HTC has announced two new smartphones at an event on 2 November, one of which is the HTC U11+ - a larger version of the HTC U11 that graced us with its presence earlier this year.

The HTC U11+ has been heavily rumoured over the last couple of weeks, with few details spared, but now all the official specifications are in so how does it compare to the HTC U11? We have put the two devices up against each other.

HTC U11+ vs HTC U11: Design

  • Liquid surface on both
  • U11+ is slightly larger and heavier
  • U11+ has translucent rear variant

The HTC U11 features a beautiful liquid surface rear, combined with a glass front and the result is a lovely-looking device. Four colour options are available including Sapphire Blue, Amazing Silver, Brilliant Black and Solar Red, the latter of which is very striking.

Measuring 153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm and weighing 169g, the HTC U11 has a squeezable frame that can be programmed to open specific apps, coupled with a single camera lens on the rear and a pill-shaped capacitive fingerprint sensor on the front below the screen. You'll find USB Type-C at the bottom of the device, while the volume rocker and a ridged side button are positioned on the right edge.

The HTC U11+ meanwhile, also features a liquid surface rear and squeezable frame resulting in another fantastic-looking design. Colour options include black and translucent, the latter of which allows the U11+ to stand out from the flagship crowd.

Measuring 158.5 x 74.9 x 8.5mm and weighing 188g, the U11+ is slightly larger and heavier than the U11, but it comes with an 18:9 aspect ratio display which means a larger screen without a huge change in footprint, following the trend we have seen from the likes of Apple, Google, LG and Samsung this year.

The fingerprint sensor repositions to the rear of the U11+ under the single camera lens in order to make way for the new screen. The U11+ also has the new BoomSound Hi-Fi Edition arrangement of speakers and lack of 3.5mm headphone jack, like the U11, but it comes with a slightly higher IP rating of IP68 compared to the U11's IP67.

HTC U11+ vs HTC U11: Display

  • U11+ has 18:9 aspect ratio display and HDR coming
  • Larger display on U11+
  • Super LCD panels on both and Gorilla Glass 5 protection

The HTC U11 comes with a 5.5-inch display featuring a standard 16:9 aspect ratio and a 2560 x 1440 resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 534ppi. There's a Super LCD 5 panel running the show, which is protected by 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The HTC U11+ on the other hand, switches the display to an 18:9 aspect ratio screen instead, as we mentioned in the design section, meaning very slim bezels around the screen. Like the U11 however, the display on the U11+ is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The U11+ has a 6-inch screen that delivers an 2880 x 1440 resolution - the same as we have seen in the Google Pixel 2 XL and the LG V30 - offering a 538ppi. Both LG and Google use OLED over LCD but HTC sticks with LCD, offering a Super LCD 6 panel for the Plus device, meaning there will likely be some improvements compared to the U11.

HTC is also bringing HDR10 compatibility to the U11+ with an update.

HTC U11+ vs HTC U11: Camera

  • Same singular rear camera on both
  • U11+ has different front camera
  • 85-degree FOV on U11+ front camera

Despite the trend for dual cameras, something HTC did years ago, the HTC U11 has a single 12-megapixel sensor on the rear with a f/1.7 aperture and 1.4µm pixels. It offers optical image stabilisation, UltraSpeed Autofocus, a dual-LED flash and it is capable of 4K video recording.

The front-facing camera is a 16-megapixel sensor with an aperture of f/2.0 and it is capable of Full HD video recording. There is no OIS on the front, as there is with the HTC 10 and there is no autofocus either.

The HTC U11+ also come with a single lens rear camera and like the U11, there is a 12-megapixel sensor with a f/1.7 aperture and 1.4µm pixels, meaning the same camera experience. That's ok though because the U11's rear camera delivers great results.

The front camera on the U11+ does see a change compared to the U11 however, with an 8-megapixel snapper on board instead of a 16-megapixel one. Don't worry, that doesn't mean a downgrade. The new 8MP sensor has an 85-degree field of view, f/2.0 aperture and it offers all the same features as the U11 including Auto Selfie, Video Selfie and 1080p video recording. 

HTC U11+ vs HTC U11: Hardware and software

  • Both have Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 
  • 64GB/4GB RAM or 128GB/6GB RAM variants of both
  • U11+ has larger battery

The HTC U11 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 platform, supported by either 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage or 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, depending on the model. Both offer microSD for storage expansion and they both support Flex Storage, allowing users to combine the internal storage and memory card storage. 

There is a 3000mAh battery capacity under the hood, with Quick Charge 3.0 supported, and as we mentioned previously, the HTC U11 has HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition speakers and no 3.5mm headphone jack. 

The HTC U11+ runs on the same SD835 platform as the U11, along with the same storage and RAM options, with support for microSD again. The battery capacity has been increased to 3930mAh however, with Quick Charge 3.0 supported again. You'll also get HTC BoomSound Hi-Fi edition on the U11+, but HTC has claimed the new device will be 30 per cent louder than the U11.

The HTC U11 launched on Android 7.1 with HTC Sense over the top. Android Oreo will be coming to the U11 before the end of the year. The U11+ launches on Android Oreo with Sense, so expect a similar experience between these two devices when the update for the U11 hits.

HTC U11+ vs HTC U11: Price

  • U11 slightly cheaper, but only just 

The HTC U11 starts at £599 for the 64GB device, creeping up to £649 for the 128GB option.

The HTC U11+ meanwhile, will cost £699 for the 128GB variant in the UK, making it one of the cheaper flagship smartphones when you consider the storage capacity.

HTC U11+ vs HTC U11: Conclusion

The biggest difference between the HTC U11 and the HTC U11+ is the display, with the U11+ opting for the bezel-free look and therefore a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor compared to the more standard design of the U11.

It also adds better water and dust resistance, as well as a larger battery capacity and more volume when it comes to the signature BoomSound speakers. The translucent option also makes the design of the U11+ another striking one.

The U11+ is larger and heavier than the U11 however, and a little more expensive, meaning the U11 might be the better choice for some given it has the same power as the larger device.