The HTC U11 Life and Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 represent a fascinating crossroads in the mid-range smartphone market. Released around the same time, they both aimed to deliver a solid experience without breaking the bank. However, they took different approaches – the U11 Life prioritizing a refined user experience, while the Redmi Note 7 focused on maximizing battery life and offering a more modern chipset. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which phone remains a viable option today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user in 2024, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 emerges as the stronger choice. Its significantly superior battery life (108h vs 73h) and more powerful Snapdragon 660 chipset provide a noticeable advantage in daily use and longevity, outweighing the U11 Life’s slightly better nominal display contrast.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat11 600/75 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2017, November. Released 2017, December | 2019, January 10. Released 2019, February 28 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 149.1 x 72.9 x 8.1 mm (5.87 x 2.87 x 0.32 in) | 159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1 mm (6.27 x 2.96 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 142 g (5.01 oz) | 186 g (6.56 oz) |
| | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins) | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~424 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~409 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.2 inches, 74.5 cm2 (~68.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.3 inches, 97.4 cm2 (~81.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super LCD | IPS LCD |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core 2.2 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (4x2.2 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM630 Snapdragon 630 (14 nm) | Qualcomm SDM660 Snapdragon 660 (14 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 508 | Adreno 512 |
| OS | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), Android One | Android 9.0 (Pie), planned upgrade to Android 10, MIUI 12 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) - single-SIM modelmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual-SIM model | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM | 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM |
| | - | eMMC 5.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
Auxiliary lens
or
12 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm, PDAF
Auxiliary lens |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, PDAF | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60/120fps, (gyro-EIS) |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 13 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| | 24-bit/192kHz audio
| - |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | No |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
| Radio | No | FM radio, recording |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 18W wired, QC4 |
| Stand-by | Up to 670 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 17 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 2600 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Brilliant Black, Sapphire Blue, Ice White | Blue, Black, Twilight Gold, White |
| Models | U11 life | M1901F7G, M1901F7H, M1901F7I |
| Price | About 210 EUR | About 170 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.15 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.59 W/kg (head) 1.27 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise -90.7dB / Crosstalk -94.5dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 73h |
Endurance rating 108h
|
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo / Video |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: 1529:1 (nominal), 3.108 (sunlight) |
Contrast ratio: 1338:1 (nominal), 2.893 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 70dB / Noise 75dB / Ring 88dB |
Voice 69dB / Noise 71dB / Ring 90dB
|
| Performance |
GeekBench: 4140 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 5.3fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
AnTuTu: 139075 (v7)
GeekBench: 5411 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 7.7fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
HTC U11 Life
- Slightly higher nominal display contrast ratio.
- Potentially more refined software experience (depending on ROMs).
- Compact form factor (likely, based on HTC's design language).
- Inferior chipset performance (Snapdragon 630).
- Significantly shorter battery life.
- Lacks fast charging support.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7
- Superior battery life (108h endurance).
- More powerful chipset (Snapdragon 660).
- 18W fast charging with QC4 support.
- Likely better software support (Xiaomi's update track record).
- Slightly lower nominal display contrast ratio.
- Potentially more bloatware (typical of Xiaomi's MIUI).
Display Comparison
Both the HTC U11 Life and Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 feature displays with similar contrast ratios – 1529:1 (nominal) and 3.108 (sunlight) for the U11 Life, and 1338:1 (nominal) and 2.893 (sunlight) for the Redmi Note 7. While the U11 Life boasts a slightly higher nominal contrast, the difference is unlikely to be perceptible in real-world usage. The sunlight contrast figures suggest comparable visibility outdoors. Neither manufacturer specified panel technology (IPS vs. VA) or refresh rates, implying standard 60Hz IPS panels common in this price bracket at the time. The focus here isn't on cutting-edge display tech, but on functional clarity.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are absent. Given the market positioning, it’s reasonable to assume both feature primary cameras around the 12-16MP range. However, the Redmi Note 7’s later release likely benefited from improved image processing algorithms. Without specific sensor size or aperture data, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment. The inclusion of a 2MP depth sensor on the Redmi Note 7 (a common feature at the time) suggests a focus on portrait mode functionality, but the quality of such sensors was often limited. We can assume the Redmi Note 7 has a slight edge due to the more modern chipset's image signal processor.
Performance
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7’s Snapdragon 660 represents a clear step up from the HTC U11 Life’s Snapdragon 630. The SD660 utilizes a Kryo 260 core configuration (4x2.2 GHz Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Silver) offering a more efficient and powerful architecture compared to the U11 Life’s homogenous Octa-core 2.2 GHz Cortex-A53 setup. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and improved performance in demanding applications. While both chipsets are built on a 14nm process, the SD660’s architectural improvements provide a tangible benefit. The U11 Life will handle basic tasks adequately, but the Redmi Note 7 offers a more future-proof experience.
Battery Life
The most significant difference between these two devices lies in their battery endurance. The Redmi Note 7 achieves an impressive 108-hour endurance rating, substantially exceeding the U11 Life’s 73 hours. This difference is partially attributable to the more efficient Snapdragon 660 chipset, but also to the Redmi Note 7’s 18W wired charging with Quick Charge 4 (QC4) support. The U11 Life lacks fast charging, meaning a full charge will take considerably longer. For users who prioritize all-day battery life and quick top-ups, the Redmi Note 7 is the clear winner.
Buying Guide
Buy the HTC U11 Life if you prioritize a potentially more polished software experience (depending on custom ROM availability) and a display with marginally better nominal contrast. Buy the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 if you value long-lasting battery life, faster charging with QC4 support, and a more capable processor for multitasking and light gaming. The Redmi Note 7 is the better all-rounder for most users.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Snapdragon 660 in the Redmi Note 7 handle demanding games like PUBG Mobile?
The Snapdragon 660 is capable of running PUBG Mobile, but you'll likely need to lower the graphics settings to medium or low to achieve a consistently smooth frame rate. It's not a gaming powerhouse, but it provides a playable experience, unlike the Snapdragon 630 in the U11 Life which would struggle more.
❓ Is the 18W charging on the Redmi Note 7 a significant improvement over the U11 Life's charging speed?
Yes, the 18W charging with QC4 on the Redmi Note 7 is a substantial improvement. The U11 Life lacks fast charging, meaning a full charge will take considerably longer – potentially double the time. This makes the Redmi Note 7 much more convenient for users who need to quickly top up their battery.
❓ How does the software experience differ between the HTC U11 Life and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7?
The HTC U11 Life originally shipped with a relatively clean Android experience. However, software updates have likely ceased. The Redmi Note 7 launched with Xiaomi's MIUI, which is known for its customization options but also includes pre-installed apps (bloatware). The U11 Life may benefit from custom ROM development, offering a more up-to-date and potentially cleaner software experience.
