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HTC U Play
HTC U Play
HTC U Play
HTC U Play
...


6.9/10
Informr score
The HTC U Play currently has an Informr score of 6.9 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 8 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Sharp and vivid display
  • Unique pearlescent lustre on glass back
  • Good all-round camera

What's bad

  • Poor battery life
  • No headphone jack
  • Some random freezes and stuttering

HTC has struggled to make a name for itself in the smartphone market. Their flagship phones have caught people’s eyes due to their sleek design, but for the mid-tier market, their devices have slipped into the background. With the U Play, HTC hopes to stand out from the crowd with its design and aesthetics.

But is it enough?

The U Play offers a fairly standard smartphone look with a glass front and metal frame. What sets it apart, however, is the “Liquid Surface” glass rear that gives the back a pearlescent appearance. While reviewers compliment the overall look of the phone, calling it “stunning”, they also note that the coating makes it difficult to keep clean and hold one-handed due to its slipperiness. Luckily, the screen comes coated with Gorilla Glass 5 to help prevent shattering.

While many smartphone manufacturers are opting for larger screens, HTC has kept the U Play at a usable 5.2 inches. The LCD display offers a resolution of 1920 x 1080 for a pixel density of 428ppi. As expected, critics found the screen to be incredibly sharp. They add it also offers excellent brightness, good viewing angles and vivid colors. Trusted Reviews was one of the few that noticed a light texture of diagonal lines on it, but they add that “It’s one of those niggles you’ll notice only when looking for problems;”

While the screen is good enough for watching HD videos, the biggest drawback is its lack of a headphone jack. Although the phone comes bundled with a headset, it plugs into the USB-C port. That means you cannot listen to music with the bundled headset and charge the phone at the same time. The only solutions to this problem? Wireless headphones or a charging/3.5mm adapter.

To stay within the mid-tier price range, HTC opted for a MediaTek octa-core processor instead of Qualcomm and 4GB of RAM. Thanks to the large amount of RAM, experts found the phone fast enough for day-to-day activities. While the specs should be good enough to run almost every program smoothly, some experienced random freezes, reboots and long app load times.

The smaller 2500mAh battery provided mixed results. Some reviewers were able to get through a full day of use while others had to top it off mid-way through the day. To rub salt into the wound, it also does not come with quick charge, though the small size means it reaches full charge fairly quickly.

For shutterbugs, the 16MP rear camera offered critics good all-round performance thanks to built-in optical image stabilization. Thanks to the f/2.0 aperture, they could get good detail even in low light situations and excellent depth of field for pleasing background bokeh. In terms of video recording, it offers decent performance though it lacks 4K capture.

While a solid Android smartphone, many reviewers have a difficult time recommending the U Play due to its price tag, disappointing battery life and lack of headphone jack. Tech Radar states, “...the U Play doesn’t have that knockout punch in its locker to make people sit up and take notice.” Stuff.tv adds, “This a phone that looks and feels expensive...but the closer you get, more and more of the little things you notice chip away its appeal.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2 GHz
Processor
Processor
2 GHz
5.2"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.2"
16+ MP
Camera
Camera
16+ MP
2500 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Gadgets 360
Gadgets 360

The HTC U Play is a neat little device with striking looks and smooth all-round performance. It has a good display, the cameras are very capable, and battery life is not too shabby for such a small body. The phone will be going on sale in the second week of April, according to HTC. We weren't able t...

- Roydon Cerejo, Gadgets 360
VR-Zone
VR-Zone

For an average consumer, the HTC U Play is a decent choice worth considering, especially if you don’t need a lightning-quick phone, and you favour a good design and snappy camera above all else. However, if you crave more speed and an enduring battery life, you might be better off looking at o...

- Zayne Seah, VR-Zone
The Inquirer
The Inquirer

Overall, the HTC U Play is fine. On the plus side, it looks stylish and takes good photos that look particularly bright on its HD display. However, its performance is on the slower side of average, the battery doesn't last the day, it's slippery as heck and it doesn't have a headphone port. For just...

- Holly Brockwell, The Inquirer
V3
V3

A solid mid-range phone that seems intended to be a good-looking all-rounder without reaching flagship price tags.

- Holly Brockwell, V3
Notebookcheck
Notebookcheck

HTC's U Play is a solid mid-range smartphone, but the competition now offers more. Users who find a high-tech headset, personal assistant, and high-resolution front camera convincing arguments will get a stylish smartphone. However, they will also have to accept the mediocre battery life and slightl...

- Florian Wimmer, Notebookcheck


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the HTC U Play user manual here.


HTC backs up the U Play with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your U Play has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact HTC support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find HTC's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
5.2"

The HTC U Play's screen size is 5.2 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
2 GHz

There is a MediaTek Helio P10 Octa core 2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system (OS).

Camera
16+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 16+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 16+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
32/64 GB

Internal memory is 32/64 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 2000 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2500mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2500 mAh battery. HTC's performance ratings are 17 days standby time, 913 minutes, 473 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

U Play Specs

Overview
Release Date February 22, 2017
Regions Available United Kingdom
Operating System Android 7.0 Nougat

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor MediaTek Helio P10 Octa core 2 GHz
Internal Storage 32/64 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Unknown
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included Data Cable, Manual, USB Power Adapter
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 2000 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
16+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Image stabilization, Multi-shot, Panorama, Self-timer, HDR, Voice activation, Scene mode, Exposure value
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, MPEG-4, MKV
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
16+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Face detection, Panorama, Self-timer, Voice activation, HDR
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology S-LCD 5
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density 428 pixels
Size 5.2 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2500 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Up to 514 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 473 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 913 minutes
Standby Time Up to 17 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Brilliant Black, Cosmetic Pink, Ice White, Sapphire Blue
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.6 x 7.3 x 0.8 cm (5.8 x 2.9 x 0.3 in)
Weight 145 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):

64 GB storage version has 4 GB RAM.
Related Links Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Manual (PDF)
HTC U Play Reviews
Where to buy HTC U Play
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