HTC recently took the wraps off the U Ultra phablet, a flagship handset that is meant to take on the likes of LG V20, Google Pixel XL, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Huawei Mate 9 and OnePlus 3T, just to name but a few.
The phone has quite a number of features that are already available on other phones in the market and it also has its unique selling points. The secondary ticker display is something familiar with LG V20/V10 users, there is an AI-based virtual assistant that is similar to the Google Assistant available on Pixel XL, while the design is more of the same as what Samsung has been doing with the Galaxy S series.
HTC went for a new Snapdragon 821 processor, which is the same one found on the Google Pixel XL and OnePlus 3T. It is only the latter that beats competition when it comes to RAM thanks to its massive package of 6GB. There is a 6GB RAM variant of the Huawei Mate 9, but this will be a rare one. As for the rest, including the HTC U Ultra, the RAM remains at 4GB. The onboard storage is not so different from what others offer, taking the same route as the OnePlus 3T
The HTC U Ultra packs the same display qualities as the LG V20, including the screen size, resolution, as well as the aforementioned secondary ticker display. However, it is the Huawei Mate 9 and LG V20 that beat them all when it comes to cameras thanks to their dual-lens packages. Still, this doesn’t mean the U Ultra’s package is not the best. In fact, it should top industry charts since it has a lot in common with what HTC used on the Google Pixel XL.
Here’s a head-to-head comparison of the HTC U Ultra versus the rest of the competition.
| HTC U Ultra | LG V20 | Google Pixel XL | Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge | Huawei Mate 9 | OnePlus 3T | |
| Display size | 5.7-inch LCD | 5.7-inch LCD | 5.5-inch AMOLED | 5.5-inch Super AMOLED | 5.9-inch LCD | 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED |
| Display resolution | QHD (2560×1440) | QHD (2560×1440) | QHD (2560×1440) | QHD (2560×1440) | Full HD (1920×1080) | Full HD (1920×1080) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 821 | Snapdragon 820 | Snapdragon 821 | Snapdragon 820/Exynos 8890 | Kirin 960 | Snapdragon 821 |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | Adreno 530 | Adreno 530 | Adreno 530/Mali-T880 MP12 | Mali-G71 MP8 | Adreno 530 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB/6GB | 6GB |
| Storage | 64/128GB | 32/64GB | 32/128GB | 32/64/128GB | 64GB | 64/128GB |
| MicroSD | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Main camera | 12MP, f/1.8, PDAF, OIS and laser AF | 16MP+8MP, f/1.8+f/2.4, OIS, laser and PDAF | 12.3MP, f/2.0, EIS, PDAF | 12MP, f/1.7, OIS, PDAF | 20MP+12MP, f/2.0, laser AF, 2x zoom, OIS | 16MP, f/2.0, PDAF, OIS |
| Secondary camera | 16MP | 5MP | 8MP | 5MP | 8MP | 16MP |
| Battery capacity | 3000mAh | 3200mAh | 3450mAh | 3600mAh | 4000mAh | 3400mAh |
| Fast charging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IP certification | No | No | No | IP68 | No | No |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm audio jack | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating system | Android 7.0 Nougat | Android 7.0 Nougat | Android 7.1 Nougat | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 7.0 Nougat | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Extras | USB-C, Sense Companion, Boomsound Hi Res audio | USB-C, 32-bit/192kHz audio, MIL-STD-810G certified | USB-C, Google Assistant, Google Daydream VR | Samsung Pay, Wireless Charging, Edge Display | USB-C, Alexa Assistant, Google Daydream | USB-C |
| Price | $749 | $700 | $769 | $770 | $600 | $439 |
So, from this table, which OEM do you think has a better offering than the new HTC U Ultra? Please feel free to share your views in the comments section below.
Daniel is genuinely passionate about technology, with a keen interest spanning across smartphones, tablets, apps, and the latest tech gadgets. As one of our most prolific contributors, you can explore his 4,000+ articles covering the tech world right here.