HTC cameras are always interesting! The company is known for its meticulous approach to smartphone cameras. From year to year, engineers invent and refine something, offer innovative solutions, although not always successful. As a result, smartphones either receive raw modules or become leaders.
The latter happened with the HTC 10, whose camera appears in almost all 2016 ratings. Why are we talking about this? Yes, because HTC U Ultra received exactly the same main camera module. It worked so well that there was no point in updating it
HTC U Ultra Camera: Specifications
Briefly about the characteristics. All of them are in front of you in the table, but we will highlight the main points. The main camera received optical image stabilization, laser and phase autofocus. The camera resolution is “only” 12 megapixels, but this is quite in keeping with latest trends smartphone-buildings. The f/1.8 aperture allows you to capture more light. The pixel increase - 1.55 microns - also helps improve photo quality.
When talking about the camera, it is appropriate to recall history. A couple of years ago, HTC engineers came up with UltraPixel technology and increased pixels to 2 microns - a gigantic size by smartphone standards. Introduced innovation in HTC One(M8), but did not receive the expected improvement in quality. When the photo was enlarged, the details became blurry, and in the next generation of HTC One they decided to abandon this idea.
But already in HTC 10 the technology was returned, albeit in a modified form. The pixel became smaller - 1.55 microns - but this did not prevent it from capturing more light. At the same time, they reduced the resolution to 12 megapixels and increased the aperture to f/1.8. The decision turned out to be correct - the smartphone camera became one of the best in 2016.
Camera interface
The HTC U Ultra's camera app isn't the most user-friendly. For example, to switch between shooting video in 1080p and 2160p, you have to do a lot of unnecessary steps. There is no easy way to directly change the resolution here, neither for video nor for photos.
But there is a professional mode, which provides all the necessary options - you can change the focal length, shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, white balance. There are no “aperture priority” or “shutter priority” modes, but there are more understandable ones for simple user presets. In Macro mode, you can only change the focal length. Sports mode allows you to adjust the shutter speed, night mode allows you to adjust ISO and shutter speed. The remaining parameters are set automatically.
Shooting in RAW format is only possible in Pro mode (RAW + JPEG). There is an interesting Zoe mode, which first appeared on HTC One. Zoe mode allows you to shoot a 3-second 1080p video simultaneously with a photo at maximum resolution.
Hyperlapse mode is designed for slow-motion videos with amazing image stabilization. Yes, the smartphone has an optical stub, but with the help of the Hyperlapse mode, the video is no worse than from a professional camera mounted on rails.
HTC U Ultra: photos
GSMArena experts note that they liked the HTC 10 camera, and they like the camera of the new flagship. Minimal noise, excellent quality. The photographs are rich in detail and have correct color reproduction. Only at high magnification can you notice that on complex objects, noise reduction leads to some blurring of small details.
The panoramic shot was a bit disappointing. The stitching of image parts is generally excellent, but the resolution leaves much to be desired. 
The selfie camera is interesting not only because it has a resolution of 16 megapixels, but also because it can operate in two modes. By default, you get photos with a passport resolution (16 MP), which is higher than the main camera. To get very clear pictures, you need to choose the right focal length (selfie camera on HTC U Ultra without autofocus). 
In the dark, you can switch to UltraPixel mode, in which physical pixels are combined into groups and the resolution drops to 4 megapixels. By reducing the resolution, the camera's light sensitivity increases by 4 times. However, GSMArena experts did not notice a significant improvement in the quality of the photos, but instead received artifacts.
HTC U Ultra: Video Capture
The HTC U Ultra camera allows you to shoot videos in 1080p or 2160p resolution at 30 frames per second. 60 fps is not provided, which is a pity. We have already mentioned another drawback - there is no way to switch between resolutions on the fly, you have to delve into the settings.
The audio track can be recorded in very decent quality - 192 Kbps AAC 48 kHz. The sound is captured by four microphones around the perimeter of the smartphone, resulting in a surround sound effect (360 degrees). Among the shortcomings, we highlight weak wind noise suppression.
If you want to get a higher quality audio track, switch to High-Res mode. 24-bit audio will be recorded in FLAC format with a sampling rate of 96 kHz. You will definitely feel the difference in sound quality.
But let's get back to the video camera. 2160p video is recorded at a sampling rate of 54 Mbps, and 1080p at 20 Mbps. In both cases, the AVC/H.264 codec is used. The format - MP4 or MKV - depends on the selected audio track recording mode, but both formats are supported by all devices today, there should not be any special problems with this.
Please note that 2160p video recording is limited to six minutes. It is unclear what dictated this, because even the HTC 10 Evo on the Snapdragon 810 did not overheat the chipset when recording longer pieces. For Snapdragon 821, the load should not be a problem at all. Even if you never record 4K video lasting more than 6 minutes, such a limitation is clearly not suitable for a smartphone with a flagship price tag.
2160p video is very clear and detailed, but the camcorder does not always cope with the high bitrate, which is why artifacts periodically appear. Otherwise, the video quality is quite at flagship level.
Ultra
With you. For you.
Meet HTC U Ultra. This smartphone with big screen 5.7” will become a bright part of your life. Its unique iridescent design is designed to give you freedom of expression. Its innovative dual screen puts your priorities and convenience first. It doesn't just play music, it hears you, adapting the sound to the individual characteristics of your hearing. And he also learns from you, turning into a real friend who gets to know your habits and needs better and better over time...
Your reflection is in everything
HTC U Ultra's design reflects the uniqueness of your world. For this smartphone, we created a new “irridescent” design - it not only emphasizes the symmetry of the device’s design, but also allows you to “play” with the reflection of ambient light on the surface depending on the angle of inclination. To achieve this effect, we have developed a new manufacturing process in which different color pigments are adhesively injected into the glass at different surface depths to create a three-dimensional surface feel. Next, we use a special process to mold the glass around the edges of the device using extreme pressure and high temperature. This not only creates a perfect harmony between glass and metal surfaces, but also simulates the surface tension effect inherent in liquids.
For the most valuable you. HTC U Ultra is also available in a special luxury version with sapphire finish and 128GB of storage for user data. This is our first smartphone with a sapphire-based screen protector, whose hardness surpasses all other natural materials except diamond. This coating provides the highest level of protection for the screen surface from chips and scratches.
*Sapphire glass is only available as a screen protector on the HTC U Ultra Sapphire Glass Edition 128GB. Check availability with the seller.
Learns from you
Introducing HTC Sense Companion. This is a faithful companion who is constantly learning your habits and actions that you take every day. He may advise you to dress warmly and leave for work a little earlier if the weather forecast indicates the possibility of snowfall 1.2; it will remind you to take an external battery with you if your plans include a long trip; he will suggest an excellent restaurant in an unfamiliar city and help you book a table 1.2. But most importantly, he is constantly changing and improving, getting to know you better over time.
HTC U Ultra comes with built-in speech recognition. Therefore, it is able to recognize your voice even when the device is inactive. Just a word is enough to make a call, send a message to friends, set an alarm or start navigation.
1 HTC Sense Companion uses information, including from third-party sources, when operating. HTC is not responsible for the accuracy of data obtained from third party sources.
2 The function will be available for additional installation throughout 2017 and may not be pre-installed on HTC U Ultra at the time of purchase. Installing the function requires an Internet connection and also implies the need to download and install the appropriate system update.
Your priorities come first
Timely information is great, but it shouldn't stop you from doing your business. With the new HTC U Ultra, we're introducing a second screen that shows you all the information and updates you need without interfering with your main tasks. Do not be distracted! Use big screen 5.7” for entertainment and work, and you can call your favorite contacts, launch your favorite applications and view updates using a convenient second screen.
Hears you
The structure of the ear canal is individual for each person, like a fingerprint. Therefore, we all perceive sound differently. HTC USonic* analyzes the structure of your ear canal using sound impulses and tailors the sound to suit you. Almost the same as it does professional specialist for setting up sound, only the whole process takes place on your phone. Now you can really hear all the details!
*Included accessories may vary depending on different markets. Check delivery details with the seller.
**HTC USonic is only available when connecting an audio device via USB-C.
Puts you in the center
The new HTC U Ultra features four omnidirectional microphones that capture the full surround sound environment for your videos or voice recordings. This means that the next time you play it back, you'll be able to hear sound from all directions and experience an incredibly realistic immersive experience. Welcome to the future of recording.
Your best memories
The camera of almost every phone is positioned as the best of the best. But we have something to confirm what has been said. HTC U Ultra uses an improved version of the camera featured on the flagship HTC 10, which earned an industry-leading DXOMark score of 88. Fewer blurry photos, faster focus with laser and phase detection autofocus, and larger photosensitive elements for low-light shooting. Make every moment memorable! Even if it happened at night.
Your best portraits
Your best portraits in any situation. With the front camera of HTC U Ultra, you have two shooting modes at your disposal - with a resolution of 16MP or using UltraPixel technology. Taking a photo during a candlelit dinner? You will achieve it best result in UltraPixel mode, in which the camera is 4 times more sensitive to light. Do you need maximum detail? Switch to 16MP mode!
*UltraPixel mode is 4 times more sensitive to light than standard mode.
HTC U Ultra: Perfectly harmonious. Surprisingly thin. HTC Sense Companion with voice recognition, HTC USonic, curved 3D glass and spatial audio - it's designed to be your reflection in every way.
HTC Sense Companion
Dual screen
HTC USonic and spatial audio
16MP front camera with Ultra Selfie
12MP main camera with optical stabilization
Dimensions and weight 1
162.41 x 79.79 x 3.6-7.99 mm, 170g
Platform 2
Android™ 7.0 with HTC Sense™
Main camera
- BSI sensor
- Laser autofocus
- f/1.8 aperture
- 12 MP HTC UltraPixel 2 with 1.55 micron pixel size
- BSI sensor
- Laser autofocus
- Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)
- Optical Stabilization System (OIS)
- f/1.8 aperture
- Dual-color LED flash
- Slow motion video recording at 720p/120fps
- Record 4K video with Hi-Res Audio
- Supports Auto HDR, Panorama, Pro Mode with manual control of settings, support for long exposures and the ability to record in RAW format, Hyperlapse Video, Zoe shooting mode, Simultaneous shooting of video and photo Video Pic, Face detection, Fast burst mode
Navigation
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
Sound
- HTC USonic
- HTC BoomSound™ Hi-Fi edition
- 3D Audio surround sound recording from 4 built-in microphones
- Hi-Res Audio stereo audio recording
- Certified Hi-Res Audio
- Proprietary noise reduction system
Gestures and controls
- Motion Launch Gesture Control System
- Function to reduce the call volume when you pick up your smartphone
- Function to increase call volume when the smartphone is in a bag or pocket
- Function to turn off the ringer when turning the smartphone screen down
Screen
5.7 inches, Super LCD 5
- DISPLAY: 5.7 inches, Super LCD 5 with Quad HD resolution (2560x1440) and Dual Display technology, protected by Gorilla Glass 5 (for the version with 64GB of memory) or Sapphire glass (for the version with 128GB of memory)
- SECOND DISPLAY: 2.05 inches (160x1040 resolution)
SIM card format
nano-SIM format
Front-camera
- 16 MP, with UltraPixel mode
- BSI sensor
- 16 MP, with UltraPixel mode
- BSI sensor
- Video recording in Full HD 1080p standard
- Supports modes Quick Makeup in real time, Auto HDR, Auto selfie, Selfie by voice command, Selfie panorama, Simultaneous shooting of video and photo Video Pic
Sensors
- Light sensor
- Proximity sensor
- Motion sensor (G-sensor)
- Electronic compass
- Gyroscope
- Magnetic sensor
- Fingerprint sensor
- Sensor Hub for tracking physical activity
Battery 5
- Capacity: 3000 mAh
- Quick Charge 3.0
- Capacity: 3000 mAh
- Talk time on 3G/4G networks: up to 26 hours
- Standby time in 3G/4G networks: up to 13 days
- Customizable power saving mode
- Maximum power saving mode
- System fast charging Quick Charge 3.0
Multimedia
Supported audio formats:
Playback:.3gp, .mp4, .m4a, .aac, .ts, .flac, .mp3, .mid, .ogg, .mkv, .wav
Entry:.3gp, .aac, .flacSupported video formats:
Playback:.3gp, .mp4, .ts, webm, mkv
Entry:.3gp, .mp4, .mkv
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
64-bit, 4-core, up to 2.15 GHzMemory Configuration 3
- Total capacity: 64 GB or 128 GB
- RAM: 4 GB
- Configuration may vary by region and carrier
- Total capacity: 64 GB or 128 GB
- RAM: 4 GB
- Optional: Flex Storage combo slot for SIM card or microSD memory card supporting up to 2 TB (memory card not included)
Network 4
- 2G/2.5G GSM/GPRS/EDGE
- 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- 3G UMTS
- AWS/850/900/1900/2100 MHz
- HSDPA 42 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
- 4G LTE (speed up to 600 Mbps)
- FDD ranges: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28
- TDD bands: 38, 39, 40, 41 with support for 2CA, 3CA
- Cat 11 LTE support: download speeds up to 600 Mbps, upload speeds up to 50 Mbps
- Calls via VoLTE and WiFi (feature availability may vary by region and carrier)
Connectivity
- BlueTooth® 4.2
- Wi-Fi ®: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz)
- Streaming from a smartphone to compatible devices via Chromecast, DLNA, AirPlay, Miracast protocols
Connections and connectors
- USB 3.1 Gen 1, Type-C
- Capacitive keys
- DisplayPort
HTC Sense Companion: built-in assistant with artificial intelligence for hints and help with tasks
All measurement data may vary slightly within acceptable manufacturing error.
Specifications and OS version may change after update software.
The amount of memory available to the user for storing data is less because some of it is occupied by the phone's utility software. Available memory may vary depending on installed updates phone software and application usage intensity. The amount of expanded memory is determined by the capacity of the microSD card.
In different regions, operating frequencies may vary depending on the operator mobile communications and the subscriber's current location. 4G LTE networks are only available in some regions. Actual data transfer speeds also vary depending on your mobile operator.
Battery life varies by carrier, location, signal strength, phone traffic, phone usage profile, apps used and many other factors. Real time work may vary.
Note: Specifications may vary after software update and are subject to change without notice.
HTC is alive. This is perhaps the most important thing that can be taken away from their U Ultra phablet. Secondly, it’s a pleasure to use! But the point is not in outstanding characteristics, but in the overall impression that the smartphone leaves. At least because he is not like everyone else.
He looks very unusual
HTC made a sparkling back cover that really makes the smartphone stand out. I had it made of rich blue glass, but there is also black and mother-of-pearl. And if black is just black, then mother-of-pearl shimmers with colors naturally, like pearls or the shells of all kinds of sea creatures. And therefore the design turned out to be contradictory - either you like it or you don’t.
Moreover, we are talking about a spread from one extreme to another. Personally, for example, I like him very much. And I'm not alone. But there are also many who categorically do not like the smartphone, precisely because of the glare back cover. Including in our editorial office.
But the build quality is depressing. This glass itself is attached to the aluminum frame not very well, and as a result it sticks out on one side and “falls in” on the other. Moreover, it sticks out so much that you can easily stick a fingernail in there and pry back panel. But we definitely don’t recommend doing this, because it will all crack. Glass is what it is, you know.
Such. Markoe. If you want your smartphone to look beautiful, then use it with gloves. Or wipe it once every 40 seconds. The oleophobic coating on the rear panel is sorely missing.
By the way, please note that there is no headphone jack here. There is also no adapter for a 3.5 mm jack included in the kit, like competitors have. Thank you, at least the included headphones are Type-C. However, their sound is frankly weak, and this is a rare case when it is better to listen via Bluetooth. Because other wired headphones cannot be connected.
Do you know what's ironic? Companies justify the refusal of the audio jack: a) moisture protection, which the U Ultra does not have; b) – by reducing the thickness, although U Ultra is not the thinnest device.
As a result, the motivation for refusing jack is completely incomprehensible. Moreover, HTC is so actively promoting its BoomSound technology, which allows you to produce good sound through headphones. Actually, in last year's HTC 10 this was one of the main features.
There are two displays here, and it turns out to be convenient
There is a tiny additional screen located directly above the main screen. With the first, everything is clear - the colors are bright, saturated, the picture is pleasant, and there is no point in talking about it for a long time. Moreover, the color rendition can be customized for yourself, just like other manufacturers. I just wish it were literally three to four millimeters lower - HTC has traditionally left too much unrealized space under the screen. Yes, and from the sides a couple of millimeters around the screen could be removed; the frames are perhaps too big.
But still, the second display, which acts as an extension of the notification panel, is of greatest interest. Actually, this is where all incoming messages are displayed, and here you can pin the weather forecast, calendar event reminders, player control buttons and shortcut buttons for your favorite contacts.
The weather forecast turns into...
Elegant audio player
First of all, it is convenient because notifications do not take up space on the main display, and at the same time they are large and very easy to read information from. And although you have to reach for it, in other smartphones after the U Ultra this secondary display is sorely lacking. It might seem like a small thing, but how it changes the perception of the device! Thanks to LG for inventing such a thing.
Another bonus that the second display provides is that while watching a video you can always see the time and list of notifications. Without touching the screen or being distracted from the video.
However, it lacks some functions. For example, when taking a selfie, you could display a countdown timer with an arrow on the camera in the “Look here” style - fortunately, the camera is actually located next to the display.
The cameras are quite good
There is only one problem with the front one - if you don’t fix the device at the time of shooting, then everything will be blurred. And I’m not talking about drunken dancing in a bar - for a photo to blur, a slight vibration is enough, exactly the same as what happens when you press the volume key or the capture button on the screen. Therefore, without a timer, you won’t be able to shoot on the front camera at all.
If we talk about the rear, then everything is fine with it. Of course, it is inferior to the recognized leaders Samsung, Pixel and Huawei, but one cannot say that much. In any case, on Instagram, photos from HTC are in no way inferior, and even on a large monitor, the difference can only be seen if you look closely. The sharpness of photos suffers most at dusk and when shooting night landscapes. The brightly lit monument to Yuri Nikulin, for example, turned out well. But the night view of the Moscow River was a little blurry, and it’s not a matter of focus, but the fact that the smartphone was unable to correctly capture light objects in a dark frame. The same thing is with the twilight over the Kievsky railway station. However, daytime photographs are more than worthy.
The sky lost all texture, but objects on the ground were very clear.
The heavy leaden sky looks as it should, and you can see ducks in the ducks on the water. However, the pipes of the thermal power plant are beating into pixels
The locomotive is as bright as in life. The rubble didn't turn into mush.
The detailing of the portrait of John Lennon is excellent - you can see both individual bricks and places where the plaster has been chipped off.
The streetlights have turned into white spots, the signs are fuzzy, the sky is flat. But after processing, it looks great on Instagram.
The sky has retained its texture, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior has not been blurred, and in the distance you can even see the Main Building of Moscow State University. And it didn't turn into a stain.
The Government House turned into White spot, Hotel "Ukraine" - in yellow, Borodinsky Bridge - in color.
The shooting conditions are not the easiest, yes. The picture on the wall was blurred, but the pattern on the nearby ottoman remained clear.
Excellent contrast, color rendition is also correct. And you can even see the black text on the white sign.
We left test photos in original resolution
The hardware here is also inferior to this year's flagships
HTC U Ultra has last year's flagship Snapdragon 821 processor. In tests, it loses to the most powerful this moment Snapdragon 835 chip ( Samsung Galaxy S8, Sony Xpreia XZs and XZ Premium), but in practice you won’t notice any difference - the interface doesn’t slow down, the most demanding games run without any brakes. And it will be like this for at least another year after the purchase.
Performance of HTC U Ultra and other flagships in tests (the higher the scores, the better):
There is 4 gigabytes of RAM, and I don’t know how, but the smartphone is too fast. This is the case when you are surprised at how quickly applications load and switch. The operation of the system is pure delight. Bravo, HTC, for this good optimization software!
And the fingerprint scanner works great here. It just so happens that the thumb of the author of these lines is not friendly with all scanners - for example, Sony stubbornly refuses to recognize me. Although others don't have this problem. The same thing happened with HTC 10, which recognized the owner's finger every tenth time. Here there is complete order, like Huawei (and this is a compliment in the matter of fingerprint scanners). U Ultra unlocks faster than you can think about what you need from a smartphone.
The only thing is that I advise you to turn off the BlinkFeed screen. IN ideal conditions it shows you up-to-date information from your news feeds and social networks. However, in reality it turns into a hellish mess, which is very difficult to keep track of, and therefore to obtain the information of interest.
The battery is not happy
Its capacity is only 3000 mAh. If we give a car analogy, it’s as ridiculous as putting a tiny tank from a Mini Cooper on a huge Land Cruiser. At least because there is a gluttonous 5.7-inch Super LCD with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. And another two-inch one with a resolution of 160x1040.
HTC U Ultra operating time compared to other flagships (in minutes):
As a result, the smartphone discharges very quickly - you will have to charge it at least once a day. Actually, if we talk about games, the simple Subway Surfers drained the smartphone in just 4 hours and 30 minutes. Something more serious, like Real Racing 3 or World of Tanks: Blitz, will turn off your smartphone even faster.
Summary
The biggest disappointment is the price. Because HTC U Ultra costs 48 thousand rubles in the official online store. And she kills this phablet. Because for about the same money you can buy, for example, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Also last year's iron, also stunning appearance, but at the same time where best camera, good battery life, moisture protection and (a sudden plus) - a huge number of accessories.
Or you can take the Huawei P10 Plus, which turned out to be extremely successful and definitely falls into the “must take” category - it has an amazing camera, a more durable battery and much less fragility due to the all-metal body. And it's even cheaper.
Or you can add a little more and take the new Galaxy S8. He is generally uncompromising, and will delight his owner every day.
In general, the HTC U Ultra is a controversial smartphone, and the second screen, as a convenient wow feature, does not compensate for the price. If it were 10 thousand cheaper, it would be a good offer. 5 thousand cheaper - well, not the worst. And now... Perhaps it’s still better for HTC to engage in VR. I hope that in U11 they at least somehow turned this situation around.
Advantages:
- bright appearance;
- second display;
- good camera;
- excellent interface optimization;
- instant fingerprint scanner.
Flaws:
- no audio jack;
- no moisture protection;
- fragile and easily soiled body;
- weak battery;
- too expensive.
HTC U Ultra was presented back in winter at CES, and a lot has changed since then. Top devices were shown by LG, Sony and Huawei, and then Samsung took the cake with the Galaxy S8.
HTC's life is already complicated and difficult, but here competitors are pressing from all sides. Perhaps HTC knew what its market colleagues were up to, or maybe not. In any case, I got the impression that HTC decided to make the flagship its own way. So to speak, look at the situation with a fresh look and grind down stereotypes. But whether it succeeded or not, now we’ll figure it out.
Glossy giant
The phone is sold in different colors, if you decide to buy the “Ultra”, then look for the option in blue, judging by the photographs, this is a magical color, the glossy body plays with colors under the lighting, it looks amazing.
I happened to have a version in a more classic black design, it also sparkles and shines. The body is made of glass on the front and back, and there is a metal edging on the sides. The designers named their creation Liquid Surface. And indeed, the phone looks as if a drop of an unusual substance froze on the surface and took the shape of a phone, very beautiful. All these shimmers look foreign and mesmerizing, just space!
The feel of HTC is comparable to Xiaomi Mi Mix, but if HTC has glass, then Xiaomi has ceramics. I don’t know how to check, because when you hold the phones in your hands, the sensations are the same. HTC included a case with the U Ultra to prevent the phone from slipping out of the palm, as the body is slippery. Therefore, such sparkling beauty will have to be hidden in a case, or used very carefully. I myself am not a fan of cases, I don’t like protective products, but in the case of HTC you can’t do without it.
There is no need to talk about the fact that glass collects fingerprints at an alarming rate, and that’s understandable. But unlike the glossy iPhone 7 Jet Black, the surface here is not scratched. Cool coating, I spent a week with the phone, not the slightest scratch or scuff, the phone looks like new. But Jet Black gets scratched very quickly, it can’t boast of such durability, HTC is more durable, kudos! 
I didn't like that the area around the protruding camera constantly collects dust, which settles on the glossy surface and immediately catches the eye. Large spaces above and below the screen do not add joy either. free place were not used very effectively, especially if you think about the “frameless” flagships from Samsung or LG.
In addition, the “back” key is located in the lower left corner, and not in the right, making it inconvenient to reach there. The fingerprint scanner works well, it is located in a small area under the screen, it is a pity that it was moved down so much. It works quickly, as expected, and works flawlessly.
Two screens
Above the main display is a small additional screen chik: diagonal 2 inches, resolution 160x1040 pixels. According to the manufacturer, it simplifies the user’s life and takes on extra load.
For example, you pick up the phone from the table, the backlight of the second screen turns on, the main one does not turn on, and you see all the notifications. Someone “likes” your post on Instagram, a message is sent there too.
What else can the second screen do? You set up quick access to 6 applications on your phone and see the weather forecast for the day. You can quickly call one of 6 contacts, create a reminder, or see your next scheduled event. Navigation is simple, move your finger left and right and switch between menus.
While I was walking with the phone, she came out a new version firmware. Initially, the small display could not work with third party applications, I wrote this down as a minus. But then, after the update, it turned out that the phone’s capabilities were expanded, and now information from other programs gets there. For example, I listen to music through Spotify, control buttons and the name of the track are displayed there. But switching songs is inconvenient; you won’t reach for the very top every time. In my opinion, the additional screen is a fun toy, but not the thing for which people will buy this phone.
The screen is covered with Gorilla Glass 5, diagonal 5.7 inches, resolution 1440x2560 pixels. The picture is great, but the frames spoil everything. Part of the space is taken up by an additional display, and the wide indents on the sides immediately hint that this is not the Galaxy S8.
The colors here are bright and saturated, the displays of top HTCs have always had colorful shades, and this phone was no exception. The picture is very juicy, you can also Super AMOLED mixed up out of ignorance. True, the IPS panel is not as economical as AMOLED, but I’ll write about the operating time below.
Powerful but hot
The phone's body heats up even during routine tasks like scrolling through pages in a browser. If you play, it quickly gets hot, and it has a well-proven Snapdragon 821 processor. In general, it does not generate increased heat, judging by other tested devices with the same characteristics.
The measurement results are in our table, here are the standard numbers for a device with last year’s top-end hardware. Of course, I would like to see a new and more powerful Snapdragon 835 in the new phone, but so far this is not possible; almost all the best from Qualcomm has been reserved by Samsung, as one of its key partners.
HTC is not alone here; the LG G6, for example, also received an “old” processor. I added quotation marks to the word because I don’t dare call it slow or low-powered. Another thing is that if you are a geek and are chasing the very best hardware, then you can be upset.
The phone has 4/64 GB of memory, two slots for SIM cards, the second SIM can be replaced with microSD if necessary.
The smartphone runs Android 7, the shell received artificial intelligence Sense Companion. The smart assistant analyzes how you use your phone and then gives you tips. But for now it does not work, it will appear in one of the future updates, as stated on the official website.
For some unknown reason, HTC U Ultra received only a 3000 mAh battery. In addition, he also quite actively spent his energy reserves in background At first, 2 exercises a day became the norm. Then, after the new firmware, the “burning” stopped, I got about 3-3.5 hours of active screen, which is comparable to OnePlus 3/3T or Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. WITH new Galaxy I haven't used S8 yet, so I can't compare. Yes, not very much, so if you want a phone with a large screen that you can hardly discharge in a day, look at Huawei Mate 9 ().
The phone charges quickly, it takes 1.5 hours, as befits a device that supports QuickCharge 3.0. Wireless charging not here, unfortunately.
Where to connect the headphones?
HTC U Ultra comes with headphones with a jack USB Type-C. Why did they abandon the regular 3.5mm port? Yes, for the same reason as Apple or LeEco. The position is this: move on, people, to more high quality sound, the mini-jack is not able to transmit it. By the way, there is no adapter for mini-jack in the box.
But USonic technology works; the device optimizes and adjusts the sound depending on the structure of the ear canal, but you only need to listen to music through the included headphones. If you connect others, then goodbye high technology.
However, given that there is no usual connector, owners don’t have many options. Either look for an adapter, or buy other exotic headphones with USB Type-C, or connect a Bluetooth headset. I love wireless sound, so I listened to music on a wireless headset. Although the complete set turned out to be good: comfortable “plugs” with good sound insulation.
According to my feelings, USonic better sound doesn't, just changes the settings, you get the sound as in Beats headphones, but focusing on low frequencies is not for everyone. If you listen to music in “normal” mode, you will enjoy it more.
Remember when HTC used to be famous for its stereo speakers? The sound was very loud and clear, and most importantly, there was even a hint of volume, which is a great achievement for phones. BoomSound works here too, the smartphone screams sonorously and loudly, there are not enough low frequencies, but from a device of this size it is foolish to want the capabilities of a speaker like the JBL Charge.
Camera
The camera with “ultra-pixels” migrated here from the HTC 10: laser and phase focusing, optical stabilization, 12 megapixels and f/1.8 aperture. Front camera 16 megapixels.
In my opinion, HTC U Ultra's photo quality is not up to par with the reference Google Pixel or Galaxy S8. The colors are pale, there is a lot of noise, the sharpness drops around the edges. Alternatively, you can switch to Pro mode from manual settings and shoot in RAW, and then process the photos. But this is during the day, and at night everything becomes completely sad; you can’t tell from the examples that the top model in the line shoots like this.
Opinion
The price of HTC U Ultra in America is $749. In Russia, the phone costs 47,990 rubles. This is less than what they ask for for the LG G6 or Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+.
It is possible that after reading this text you will think “ugh, what kind of crap is this, not a top-end smartphone.” But there is such a moment. Now all phones are very similar to each other: both in design and in characteristics. HTC tried to gather all the modern trends into a pile and create something new out of it. It will be interesting to see how the intelligent assistant will perform later, will they “finish” the camera?
In the meantime, HTC U Ultra has turned out to be too controversial. On the one hand, it is clear that the manufacturer wanted to stand out from the general background, invested in the design, tried to expand the usual capabilities and added a second screen. But when you walk around with the phone, having tried to get used to the image of the owner, you realize that there is another side to the coin. I would prefer a phone with a longer battery life and a more advanced camera. After all, you can always take the frameless Xiaomi Mi Mix and be amazed at Chinese engineering.
Liked
- spectacular design
- great screen
- loud speakers
- performance
- the extra screen is a funny thing
Did not like
- middle chamber
- big sizes
- get used to the lack of a 3.5 mm jack
I would like to thank the friendliest gadget store for providing me with a smartphone for testing.Biggeek . Using the Wylsacom promotional code, there is a special discount for customers.
It seems that HTC itself has not decided what role it will play new smartphone U Ultra. It will not be the successor to the HTC 10, although new smartphone technologies hint at that. But HTC's top model will be released in a few months. Should you buy the HTC U Ultra today? What advantages will we get over our competitors? We'll talk about this in the review.
From various sources, one gets the impression that HTC considers the U Ultra to be something of an experimental model. In 2017, the company decided to search for new development strategies, which is not surprising, given the modest results of recent years. HTC's main focus is to find opportunities to differentiate itself from strong competitors.
New name, new design: U Ultra is the first representative of a new philosophy
But it was not possible to stand out in terms of price. For a standard model with 64 GB of memory you will have to pay 749 euros, or from 48.5 thousand rubles in Russia. A smartphone with 128 GB of internal memory and a sapphire glass front panel will cost 100 euros more. However, it has not yet appeared on sale.
High level of performance
If the manufacturer asks a decent amount for a smartphone, then the equipment should be up to par. Otherwise, you may encounter problems, for example, switching from Android 6 to 7. Changes in OS requirements led to the fact that not all old models received the update, or some functions had to be abandoned. For their part, manufacturers explain the high price by the most modern technologies. But HTC's approach to the U Ultra smartphone left some questions.
Presenting a top-end smartphone on an SoC for which a successor has already been announced can hardly be called a good move. The smartphone will lose at least part of its attractiveness. On the other hand, you can focus not on technical specifications, but on practical experience.
One of the open questions: why the Snapdragon 821 of the U Ultra smartphone is slower than competitors
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 “system on a chip” has been available since the third quarter of 2016. Qualcomm presented the chip as an addition to the Snapdragon 820. However, only the clock speeds of the CPU and GPU differ, and the modem and process technology are the same. SoC Snapdragon 821 was released in two versions. The MSM8996 Pro-AB model, which is used in the smartphone, works with a cluster of cores at 2.15 GHz, while the MSM8996 Pro-AC, which is installed in the same smartphone ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe, we get a frequency of up to 2.35 GHz. The GPU is also faster - 653 versus 624 MHz.
HTC has opted for the U Ultra SoC with the lower clock speeds of the two options mentioned above. The chip is equipped with two clusters of two Kryo cores each, as well as an Adreno 530 GPU; the crystal is manufactured using the 14 nm FinFET LPP process. The functionality is identical to the Snapdragon 820, and includes support for QuickCharge 3.0, 4K H.265 video encoding and decoding at 30 or 60 fps, Vulkan 1.0 and OpenGL ES 3.2. In tests the SoC gives good level productivity. In Geekbench 3 and 4, multi-threaded performance was about 5,300 and 3,800 points, in AnTuTu 6 we got a CPU performance of almost 29,900 points. Only the Huawei Kirin 955 and Kirin 960, as well as the Samsung Exynos 8890 will be faster – but this is due to the large number of CPU cores.
Despite the uneven level, performance is more than enough
In terms of GPU performance, we get pretty good results from the U Ultra. high level, although some top-end smartphones come out ahead. For example, a smartphone with the same SoC turned out to be much faster, but with a slower SoC Snapdragon 820 it also gave slightly higher results.
The overall performance is affected by RAM (4 GB LPDDR4) and internal memory, here HTC showed its best side. We received almost 136,000 points in AnTuTu 6, the second highest rating in our laboratory. In the 3DMark tests (Ice Storm Unlimited/Slingshot) the results were also very high - 30,100 and 2,800 points. So new HTC smartphone has sufficient performance reserve for all tasks. There wasn't an app or test we ran that the smartphone couldn't handle - although we did see performance drops due to varying clock speeds.
The U Ultra's built-in memory is not as fast as Samsung's, but it's not a bottleneck either.
As in the case, we should not forget about the heat dissipation of the SoC U Ultra. As a result, the maximum CPU frequency, according to analysis utilities, is reached very rarely; most often the chip operates at only 2.0 GHz, which is why the Pixel XL and other competitors are faster. As for the GPU, it is not entirely clear whether the maximum theoretical speed is achieved.
HTC explains the situation by saying that utilities read clock frequency incorrect. In the U Ultra smartphone, the Snapdragon 821 processor operates at the promised frequencies of up to 2.15 GHz, but the problem lies in the correct reading of frequencies - especially after phases of inactivity. However, even if this is so, how to explain the lower performance compared to other smartphones?
In terms of internal memory, we received high results in the Androbench test throughput was about 220 and 154 MB/s for reading and writing. Great results can only be obtained with the latter Samsung smartphones, which are equipped with UFS memory.
Excellent equipment
For the rest of the equipment, HTC remains true to its traditions. Here the company did not change anything. However, no changes were required - everything you need is there.
The SoC has an X12 modem built into it. But in the case of U Ultra, the transfer speed is stated below the promises of Qualcomm, which calls Cat 12 for downloading and Cat 13 for uploading. In any case, Cat 11 support is sufficient for the near future for Russia and Europe, with speeds of up to 600 and 50 Mbit/s for downloading and uploading. We will add support for VoLTE, Wi-Fi Calling and all major frequencies. So the smartphone is unlikely to become obsolete in the next few years.
If you want to transfer data via local network, then support for WLAN 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2 will come in handy; there is also NFC support. But HTC also thought about those users who would like to play data stored on their smartphone on other devices. Chromecast, DLNA, AirPlay and Miracast are supported. If you want to use a cable, then the smartphone has a USB Type C interface installed - as in the case of HTC 10, it is supported USB standard 3.1 Gen 1. Connecting an external display is possible thanks to DisplayPort support.
The HTC U Ultra's fingerprint scanner worked reliably
64 GB of memory in the standard version of U Ultra is enough for most users, although 128 GB will not be enough for some. There is a microSD slot into which you can install cards up to 2 TB. There is also an advantage: if necessary, the card can be used for Adoptable Storage, HTC calls this technology Flex Storage.
The sensors also have everything you need. Of course, the smartphone is equipped with a gyroscope and compass, an ambient light sensor and an accelerometer. Supported satellite systems positioning GPS, GLONASS and Beidou, but without the European competitor Galileo. HTC did not add a barometer and heart rate sensor, but there is a fingerprint scanner - it is located under the display and also serves as Home button. The recognition quality turned out to be much better than those recently tested, but the sensor cannot be used, for example, for navigation. Unlike Huawei, you won't be able to scroll through the gallery or show/hide the notification shade using the fingerprint sensor.
U Ultra and Voice
But the smartphone showed excellent quality voice communication. Microphones and speakers provide good voice recording and playback during telephone conversations, and annoying background noise is reliably filtered. We didn't encounter any issues with connections dropping out or networks switching too quickly.
Thanks to USonic technology, the headphones optimize the sound profile - the difference is noticeable
As in the case of HTC 10, the BoomSound solution is supported here, that is, the operation of two speakers depends on the scenario. The front speaker operates in the traditional way when telephone communication, in all other cases its volume can increase significantly. While listening to music and in comparable scenarios, both speakers operate at high volume, in speaker mode. We found no difference between portrait and landscape modes, with both speakers delivering a full range of frequencies.
We can rate the sound quality as above average, although there are no low frequencies, which is typical for smartphones. But what’s more annoying is that the front speaker is quieter than the bottom one, regardless of the volume setting. This somewhat blurs the stereo effect in landscape orientation smartphone.
The included headphones sound relatively good, but you can only use them with U Ultra
The supplied headphones save the situation. HTC has once again added USonic headphones, the sound of which automatically adjusts to the user's ear. In practice, such optimization is noticeable, but you will only have to use the included headphones. In addition, the headphones are connected via a USB Type C interface; HTC abandoned the classic headphone jack for reasons of thickness. Unfortunately, HTC headphones are not compatible with other smartphones equipped with USB Type C.