Fragility of HTC U11

[jools182]

As much as I want to stay with HTC, I think I may have to stray because of reports of how fragile the phone is

I do look after my phones, and I have loved all my HTC phones (Desire, M7, M8), but they have inevitably been dropped on occasion and have withstood a little abuse

My M8 is dying, a quarter of the screen is unresponsive, the volume buttons seems to have lost their ability to spring back into place, so when you press 'úp' the volume goes to max, and the same when you press down, it goes all the way to silent

It's time for a new phone, but I just don't trust the U11 to be robust at all

I hate the samsung interface, and I am not convinced by the oneplus 5, but I really don't see any other options at the moment.

I wish HTC would make the U11 without the glass back

 

[Morty2264]

I love the U11 too but the price combined with the glass makes it a no-go for me as well. My Honor 8 is glass too and though I love it, I feel like I'm playing with fire too! Haha. Who knows, maybe HTC will make a variant that does not have a glass back. I definitely get what you're saying. I love the phone but am afraid to pull the trigger on it.

 

[RGtar]

Check out the Essential phone. It's construction is what I was hoping for with the u11.

 

[BigDinCA]

I've dropped mine several times and had no issues. Once from a second story deck railing down to some gravel below. All but one time I had a case on (the clear one that comes with the phone or a runner Spigen). It's glass, but they're all glass to a great extent. All I can say, without reservation, is that the U11 is the fastest, most responsive phone I've ever had. The camera is fantastic, the audio is stellar. I love the USB-C and QC 3.0 is great. I have the Sapphire Blue and it is stunning to look at as well.

 

[NEXUS_HTC_PS]

I've dropped mine several times and had no issues. Once from a second story deck railing down to some gravel below. All but one time I had a case on (the clear one that comes with the phone or a runner Spigen). It's glass, but they're all glass to a great extent. All I can say, without reservation, is that the U11 is the fastest, most responsive phone I've ever had. The camera is fantastic, the audio is stellar. I love the USB-C and QC 3.0 is great. I have the Sapphire Blue and it is stunning to look at as well.

I'd have to agree. I've dropped this phones many times and it didn't break until my 5 year old kicked it off the bed into the wall. And it wasn't even the back glass that cracked. The screen cracked. This phone is very well built.

 

[Habiib]

Well OP, your options are few in that case. The S8, G6, V30, iPhone 8, Note 8, etc. all feature glass backs, so good luck in your quest for another smartphone.

 

[Morty2264]

I'd have to agree. I've dropped this phones many times and it didn't break until my 5 year old kicked it off the bed into the wall. And it wasn't even the back glass that cracked. The screen cracked. This phone is very well built.

It's good to know that the U11 can withstand some drops! I guess with all phones, it also depends on how the phone drops; the angle and height at which it's dropped; how it lands; etc.

 

[Mathrania]

domestic issues - threw my solar red on carpetted floor in a fit of rage.... threw it forcefully at 90 degrees to the floor... not a single scratch.... and i don't even have a case... it is just skinomi skin on it...lucky me

 

[Morty2264]

domestic issues - threw my solar red on carpetted floor in a fit of rage.... threw it forcefully at 90 degrees to the floor... not a single scratch.... and i don't even have a case... it is just skinomi skin on it...lucky me

Whoah! That's an amazing feat!

 

[jools182]

The phone is going to have to last me at least 2 years

I look after my belongings but I have dropped my last phone a couple of times, I really don't know what to buy

I don't understand the logic of making something as essential as a phone out of glass, it's got to be the worst choice of material. it seems to be for aesthetics alone.

My choices will be either buy something cheaper (Moto G5, Huawei P10 Lite) and not be so obsessed with trying to keep it safe, or maybe get the HTC or an S8 and try and get the best protective case for it. I have also been looking at the Nokia 6.

I'd be happy to hear any more feedback on any of the phones and their ability to take a drop on the floor etc

 

[MDMcAtee]

I've never really felt comfortable with my u11 since I got it. As great as it is, I always worry about breaking it.

Last week I put it in it's box and started using my new LG v20. The things that drew me to this phone since it's launch still matter to me and I don't worry about breaking it like I did with the u11.

If you need a new phone and don't want a glass back you can still get these and for half the price from a lot of places and I consider it a worthy alternative with some really unique features that you can't get with any other phone on the market and with it's removable battery should help you keep it 2 years.

Mac

 

[Morty2264]

I've never really felt comfortable with my u11 since I got it. As great as it is, I always worry about breaking it.

Last week I put it in it's box and started using my new LG v20. The things that drew me to this phone since it's launch still matter to me and I don't worry about breaking it like I did with the u11.

If you need a new phone and don't want a glass back you can still get these and for half the price from a lot of places and I consider it a worthy alternative with some really unique features that you can't get with any other phone on the market and with it's removable battery should help you keep it 2 years.

Mac

You're absolutely right. There are still options for those who do not want glass-back devices, and the V20 is an excellent alternative.

The OnePlus devices are also not glass-backed. Hmm... Also, the Moto Z series, correct?

 

[chanchan05]

The phone is going to have to last me at least 2 years

I look after my belongings but I have dropped my last phone a couple of times, I really don't know what to buy

I don't understand the logic of making something as essential as a phone out of glass, it's got to be the worst choice of material. it seems to be for aesthetics alone.

My choices will be either buy something cheaper (Moto G5, Huawei P10 Lite) and not be so obsessed with trying to keep it safe, or maybe get the HTC or an S8 and try and get the best protective case for it. I have also been looking at the Nokia 6.

I'd be happy to hear any more feedback on any of the phones and their ability to take a drop on the floor etc

It's mostly the reviewers fault and the market for believing them. Samsung, HTC and LG used to make nice plastic durable phones with removable batteries. But reviewers bashed them for it yearly. User base also faced a decline over the years. So they went into what their biggest competitor has done: glass back and front, or metal backs.

Glass is used for wireless charging because you can't use metal for that, and nowadays plastic is oit of the question for flagships. Personally though, I want some of that polycarbonate unibodies Lumias had.

 

[Morty2264]

It's mostly the reviewers fault and the market for believing them. Samsung, HTC and LG used to make nice plastic durable phones with removable batteries. But reviewers bashed them for it yearly. User base also faced a decline over the years. So they went into what their biggest competitor has done: glass back and front, or metal backs.

Glass is used for wireless charging because you can't use metal for that, and nowadays plastic is oit of the question for flagships. Personally though, I want some of that polycarbonate unibodies Lumias had.

YEAH that would be awesome - I LOVED Lumia's material!

 

[Quikstep]

For what it's worth, I dropped my phone onto the sidewalk and it ended up face down. Small scratch on the front corner (not on the screen itself) , but no breakage. The phone is well built.

 

[platanaso625]

Definitely a not well built phone. Screen is cracked and never dropped the phone. Repair and Customer service is horrible. They are using the Hurricanes as an excuse. Good bye HTC U11. Hello Pixel2 XL. Hopefully something changes with Google now running that mobile team.

 

[CharlesBPompidou]

Hah! I've owned my HTC U11, bought straight from the HTC website, for 4 months now. The middle button decided to give up and become useless around 3 weeks ago, I had to check THE TIME while it was raining, a few droplets on the phone amd the next morning.... the button dies. Ive had to work around it, in fact I joined this forum to see if it happened to other people. Spoiler alert: of course it has.

I ask HTC if they can give me a new one, my phones always last me 6-8 years but they offer me a free repair which takes away the phone for almost a month, even more in other peoples experience...
It had fallen one time with the case on, and nothing happened. However, while I was wiping it clean out of the case it slipped from my hand, and at a 3 foot high fall, the glass back broke pretty bad. Oh, the irony! But yet HTC make a phone out of glass and take away the uh oh protection for it....
Extremely disappointed at the fact that here is where $700 gets me with HTC.
I wish I went with Pixel instead.