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Now that the HTC U11 is finally official, we know that it has a modest 3,000mAh battery inside. Given the screen size and resolution, that doesn’t seem like a big battery, but if we compare it to the other flagships out there like the LG G6 and Galaxy S8, both of which have similar specs, it’s pretty similar, but with a smaller display. The HTC U11 has a 5.5-inch QHD display, which actually makes it the smallest display on any flagship (that is widely available) so far this year. Only the Xiaomi Mi 6 is smaller, but it’s only available in a few markets, mostly in Asia.
The HTC U11 comes packing the Snapdragon 835 processor, so it does have the ability to use Quick Charge 4.0. A feature that Qualcomm has been talking up quite a bit since the Snapdragon 835 was announced in January. With Quick Charge 4.0, users are able to get around 5 hours of use in just five minutes of charging. But, following in the footsteps of the Galaxy S8, Xperia XZ Premium and Xiaomi Mi 6, HTC is using Quick Charge 3.0 here on the HTC U11. A bit of a surprise, since they could have been the first to sport Quick Charge 4.0.
Despite using an older standard (one that is more widely adopted), HTC still has some pretty fast charging in their new smartphone. With Quick Charge 3.0, users should be able to charge up the 3,000mAh battery in the HTC U11 in about 2 hours, maybe a bit faster, depending on whether the device is being used while it’s charging. Which is still pretty good for most people. Now many will be wondering about the battery life on the HTC U11, of course that can’t be tested until the device is in our hands and used a bit, but judging the other Snapdragon 835-powered devices on the market right now, it should actually perform pretty well. Especially since HTC’s Sense is much lighter than Samsung’s Experience UI that is found on the Galaxy S8. However, it would have been great for HTC to put in a bigger battery, but given the issues with the Galaxy Note 7 last year, many manufacturers are opting to put in a lower capacity battery and play it safe, and for good reason.