HTC U11+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Battle of Generations
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity and value, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the clear winner. Its significantly superior battery life (114h vs 73h), faster charging, and more powerful processor outweigh the U11+'s strengths. However, the U11+ remains a viable option for budget-conscious users who prioritize a good display and don't demand the latest performance.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | HTC U11+ | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G |
| 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 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G998U1 |
| 5G bands | - | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G998U1 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat15 800/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G998B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2017, November 02. Released 2017, November 22 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.5 x 74.9 x 8.5 mm (6.24 x 2.95 x 0.33 in) | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.5 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2880 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~537 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 92.9 cm2 (~78.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super LCD6 | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.45 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 540 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), Sense UI | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 72mm (telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Single | 12 MP, f/1.7, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, HDR, 24-bit/192kHz stereo sound rec. | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0 | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC3 | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Talk time | Up to 25 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 3930 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Translucent Black, Ceramic Black, Amazing Silver | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | U11 plus, htc_2q4d100 | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 450 EUR | $ 240.01 / C$ 353.20 / £ 202.99 / € 264.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.71 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 384.99 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 998.00 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 1,179.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 459.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.9dB / Crosstalk -94.0dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 73h | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1626:1 (nominal), 2.556 (sunlight) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 91dB / Noise 75dB / Ring 90dB | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | GeekBench: 6654 (v4.4) GFXBench: 13fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
HTC U11+
- Excellent value for money (current pricing)
- Good display quality for its age
- Solid build quality
- Outdated processor
- Significantly shorter battery life
- Limited software support
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Exceptional battery life
- Powerful processor for demanding tasks
- Advanced camera system with versatile features
- Higher price point
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
- Large size and weight
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1023 nits, compared to the HTC U11+'s nominal 1626:1 contrast ratio. While the U11+ offers a respectable 2.556:1 contrast ratio in sunlight, the S21 Ultra’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility outdoors. The S21 Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a superior OLED panel, likely with self-emissive pixels for true blacks. The U11+’s display, while good for its time, lacks the vibrancy and clarity of the S21 Ultra’s.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a more versatile and advanced setup. While both are capable of photo and video, the S21 Ultra benefits from larger sensors, more sophisticated image processing, and features like 8K video recording. The U11+’s camera performance is adequate, but it lacks the dynamic range and low-light capabilities of the S21 Ultra. The S21 Ultra’s multiple lenses provide greater flexibility for different shooting scenarios, while the U11+’s camera system is more limited.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s chipset – either the Exynos 2100 (International) or Snapdragon 888 (USA/China) – represents a substantial leap in performance over the HTC U11+'s Snapdragon 835. Both the Exynos 2100 and Snapdragon 888 are built on a 5nm process, offering significantly improved power efficiency and transistor density compared to the U11+'s 10nm Snapdragon 835. The S21 Ultra’s CPU, with its Cortex-X1 prime core, delivers faster single-core performance, crucial for responsive app loading and smooth multitasking. The U11+'s octa-core Kryo CPU is competent, but will struggle with modern, demanding applications.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra truly shines. Its endurance rating of 114 hours dwarfs the HTC U11+'s 73 hours. This difference is due to a combination of factors: a larger battery capacity (not specified in context, but assumed larger), a more efficient processor, and optimized software. The S21 Ultra also supports faster charging at 25W with PD3.0, compared to the U11+'s 18W QC3. The addition of 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging on the S21 Ultra further enhances its convenience.
Buying Guide
Buy the HTC U11+ if you need a reliable smartphone with a good display on a very tight budget and aren't concerned with having the latest features or performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you prioritize battery life, a cutting-edge camera system, and the processing power needed for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The S21 Ultra is also the better choice for those wanting continued software support.