HTC U23 Pro review

23 August 2023


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Anonymous, 25 Aug 2023I had a One M8, pretty much the worst tech-related purchase... moreThe M8 was a great phone for the most part - with true stereo, front facing speakers, great display, great audio quality, the latest SoC at the time.
The only controversial part of it was its 4 MP camera, and that was not because of poor quality but because of the decision of the CEO, who argued that most of the people taking photos with their smartphones will also watch these photos on the small phone displays - hence no need to process 20 MP worth of data, the details of which would not become apparent and would stay unappreciated on these small screens.
Instead, HTC made an ultra-fast camera, sensational autofocus capabilities and aiming for the "ultimate snapshot decive": You could grab your phone and press the volume rocker and the camera would instantly take photos, even if it was in locked state.
So, indeed, for those staying within the "small screen" ecosystem and using mostly their mobile phones for social media and media consumption would get served very well by that camera.
Obviously, those still watching photos on their big screens and desktop computers, would be disappointed by the low resolution.

In my opinion, the former CEO's assessment of the camera technology was not wrong at all, it was logically consistent. However, it was not flowing with the current "Zeitgeist" of that time where perception of camera-quality was mostly bound to the number of megapixels.

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    • Anonymous
    • XZ7
    • 25 Aug 2023

    NeonHD, 25 Aug 2023Ewww it's still alive?? But I thought we already kille... moreThank for your comment

      • K
      • Kuba
      • uN{
      • 25 Aug 2023

      I will consider HTC once it's made in Taiwan only. Spend your money in free democratic countries and not hostile countries like Ch|na

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        • Anonymous
        • iF4
        • 25 Aug 2023

        KMA, 24 Aug 2023I brought HTC One back in 2013. One of the best phones I ever hadI had a One M8, pretty much the worst tech-related purchase decision by far. So bad that it should've been illegal to offer such a mediocre phone for high price. Camera especially was a disaster.

          Ewww it's still alive?? But I thought we already killed it. Quick, kill it again with fire!!

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            • Anonymous
            • BVu
            • 25 Aug 2023

            Welcome back HTC . Great flagship price performance

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              • Anonymous
              • ps8
              • 25 Aug 2023

              Very decent phone altogether but I don't know what HTC's software update policy is.

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                • Tyas
                • Lfv
                • 24 Aug 2023

                KondriX, 24 Aug 2023I think it's a pretty good phone overall, the only pro... moreSony phones even better because they have screen without notches

                  MRSTEK, 24 Aug 2023I'm still waiting for someone with a weeby profile pic... moreKeep waiting because this phone is so ass not even them can defend it

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                    • Anonymous
                    • 0BG
                    • 24 Aug 2023

                    Anonymous, 24 Aug 2023You claim yourself tech EXPERTS then say something like &qu... moreWell it actually makes sense. The SoC overheats exactly because the cooling is bad, meaning it doesn't dissipate heat. Imagine running your PC without cpu cooler. The cpu itself will reach 100c within seconds, but you won't notice any heat coming from the PC. But you will if you have a proper cooler.

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                      • LOL
                      • uH%
                      • 24 Aug 2023

                      It's a 'Pro' phone... until you see the specs.

                      Heh, even Motorola gives better value these days.

                      Enjoy fighting with Nokia for the tiny remnant non-Samsung Android phone market share.

                        • K
                        • KMA
                        • mE0
                        • 24 Aug 2023

                        I brought HTC One back in 2013. One of the best phones I ever had

                          OK, first of all, it's good to see HTC back in the market - they are "alive". Many fond memories of HTC One X and some other of their amazing early android devices make me feel nostalgic for HTC and I really wish them success.

                          That being said, I am not sure, which audience is actually being targeted with that device.
                          As the U23 is one of the few phones left with both, a 3.5mm jack and a sdxc memory expansion slot, it will compete with the likes of Xaomi Note 12, but which come somewhat cheaper and seem to offer more "bang for the buck".

                          There is this old saying: "There are no bad products, just bad prices", I am pretty sure that HTC may sell quite a few of these devices if they just lower the prices.
                          An HTC U23 for like 299 USD would actually be fairly attractive for many people and might stir up the lower-midrange market.

                          So, let's wait and see, if the prices for this device are going to fall in order to make it really competitive from a price-performance perspective.

                          And - HTC, I hope you are listening now - we are waiting for a proper successor to the One X, a real flagship with quite some innovative features and amazing built quality-

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                            • no
                            • raQ
                            • 24 Aug 2023

                            I think, You shouldn't call a phone PRO if it isn't a pro. What is a pro? Check Your colleagues for their flagships and see if Yours matches their specs. If not - Yours aren't a Pro.
                            How 4k30fps camera setup without Tele camera can be PRO? How SD 7 gen 1 can be pro?
                            How 1080p front camera can be pro?
                            seperate macro camera means - we wanted to put a cheap camera to make the camera count bigger and more "pro"
                            No, macro camera instead of tele camera means that this is a cheap model.
                            I am sad for HTC.
                            My last HTC was M7.

                              Nothing special, could have been an HMD Nokia design-wise or an older Samsung A series.
                              The front isn't that much better with a beefy bottom bezel that would be fine on a cheap device but this one isn't cheap. Also disappointing is the battery it seems. I'm sure it will a good device but not for me. I miss the HTC of old vibes and designs...

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                                • Anonymous
                                • 0Zx
                                • 24 Aug 2023

                                If the price falls in between 300 -400€ , I think it's a fine choice and it's said that GSM Arena overlooks aspects that many appreciate. Clean OS with minimal to 0 bloatware is highly appreciated, nice and sturdy design, great screen ingress protection (Gorilla Glass Victus) and IP67 for water and dust.

                                What really falls short is battery life and no charger included. Again I think when price falls it will find it's users even if it's not aiming as a mass market as GSM Arena suggests. People who buys this they are not after price or best best specs.
                                Another great contender is the Moto Edge 40 which GSM Arena didn't mentioned

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                                  • Anonymous
                                  • nU2
                                  • 24 Aug 2023

                                  This phone looks very promising on paper but it fails to deliver due to poor chipset. Much of the problems arise from Samsung made chip. If it had 7+ gen 2 then it could get at least 4.1. The refresh rate this is a disappointment but you can put it 90hz all the time for a middle ground.

                                    I'm still waiting for someone with a weeby profile pic, who have been active in U23 Pro specs comments, to show up and defend this device 😎

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                                      • Mobileman
                                      • nDi
                                      • 24 Aug 2023

                                      Hmm,what a junk..
                                      Not even 750 nits screen but still lausy battery.
                                      Useless.

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • m62
                                        • 24 Aug 2023

                                        Anonymous, 23 Aug 2023Punchy colours are opposite of accuracy. This is default m... morePunchy colours still have nothing to do with accuracy. There's more than just sRGB. Also yes, playing with the sliders DOES fix the calibration issues and no, my S23 Ultra does not have yellowish whites, grays or greens. Flickering is an issue and that is present on all phones, that's an issue with OLEDs that needs dedicated hardware to fix.

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