers
Calls	vibro; MP3, WAV ringtones	vibro; MP3, WAV ringtones
Multimedia part
Radio	-	-
Hardware part
Android version	7.1	8.0
Graphics processor	Adreno 540	Adreno 540
MicroSD support	+	+
Memory card capacity, GB	256	256
RAM, GB	4.6	4.6
ROM, GB	64 and 128	64 and 128
Autonomy
Battery	Li-lon	Li-lon
Volume, mAh	3000	3930
Battery type	built-in	built-in
Talk without charging, min	1470	1500
Fast charging capability	-	+
Interface
Wi-Fi		802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11 ac
Microusb, v	3.1	3.1
Bluetooth, v	04.02.2018	5.0
NFC	+	+
Gps	+	+
GLONASS	+	+
EDGE	+	+
Network, support	2G, 3G, 4G	2G, 3G, 4G

Outcome

What can be said about the bottom line? The improved model of the previously released HTC U11 is a success. But let's be honest, the U11 Plus (64,128) is not much different from it.

HTC gadgets have never had much of a budget. The average price of the HTC U11 Plus 128 GB is on average 45000. The price of the HTC U11 Plus 64 GB differs by about 5000.

Let's summarize. Overall, the HTC U11 Plus is as good as its predecessor. There is not much difference between the phones.

The smartphone has increased the size of the display and the size of the battery. Good sound. And both with headphones and without them. The volume of the speakers is at a level, you can not be afraid to miss an incoming call in a noisy place. The gadget is nimble, with powerful performance.

When it comes to replacing HTC U11 with HTC U11 Plus, it hardly makes sense. The difference will be greater in price than in the appearance and technical characteristics of the smartphone.

But for those who want to change their outdated gadget to something more advanced and powerful, it is quite a good option.

You might also like:

What's new in the iphone 8 and what are the differences from the iphone 7 and 6 Best ASUS tablets in 2019

Now on the market, companies are divided into two types, those that do something, and those who copy. HTC falls more into the first category because the design of the U11 Plus really isn't confusing. This is a larger version of the U11, and a great smartphone with a lot of potential. He is an ideal friend and helper for every day. This smartphone will never let you down and everything is fine with it! Design, functionality, sound, display, performance and cost, but you came here for objectivity, so let's throw all the emotions and take a look at this device from a critical point of view.

Features of smartphones HTC U11 Plus

HTC U11 Plus is built according to all the canons of 2017 flagships using premium materials - metal and glass. The device looks nice in a flagship way, with the use of expensive materials in the case. Following the trend, the manufacturer got rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack, replacing it with a digital high-speed USB Type-C. The smartphone has as many as 4 microphones, the screen is bright and automatically adjusts. The housing is protected according to the IP68 standard against short-term immersion in water. The manufacturer offers 3 colors: ceramic black, metallic blue and a model with a pattern on the back.

HTC U11 Plus specifications:

• 6-inch super LCD6-screen with a resolution of 2880x1440 pixels;
• 8-core processor from Qualcomm (MSM8998);
• 4/6 GB of random access memory (RAM);
• 64/128 GB of built-in memory (ROM);
• support for micro / SD memory cards;
• 12 MP main camera with optical stabilization.

HTC U11 Plus runs on Android 8.0 (Oreo) with HTC Sense UI preinstalled without numbering. There is no need to worry about the operating system, in view of the fact that Google bought out the mobile division of NTS, and it is quite possible that the smartphones of this company will switch to a clean system in the future.

HTC U11 Plus Smartphone Package

As usual, the smartphone is delivered in a white box, which is usual for NTS, which tries not to look like everyone else's, and in which a rather rich bundle fits. There is a smartphone itself, a cable, an adapter, a vacuum Type-C headset with noise canceling and replaceable ear pads, a Type-C to 3.5 mm adapter, instructions and a transparent plastic case.

You can buy HTC U11 Plus in our online store site at the best price, as well as apply for a loan in Moscow or other cities in Russia where our branches are represented.In its category, this smartphone takes a worthy place, and does not lose ground compared to other models.