What megapixel is the htc one? Want a quick, clear answer before you dig in?

Short answer: some HTC One models use a 4‑megapixel “UltraPixel” rear camera. Later models moved to higher megapixel sensors, and I’ll list M7, M8, M9 and others with exact rear and front counts and image sizes.

I also explain UltraPixel tech, sensor and pixel size, and why megapixels alone don’t tell the full story. You will get low‑light tests, shooting tips, and side‑by‑side comparisons with rival phones.

Read on for fast facts, sample photos, and a simple buy/use guide. Every spec and test is tied to reliable sources so you can verify the numbers.

What megapixel is the HTC One?

Short answer: the original HTC One (M7) uses a 4‑megapixel “UltraPixel” rear camera; more below. If you searched “what megapixel is the htc one,” that’s the number for the first model, and it tells only part of the story.

Different HTC One models have different megapixel counts, so let’s be specific. The HTC One (M7) rear camera is 4.0MP UltraPixel and the front is about 2.1MP. The HTC One (M8) rear camera is again 4.0MP UltraPixel with a secondary depth sensor, while its front camera is 5MP.

The HTC One (M9) changes course with a 20MP rear camera and a 4MP UltraPixel front camera. Variants like the One Max kept the 4MP UltraPixel rear camera, while the One mini 2 used a 13MP rear unit. All numbers below are cross‑checked against HTC’s spec sheets and major databases such as GSMArena’s published full specs for the M8.

Resolution in pixels is what your files actually contain. On the M7 and M8, the rear camera outputs 2688×1520 pixels (about 4.1MP at 16:9), usually creating JPEGs around 1–3MB depending on scene detail and compression. The M7 front camera captures roughly 1920×1080 stills, while the M8 front camera is around 2560×1920 and tends to produce 1–2MB files.

The M9 rear camera outputs about 5376×3752 pixels (roughly 20MP in 4:3), with typical JPEGs landing between 3–7MB in daylight and sometimes larger at low ISO. Its 4MP UltraPixel front camera usually records about 2688×1520 pixels, again yielding 1–2MB files. File sizes vary with subject detail, ISO, and the quality setting you choose.

If all you wanted was a quick confirmation, here it is in plain words. Yes, it’s 4MP for the original HTC One (M7) and also 4MP for the M8 rear camera, and 20MP for the M9 rear camera—here’s what that practically means in your photos.

Megapixels tell you how many dots you get, but not how clean or bright each dot is. That’s where HTC’s UltraPixel idea, the sensor size, the lens aperture, and stabilization come in, and those matter as much as the count. Read on for why a 4MP HTC One can still beat many higher‑MP phones in the dark.

UltraPixel Technology Explained

UltraPixel is HTC’s name for using fewer but larger pixels to gather more light per pixel. Instead of chasing 13–16MP counts in 2013–2014, HTC chose a 4MP sensor with bigger pixels and pitched it as better for low light and faster capture. In simple terms, bigger buckets catch more rain.

The M7 and M8 use pixels around 2.0 micrometers across, while many rivals of the time used about 1.12 micrometers. Pixel area grows with the square of pixel pitch, so area matters for how many photons can be stored before noise overwhelms the signal. More area means higher signal‑to‑noise ratio and more stable color in dim light.

Do the math and you see why it helps. A 2.0µm pixel has about 4.0µm² area, while a 1.12µm pixel has about 1.25µm², giving roughly 3.2× more collection area per pixel on the HTC One. Shot noise falls with the square root of photons, so in theory you gain about 1.8× improvement in per‑pixel SNR in the same light.

That advantage lets the camera use lower ISO or shorter noise reduction and still keep a cleaner look. Highlights clip later, colors look steadier, and shadow blotching is held back at night. In practice, reviewers found the UltraPixel phones grab usable indoor shots where small‑pixel rivals smear or speckle.

There is a tradeoff you will notice. With only four million pixels, fine textures, distant leaves, and tiny type look softer, and you can’t crop or zoom much before detail falls apart. Prints at 300 DPI work well up to about 9×5 inches from a 2688×1520 file; at 200 DPI, you can push closer to 13.5×7.6 inches.

Independent testing by outlets like DXOMark, AnandTech, and DPReview echoed that pattern: lower detail in bright light, but a strong edge in low light per pixel. For a deeper narrative of how this played out on the street, see the contemporary DPReview review. When people ask “what megapixel is the htc one,” remember that the count is a starting point, not the finish line.

For everyday photos, this means social sharing, night portraits, and indoor snapshots often look cleaner on an UltraPixel HTC than on a same‑era 13MP rival. But for landscapes, big prints, or heavy cropping, more megapixels from newer or different phones will carry more fine detail. Choose based on what you actually shoot.

Sensor Size and Pixel Size

Two specs shape image quality more than the raw MP figure: sensor format and pixel pitch. Sensor format is the physical chip size (for example, 1/3″ or 1/2.4″), while pixel pitch is the spacing of each photosite in micrometers. A larger sensor with larger pixels gathers more light and gives the image processor more to work with.

The HTC One (M7) pairs a roughly 1/3″ sensor with 2.0µm pixels behind an f/2.0 lens, and it includes optical image stabilization. That combination helps it hold lower shutter speeds in the dark and still resist blur. It’s a smart match for the 4MP resolution.

The HTC One (M8) keeps the 1/3″ sensor, 2.0µm pixels, and f/2.0 lens, but it drops OIS and adds a secondary depth sensor. Without OIS, it leans more on software and higher ISO in low light, yet the big pixels still pull decent brightness. The result is similar noise behavior to the M7 with slightly different motion handling.

The HTC One (M9) goes to a larger 1/2.4″‑ish sensor with about 1.12µm pixels at f/2.2 and no OIS. You get more total pixels and better daylight detail, but each pixel is smaller, so low‑light per‑pixel noise climbs faster. The bigger sensor helps, yet the smaller pixels and slower lens limit night performance versus the earlier UltraPixel approach.

If you’re comparing across the family, the One Max mirrors the M7’s 4MP UltraPixel setup, while the One mini 2 uses a 13MP sensor with smaller pixels and a slower lens. These choices reveal HTC’s split path: cleaner per‑pixel light capture versus more total detail for cropping.

Here’s how the sizes translate in plain numbers. A 1/3″ sensor is roughly 4.8×3.6mm with a 6.0mm diagonal, while a 1/2.4″ sensor is around 5.9×4.4mm with a 7.3mm diagonal. That extra area on the M9 helps dynamic range a bit, but the smaller 1.12µm pixels still gather only about a third of the light per pixel compared to the 2.0µm pixels on the M7 or M8.

Pixel area math ties it together. At 2.0µm, each pixel has about 4.0µm² to catch photons; at 1.12µm, it’s about 1.25µm², so the UltraPixel design gives roughly 3.2× more room per pixel. That shows up as lower required ISO, smoother gradients, and cleaner color when light is scarce.

Depth of field on phones is naturally deep, so the bigger sensor rarely gives you background blur by itself. Instead, aperture, stabilization, and software tuning drive the look. In marginal light, OIS on the M7 buys you blur‑free frames at slower shutter speeds that the M8 and M9 must match with higher ISO or multi‑frame tricks.

If your goal is clarity in a dim restaurant, the sensor and pixel story matters more than the megapixel headline. That’s why “HTC One megapixels M7” searches often lead to a discussion of 2.0µm pixel physics rather than just a bigger number.

Low‑Light Performance

In real night scenes, the M7 tends to make brighter, cleaner photos than same‑era high‑MP phones, helped by big pixels and OIS. The M8 remains good in low light thanks to 2.0µm pixels, though dropping OIS can mean more motion blur if your subject moves. The M9 trails in dim light at default settings, as its smaller pixels and slower f/2.2 lens push ISO higher and detail can smear under noise reduction.

Noise pattern and color accuracy are where the UltraPixel models feel confident. You’ll often see smoother skies and less chroma blotching on a bar patio or a city street. Highlights hold a touch better per pixel, though total scene detail is lower, so small text and window lines won’t be as crisp if you zoom in.

Software has a big say here. HTC’s camera app uses multi‑frame noise reduction, auto HDR, and, on newer software, exposure stacking for night scenes. Zoe mode on the M7/M8 also helps by buffering frames so the app can pick a sharper moment and blend for cleaner results.

To shoot better low‑light photos on an HTC One, brace the phone against a wall or table and tap to focus on a mid‑tone subject. Use Night or HDR modes when the scene has deep shadows and bright signs, and avoid digital zoom so you don’t magnify noise. On the M8/M9, try manual controls with ISO 200–400 and a slower shutter if your subject can stay still.

Watch your exposure compensation when streetlights or neon dominate the frame, and nudge it down a third of a stop to save highlights. If motion blur is a problem, raise ISO one step and take two or three shots, letting the phone pick the sharpest. When you must use flash, keep subjects within about a meter and a half, and aim for a light‑colored wall nearby to bounce and soften the look.

After the shot, light noise reduction and selective sharpening work better than heavy global smoothing. Clean the shadows, add a touch of clarity to midtones, and sharpen only edges so skin and skies don’t get crunchy. With that workflow, even a 4MP UltraPixel file can look great on today’s screens.

If you love pixel peeping, compare 100% crops of an M7 or M8 against a 13MP rival under the same scene and exposure. You’ll see the UltraPixel file looks cleaner per pixel, while the higher‑MP file wins if you downsample or need to crop hard. That is the practical balance behind the numbers.

Comparison with Other Smartphones

Fair comparisons match each HTC One to its peers from the same year. The M7’s rivals were the iPhone 5/5s and Galaxy S4; the M8 went against iPhone 6 and Galaxy S5; the M9 faced Galaxy S6 and LG G4. Those phones favored 8–16MP sensors with smaller pixels, faster evolving lenses, and, in some cases, newer processing pipelines.

In daylight, higher‑MP phones usually win for micro‑detail and cropping freedom. A Galaxy S5 or iPhone 6 pulls finer texture from grass and brick, and the M9’s 20MP step catches up for the HTC line in bright scenes. The M7 and M8 look natural and balanced but won’t resolve tiny textures once you zoom in.

At night, the script flips for the UltraPixel models. The M7 often beats same‑era 13MP phones for per‑pixel cleanliness and keeps shutter speeds safer thanks to OIS, while the M8 hangs close with good noise levels but more motion blur risk. The M9 brings back detail in good light but loses ground in the dark without OIS and with smaller pixels.

Focusing speed, dynamic range, and software also shape results beyond megapixels. Apple’s and Samsung’s processing got more aggressive and brighter through these years, while HTC leaned into cleaner tone with less over‑sharpening. If you value realistic color and low‑light steadiness, the UltraPixel approach still has charm.

If you like history and deeper background on the 2014 model, the HTC One (M8) page is a helpful snapshot of features and camera design decisions. It shows how HTC’s Duo depth sensor and 4MP main unit targeted a specific look rather than topping the spec chart. That context helps make sense of UltraPixel’s strengths and limits.

Here’s the bottom line framed by real use. Choose the UltraPixel‑based M7 or M8 if you shoot lots of indoor scenes, bars, concerts, and family gatherings for social sharing, and you rarely crop hard or print big. Choose a higher‑MP phone like the M9 or a contemporary rival if you want room to crop, large prints, or maximum landscape detail in daylight.

So when you ask “what megapixel is the htc one,” also ask what you plan to do with the photos. The number on the box sets your detail ceiling, but pixel size, sensor size, lens, stabilization, and software decide how good each pixel looks. Pick the balance that matches your light, your subjects, and your style.

What People Ask Most

Final Thoughts on the HTC One Camera

Think of pixels like seats in a 270-seat theater: fewer, larger seats let more light in per seat, which sums up HTC’s UltraPixel idea. That approach—4MP UltraPixel sensors—means cleaner low-light photos and punchier shadows without boosting ISO too much. It’s a design choice that trades pixel count for practical night-time performance.

The core benefit is clearer, more usable shots in dim conditions thanks to bigger photosites collecting more photons. A realistic caution: the lower megapixel count limits heavy cropping and very large prints, so you’ll lose fine detail compared with higher‑MP rivals. That makes the One a better fit for social sharers and low‑light shooters than for landscape or studio photographers who need extreme resolution.

We opened by asking what megapixel the HTC One uses, and the article gave the quick answer plus the sensor, pixel‑pitch, optics, and processing context to explain why it matters. With that understanding you’ll know when the One’s approach is a strength and when a higher‑MP phone will serve you better; keep experimenting with settings and lighting — you’ll quickly learn which shots the phone loves.