HTC U Ultra

amazon HTC U Ultra reviews

Design and Build Quality

From the moment you first hold the HTC U Ultra, it’s clear that this is a device that was designed to stand out. HTC has always been known for its attention to design, and the U Ultra is no exception. It features a striking glass back that HTC calls “Liquid Surface,” which is both eye-catching and elegant. The phone’s glossy finish reflects light in different ways depending on the angle, creating a dynamic visual effect that changes as you move the device.

The build quality is top-notch, with a solid metal frame that adds a premium feel to the device. However, the glass back, while beautiful, is also a magnet for fingerprints and smudges. This means that keeping the phone looking pristine will require frequent cleaning or the use of a case, which might obscure the design. The phone is also quite large, with a 5.7-inch main display and a secondary 2-inch display, making it one of the bigger phones on the market at the time of its release. This size might appeal to users who prefer larger screens, but it also makes the device somewhat unwieldy for one-handed use.

One downside to the design is the lack of water and dust resistance, which is something that many other flagship phones offer. In a market where IP67 or IP68 ratings are becoming standard, the absence of such a feature on the U Ultra is a notable omission. Additionally, the glass back, while aesthetically pleasing, does make the phone more susceptible to damage from drops.

Display

The HTC U Ultra boasts a 5.7-inch Super LCD 5 display with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 513 PPI. This display is sharp, vibrant, and offers excellent color accuracy. The Super LCD technology provides deeper blacks and better contrast than traditional LCDs, and the high resolution ensures that text, images, and videos appear crisp and detailed. The large screen size is ideal for media consumption, making it a great device for watching movies, playing games, or browsing the web.

In addition to the main display, the U Ultra features a secondary 2-inch display located above the main screen. This secondary display has a resolution of 160 x 1040 pixels and is designed to show notifications, shortcuts, and other contextual information without interrupting what’s on the main screen. This feature is similar to the one found on the LG V20, and it’s a useful addition for those who want quick access to certain features without having to leave the app they’re currently using. However, while the secondary display is a nice touch, it doesn’t feel fully integrated into the overall user experience. Some users might find it more gimmicky than essential, especially since the primary display is already quite large and capable of handling most tasks.

Performance

Under the hood, the HTC U Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, which was a high-end chip at the time of the phone’s release. It is paired with 4GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, depending on the model. The Snapdragon 821, while not the absolute latest chip at the time, is still a very capable processor, and it provides smooth and responsive performance for most tasks.

Apps launch quickly, and multitasking is handled with ease. The U Ultra can handle intensive tasks such as gaming and video editing without any noticeable lag or slowdown. However, given that the Snapdragon 835 was already on the horizon when the U Ultra was released, some users might feel that HTC missed an opportunity by not including the latest and greatest processor. Still, for most users, the performance of the Snapdragon 821 will be more than sufficient, and it’s unlikely that they’ll notice much difference in day-to-day use.

The phone also comes with a dedicated DAC (digital-to-analog converter) for improved audio quality, a feature that will appeal to audiophiles who value high-fidelity sound. Paired with a good set of headphones, the U Ultra delivers rich, detailed audio that surpasses what you’d get from most smartphones. However, it’s worth noting that the U Ultra does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, which means that users will need to rely on either USB-C headphones or wireless options.

Software and User Interface

The HTC U Ultra runs on Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, with HTC’s Sense UI layered on top. Sense UI has been a staple of HTC devices for years, and it offers a clean, intuitive user experience. The interface is well-organized, with a minimalistic design that’s easy to navigate. HTC has also kept bloatware to a minimum, which is a welcome change compared to some other manufacturers that pre-install a large number of unnecessary apps.

One of the standout features of the software is HTC’s Sense Companion, an AI-driven assistant that learns from your behavior and provides personalized recommendations over time. For example, it might suggest that you charge your phone before you head out for the day if it notices that your battery is running low. While this feature is a nice addition, it’s not as fully developed or integrated as other AI assistants like Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri. As a result, some users might find that it doesn’t add much value to their overall experience.

The U Ultra also includes several customization options, allowing users to tailor the look and feel of the interface to their liking. Themes, icon packs, and wallpapers can all be changed with ease, giving users the freedom to make the device their own. The secondary display can also be customized to show different types of information, such as your favorite contacts, app shortcuts, or even a personalized message.

However, one area where the software falls short is in updates. HTC has a mixed track record when it comes to providing timely software updates, and the U Ultra is no exception. While it did receive updates to Android 8.0 Oreo, it was not one of the first devices to do so, and it’s unlikely to receive any further major updates beyond that. This is a significant drawback for users who value having the latest features and security patches.

HTC U Ultra owns a 12MP rear camera with UltraPixel 2 technology, aperture of f1.8 lens and 1.55 microns of pixel size. In addition, U Ultra supports low light 2-tone dual flash, incorporating OIS optical image stabilization, laser focus and phase focusing, while the front camera has a resolution of 16MP. .

HTC U Ultra photography interface is not much change, is still very familiar if users upgrade from the latest version is HTC 10 up. HTC has only two HDR options and flash LEDs in addition to the screen capture, left hidden in the menu on the left, while sliding through will have more customizable motion capture modes, Pro shooting (professional), panorama shooting, … The article will focus on Auto mode and Pro.

Focal-plane and snapshot camera in daylight, with a camera focus of up to 26mm, the angle of the image is so wide that it is suitable for hobbyists.

Natural color photos, clear separation. But sometimes the white balance of the machine is not really good, some cases have a slight prple hint.

Capture in complex lighting conditions

In terms of lack of light or complexity, the HTC U Ultra’s camera still offers sharp focus and good color quality.

Photos in the house, the evening

With a large f / 1.8 camera aperture, shooting in low light conditions is also easier. The ability to handle noise is negligible but does not detract from the details, and the image color is correct in comparison with reality.

Close-up – HDR – Professional Mode – Selfie

Thanks to its large f / 1.8 camera aperture, HTC U Ultra is capable of capturing very good fonts (for small subjects). The nearest focusing distance is about 10cm, making it easy to take close-up shots in a variety of conditions.

HDR on HTC U Ultra is not impressive. Snapshot before and after HDR turned on virtually no obvious difference, except that the dark areas of the image were raised slightly.

HTC U Ultra also comes with a professional shooting mode (Pro), which allows person to customize parameters such as ISO sensitivity, EV compensation, manual focus and exposure time. Unlike its predecessor, the HTC 10, U Ultra allows up to 16 seconds of exposure time. However, perhaps due to the software’s algorithmic processing ability is not stable so the results are not very impressive in terms of details of the image.

The 16-megapixel front-facing camera produces more “selfie” images, smoothing out the effect just enough for sharing on social networks. The color of the human face when shooting with the camera is very similar to the reality, not too much virtual phenomenon compared to the current selfie smartphone.

where can you get a HTC U Ultra online

HTC U Ultra Factory Unlocked Phone – 5.7″ Screen – 64GB – Black (International Version – No Warranty): Buy it now

HTC U Ultra (U-1u) 5.7-Inch 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM 4G LTE Dual SIM FACTORY UNLOCKED – International Stock No Warranty (INDIGO BLUE): Buy it now

HTC U Ultra Factory Unlocked Phone – 5.7″ Screen – 64GB – Pink (International Version – No Warranty): Buy it now

HTC U Ultra (U-1u) 5.7-Inch 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM 4G LTE Dual SIM FACTORY UNLOCKED – International Stock No Warranty (ICEBERG WHITE): Buy it now

Conclude

HTC U Ultra is an ideal smartphone for those who are passionate about photography on the phone because it owns a camera system, including fast capture speed, accurate color reproduction, wide angle and wide angle. Professional custom, meet most of the needs of today’s photography such as ordinary life, landscapes, people and objects of all kinds … With a price of about $900, users have many options High-end smartphones with good, high-performance camera. However, the HTC U Ultra is still a worthy choice, apart from the camera, it’s also a smartphone with a lot of first-class smartphones, which are artificial intelligence.

Advantage

– Speed is fast

– The color is correct

– Good auto illumination

Disadvantages

– Pro mode is not optimal

– HDR shooting is not impressive