HTC U24 Pro Blue 512GB

HTC's U24 Pro is a battery monster that lasts two days easily, and it's one of the only phones left with a headphone jack and 2TB microSD support. The problem is its $1,199 price tag, which puts it against much faster and more polished flagships. If you value battery life above performance and cameras, it's a niche gem. Otherwise, you're better off with a Pixel, OnePlus, or Galaxy.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is a capable mid-ranger, and in our benchmarks, it lands around the 75th percentile. That's solid, not spectacular. Day-to-day tasks like scrolling, email, and streaming are buttery smooth, and HTC's Android 14 skin is refreshingly light. But push it with a graphically intense game like Genshin Impact or heavy video editing, and you'll notice frame dips and longer load times. The 12GB of RAM helps a lot, keeping apps in memory better than most phones with this chip, but it's not a workhorse for power users.

Real-world performance is where the battery synergy shines. Because the chip isn't a power-hungry flagship silicon, the 4600mAh cell stretches absurdly far. We regularly saw two full days of moderate use, and even with the 120Hz OLED set to max, the phone held up well past our expectations. That's where the 75th percentile performance score actually becomes a strength: it's efficient, and it won't thermal throttle as aggressively as some of the hotter-running flagships. So while it won't win any speed records, it's a pleasant, drama-free experience for most people.

Stacked against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the HTC feels like a time capsule. Samsung offers a vastly superior display, a pen, and camera zoom capabilities HTC can't touch, while its battery, though not 95th-percentile, is still solid. You'd pick the U24 Pro only if you specifically need that extra day of battery, the 3.5mm port, and expandable storage, all of which the Galaxy lacks. The iPhone 17 and its ecosystem lock-in is a completely different beast; if you want iMessage and a polished video experience, the HTC won't sway you. But the real threat is the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, which undercuts HTC's price, offers what many consider the best phone camera out there, and gets faster updates. You lose the headphone jack and SD slot, but gain a top-tier camera and a much snappier chip.

Then there's the OnePlus 15, a direct challenger in the Android space. It costs hundreds less and packs a current-gen flagship processor that puts the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 to shame. Its battery life is no slouch either, and it charges even faster. The HTC's only retort is longevity and that expandable storage. And if you're on a tighter budget, the Motorola G Stylus gives you a stylus, headphone jack, and similar features for a fraction of the cost, though it skimps on performance and screen quality. So the U24 Pro's pitch narrows to a very specific buyer: someone who needs the best possible battery, will actually use the 2TB card slot, and doesn't care about having the fastest chip or the sharpest photos.

At $1,199, the U24 Pro makes a tough argument. You can grab a Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for less, which offers a significantly better camera, a faster custom chip, and guaranteed software updates for years. Even the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, while pricier, delivers a more complete package: better display, better cameras, S Pen, and a flagship processor. The OnePlus 15 typically hovers around $800 and smokes the HTC in raw performance. So why pay this much? Mainly for the battery longevity and those niche features like the headphone jack and microSD slot. If you're a field worker, a hiker who needs music without dongles, or someone who just despises charging every night, the price might still feel justified. But for most shoppers in 2024, this is a hard sell.

We wish HTC had priced this more like $799. At that point, it'd be a no-brainer for the battery alone. But at nearly five figures, you're stepping over a dozen better-rounded phones that sacrifice maybe an hour of screen-on time for a whole lot more. The UFS 3.1 storage and fast LPDDR5 RAM are premium touches, but they can't compensate for the chip gap. If you're watching your wallet, the Motorola G Stylus does many of these tricks (jack, slot, decent battery) for less than half the price, though its performance is a step down.

HTC is back. After years of silence, the U24 Pro lands as a big, bold statement, and honestly, it's not what we expected. A 6.8-inch OLED, 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a massive 4600mAh battery that somehow places in the 95th percentile of our database. This thing is built for people who miss the golden age of HTC: fans who want a solid Android slab with a headphone jack, dual SIM, and expandable storage up to a wild 2TB. It's also for anyone who simply refuses to plug in their phone midday. The battery life here is genuinely one of the best we've tested in this form factor, and that alone gives it a weird, niche appeal.

But let's not sugarcoat it: the U24 Pro is priced at $1,199, and that puts it in the ring with some serious heavyweight flagships. You're looking at a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip, which is more mid-range than premium, and a camera system that's decent but not earth-shattering. In our testing, the phone feels snappy in everyday use, thanks to the 12GB of RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, but under heavy multitasking or 3D gaming, it shows its limits. The IP67 rating and 60W wired charging are welcome, but they're table stakes at this price.

The U24 Pro is a nostalgia play that also happens to be a battery champion. If you're an HTC loyalist or someone who absolutely must have a headphone jack and the biggest battery possible, you'll feel seen. For everyone else, well, the value proposition gets dicey once you start comparing it to the competition.

Skip this phone if you care about having the latest and greatest processor, because the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 will feel sluggish in two years compared to flagships. Photographers and content creators should also look elsewhere; the camera system is fine but not competitive with the Pixel or Galaxy at this price. And if you're just looking for a great all-rounder under $1,000, the OnePlus 15 delivers more power and a smoother display for less money. For those who want a stylus and don't need the absolute best battery, the Motorola G Stylus is a much cheaper way to get a headphone jack and expandable storage, though it's slower.

Basically, if you're not actively seeking out the specific combo of decades-long battery endurance, a 3.5mm port, and that huge storage expansion, you'll find better performance and camera chops elsewhere without spending more.

The HTC U24 Pro is a fascinating comeback that will make a small group of people very happy. If you've been hoarding a worn-out HTC One M8 and just want a modern phone with a headphone jack and incredible battery life, this is your moment. It's refreshingly free of gimmicks, and the dual SIM support plus IP67 rating make it a solid travel companion. The clean Android 14 experience is also a breath of fresh air in a sea of skinned UIs, and HTC's restraint with bloatware deserves a nod.

For everyone else, though, this phone is a cautionary tale about pricing. The camera won't wow you, the chip won't age gracefully, and that gorgeous OLED screen isn't class-leading. If you don't need the specific combination of jack, slot, and two-day battery, you can get a much more versatile phone for less money. Unless HTC drops the price by a few hundred bucks, we'd steer most people toward the Pixel 10 Pro XL or the OnePlus 15 for a more modern flagship experience without the premium tax.