It’s bright enough to be clearly readable in most conditions, reaching 520cd/m2 at maximum brightness, the contrast ratio is superb at 1,599:1 and the glass has a polarising layer so glare isn’t a huge problem, at least not to the naked eye. As with previous HTC handsets it’s based on HTC’s own version of IPS, called Super LCD, and image quality is patchy. Image 3 of 18 HTC U11 review: Display and audioĪnd with the competition going all long and tall and bezel-free, the HTC U11’s 5.5in 1,440 x 2,560 display is something of a let-down. It’s a nice attempt by HTC to shake things up but let’s face it: it isn’t exactly what you’d call revolutionary. When you put it like that, it doesn’t sound quite so exciting, does it? In fact, it isn’t, and after playing around with the feature initially, I found I barely used it. A long-squeeze from the homescreen or lockscreen, meanwhile, fires up Google Assistant, although there are no associated actions within that app for you to play around with. The phone is equipped with pressure sensors embedded in the lower half of its frame and let you launch apps from the lockscreen with a short or long squeeze and perform actions within those apps, again with a short or long squeeze.īy default, a short squeeze launches the camera app then you can follow up with another short squeeze to take a picture or a long-squeeze to switch between rear- and selfie-camera modes. Image 11 of 18 HTC U11 review: Edge senseĪside from its arresting good looks the one thing the HTC U11 has that its rivals do not is squeezability, or as HTC is calling it: Edge Sense. I’m not so sure the glass back will survive the impact, though. It’s also worth noting that HTC has joined the dust- and water-resistant crowd with the U11 it’s rated to IP67, which means it should survive a brief dunking in the sink or the toilet. HTC is sticking to its guns here, supplying a pair of active noise-cancelling USonic USB Type-C headphones in the box. The volume rocker and power button are both sensibly placed on the right-hand edge, the two “BoomSound” speakers are placed on the bottom edge and within the phone’s earpiece, the dual-purpose SIM/microSD card tray is found on the top edge, and the headphone jack… well, um, there isn’t one. Otherwise, as I say, there’s nothing remarkable about the appearance of the HTC U11. Just bear in mind that if you touch it without donning white cotton gloves first, it’s going to pick up your fingerprints like crazy. ![]() If you like your smartphones ostentatious, the HTC U11 is the handset you’ve been looking for. Samsung Galaxy S8 review: Two years on, is the galaxy S8 still a worthy purchase? In short, the HTC U11 earns a deserved place at the top of the smartphone tree. It’s fast and has great speakers, the camera is as good as the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S8’s and battery life is decent as well. ![]() Its glassy, glossy two-tone finish means it looks like no other handset. That’s pure hyperbole, as we’ll discover later on in this review, but don’t let that distract you from the rest of the phone because beneath it’s squeezable skin the HTC U11 is a handset of rare distinction. ![]() READ NEXT: The best smartphones HTC U11 review: What you need to know Now that you can launch apps and perform actions within those apps by simply squeezing your phone, nothing will be the same again. This is a phone, claims the firm, that will change the way we use our smartphones a development on the same level as the capacitive touchscreen. These days it’s becoming ever more difficult for smartphone manufacturers to build products that stand out – even Samsung is struggling – but HTC has managed to do just that with the HTC U11's squeezable frame. There's the recent Nokia 8.1, which looks just as lovely with similar performance and the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 is also a terrific rival, for less. Even at almost half the price than what it launched at, there are some better (and crucially, newer) alternatives. Despite launching almost two years ago, you can currently pick up a new SIM-free U11 for £380. ![]() Well, you might be surprised to hear that it's still being sold. Almost every aspect was flawless for its time, but should you buy a HTC U11 in 2019? Struggling to stand out as other companies fought for a slice of the smartphone pie, the U11 successfully reignited interest in the range. HTC's U11 represented a big return to form for the long-standing Taiwanese smartphone firm. Update: Should you buy a HTC U11 in 2019?
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