HTC U12+ vs Samsung Galaxy S9+: A Detailed Comparison of 2018 Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S9+ emerges as the stronger choice. Its significantly superior battery endurance (86h vs 64h) and higher display contrast (Infinite vs 1818:1) provide tangible benefits in daily use. While the U12+ offers a comparable processor in some regions, the S9+'s broader feature set and software support give it the edge.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | HTC U12+ | Samsung Galaxy S9+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 39, 49, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018, May 23. Released 2018, June 29 | 2018, February 25. Released 2018, March |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 156.6 x 73.9 x 8.7 mm (6.17 x 2.91 x 0.34 in) | 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.22 x 2.91 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 189 g (6.67 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2880 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~537 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~529 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 92.9 cm2 (~80.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 98.3 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super LCD6, HDR10 | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| - | 3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEAOcta-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) - USA/LATAM, China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) | Exynos 9810 (10 nm) - EMEAQualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) - USA/LATAM, China |
| GPU | Adreno 630 | Mali-G72 MP18 - EMEAAdreno 630 - USA/LATAM, China |
| OS | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), Sense UI | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, One UI 2.5 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM |
| - | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.8, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP (12 MP effective), f/2.6, 1/3.1", 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom, AF | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom |
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@60fps, 1080p@60/240fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), HDR, 24-bit/96kHz stereo sound rec. | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS (30fps) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 8 MP, f/2.0, 1/4.0", 1.12µm 8 MP, f/2.0, 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| 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, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| - | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC3, 50% in 35 min | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless (Qi) (market dependent) |
| Talk time | Up to 24 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable (13.48 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Translucent Blue, Ceramic Black, Flame Red | Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Titanium Gray, Lilac Purple, Burgundy Red, Sunrise Gold, Ice Blue, Polaris Blue |
| Models | U12, 2Q55100 | SM-G965F, SM-G965U, SM-G965W, SM-G9650, SM-G965U1, SM-G965N, SCV39, SM-G965X, SC-03K |
| Price | About 450 EUR | About 200 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.78 W/kg (head) 0.79 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.29 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -92.6dB / Crosstalk -93.4dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.537 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 68dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 80dB |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 246660 (v7) GeekBench: 8883 (v4.4) GFXBench: 14fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
HTC U12+
- Unique pressure-sensitive frame
- Snapdragon 845 performance (in some regions)
- Fast wired charging (QC3)
- Significantly shorter battery life
- Lower display contrast ratio
- Limited software support compared to Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S9+
- Excellent battery life (86h endurance)
- Superior display contrast and brightness
- Wireless charging support (Qi)
- Exynos 9810 may throttle under heavy load (EMEA variant)
- Slower wired charging (QC2)
- Larger physical size
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ boasts a clear advantage in display technology. While both feature 10nm processors, the S9+'s 'Infinite' contrast ratio, reaching 4.537 in sunlight, significantly outperforms the U12+'s 1818:1 nominal and 3.085 sunlight contrast. This translates to deeper blacks and more vibrant colors, especially outdoors. Both likely utilize Super AMOLED panels, but Samsung’s calibration and peak brightness are demonstrably superior. The U12+’s display isn’t *bad*, but it doesn’t compete with the S9+’s visual punch.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer capable photo and video recording, but a detailed analysis requires sample comparisons beyond the provided specs. Both feature dual-camera setups, but sensor sizes and lens apertures are crucial details missing from the context. The S9+'s variable aperture lens (f/1.5 and f/2.4) is a significant advantage, allowing for better low-light performance and depth-of-field control. The U12+ likely relies more heavily on software processing to compensate. The presence of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on both is expected, but its effectiveness varies. Ignoring the likely low-resolution 2MP secondary sensors, the primary camera's capabilities are the deciding factor.
Performance
Performance is a more nuanced comparison. The U12+ and the USA/LATAM/China variant of the S9+ both utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. However, the EMEA S9+ features Samsung’s Exynos 9810. While the Exynos 9810 is a capable chip, the Snapdragon 845 generally exhibits better sustained performance and thermal management. Both CPUs feature octa-core designs, but the S9+'s Mongoose M3 cores (in the Exynos variant) are architecturally different from the Kryo 385 Gold cores in the Snapdragon. The real-world difference is often subtle, but the Snapdragon-equipped models are less prone to throttling under prolonged heavy load. Both phones likely use LPDDR4 RAM, impacting multitasking capabilities.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the Galaxy S9+ truly shines. Its endurance rating of 86 hours dwarfs the U12+'s 64 hours. This translates to a full day of heavy use for the S9+, while the U12+ may require a midday top-up. While the U12+ supports 18W Quick Charge 3.0, achieving 50% charge in 35 minutes, the S9+'s 15W Quick Charge 2.0 is slower. However, the S9+ also supports Qi wireless charging, a convenience the U12+ lacks. The larger battery capacity in the S9+ is the primary driver of its superior endurance.
Buying Guide
Buy the HTC U12+ if you prioritize a unique, pressure-sensitive frame and are comfortable with potentially shorter battery life. Its Snapdragon 845 (in some regions) delivers excellent performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S9+ if you value all-day battery life, a stunning display with exceptional outdoor visibility, and a more polished software experience with wider accessory availability.