HTC U23 Pro review: average smartphone with two major snags

Up until 2017, HTC used to deliver some very good smartphones. Then things got a bit quieter. Google bought up large parts of the company’s smartphone division. And after that, HTC devices stopped appearing in Europe. That changed in 2023 with the release of the HTC U23 Pro. I’m excited to see how much of HTC’s old charm and innovative spirit is still lurking in this new mid-range smartphone.

Smaller back than front

The edges of the HTC U23 Pro feature an unusual design with bevelling on all sides. This means the plastic back is smaller than the front. Even without its case, the U23 Pro is so easy to hold. However, the transition between the body and the back isn’t perfect. It looks as though there’s a gap, like the back is removable. But there’s no gap, and the back is solid.

I’m less satisfied with the front. The 5.7-inch OLED display with 2400 × 1080 pixels and 120 Hz is technically state-of-the-art but not incredibly aesthetically pleasing. This is all down to the frame. It’s wider at the top and bottom than on the sides. This gets in the way of my need for symmetry. Not only that, the info line with the time and battery status is too close to the rounded corners at the top of the display.

On a more positive note, the U23 Pro is comparatively robust for its price. Its IP67 certification and the outdated Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® aren’t common for mid-range smartphones. Even though there are already two successors to this robust, scratch-resistant glass.

Camera: high level of detail; washed-out colours

HTC has equipped the U23 Pro with a total of five cameras. The 108-megapixel main camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera with 8-megapixel resolution and a 5-megapixel macro camera are located on the back. A fourth lens on the back provides information for taking shots with depth of field. The front camera has a resolution of 32 megapixels.

Colours and contrast

The colour reproduction on the U23 Pro’s main camera looks washed out compared with other smartphones. However, this is actually closer to reality, and the shots boast a high level of detail.

HTC uses pixel binning. This is why the photos feature a 12-megapixel resolution as standard rather than the 108 megapixels written in capital letters. However, this option is available in the camera app but without the additional setting options you get in automatic mode. I can’t see any advantage to the maximum resolution, even when I enlarge a section of the 12-megapixel photo to the same resolution.

The sensor’s limits become apparent with strong contrasts, such as the following backlit image. With the help of enhanced post-processing, expensive smartphones often provide a better-lit image in these kind of settings.

Ultra-wide-angle and zoom

The level of detail on the ultra-wide-angle camera is high enough for viewing on a smartphone. However, you can tell that the colours aren’t as warm as on the main camera. The latter also has a bit too much green, while the ultra-wide-angle camera includes a little too much magenta.

The 2× zoom in the camera app is purely a digital enlargement of the image from the main camera. Meanwhile, the U23 Pro itself offers a maximum magnification of eight times. The 2× magnification looks presentable on a smartphone, but on any larger screen, it doesn’t look good.

Portrait

When taking portraits, you can specify beforehand how much you want the background to be blurred. This sample image is a 5 on the 1-10 scale. There are also six different background light effects to choose from (circle, hearts, butterflies, stars, trees and water droplets), but you can’t see these in daylight.

The person in the foreground is nice and sharp and the background is blurred as desired. The separation of these two areas works well except for one part on the hat. Overall, however, the focal length on the main camera is very wide-angle for a portrait shot and the colours look quite washed out.

Night

In the dark – or more precisely, in the residual light of a large city – the main camera already delivers usable images in automatic mode. Night mode then provides even more brightness and sharpness.

With the ultra-wide-angle camera, the images are significantly darker. The positive effect of night mode on sharpness and detail is even greater here. Nevertheless, the quality of the images doesn’t match that of the main camera.

Selfies

The HTC U23 Pro’s selfies have a high level of detail, but their colours seem washed out. While the HDR effect ensures even illumination, it doesn’t provide radiant bright colours. Make sure to switch off the beauty effect if you don’t want a completely smoothed out face.

With night mode activated, selfies are well lit in the dark but just as grainy as without, so it’s not really worth it.

Enough power, poor battery life

With its Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, the HTC U23 Pro sits in the mid-range segment. The 12 GB of RAM are more than I’d expect from a smartphone in this price range. As a result, the U23 Pro runs smoothly and is fast enough for everyday use.

For this test, I use Geekbench 6 to run the numbers. I choose three other mid-range models to compare the device: the Honor 90, the Motorola Edge 40 Neo and the Samsung Galaxy A34.

The HTC U23 Pro compares favourably with other mid-range smartphones. It leaves the Galaxy A34 and the Edge 40 Neo far behind in some tests. However, this positive impression loses some of its sheen when the device is compared to the Honor 90 with the same processor. The U23 Pro always ends up several per cent behind.

The battery in the HTC U23 Pro has a 4600 mAh capacity. It draws a maximum of 30 watts via the USB-C port and up to 15 watts wirelessly. These are all convenient average values. However, the power consumption is higher than that of comparable smartphones. With a little restraint, I just about make it through the day with the HTC U23 Pro.

The PCMark Work 3.0 test only found 5:31 hours of battery life. To put this into perspective, the Motorola Edge 40 Neo lasts 7:10 hours. And even the Pixel 8 Pro with its brighter display still manages 6:21 hours at full brightness.

Software with few updates

Off the shelf, HTC delivers the U23 Pro with Android 13. The manufacturer only wants to provide the smartphone with security updates for two years and hasn’t yet commented on updating the Android version. Given most manufacturers now have an improved update policy, this puts HTC at the bottom of the pile.

It doesn’t help that HTC doesn’t use third-party software. The manufacturer only supplements the standard apps with five from its VR world Viverse.

Verdict: nostalgia alone doesn’t make the grade

The HTC U23 Pro scores points for usable-to-good hardware and a stylish display. Its camera quality is also absolutely fine for a mid-range smartphone, but it’s not outstanding.

In the U23 Pro price range, you have to be prepared for some compromises. But HTC is shooting itself in the foot with its virtually non-existent software updates. Even the nostalgia for the microSD card and 3.5-mm connection can’t outweigh this. If I were looking for a mid-range smartphone, I’d opt for the Motorola Edge 40 Neo, the Honor 90 or the Galaxy A34 – despite all my criticism of these devices.