The HTC U11 is regarded as having one of the best smartphone cameras of 2017. But what happens when you take the U11 and put it up against the Xiaomi Mi 6? HTC’s phone has a 12MP Sony sensor with dual-focus pixels, an f/1.7 lens and OIS, which is quite similar to the Mi 6’s 12MP main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture lens and OIS. While the specs are very similar, the results are not.
There’s a lot to like about the camera performance on both phones. They’re pretty well balanced, especially in daytime shots with rich colors, sharp edges and crisp details. The selfie cameras on these phones are pretty comparable as well, but there are a few distinctions that I need to point out. The images show that the U11 favors warmer tones while the Mi 6 favors colder blues. That’s not really the case. The U11’s white balance is typically on point which means that the Mi 6’s images are really blue.
You may have also notices that there were several images from the Mi 6 which were out of focus. This is a common occurrence with this phone, as the autofocus mechanism isn’t as quick or as accurate as the one used by the HTC U11.
But the main advantage that the HTC U11 has over the Xiaomi Mi 6’s camera is in low light performance. The U11’s images are crisp and bright while those taken with the Mi 6 are a bit dull. HTC’s Auto HDR feature manages to pull in a lot more light in nearly every shot. Since the Xiaomi Mi 6 features the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 as the U11, it should be capable of handling the same AUto HDR processing, but all that’s include on the Mi 6 is the basic HDR mode which is well suited for low light conditions unless you’re using the phone on a tripod.
If you want the phone with the best overall camera performance, the HTC U11 is the obvious choice. That being said, I’d like to remind you that the Xiaomi mi 6 is extremely competitive – especially considering that this phone costs $200 less than HTC’s. If you only have about $450 to spend and want a smartphone with a great camera, the Mi 6 definitely won’t disappoint.
If you want the phone with the best overall camera performance, the HTC U11 is the obvious choice. That being said, I’d like to remind you that the Xiaomi mi 6 is extremely competitive – especially considering that this phone costs $200 less than HTC’s. If you only have about $450 to spend and want a smartphone with a great camera, the Mi 6 definitely won’t disappoint.
