GSMArena team, 27 November 2017

HTC U11+ review

3. Display, battery life, connectivity

A 6" Super LCD6 display

The HTC U11+ has the newest sixth generation gap-free LCD screen known as Super LCD6. It's a 6" QHD unit with 538pp density. The underlying matrix is of the regular RGB kind.

Updated: February 19, 2018. The original Taiwanese unit we tested for this review scored an excellent 1626:1 contrast ratio and demonstrated deep black levels but a barely average brightness at 309 nits. The maximum level of illumination hurt the sunlight legibility score a lot, too.

Back then we argued the screen might have been limited to 300 nits for a reason - such as to prevent overheating or increase the battery life.

The good news is the screen on the European-spec model we rested has the same flagship-grade contrast of 1630:1. Unfortunately, at 287 nits, its maximum brightness was even lower than the previously measured 309.

Display test	100% brightness
Display test	Black, cd/m²	White, cd/m²	Contrast ratio
HTC U11	0.308	483	1568
HTC U11 (Max Auto)	0.373	583	1563
HTC U11 Life	0.357	546	1529
HTC U11+	0.19	309	1626
HTC U11+ (EU)	0.176	287	1631
Samsung Galaxy S8+	0	442	∞
Samsung Galaxy S8+ Max auto	0	647	∞
LG V30	0.002	414	207000
LG V30 (Max Auto)	0.032	616	19250
Google Pixel 2 XL	0	420	∞
Sony Xperia XZs	0.461	564	1223
Apple iPhone 8 Plus (Standard)	0.392	530	1352
Apple iPhone 8 Plus (Max Auto)	0.471	621	1318
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2	0.379	387	1020
Razer Phone	0.251	300	1195

HTC advertises the U11+ screen for its wide-gamut support and you can choose between a wide color gamut (DCI-P3) mode or the regular (sRGB) mode. The color reproduction accuracy is average in either mode with average deltaE of 5.4 and a maximum deviation of 7. The colors are pleasantly saturated, especially the DCI-P3, but if you want more accurate presentation - you can use the manual temperature slider for each profile and move it towards Warm.

Finally, because of the relatively low maximum brightness, the HTC U11+ scored an unimpressive and noncompetitive sunlight contrast in our tests. The EU unit did worse, as suggested by the lower brightness.

Sunlight contrast ratio

Apple iPhone X
5.013
OnePlus 5T
4.789
Samsung Galaxy S8
4.768
Samsung Galaxy S8+
4.658
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
4.615
Motorola Moto Z2 Play
4.459
Oppo R11
4.454
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
4.439
OnePlus 3
4.424
Samsung Galaxy S7
4.376
HTC One A9
4.274
Samsung Galaxy Note7
4.247
Samsung Galaxy A3
4.241
Nokia 8
4.239
Google Pixel 2 XL (pre-update)
4.234
OnePlus 3T
4.232
Google Pixel XL
4.164
ZTE Axon 7
4.154
Samsung Galaxy Note8
4.148
Meizu Pro 7 Plus
4.147
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
4.124
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
4.124
Huawei Mate 10 Pro (normal)
4.096
Samsung Galaxy Note5
4.09
Google Pixel 2 (pre-update)
4.023
LG V30
4.022
Huawei Nexus 6P
4.019
Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
3.998
Vivo Xplay5 Elite
3.983
OnePlus X
3.983
Oppo R7s
3.964
Apple iPhone 7
3.964
Apple iPhone 8 (True Tone)
3.957
Huawei P9 Plus
3.956
Meizu Pro 6 Plus
3.935
Lenovo Moto Z
3.931
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
3.918
OnePlus 5
3.914
Samsung Galaxy C5
3.911
Samsung Galaxy C7
3.896
Samsung Galaxy A5
3.895
Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor
3.879
Samsung Galaxy J2 outdoor
3.873
Samsung Galaxy A8
3.859
Sony Xperia XZs
3.818
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
3.817
Motorola Moto X (2014)
3.816
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
3.812
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
3.804
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode
3.802
LG V20 Max auto
3.798
Xiaomi Redmi Pro
3.798
Sony Xperia XZ
3.795
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
3.789
Apple iPhone 6s
3.783
Meizu Pro 5
3.781
Microsoft Lumia 650
3.772
Xiaomi Mi 6
3.767
Sony Xperia XZ1
3.765
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)
3.756
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
3.729
Apple iPhone 8 Plus (True Tone)
3.725
Oppo F1 Plus
3.709
Vivo X5Pro
3.706
Sony Xperia X Compact
3.694
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)
3.688
Apple iPhone SE
3.681
Huawei Mate 9
3.68
Samsung Galaxy A7
3.679
Meizu PRO 6
3.659
BlackBerry Priv
3.645
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra
3.597
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
3.588
LG G6
3.556
Apple iPhone 6s Plus
3.53
Motorola Moto Z Play
3.526
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
3.523
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) outdoor mode
3.523
Acer Jade Primo
3.521
Microsoft Lumia 950
3.512
Oppo R7 Plus
3.499
nubia Z11
3.466
Huawei P10 Plus
3.456
HTC U Ultra
3.453
Samsung Galaxy J7
3.422
Meizu MX5
3.416
LG V20
3.402
Huawei P10
3.379
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)
3.378
Oppo R9s
3.352
Honor 8 Pro
3.341
Oppo R7
3.32
Lenovo P2
3.316
Honor 9
3.289
Xiaomi Mi 5s
3.276
Nokia 5
3.261
Nokia 6 (Chinese version)
3.244
Nokia 6 (Global version)
3.238
Samsung Galaxy J2
3.235
Sony Xperia X Performance
3.234
Xiaomi Mi Note 2
3.228
Motorola Moto X Play
3.222
Oppo F3 Plus
3.218
Huawei Mate 9 Pro
3.206
Huawei P9
3.195
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
3.19
ZTE Nubia Z17
3.159
Lenovo Vibe Shot
3.113
Motorola Moto X Force
3.105
LG Nexus 5X
3.092
HTC U11
3.089
Huawei Mate S
3.073
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
3.065
Sony Xperia XA1
3.012
Sony Xperia L1
2.994
Sony Xperia X
2.989
Huawei P10 Lite
2.974
Samsung Galaxy Note
2.97
Sony Xperia Z1
2.95
Huawei Mate 8
2.949
Xiaomi Redmi 4
2.92
Xiaomi Redmi 3S
2.913
Sony Xperia XA Ultra
2.906
LG G5
2.905
HTC One S
2.901
Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime
2.893
Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus
2.884
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
2.877
Sony Xperia XZ Premium (sRGB)
2.877
Sony Xperia Z5
2.876
Nokia 3
2.871
Microsoft Lumia 550
2.851
Lenovo Moto M
2.813
Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro
2.803
Sony Xperia Z5 compact
2.784
Meizu MX6
2.751
LG V10
2.744
Huawei Mate 10 (normal)
2.742
Xiaomi Redmi 3
2.735
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
2.714
Meizu M5
2.71
Sony Xperia M5
2.69
Xiaomi Mi A1
2.689
Huawei P9 Lite
2.679
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
2.679
vivo V7+
2.671
Vivo V3Max
2.659
Xiaomi Mi Mix
2.658
Oppo F5
2.653
Doogee Mix
2.642
Xiaomi Mi 4i
2.641
Xiaomi Redmi 4a
2.635
Xiaomi Mi 5X (Standard)
2.616
Sony Xperia XA
2.609
Motorola Moto G4 Plus
2.582
Motorola Moto G4 Plus (max auto)
2.582
Meizu M5s
2.58
Xiaomi Mi 4c
2.574
LeEco Le Max 2
2.567
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
2.563
Microsoft Lumia 640
2.563
Xiaomi Mi Max 2
2.561
HTC U11+
2.556
Lenovo K6 Note
2.544
Lenovo Moto G4
2.544
Oppo F1
2.528
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
2.525
Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c
2.506
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
2.503
Oppo F1s
2.481
Motorola Moto G
2.477
Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus
2.473
Huawei G8
2.471
Huawei nova
2.467
Lenovo Vibe K5
2.459
Meizu m3 max
2.447
Xiaomi Mi 5X (Auto)
2.417
HTC 10 evo
2.407
Huawei Honor 7
2.406
Sony Xperia E5
2.386
ZUK Z1 by Lenovo
2.382
HTC 10
2.378
Oppo F3
2.376
vivo V5 Plus
2.371
Meizu m1 note
2.362
Huawei nova plus
2.329
Razer Phone
2.328
HTC One E9+
2.305
Alcatel One Touch Hero
2.272
Apple iPhone 4S
2.269
Lenovo Vibe K4 Note
2.254
HTC U11+ (EU)
2.253
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
2.253
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)
2.249
Sony Xperia C4 Dual
2.235
Xiaomi Mi Note
2.234
Motorola Moto G (2014)
2.233
LG Nexus 5
2.228
Huawei P8
2.196
Meizu M5 Note
2.189
Huawei Honor 6
2.169
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
2.166
OnePlus Two
2.165
HTC One X
2.158
LG Aka
2.145
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (X20)
2.145
Archos 50 Diamond
2.134
Xiaomi Redmi Note
2.119
Xiaomi Mi 4S
2.095
Acer Liquid X2
2.084
Huawei P8lite
2.078
vivo V5
2.059
Moto G 3rd gen max manual
2.026
Xiaomi Mi 3
2.001
Xiaomi Mi Max
1.996
Sony Xperia E4g
1.972
OnePlus One
1.961
Meizu m3 note
1.923
Meizu m2 note
1.892
BlackBerry Leap
1.892
HTC Butterfly
1.873
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
1.772
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
1.759
Sony Xperia U
1.758
Asus Zenfone Selfie
1.68
Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)
1.675
ZTE Nubia Z9
1.659
Jolla Jolla
1.605
Motorola Moto E
1.545
Sony Xperia M
1.473
Sony Xperia L
1.351
HTC Desire C
1.3
Sony Xperia C
1.283
Meizu MX
1.221
Sony Xperia E
1.215

Battery life

The HTC U11+ comes with a sealed 3,930 mAh battery - enough for a phablet of its caliber. It supports Quick Charge 3.0 and the phone is bundled with a compatible charger that fills 38% of a depleted battery in half an hour.

Unfortunately, the Taiwanese HTC U11+, which we tested initially, scored unimpressive numbers on all battery tests and thus ended up with an average endurance rating of 67 hours. It's not bad, but definitely not worthy of a flagship smartphone with a large 3,930 mAh battery.

Section Added: February 19, 2018. The European unit of the U11+, unfortunately, pumped rather similar hours as well. It did slightly better in 3G and web browsing, and fractionally better at standby. All of these small improvements helped the U11+ to improve its final rating up to 72 hours, 6h better than the Taiwanese one.

Our endurance rating denotes how long a single battery charge will last you if you use the HTC U11+ for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. We've established this usage pattern so our battery results are comparable across devices in the most common day-to-day tasks. The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.

Connectivity

The HTC U11+'s Snapdragon 835 enables a vast variety of connectivity options thanks to the chipset's modem. Single SIM variants will be capable of LTE-A Cat 16 with theoretical speeds of 1024/150 Mbps. Meanwhile, the DualSIM models will be Cat 15 with theoretical speeds of 800/150 Mbps.

All variants support Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n for 2.4GHz and 802.11 a/n/ac for 5GHz (dual-band Wi-Fi). Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.0, A-GPS, and GLONASS are also present. The USB-C port may be used for OTG and is capable of USB 3.1 speeds. There's also support for Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0. NFC is also here, of course.

The USB-C port is also used for outputting external audio since there is no 3.5mm headphone jack. HTC's included U Sonic headphones have a USB-C connector and the phone comes with an adapter as well. Our unit didn't come bundled with one so we couldn't test the audio output quality.

HTC Connect is baked into Sense UI and offers native support for Airplay, AllPlay, Blackfire, Bluetooth, Chromecast, and Miracast devices either nearby or on your Wi-Fi Network. You can also connect to DLNA devices through here. HTC Connect is intended to "Choose where to play media". You can find HTC Connect in the Settings.

Next Page » 4. Android OS, Edge Sense, Companion App

3. Display, battery life, connectivity

Reviews HTC U11+ reviewPage 3