HTC U11 vs. Samsung Galaxy S8+: Pixel Duel

Introduction

In this follow-up to the pick-a-flagship shootout from the weekend we take a close look at the HTC U11 - the prominent absentee in that three-way contest. And since we couldn't gather them all on the same continent at the same time, it will be just the HTC U11 vs. the Samsung Galaxy S8, represented in this case by its plus-sized version. We'll be keeping it brief, though - just the image quality. You'll need to wait a little for the in-depth review of the U11 for the other stuff.

It's not without sound reasoning, this particular comparison - looking at the numbers, the HTC U11's camera has a lot in common with the one Samsung fits in its top models. A 12MP sensor with 1.4µm pixels and f/1.7 aperture lens with optical stabilization used to very precisely identify the Galaxy S7 and S8's primary shooters, but no more - the U11's specsheet reads the same.

HTC calls its focusing tech UltraSpeed Autofocus and by the looks of it that's also shared with the Galaxies, where Samsung goes with the Dual Pixel moniker. Basically, there's a phase detection agent at every pixel, instead of a small number of those scattered around the frame - the result is you get super fast and accurate autofocus on the U11.

We have the key specs of the two phones summarized in the following table for quick reference, but you can always head over to the full-fledged comparison page for more details.

	HTC U11	Samsung Galaxy S8
Dimensions	153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9mm, 169g	159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1mm, 173
Waterproofing	IP67	IP68
Screen	5.5" Super LCD5 1,440 x 2,560px (534ppi)	6.2" sAMOLED 1,440 x 2,960px (529ppi), HDR10
Chipset	Snapdragon 835 (10nm)	Snapdragon 835 (10nm), Exynos 8895 (10nm)
Memory	4/6GB RAM, 64/128GB storage, microSD	4GB RAM, 64GB storage, microSD
Still camera	12MP (f/1.7 DPAF)	12MP (f/1.7 DPAF)
Video camera	2160p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 120fps	2160p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fps
Selfie camera	16MP (f/2.0), 1080p @ 30fps	8MP (f/1.7, AF), 1440p @ 30fps
Loudspeaker	Earpiece as tweeter, woofer on the bottom	Mono
Battery	3,000mAh	3,500mAh
Charging	Quick Charge 3.0	Quick Charge 2.0 (wired), Qi/PMA (wireless)
Biometrics	Fingerprint	Iris scanner, fingerprint

Yes, the HTC U11 has an extra LED for its flash - Samsung's been keeping it simple in this area with just the one LED, but other than that these handsets are about as evenly matched in the imaging department as they come. Okay, maybe not the front-facing camera, where the U11's selfie snapper offers twice the number of pixels of the S8+ (16MP vs. 8MP), albeit with a smaller aperture (f/2.0 vs. f/1.7).

Still image quality, daylight

We contemplated a Blind camera shootout between these two, but after looking at the images we abandoned the idea. The photos are just too similar. As in, top-quality, super-awesome, class-leading, but still too similar.

That's not to say that there aren't things that HTC and Samsung have done differently, no. For example, we observed more vivid colors in the U11's samples across various scenes and shooting conditions. Its shots have that extra bit of pop and next to them the S8's photos are (just marginally) less contrasty.

 
Camera samples: HTC U11 • Samsung Galaxy S8+

 
Camera samples: HTC U11 • Samsung Galaxy S8+

Foliage is rendered expertly by both, perhaps with a notch more sharpening on the S8+ than the U11, but again - it's the slightest of differences.

The two phones are quite evenly matched in dynamic range too, though the second sample above might lead you to believe that the HTC is superior - it just picked a brighter exposure so that's why you have more detail in the shadows.

 
Camera samples: HTC U11 • Samsung Galaxy S8+

Look closely and you'll see that the S8+' noise reduction has done away with some of the fine detail - the building in the distance to the left of the Transamerica Pyramid is one example where the HTC has retained more definition. But seriously, that's splitting hairs.

Of course, feel free to pixel-peep in the full resolution images below.

 
Camera samples: HTC U11 • Samsung Galaxy S8+

 
Camera samples: HTC U11 • Samsung Galaxy S8+

Still image quality, low light

Somewhat more pronounced differences emerge in low light. Apparently, the Galaxy S8+ has more competent stabilization, or at least the auto mode is so tuned that it allows for slower shutter speeds. The U11, on the other hand, tends to crank up the ISO before dropping the shutter speed and that results in some more noise and a softer image, as a general rule.

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/60s, ISO 90) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/64s, ISO 64)

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/15s, ISO 1268) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/10s, ISO 640)

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/10s, ISO 2939) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/7s, ISO 1250)

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/13s, ISO 1494) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/10s, ISO 640)

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/20s, ISO 503) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/11s, ISO 200)

However, the HTC has a visible advantage in color reproduction, its lowlight images having noticeably more punch than the S8+'. The Galaxy's shots are a little more muted, though not half bad if examined on their own - it's just that the U11 is more pleasing to the eye.

You can always examine the original photos and make your own conclusions.

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/60s, ISO 215) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/60s, ISO 200)

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/60s, ISO 112) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/60s, ISO 160)

 
Lowlight camera samples: HTC U11 (1/60s, ISO 106) • Samsung Galaxy S8+ (1/60s, ISO 64)

Selfies

The front-facing cameras are nothing alike - the two makers have taken different approaches here. HTC went for the megapixel buzz and fitted a 16MP shooter, while Samsung opted for a minor bump to 8MP from the 5MP snappers of older Galaxies.

The U11 doesn't have as strong an advantage in captured detail as the gap in resolution would suggest - the S8+ is doing fine. High-frequency detail in the hair is undeniably better resolved on the U11, though.

The two phones handle skin tones truthfully, no complaints here. Neither selfie camera is a dynamic range champ, but we don't really expect them to be.

Conclusion

More of a quick taste of what's to come from our detailed HTC U11 review, this comparison we assembled in a jiffy left us wondering. Has Samsung licensed out its Dual Pixel tech to HTC, or was it always Sony behind its development with Samsung having exclusivity for the first year? Could be, could be...

The point we're trying to make is that the U11's primary camera performs an awful lot like the one in the Galaxy S8+, which can't be a bad thing as you very well know if you're remotely familiar with the phone. Different processing tweaks by the two companies have resulted in minor distinctions here and there, but for the most part these are two strikingly good cameraphones.