05 Jul
Blog

Huawei Watch 3 Review: Strong Commitment is Needed

Huawei Watch 3 shows that

Huawei Watch 3 in the test: To achieve perfect harmony, you have to commit to it

"The Huawei Watch 3 is a beautifully designed, fast, and accurate health tracking smartwatch, but you have a seriously daunting setup experience to overcome."

  • Good looking and comfortable to wear

  • Accurate, detailed health tracking

  • Fast GPS connection

  • Fluid, fast software

  • Short battery life with all active functions

  • Limited eSIM support

  • Bad setup experience

The Huawei Watch 3 isn't just another smartwatch – it's one of Huawei's most important products in a while. The Watch 3 dispenses with the old software of the Watch GT2 for HarmonyOS, the operating system developed by Huawei itself, which we have heard a lot about, but have not yet had a chance to use.

The Huawei Watch 3 is the first device to officially launch with the software on board, and while it's quick and well-designed, it takes a lot of effort and dedication to get it working with your phone. Assuming you're willing to invest the time, is it worth it?

design

The Huawei Watch 3 is one of the best looking smartwatches you can buy. It is well thought out and very comfortable to wear, with a case made of 316L stainless steel and a ceramic case back with a high-quality, luxurious finish. Huawei has long proven that it knows what it's doing in both phones and wearables, and the Watch 3 continues that tradition. Its clear and restrained, yet exciting style is very watch-like and miles ahead of most Wear OS smartwatches.

Huawei Watch 3 on your wristAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

The 46mm case fits my 6.5 '' wrist and the 65g weight makes it portable all day, although I found it too big to wear overnight. Using ceramic is important because it feels so good against your skin. The reflective nature looks classy and doesn't sweat or itch like plastic. On the side is an offset, neatly textured crown over a single button at the four o'clock position. Don't dig into your wrist either, but I found the button to be a little too low on the case, making it a bit awkward to locate and press.

You control the Watch 3 via the touchscreen and the crown. The 1.43-inch AMOLED screen, with its 466 x 466 pixel resolution, is beautiful and best shows off when it shows colorful watch faces. It might sound strange, but the tempered glass used over the screen has wonderful texture, and the 2.5D curve around the bezel makes the swipe pleasantly tactile, adding shape and visual interest to the front of the watch. The stylish texture of the crown is easy to grip and can therefore be easily turned with your finger.

Huawei Watch 3 button and crownAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

If I felt loveless, it would be easy to turn the positives about the Huawei Watch 3 into negatives as most of the aspects that make it a winner – stainless steel, ceramic, light weight, textured crown, a single button, domed bezel – are the same ones that make the Apple Watch a winner. If anything, the Huawei Watch 3 is a pretty accurate representation of what a round Apple Watch might look like, and the similarities to the Apple Watch don't end there either, but we'll get back to that.

The sum of the parts of the Huawei Watch 3 works so well that I won't go into it because the design reflects the very best smartwatch there is to buy, especially since there are so many disappointing smartwatches out there and a good model should be applauds.

software

HarmonyOS is Huawei's response to its inability to use Google services on its mobile products due to US government restrictions making it impossible for US companies to work with Huawei. It's a complete software ecosystem developed by Huawei that is designed to work seamlessly across everything from Internet of Things (IoT) hardware to smartphones.

The app grid menu on the Huawei Watch 3Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Huawei Watch 3 is the first device to use HarmonyOS 2, and you can forget about Wear OS or Huawei's own LiteOS that it used for its wearables in the past. It's a world of its own and much better than either. The speed, fluidity and smoothness are amazing. There are no pauses and no slowing down, just instant response, a nice "bounce" effect when swiping between screens and very fast scrolling. It's attractively designed with bright colors, large icons, clear text, and some pretty dials.

I quickly got into using HarmonyOS on the Watch 3 without getting used to it or learning new layouts or icon styles. While that's a good thing, aside from the fluidity, speed, and pretty design, there's a good reason too – HarmonyOS on the Watch 3 is a bit of a "biggest hit" in portable software.

Huawei Watch 3 shows that

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Huawei Watch 3 menu

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Notifications on the Huawei Watch 3

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Push the crown in to reveal the main menu, which is presented as a grid of circular icons and looks just like Apple's WatchOS. You can even rotate the crown to zoom in and out of the grid, complete with haptic feedback. This is the default setting, but can be changed to a standard list layout if necessary. Browse other menus, like the workout list, accessed from the bottom button on the case, and the options appear as a vertically scrolling list that fits the circular screen and reminds me of Tizen on the Galaxy Watch 3. Swipe left on the screen and you'll get information boards, just like Wear OS and Huawei's own LiteOS on the Watch GT2.

Granted, there are only limited design directions that can be followed with software on such a small screen that has to be operated with a finger, but the similarity to WatchOS does him no favors. I changed the launcher to show a list of icons and spent time picking the best watch faces just to give the Watch 3 its own identity that HarmonyOS 2.0 is currently lacking a little.

Huawei Health app

The Huawei Watch 3 earns quite a bit of benevolence for its attractiveness and fast software, and it needs every last bit of it because starting up and using the app can be very frustrating. This is where the novelty of HarmonyOS 2 shows, and we see the challenge facing Huawei if it wants to find widespread acceptance.

The Huawei Watch 3 deserves some goodwill thanks to its attractiveness and fast software.

To sync the Watch 3 with your Android phone, you need to download Huawei Health, but not Huawei Health from Google Play. This version is out of date and will not work with brand new Huawei devices. Instead, you need to download the Huawei App Gallery and download Huawei Health from there. This means downloading an APK file, accepting system permissions, signing in to Huawei to use the App Gallery, downloading another new file, accepting other new permissions, providing notifications and location access, and much more.

It doesn't stop there. In order for Huawei Health to work properly, you need to install another app called Huawei Core, although it doesn't really explain why. To keep Huawei Health up to date, you'll need to go to the App Gallery – an app that isn't very welcoming to the point where you're forced to look at an ad every time you open it Hold your phone. This is all very daunting and a massive barrier for anyone unfamiliar with sideloading apps and using alternative app stores.

Worst of all, if you miss a step or don't enable the correct permissions, the Watch 3 and Huawei Health app will not work properly – which is very easy because of the fragmented, multi-step setup process, difficult to figure out why. It's a little easier with an iPhone, as an up-to-date Huawei Health app is available directly from the App Store. Huawei claims that when connected to an iPhone, the battery life deteriorates and, like any other non-Apple Watch, it doesn't support all features, including Apple Messages.

HarmonyOS 2

HarmonyOS 2's fluid navigation makes navigating the software painless, and there are apps for all major functions including access to the compass, breathing exercises, the music app and, if you activate the eSIM, phone functions. If you want to use the eSIM and you are in the UK it will only work with the Vodafone network. Huawei does not sell the Watch 3 with already active connectivity. Remember that adding an eSIM will cost on top of your current monthly plan. Even without an eSIM, calls can be answered on the Watch 3 with loudspeaker and microphone, even if not particularly loud.

Huawei Watch 3 eyeletsAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

I've received notifications with average reliability, although none can be interacted with when viewed, but at least they're formatted correctly and can be expanded to show more detail. However, when notifications arrive on the watch, it doesn't preview immediately, which is frustrating. I've found that if you let it sit for a few seconds before you raise your wrist, the likelihood of previewing it is much greater. It's extremely annoying because if you raise your wrist too soon you will have wasted your chance of ever seeing it without waking up the screen and swiping up.

Huawei's virtual assistant Celia is available by long pressing the bottom button and works well for basic commands, including starting a workout. It lacks some apps and features, such as Huawei's own MeeTime video call service which doesn't work in the UK, there is also no contactless payment system and no boarding passes. Huawei has informed me that the Watch 3 will have its own petal maps service in the future.

Frustrations aside, HarmonyOS 2 works well on the Watch 3. It's an evolution of the already decent Watch GT2 software and a step beyond Wear OS, but still way behind the Apple Watch despite the visual similarities to WatchOS.

Activity tracking

Huawei packed the Watch 3 with sensors. On the back there is a heart rate sensor, a blood oxygen sensor (SPo2) and a skin temperature sensor. A skin temperature sensor that was recently seen on the Mobvoi TicWatch GTH isn't really great for monitoring core temperature, but it can be helpful in understanding overall health over time. However, it's as much of a niche as a SPo2 monitor. There are 100 different training modes, automatic fall detection and all-day activity recording.

Activity tracking screen on Huawei Watch 3Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The exercise tracking screens on the Watch 3 are clear and very easy to read and filled with helpful information. I found that the Watch 3 received a GPS signal very quickly, much faster than the Fitbit Versa 3, and its overall accuracy in terms of step count, heart rate, and calories burned was on par with the Apple Watch SE. I also liked being asked to stop a workout if the Watch 3 noticed I stopped moving.

What I don't like is the incredibly irritating voice over that is added to exercise tracking by default. “WORKOUT STARTED!” The Watch 3 screams when you tap the start button, letting everyone around you know what you're doing. It also screams your heart rate, elapsed time, and other information at various intervals, all with the worst accent imaginable. I despise it to the core. There is a volume button on one of the menus that you can use to turn that hateful thing off.

That complaint aside, the data is quickly synced to Huawei Health, where a wealth of information is presented in a clear, easy-to-understand manner with plenty of depth for the serious sports addict. The main page shows important records that can be tapped for more details, while the watch shows you VO2Max data, training load, and recovery time recommendations. Overall, the Huawei Watch 3 is a very effective, accurate, and feature-rich health and fitness tracker. Except for this voice-over, which is one of the worst "features" I have ever come across.

Battery life

Huawei estimates a battery life of three days when connected to an Android phone or up to 14 days with a special battery mode. Hitting those estimates depends a lot on how you use the watch, and so far I haven't hit it either. For example, if you have heart rate, SPo2, and skin temperature monitoring active and track a single workout using GPS for an hour, the battery will last a day, and that's not good at all.

The heart rate sensor on the back of the Huawei Watch 3Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

With only active heart rate monitoring and a single workout recorded less than an hour in a day without GPS, the battery lasted around two and a half days. That's better, but not class leading. It is charged via a plastic base that is magnetically attached to the bottom of the case. It's pretty slow and takes over two hours to go from zero to 100%.

Price and availability

The Huawei Watch 3 costs £ 350, which is around $ 483, for either the Classic version pictured above or an all-black version with a rubber strap called Sport. It is sold through Huawei's own online shop or Amazon. It is not officially available in the US but could be purchased as an import.

Our opinion

With all its design, fine materials and hyper-fast software, the onboarding process of the Huawei Watch 3 is anything but ideal and a poor introduction to an otherwise very good smartwatch. Tech novices or anyone whose experience ends with connecting Bluetooth headphones to their phone will find the setup process full of complications and uncertainties using the App Gallery and Huawei Health. If it doesn't run correctly, the clock may not work as expected. It's absolutely not appropriate for a smartwatch that costs that much.

Anyone who has ever used alternative app stores or owns a current Google-free Huawei cell phone will find it far less stressful and get involved with the Watch 3 actually pays off. It's extremely comfortable, very well made, and packed full of accessible health and fitness features. However, as with using a Huawei smartphone today, you need to get used to doing things differently, using different apps, and being patient as HarmonyOS grows.

The introduction of the Huawei Watch 3 doesn't require the same level of dedication as using a Huawei smartphone without Google, but it still doesn't feel like a product that is totally mass-marketed. It's very close, however, and anyone who feels confident navigating the cumbersome set-up process and looking to a new app store in the future will be rewarded with an excellent smartwatch.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you own an iPhone, the only smartwatch you should buy is the Apple Watch. If you're considering a smartwatch for around £ 350 (up to $ 480), it means the Apple Watch Series 6 is on budget. It's the best smartwatch you can buy and an excellent choice.

If you own an Android phone, the situation is a little different. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 are our recommendations for their strong performance and good battery life, but unless you really need to have a smartwatch now, we should wait and see what happens with the next Galaxy Watch release that the will have new Google / Samsung Wear software on board. It is expected to arrive in the summer and promises a far better smartwatch experience than Wear OS.

How long it will take?

The stainless steel case, the ceramic base, the hardened glass and the water resistance of 5 ATM should make the Huawei Watch 3 very durable. The strap is fastened with quick release pins and measures 22 mm by default, making it easy to get a replacement. Huawei is committed to HarmonyOS, which means the software should be supported for a while, but since it's fairly new, some features you might expect may not yet be there, such as petal maps.

The option of an eSIM is also helpful for the future if you think such a function makes sense and if you are equipped with the right network. There's no reason the watch won't be fresh in design two years from now, and in theory the software and experience should only have improved during that time. If you're ready to get involved, there's plenty of life in the Huawei Watch 3.

Should you buy it?

No, life with an Apple Watch or a Wear OS Smartwatch will be easier for most people and will be more tailored to their smartphone. But if you are more adventurous and understand its drawbacks, the Huawei Watch 3 is a risk worth taking.

Editor's recommendations



10 Jun
Blog

Huawei P40 Pro Plus Review-in-progress: Zooming Ahead

huawei p40 pro plus practical features price photos release date hand

Huawei P40 Pro Plus test in progress: zoom forward

"The superiority of Huawei's 10x optical zoom on the P40 Pro Plus over any other large zoom phone cannot be questioned."

  • Excellent zoom camera

  • Outstanding design

  • Strong all-round performance

  • Very expensive

  • Violent for its size

  • Access to some apps is missing

The P40 Pro has the best camera I've tested on an Android phone, but Huawei isn't done with the P40 series yet. The P40 Pro Plus is the real flagship in the range. It takes the camera further than not just the P40 Pro, but every other high-end camera phone available today.

I spent a few days with the P40 Pro Plus. This is my ongoing review as I work towards a final verdict next week. Although I have not yet reached my final result, one thing is certain. Huawei has raised the bar for zooming a smartphone.

P40 Pro vs. P40 Pro Plus

The P40 Pro Plus is the first cell phone in the Huawei P series to be technically superior to the Pro model. So what makes it different?

Visually, it is almost identical to the P40 Pro. However, the body is made of glass, metal and ceramic and weighs 226 grams compared to 209 grams on the P40 Pro. The same 6.58-inch OLED screen is on the front, the case is still waterproof to IP68 and is powered by the Kirin 990 5G chipset and 8 GB of RAM. Even the battery has the same capacity of 4,200 mAh, with 40 W wired fast charging or 40 W wireless charging.

The main difference is the camera. The 50-megapixel ultra-vision and 40-megapixel cine camera sensors are identical until you get to the new 8-megapixel periscope lens that Huawei calls SuperZoom. This enables a massive 10x optical zoom on the P40 Pro Plus compared to the 12mega pixel SuperSensing 5x optical zoom sensor on the P40. The SuperZoom of the P40 Pro is another 8 megapixel telephoto sensor, this time with a 3x optical zoom. The hybrid zoom is set to 20x and the camera to 100x digital zoom.

The P40 series from Huawei, consisting of the standard series P40, P40 Pro and P40 Pro Plus, is comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S20 series with the Galaxy S20, the Galaxy S20 Plus and the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

design

Put the P40 Pro and P40 Pro Plus side by side, and the main way to tell them apart is by the finish. The P40 Pro Plus has a special white or black back made of nano-ech ceramic. Each must be baked in an oven at up to 1,500 degrees Celsius for five days to achieve a sapphire-like shelf life and a reflective look that Huawei compares to that of diamonds. The white version I received looks fabulous, with a deep reflection that is subtly different from glass. It has a smooth, ice cold finish.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The camera hump on the back is slightly larger than that of the P40 Pro and not only contains an additional sensor that the P40 Pro lacks, but also the incredible new periscope zoom. Look closely and it appears to sink right into the body of the phone and to the other side, an amazing optical illusion created by the complex array of mirrors that make it work. The fact that Huawei managed to squeeze all of this into a case with the same dimensions as the P40 Pro is very impressive.

However, you notice the extra weight. The P40 Pro is already heavy, so the P40 Pro Plus is a real beast of a phone and probably not as balanced. I found that I shuffled it around more in my hand than the P40 because of the extra weight. This is the compromise if you want the mega zoom. With the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, both of which are similarly powerful, it is just right.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The P40 Pro Plus doesn't change the design of the P40 Pro from the front because it doesn't have to – both are strikingly attractive. However, I still find the large, pill-shaped cutout for the dual-lens selfie camera on the screen that distracts on something other than a black background.

camera

That's why you're here, isn't it? This is the reason why you chose the P40 Pro Plus over the P40 Pro. So is it worth the extra money?

The P40 Pro Plus camera is not perfect, but you need to look for the issues and be extremely critical so that they affect the results. At the time of writing, I only took a few hundred pictures with the P40 Pro Plus, and I have trouble choosing the photos that I want to share first because I like the vast majority.

Most P40 Pro Plus recordings have a wonderful tone and atmosphere that many other phone cameras lack. Although Huawei uses a lot of artificial intelligence (A.I.) and other software tricks to generate the photos, they still look natural, which is almost certainly due to the partnership with Leica. It's easy to forget that Huawei is working with the prestigious camera brand until you start taking pictures. It is no coincidence that they look so good.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Let's talk about 10x optical zoom. The P40 Pro takes 5x optical zoom and 10x hybrid images. So can you tell the difference? Yes, you really can. From two floors up I took the photo of the wood you see below, and although the wood itself is not that different in the two photos, take a closer look at the black rubber in the middle. The photo of the P40 Pro Plus clearly shows that it has a texture that is completely missing in the hybrid image of the P40 Pro.

If you zoom in on the taillight on the photo of the Toyota pickup, you can see the Toyota branding on the edge of the cluster on the Pro Plus photo, which is too pixelated in the photo of the P40 Pro. You can also see how sharp the reflections are when they follow the contours of the vehicle and also the running bar. The optical system removes all of the digital processing that creates these pixelated details. However, some adjustments still need to be made here, as the photo of the P40 Pro Plus has a green tone in some areas. Although the deeper black is accurate, it loses some of the gloss of the P40 Pro's photo.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The 10x optical zoom gives you the certainty of getting closer to subjects when taking pictures, which I already enjoyed when taking pictures of wild animals. Distance is important for this type of photography, as is the quality of the end result, and the P40 Pro Plus has great potential for great photos of animals. However, in my photos of the squirrel, all of which were taken in a forest area speckled with sunlight, it seems that some exposure work still needs to be done.

With the P40 Pro Plus, the zoom can be increased 100 times. The images are better than those of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, but you won't want to share them again anytime soon. I like the addition of a handy second picture-in-picture viewfinder to make focusing and composition easier. Testing is still in its infancy, but based on the photos I've taken so far, the P40 Pro Plus seems to have improved the zoom of the P40 Pro, and Huawei has made another massive advance in technology. No other brand comes close to that at the moment.

Software and performance

The P40 Pro Plus has the same Kirin 990 5G chipset and Android 10 software as the P40 Pro, and Google Mobile Services is not installed. Instead, you get apps from the Huawei App Gallery and the Amazon App Store, or by using APK files that are obtained from third-party providers. I have already written about my experience with apps on Huawei phones with Huawei Mobile Services, and the P40 Pro Plus is no different from the P40 Pro and the folding smartphone Mate Xs.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

This means you have to change your mindset and may have to leave Google behind after purchasing the P40 Pro Plus. It is not possible to install Google Mobile Services and use the Play Store. However, some Google Apps work if you install them through APKs. However, you cannot log in with your Google account. Huawei's app gallery is growing, but there are still gaps, including Netflix, many local banking services, and social media apps.

In the past few days, I haven't noticed any difference in the performance of the phone compared to the P40 Pro, but unfortunately this means that the same problems with notifications that aren't always shown continue to exist. The battery only needed to be charged once over four days, so the P40 Pro's excellent battery life seems to have been transferred, but I will test this further in the coming week.

Conclusion

The Huawei P40 Pro Plus arrives about a month after the P40 Pro, a phone that costs £ 899 or about $ 1,140. The P40 Pro Plus costs £ 1,299, or about $ 1,645. That's a massive difference in cost considering that the main differences are the changes that allow 10x optical zoom and the pretty ceramic back. The P40 Pro Plus is a very, very expensive device.

From today's perspective, it's hard to say that the P40 Pro Plus justifies its significantly higher cost considering how well the cheaper (if still expensive) P40 Pro can hold its own against its main competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra . Maybe more will show up if I keep using the phone.

However, the superiority of Huawei's 10x optical zoom on the P40 Pro Plus over any other large zoom phone cannot be questioned. It's excellent, and like so many P-series phones before, the phone is driving the industry forward as Huawei's competitors have to work again to catch up.

The Huawei P40 Pro Plus can be pre-ordered in the UK on June 15th. The final release will be on June 25th. It is not officially sold in the United States, but can be purchased through an import service.

Editor's recommendations




29 May
Blog

Huawei MatePad Pro Review: Tablet Thwarted by the iPad

huawei matepad pro tablet review matebook feat

"A great display and convenient features like wireless charging make the MatePad Pro desirable, but it can't beat the iPad."

  • Colorful screen with an aspect ratio of 16:10

  • Wireless charging is welcome

  • Great audio performance

  • Good multitasking / desktop software

  • Limited availability of the app

  • Mediocre camera

I recently tested the Apple iPad Pro 2020 and the Magic Keyboard. This superb tablet and keyboard have become an integral part of my daily technical routine and replace my MacBook Air and phone for longer use when I'm on the couch.

Huawei's alternative, the MatePad Pro tablet (with keyboard case), is a challenger to Apple's experience, and I was excited to see how it compares to the all-conquering iPad Pro. The MatePad Pro has a lot to offer, but Apple's iPad Pro sets a high standard for deletion.

design

The Huawei MatePad Pro has a 10.8-inch screen, is 7.2 mm thick and weighs 460 grams. The total space requirement differs from the more square iPad due to the wider aspect ratio of the screen, which makes it appear more cinematic.

This is not a heavy device, but it feels significant. Every corner is neatly rounded and the chassis itself is curved, while the weight is centrally balanced. I found this to be a disadvantage when I held it upright with one hand as the top of the tablet felt heavy when the gravity took over. The screen is surrounded by frames that still give your palms enough buffer when you hold it in landscape orientation.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Huawei uses a hole-punch selfie camera with the MatePad Pro, as we saw on some smartphones. It is located in the top corner of the screen and is very good for unlocking the face as it is not covered by the palm of your hand. It disappears quickly when you watch videos, just like on a phone. It is also a good visual indicator of which end is imminent.

Turn the tablet over and everything is very simple in design. There's a dual-lens camera, some Huawei and Harmon Kardon brands (which power the speaker system), and that's all. My evaluation tablet had a muted steel-gray color, but lighter orange and green models are also available. Take a look at the top and bottom. You only see the speaker grille and the Type C USB charging port.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The dimensions of the MatePad Pro make it easy to take with you. I took it out in a small bag when I took a couple of photos and it never felt awkward or added any uncomfortable amount of weight. Even if you wrap it in the keyboard case, it stays that way. The thin screen bezels give it the same modern look that I loved on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, and apart from the somewhat cumbersome weight balance, the MatePad Pro is a real eye-catcher.

The keyboard case

Huawei sells you a keyboard case for the MatePad Pro if you want to do light work, but it is not a magic keyboard. Instead, think of it as the Huawei equivalent of Apple's Smart Keyboard. It is a wrapper that covers the tablet's body and screen and then opens to reveal a keyboard and provide a convenient way to support the tablet for easy viewing and typing.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The case is magnetically attached to the MatePad Pro, but the connection isn't as strong as I would like it to be. When I "opened" the case to use the keyboard, I often used the edge of the case to do it, and it usually separated from the body, which became frustrating. It doesn't feel very good either. It is a hard structured plastic rather than leather or another soft material.

There are two preset angles for the screen. The base of the tablet magnetically snaps into pre-cut grooves in the case and is far more secure than the back of the case. It will definitely not come off. I found that the two perspectives covered most eventualities, whether I was typing on a desk or watching a video on my lap.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

How about typing? It depends on whether. The keyboard is not suitable for working on your lap because the space requirement is quite small and the whole thing shakes. Put it on a desk and the experience is far more stable. The feeling is pleasant and the keys have a lot of travel. However, the sunken keyboard is small and the keys are loud.

Google's G Suite is not directly supported, and Huawei's browser is not supported by the web-based version. However, this works fine in Firefox – provided that you activate the desktop view. Huawei installs WPS Office pre-installed, and Microsoft Office Mobile is available through the Huawei App Gallery. Both can be scaled to the screen of the MatePad Pro, but Office requires a subscription to save and share documents.

I like how light the keyboard is. It adds very little volume to the MatePad Pro and is quite portable. This is not a great keyboard case for all-day use. However, if you type on an airplane or want to whip out the tablet in a cafe, that's fine.

Huawei sells the keyboard case separately for £ 129, which is about $ 160. It is also available as a package with the tablet.

Display quality

The 10.8-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:10, making it ideal for watching movies. The slim 4.9 mm bezels ensure an excellent full-screen appearance with a rich screen-to-body ratio of 90%.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Amazon's Prime Video and the UKTV Play app are available through the app gallery. However, YouTube can only be accessed via a browser.

The quality varies frustratingly. The resolution of the screen is not high enough to play 4K content via Amazon Prime. Instead, it is downgraded to an uncomfortable level of quality. Compare the Grand Tour on the MatePad Pro with the iPad Pro 2020, and there's a rift between them. The MatePad Pro looks overwhelming.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Switch to YouTube and things couldn't be more different. Watching versions of the stunning 2K resolution videos from Carfection is great. Many episodes use the majority of the screen in the ratio 16:10 and show a wonderful color balance and dynamics.

The screen is more reflective than I would like and has often asked me to pull the curtains so that I can see the screen better. I have nothing to do with the iPad Pro.

Audio comes from four speakers. The stereo separation in landscape orientation is really good, with the language coming through very clearly. There is also a lot of bass booming in the case of the tablet.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Netflix is ​​a no-go, and the same goes for Disney + and NowTV, which keeps subscribers to these services from buying a MatePad Pro. However, Crunchyroll can be viewed through the browser.

I also found the lack of Kindle or Comixology apps frustrating as it took effort to find or create compatible files so I could read them on the MatePad. This has reduced my enjoyment of the MatePad Pro. If watching shows and films or reading books about these services is high on your list, this is not the tablet for you.

software

Just like the Huawei P40 Pro, the MatePad Pro uses Android 10, but without integrated Google services. The open source version of Android is covered with Huawei's EMUI interface and uses Huawei Mobile Services instead of Google Mobile Services. This means that there is no Google Play Store or Google Apps as well as various internal changes that make page loading impossible. Instead, you need to use Huawei's growing App Gallery Store or Amazon App Store for your apps.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The situation regarding the availability of apps has not changed since the test of the Huawei P40 Pro, and only a little since my experience with the folding smartphone Mate Xs.

Many apps that may be considered essential are missing or difficult to install. It is possible to use APK files, but there are always security concerns, and it may be unwise to use them with apps that contain payment or other personal information.

While it is not so important for a tablet to have messaging apps – which is a good thing, since notifications on the MatePad occasionally occur, which is a similar problem to the P40 Pro – the enjoyment comes instead from media and games. The MatePad Pro is restless when streaming apps. So what about games?

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Unfortunately, it's a similar story. Yes, the App Gallery has some big names, including Asphalt 9 and World of Tanks, but I can't find my other main supports like DariusBurst, Hill Climb Racer, Reckless Racing 3 or Riptide GP in the App Gallery.

Riptide GP is available in the Amazon App Store if I want to pay for it again in the past after purchasing it on Google Play. Asphalt 9 Legends is a lot of fun and looks stunning on the huge screen, while the sound is just as bright as when watching videos. I really miss the opportunity to try the other games that I really enjoy.

How about optimizations for the tablet? There is multitasking that works identically with iOS 13 on the iPad. You slide in a special launcher and then tap and drag icons to open two screens at the same time, or tap to display them as a floating window at the top. Not every app supports split screen viewing, including Firefox, if you use it as a browser. Office, WPS Office and the gallery as well as Facebook and Twitter (both installed via an APK) are fine.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The EMUI desktop mode is interesting. EMUI is activated with a shortcut in the notification shadow and is similar to Windows 10. The floating windows are practical and far more customizable than in tablet mode. I found it easier to focus on the job when using it because it feels better to use than the tablet layout. It's also quick to quit and works well with the keyboard – but not all apps work. Even WPS Office warns that some features may not be available when used in desktop mode.

There is also a pre-installed app for kids called Kids Corner. It offers a variety of security measures, from daily limits to blue light filters and a main password. Once inside, there is a painting area, a dictation machine app and a child-friendly camera app. Apps have to be added to Kids Corner manually. You need to look for kid-oriented apps in the app gallery. Although the list is long, many are localized and there were no major brands that I recognized.

My requirements for a tablet are different from those for a smartphone, but there are the same problems that affect the P40 Pro, the Mate Xs and even the Honor 9X Pro. Just as I can't get a line on my P40 Pro or can't access my WhatsApp chat backups, I can't watch Netflix or play DariusBurst on the MatePad Pro. That diminishes my enjoyment of an otherwise perfectly functioning and powerful tablet.

camera

Huawei knows a thing or two about cameras. Finally, the Huawei P40 Pro has the best Android camera available. However, tablets do not require such robust camera systems because they are mainly used indoors. The MatePad Pro has a single 13-megapixel camera on the back with an aperture of 1: 1.8, auto focus and flash. On the front is a single 8-megapixel camera with a fixed focus.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It’s not great. Huawei tried to arouse interest in the viewfinder with a highly optimized zoom slider. However, this is purely digital, so the quality is poor. Photos taken on a sunny day capture the blue sky, but have problems with overall contrast and leave shaded areas too dark. Photos in the early evening are affected in the same way.

The front camera is acceptable enough for selfies and video calls, but the placement makes it difficult to find a natural angle.

Overall there is really nothing to get upset about. It's a shame considering what Huawei can do with its cameras.

Performance and battery life

The MatePad Pro is the heart of the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and the P40 Pro smartphone. The Kirin 990 chipset is used. It is matched to 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage space and offers space for a proprietary Huawei memory card. MicroSD cards do not fit. Huawei has announced a 5G version, but my test model is just Wi-Fi. The battery has a capacity of 7,250 mAh and is charged via a USB cable connection of type C or wireless charging.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Benchmark apps need to be downloaded as APK files, but Geekbench 5 refused to install through the APKPure store, so I could only use 3DMark.

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 4,785 volcano

This is comparable to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6's score, which contains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset. I never had any performance issues with the MatePad Pro because apps opened quickly and the operating system was not delayed.

Battery performance is decent. It took me a day and a half during my in-depth tests, which included hours of watching videos, some games, general surfing and light work, and some photos. In normal use, the battery lasts four or five days before it needs to be charged.

However, I didn't use it that way. With wireless charging, you can easily place it on a charging base when not in use and charge the battery constantly. This is a real advantage. This means that the tablet was always on hand and always charged. I didn't have to think about plugging it in overnight.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Wi-Fi Huawei MatePad Pro costs £ 499, which is about $ 610. It comes with a two year warranty if bought in the UK. It is available through Huawei's own online store and in some retail stores, including curries. The MatePad Pro is not officially available in the United States, but can be purchased as an import. The keyboard case costs £ 129 or about $ 158, and an M Pen is yours for £ 100 / $ 122. Huawei also sells the tablet, case, and pen for £ 610 or about $ 745.

Our opinion

The biggest problem with the Huawei MatePad Pro is the Apple iPad. While the MatePad Pro is a good tablet for video, gaming, and easy productivity, there is no compelling reason to prefer an iPad Air or an 11-inch iPad Pro.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. The Apple iPad is the best tablet you can buy today, and it almost doesn't matter which model you buy.

Yes, the iPad Pro 2020 is the best, but it's also very expensive. If you want the 11-inch model and smart keyboard to match the MatePad Pro and keyboard in our test, the $ 799 tablet and $ 179 smart keyboard cost a total of $ 978 .

Instead, we recommend that you buy the Wi-Fi iPad Air with its 10.5-inch screen for £ 499 or £ 479 and the Smart Keyboard for £ 179 or £ 159. This recommendation applies regardless of whether you are in the United States or the United Kingdom.

If you'd rather stick to an Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is recommended for $ 649 due to the higher availability of the app. The keyboard case costs another $ 179.

Do you want more options? Check out our favorite tablets from 2020.

How long it will take?

This is not a water-resistant or robust tablet. Doing so will take many years in terms of performance, screen quality, and the potential to serve as a general work machine if you also buy the keyboard case. Huawei is confident that the app gallery will fill up over time, so that the availability of the apps can also improve.

My MatePad Pro review has Android 10 with the April security update. While EMUI is receiving updates from Huawei, it is not known whether the core version of Android will change in time.

Should you buy it

No. The MatePad Pro struggles to compete with the Apple iPad Air, which is about the same price when purchased with the Smart Keyboard. It offers better access to apps, an excellent software experience with frequent updates and a similarly impressive screen.

Editor's recommendations




09 May
Blog

Huawei P40 Pro Review: The Best Camera on a Phone

huawei p40 pro review back jacket

"The Huawei P40 Pro has the best camera in the industry, but many will find it quite difficult to get the apps they need."

  • Outstanding design and comfort

  • Raised OLED screen with a refresh rate of 90 Hz

  • Brilliant, versatile camera

  • Long battery life

  • No Google services or apps

  • Audio is not great

There is a risk in everything. From mountaineering over the road to buying a used car, some decisions can go either way, good or bad. It often pays to take the risk and we are better people for it.

This is an analogy that fits the Huawei P40 Pro. If you buy it, you'll need to disconnect from Google and try something else.

I spent several weeks with the Huawei P40 Pro. The following happened when I took the risk.

design

This phone is beautiful. After juggling the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, the OnePlus 8 Pro and various other modern smartphones over the past few weeks, the Huawei P40 Pro stands above everyone in terms of perfect design, clear identity and sensible design decisions.

The best thing is the choice of matt, matt glass on the back. Yes, the OnePlus 8 has something like the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, but they don't look as fabulous as the P40 Pro.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

My favorite section? The way the Huawei logo is reflected deep in the glass. The curved sides of the body catch the light, and the matte silver paint shown here changes between blue, gray, white, and silver.

The elegance is affected by the bumpiness of the monster camera, which gives the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra a run for its money when it comes to how big it is. Calls. It sticks out a few millimeters and although the lenses and sensors are neatly arranged, it distracts attention from the simple beauty of the frosted glass.

It is one of the most convenient phones I have ever held. It's not sharp on the sides and all corners are rounded to make sure they don't dig into your palm. The real triumph, however, is the rounded glass at the bottom of the screen. Swipe-based gesture control means you always swipe up from the bottom of the phone. This is a tactile nightmare if there is a bezel, comb, or sharp edge there. The P40 Pro has nothing but a cascading piece of glass that smoothes the progress of your finger on the screen.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

This makes the P40 Pro really feel different from any other Android smartphone you can buy today. Only the Apple iPhone 11 Pro can keep up with the ergonomics of the P40 Pro.

It is less positive to note that the P40 Pro – admittedly due to the camera sensors and the battery capacity – is chunky with a thickness of 9 mm and a considerable 209 grams. Though strong, it's well balanced and many other big phones this year are even heavier. For comparison, the Galaxy S20 Ultra weighs 222 grams and is 8.8 mm thick, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max is 226 grams and 8 mm thick.

Yes, the P40 Pro is a bit slippery at the edges. Apart from that, the P40 Pro is professionally designed, has real stylistic flair and manages to obscure part of its weight.

Display quality, security

There is a 6.58-inch OLED screen on the front of the P40 Pro. It has a resolution of 2640 x 1200 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. There is a built-in fingerprint sensor and a face release. There is a very narrow border around the display and a slight curvature on the sides. The selfie camera with two lenses is punched on the top left of the screen and may be three times the size of a standard pinhole camera with a lens. This means that valuable space on the screen for notification icons is eliminated and is always recognizable when watching videos.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

How is the video YouTube looks great, although I had to look through the Firefox browser (no Google Apps, do you remember?). It still supports 2160p video with no problems, but features like double tap to advance 10 seconds don't work.

Amazon Prime videos, like Netflix, can be viewed via the browser with a resolution of up to 4K. However, the user interface is not as intuitive as a native app. Everyone looks great, and the screen of the P40 Pro can match the details and balance of the iPhone 11 Pro, while the Galaxy S20 Plus lives up to that of the Galaxy S20 Plus. It is wonderful.

Unfortunately, the great viewing experience is diminished by the sound. I found the same problem with the Huawei Mate Xs, a device that's even more video-focused than the P40 Pro. There's a single main speaker on the bottom of the phone that's fairly thin and uninspiring. This is not supported by the fact that the sound to the right of the phone is biased. When the screen looks as good as it does, the overwhelming audio is even more noticeable, especially if the competing Oppo Find X2 Pro manages to do both aspects just right.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The fingerprint sensor is located high up on the screen and makes it easier to find when holding the phone with one hand, although it wasn't quite as reliable as some others I've used, including the physical button on the Apple iPhone SE. The face unlock is excellent and usually still hits me for the fingerprint sensor. I also like the way the screen stays active when you look at it.

Camera performance

The outstanding function of the P40 Pro is the camera. The P30 Pro's camera is difficult to track, but the P40 Pro is definitely up to the task. A 50-megapixel 1 / 1.28-inch sensor is the headline grabber, followed by a 40-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. Finally, there is a 3D depth sensor. The telephoto camera enables a 5x optical zoom and a 10x hybrid zoom as well as a 50x digital zoom.

Extras include image stabilization controlled by optical and artificial intelligence, 4K video at 60 fps and the improved XD Fusion image signal processor from Huawei. Huawei also worked again with Leica to produce the camera on the P40 Pro.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The P40 Pro has a powerful zoom function. All others simply follow Huawei here, up to a maximum of 50x digital zoom. The app prompts you to use the 5x and 10x zooms, and there isn't a big difference in quality between the shots you take with both. This is proof of the excellent A.I. and camera tuning.

In reality, this means that you can safely use 5x and 10x zoom without questioning whether the results are reasonable. Huawei A.I. then miracle works with 50x zoom. No, you don't want to share the photos taken at this magnification level very often, but it is impossible to deny how good they are compared to the catastrophic photos that were taken a few years ago with even moderate zooms. The stabilization at long zoom is excellent and holds the subject with little movement on the screen in the viewfinder.

I am also impressed by the bokeh of the P40 Pro – both the artificial bokeh mode in aperture or portrait mode and the natural bokeh generated by the large sensor. Edge detection is great in artificial modes. In normal mode, you can also get close to small objects like flowers and achieve a strong natural bokeh effect. I am also glad that there is a standalone monochrome mode that gives your photos the atmospheric Leica look.

What about night mode? It has been a mainstay of Huawei cameras for several years and not the mainstay for night shots here because the standard camera is incredibly good in and of itself. You have to experiment with the camera, as night mode sometimes provides a brighter and more detailed picture. However, if you often leave it in normal mode, you'll get amazingly good pictures in low light.

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All of this happens before you start looking at the video, where you can not only take wide-angle and zoom shots, but also 4K resolution at 60 fps and slow motion at 7,860 fps. The stabilization is excellent, the colors are vivid and an extensive video editing mode is integrated in the standard gallery app.

Does the P40 Pro camera have anything bad? Shots with different lenses look different. Exposure, color balance, and atmosphere vary in a scene depending on whether you take the photo with the wide-angle or standard lens. However, this does not only apply to the Huawei phone, as this is the case with all smartphones with multiple lenses.

It is difficult for me to complain about something else, since most people do not notice tiny inconsistencies in dynamics and colors. It's the new smartphone camera to beat.

software

You want the camera, don't you? Of course you do. But to get it, you have to make some compromises.

No Google Mobile Services (GMS) are installed on the Huawei P40 Pro. This means that neither Google Play nor Google Pay, Google Maps or other apps or services supported by Google are used. Instead, the phone uses Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) and the Huawei App Gallery App Store, which are all based on Android 10 and have Huawei's own EMUI 10.1 user interface.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

If you've used the Mate 30 Pro, the P30 Pro, or previous phones like the P20 Pro, the software is a familiar area. With Huawei, you can either hide apps in an app drawer or spread them across multiple home screens. There's a great dark mode and plenty of great Huawei apps instead of the Google apps. For example, Huawei's email client and calendar are excellent, as is Huawei Health's fitness tracking app.

Using the P40 Pro is very fluid, quick and easy. Huawei has refined EMUI so much that it comes close enough to the standard Android that it doesn't require much learning for newbies, but it's still quite obvious that Huawei overall has its own design experience. I haven't encountered any of the annoyances I found on the Huawei Mate Xs and found the P40 Pro's software to be polished and reliable.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

However, the app gallery does not meet all of my app requirements and possibly not all of yours. I've explained in detail what was missing and why it affected me when using the Mate Xs, and the situation with the P40 Pro is essentially the same.

There is good news. Maps is now officially available in the app gallery and is an excellent alternative to Google Maps, even if you cannot simply import all saved places from the Google app. The navigation is effective, although I haven't been able to test it much due to movement restrictions. The swipe-in ​​newsfeed on the start screen contains links that not only lead to websites behind a paywall, but also significantly increase their usefulness.

By using the Phone Clone app, the Amazon App Store, and some APK files to install most of my required apps, the P40 Pro can be fully used for users who are not deep in the Google ecosystem. But that's still the problem.

I can't easily access my files in Google Drive, so importing / saving WhatsApp and Line conversations is not possible. I can't use Google Pay, my Google Smart Home devices can't be controlled by an app, and my YouTube Premium subscription is less fun when I'm forced to use the browser to access the website. Using the browser as a replacement for apps is generally not the best experience, but you'll need to get used to it with the P40 Pro.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

I doubt some of the decisions that Huawei's app ecosystem has made. When I open the app store I am often greeted by an ad that cannot be skipped for a few seconds, which I think is unacceptable. Opening the music or video app leads me directly to the new Huawei content stores and pushes me into the payment areas instead of immediately to my own saved files. Huawei is still learning and finding its feet, but these actions won't help many make the transition to the App Gallery and HMS easier.

There is another issue with the random installation of apps outside of the app gallery, with notifications. For example, Twitter and Instagram are installed through the Amazon App Store, and the arrival of notifications is incomplete. Then there is an update of apps that does not happen automatically if they come from multiple sources and I have security concerns when installing apps from unofficial sources. All of this makes using the phone more time consuming and cumbersome than many prefer.

Bottom line? If you use Google’s services on a daily basis or rely on certain apps that are not available through the app gallery, you will encounter some problems when switching to the P40 Pro. If Google is not essential for your mobile life and your apps are available in the Huawei App Store, life with the P40 Pro is easier. Huawei is confident that the app gallery will improve in the future, but we can only assess today's app situation.

The software, more precisely the app store and the availability of apps, is the risk when buying and using the Huawei P40 Pro every day.

Performance and battery life

Huawei's own Kirin 990 processor, an octa-core chip based on the ARM Cortex A76 architecture with a separate Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for artificial intelligence tasks, is in the P40 Pro. It also has a built-in 5G modem instead of a separate modem for improved reception and efficiency. Due to movement restrictions, I was unable to test the 5G connection on the P40 Pro, but found it excellent on the Mate Xs. It has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

Depending on your taste, there is a healthy selection of games in the app gallery. Asphalt 9 is available and is rendered flawlessly in high quality display and performance mode. Games can also be downloaded from the Amazon App Store. Although those that I tried out were played perfectly, I found that the selfie camera with two lenses disturbed the user interface by hiding the buttons on the screen. Benchmark tests downloaded as APK files gave the following results:

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 5,303 (volcano)

Geekbench 5: 755 single core / 2,993 multi core

These values ​​are far below the Oppo Find X2 Pro, which contains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, and cannot keep up with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus with Exynos 990 drive. Since the apps had to be installed outside of an official store, there might have been compatibility issues affecting the results as there was no sign of slowness during my time on the phone.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The battery life is great, just like you'd expect from a Huawei P-series device, and the 4,200 mAh cell easily lasts two days. It has both a quick wired charge that took an hour and 10 minutes to get the battery from 5% to full and a quick wireless charge.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Huawei P40 Pro is now available in the UK via Huawei's own website and the Carphone Warehouse. However, it was not officially released in the United States, but could be obtained as an import. It costs £ 900, which is about $ 1,120. Huawei grants a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects on its phones in the UK.

Our opinion

The Huawei P40 Pro has fantastic hardware and a dreamy camera with a long-lasting battery so you can get the most out of both. You have to compromise on software that is not in the Google Play Store through no fault of Huawei. This means that you may need to find new work and communication methods to enjoy the P40 Pro.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. Let's start with Huawei's own alternative, the P40 Pro Plus, which will come on the market sometime in June or shortly after. The camera promises to be even better because it has a state-of-the-art 10x optical zoom. So if you want to use life without Google, it might be worth waiting for the best model of the P40 family to do so.

If you spend $ 1,000 to $ 1,100, you should go for the Apple iPhone 11 Pro at £ 1,000 or £ 1,000, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus at £ 1,200 or £ 1,000, the Oppo Find X2 Pro at £ 1,300 or £ 1,100 or so $ 900 or £ 800 OnePlus 8 Pro. All of these phones have great cameras and impressive screens, as well as better access to all the apps they want.

You can even turn the clock back and find Huawei's flagship for 2019, the P30 Pro, which is still outstanding today, costs less, and has Google Mobile Services installed on it.

How long it will take?

The P40 Pro is IP68 waterproof, but is not particularly durable because it is made of glass. A case is recommended to keep it safe. The hardware itself will be fresh in the coming years and there will certainly be no shortage of skills. Interestingly enough, there is a big chance that the App Gallery – the biggest disadvantage of the P40 Pro today – will get better over time and offer more apps that we want.

Should you buy one?

No, I say that with a heavy heart, because the Huawei P40 Pro has a lot to offer. However, access to apps is currently too limited for the majority of people.

Editor's recommendations




01 Apr
Blog

Huawei Mate Xs Review: Folding Marvel, Frustrating Flaws

huawei mate xs review open screen

"The Huawei Mate Xs is a technical master class that is affected by faulty software and a disappointing speaker."

  • Excellent construction

  • Can be used both folded and unfolded

  • Nice screen

  • Quick charge

  • Useful multitasking functions

  • Excellent camera

  • Unreliable software

  • No Google Mobile Services

  • Bad audio

  • Very expensive

  • Shelf life is unknown

Smartphones are usually easy to check. For example, the shape and general functionality rarely change drastically. However, the Huawei Mate Xs is not easy. Not only is it completely different from most other phones because it folds up, but also because it costs £ 2,300 or about $ 2,750 and has no Google mobile services on board.

Still, it remains a convincing phone, and it's impossible to ignore the dramatic benefits that come with owning it. They range from the viewing experience to the camera to the cache for using such a futuristic phone. There are frustrating elements, but I never wanted to stop using the Mate Xs.

design

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

The Huawei Mate Xs is what many people would consider a real folding smartphone because it looks and works like a normal smartphone before it unfolds into a tablet. This way you can quickly send a message with one or two hands at any time without opening the phone or watch a video on the big screen. To achieve this, the large screen of the Mate Xs can be folded back on itself and becomes "normal size" until it is needed again.

I found that under normal circumstances I didn't have to flip the screen open and typing when the phone is closed is easier as it is just like any other large, modern smartphone. This versatility – phone in one minute, tablet in the next – is addictive, and the return to a non-collapsible phone is restrictive. It's also less noticeable when you use the phone in public, unlike the Galaxy Fold, which has to be unfolded to be really useful. This comes in handy if you don't want to draw attention to the fact that you're using a $ 2,750 smartphone.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

A rail on the right side of the phone has a button that can be used to release the screen from its collapsed position. It's easy to look with your index finger without looking, but you need two hands to unfold the Mate Xs. The central hinge has a wonderful, firm and high quality effect with just the right resistance. It snaps into place without much fuss and remains completely flat after completion.

This is a big deal because if it were only a few degrees away from flatness, the screen would look poorly constructed. Regardless of whether you look at the Mate Xs screen folded or unfolded, it always looks just right. There is a crease, but it is hardly noticeable when you look directly at the phone.

When folded, the lines are clear, as the back of the screen folds flat against the rail and creates a thick piece of smartphone that you can hold. It is 11 mm thick, closed and only 5.4 mm thick at the thinnest point. At 300 grams, however, this is one of the heaviest smartphones currently available.

When closed, it is slippery due to the rounded sides and the lack of grip. You can use it closed with one hand, but you must hold the phone firmly. I mostly used it like the Galaxy Note 10 Plus and other large phones, holding it in one hand and wiping it with the other. When opened, the vertical rail on the right becomes an excellent stopping point and an inspired design piece.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

How about durability? The design and materials of the screen have been improved over the Mate X, but there is still concern that the exposed screen will be destroyed quickly. I have been using the Mate Xs with other devices for a few weeks now. The screen has collected a few small scratches on which it bends sideways. However, I cannot immediately notice them when the screen is on.

Whether it collects more scratches will only become apparent over time, as will the hinge. It has eased somewhat in recent weeks, but remains firm.

screen

Using the Mate Xs with the screen closed is like any other Huawei smartphone. The 6.6-inch OLED has a resolution of 2480 x 1148 pixels and shows strong, dynamic colors with excellent clarity right down to the app icons on your home screen.

Compare it to the stunning screen of the iPhone 11 Pro, and the Mate Xs really questions its superiority. It produces the same natural tones that make the Apple phone screen a winner, and then adds a pleasant saturation to give it a visual boost. It is wonderful.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

The fully unfolded 8-inch screen with 2480 x 2200 pixels differs in some respects from the Galaxy Fold. Both are amazingly sharp when playing 1440p videos, with the Mate Xs again showing a little more liveliness than its rivals, but missing some of the richer, more natural tones. The unfolded Mate Xs offer you a fantastic video experience, but with black bars above and below the picture.

I can live with the black bars, but not with the Mate X's frankly terrible speaker. It's a single speaker on one side of the device, and it can't come close to the excellent audio experience of the Galaxy Fold and most other flagship phones. It's a big disappointment for such an expensive video focus device.

Samsung Galaxy Fold (left), Huawei Mate Xs (right) Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

Since the phone only consists of screens with partially deactivated areas when folded, some problems with touch sensitivity occur when using the phone in the closed landscape format. Buttons near the fold may stop responding until you adjust your touch point, and scrubbing through videos can be frustratingly difficult to activate. However, there is no such problem on all other sides of the phone.

Visually, the Mate Xs surpasses expectations with its beautiful, perfectly calibrated screen, but due to the poor audio experience it does not become a dream partner for mobile films.

camera

There are four camera sensors on the Mate X, all of which are positioned in the side rail on the back of the phone. The main lens has 40 megapixels and an aperture of 1: 1.8 and is connected to a 16 megapixel ultra wide-angle lens, an 8 megapixel telephoto lens and a flight time sensor.

You won't find a dedicated selfie camera with the main lenses doing selfie tasks as you turn the phone. This will activate the screen on the back so you can see what's going on. It's a clever, simple solution and can be used when taking photos of other people so they can review their pose.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

The camera can be used with the screen open or closed, and the app interface is changed to be more suitable for the larger screen. The app offers a wide-angle shooting mode, a 3x optical zoom and a 5x hybrid zoom. There is also Huawei's night mode, both portrait and aperture mode for images with a bokeh effect, as well as a macro mode.

Up to 4K 60fps can be recorded for videos. Huawei collaborates with Leica on its cameras, and there are several Leica camera modes to choose from that work similar to conventional filters and give photos a unique Leica look.

I love the photos taken with the Mate Xs. The color balance, vibrancy, details and tone are expertly assessed to ensure that the scenes have atmosphere and emotions. The Leica filters can be cumbersome, but when used carefully they give nice results. Edge detection in portrait and aperture modes is excellent, and even super macro mode works well. 3x and 5x zoom shots are great, but the 50x digital zoom is only for display because the photos taken are pixelated.

Above all, I like the reliability. Regardless of the situation, I know that the Mate Xs will make a great, usable photo for me. The lack of a selfie camera is a problem: there is no face unlock on the Mate Xs. The power switch on the side has a fingerprint sensor that is relatively fast and reliable. However, I miss the convenience of face unlocking, especially when there are problems with notifications that I'll talk about next.

Given Huawei's track record with cameras since the P20 Pro, it should come as no surprise that the Mate X's camera works so well. Quality is one thing, but I also think that the different modes, the artificial intelligence and the simplicity of the app increase my creativity so much that I just like to take photos on the phone to see what I can get. For me, this is the hallmark of a great camera.

Software and connection

Google Mobile Services (GMS) is not installed on the Mate Xs. Therefore, you need to use the Huawei App Gallery, Amazon App Store or APK files to transfer your favorite apps to the device. I've tried a few workarounds to get GMS on the Mate Xs, but none of the easy routes work, and although there may be more technical routes that work, they may have questionable effects on the phone. I found that the more apps I installed from alternative sources, the less reliable the app became.

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Using the methods above, I installed most of the apps I need. However, for almost all Google services you need to use a browser. I chose Firefox so that I can easily sync all my bookmarks with Chrome, although you can install Chrome with an APK, just like with Google Maps. The problem with this, however, is that you can't sign in to your Google Account to use saved places or bookmarks.

There is another problem with downloading apps from the Amazon App Store and APK files that has to do with notification support. It's random at best, as the Mate Xs almost never provide Twitter or Messenger notifications.

The usually reliable Huawei email client became problematic even after a software update and often refused to sync my Exchange account. I could use WhatsApp, but not with my chat history. What was worse was that Line Messenger, an app that I use a lot, does not work and there is no mobile payment system. The app situation on the Mate Xs and P40 is so complex that I wrote a completely separate article about it.

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Another annoying change is the inability to use an app drawer on the Mate Xs. This is not the case with the Huawei P40 or any other EMUI 10-based phone I use. However, there is no alternative here to distribute all of your apps across multiple home screens. The software is sometimes unreliable. Some apps can only be opened after the phone has been restarted, and the search function in the settings does not always work.

Finally, the Today pop-up is not very helpful. It only contains a few shortcuts, the screen time and a list of messages. Even worse, all messages came from sources behind a paywall, making them completely useless for those without a subscription. Coincidentally (or not) the stories from news UK publications, a group that recently partnered with Huawei to add their apps to the App Gallery, have been merged.

What about the good things? EMUI 10.1, based on Open Source Android 10, is smooth and fast, and tailored to make switching between screens on the Mate X seamless and comfortable. It works really well. Regardless of whether you expand the "Settings" window, the e-mail client or the browser, it is adapted immediately and attractively, so that you have more screen space and more control. The gesture control system also responds. I like the indicators on the sides of the screen that indicate that your swipe gesture has been recognized, and the system-wide dark mode looks brilliant.

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Huawei's multitasking is also top notch. Swipe and hold the page for a second to bring up a quick launch bar with apps. Then drag the displayed apps. If you simply tap an app in the bar, it will appear as a floating window.

The large, square screen is very suitable for productivity. The SwiftKey keyboard is standard, but Gboard can be installed as an alternative. I don't like SwiftKey because of its massive keys, desperation to register, and crowded keyboard layout.

However, it does have a split screen where the thumb can be entered when the screen is open that Gboard doesn't have, so I have to use it more often. However, the split screen has to be activated manually and won't return to normal view when you close the phone – another thing you should hate about SwiftKey.

Unfortunately, the software on the Mate Xs frustrated me more than on other Huawei phones, including the new Huawei P40. Some changes felt like a step backwards, while others still felt like a work-in-progress, making me less willing to accept the changes I need to make to live without access to Google Play. While Huawei can't fix this aspect of the Mate Xs, the other parts are in good control and can change with future software updates.

Battery and power

Inside is a Kirin 990 chipset with an integrated 5G modem, 8 GB RAM and 512 GB storage space as well as a second 4G SIM slot. A 4,500 mAh battery supplies the Mate Xs with power and is charged using the supplied 55 W charger, which, however, cannot be charged wirelessly. The superb SuperCharge system fully charged the battery in 55 minutes after 30 minutes to reach 80%. With a few photos, games, surfing and about 30 minutes of video, the battery has enough power to last a whole day.

I was able to perform the following benchmarking tests based on the apps available to me. The results show that it is next to the LG G8X dual screen, but far behind powerhouses like the Galaxy Note 10 Plus. The results come from apps that are not available in the app gallery, which may have affected the results, and I don't think they show the absolute power of the Kirin 990, which has proven strong and fast in every situation.

3DMark 2,791 (volcano)

Geekbench 5: 2693 multi-core, 761 single-core

Games play well and the Mate Xs has effective cooling so the phone doesn't get hot. In contrast to the Galaxy Fold, games can be played with the phone folded or opened. However, note that when playing some games on the larger screen, some cropping takes place due to the aspect ratio. This is noticeable in asphalt legends and games like Hill Climb Racer. but not for games with vertical alignment like Cut the Rope 2.

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Network reception and performance are often only mentioned when it comes to garbage. However, the Mate Xs should be recognized for their first-class ability to receive a signal. Switching from the Galaxy Fold with poor reception shows how much better the integrated 5G modem can detect a 5G signal. The reception is great across the board. The 4G performance in my region is significantly better than some other phones.

Price, availability and guarantee

The Huawei Mate Xs costs £ 2,300, which is around $ 2,750. It is available through Huawei itself, Carphone Warehouse and in a contract with Three UK. Huawei grants a two-year warranty in the UK. The Mate Xs is not sold in the United States, but can be bought as an import.

Our opinion

The Mate Xs is almost the most expensive smartphone from a mainstream manufacturer that you can buy today. The cost can be justified in part by the amount of cutting-edge technology in terms of design, screen, and hinge, but is much more difficult to justify when you consider the software's vulnerabilities and audio trash. The Mate Xs is impressively versatile, has a strong battery and performance, a beautiful screen and is equipped with an excellent camera. This makes it a great everyday companion that is fun.

Is there a better alternative?

The next competitor is the Samsung Galaxy Fold, valued at $ 1,900. It can be folded inwards rather than outwards. Although there is an outside ad, it is too small to be used for much more than displaying notifications or Google Maps. However, it does have Google Mobile Services on board, the camera is also very good, and the audio is better than that of the Mate Xs. On the other hand, it's not only flawed because of the outer screen, but also because of its bulky design. The Huawei Mate Xs is the better folding phone.

If you just want a big-screen smartphone, the 6.4-inch Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is $ 1,400 and the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max is $ 1,100. I would probably go for the $ 1,100 Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, which offers many features of the S20 Ultra as well as the S Pen pen at a cheaper price.

The Huawei Mate Xs is the better folding phone.

If you're showing off on a folding phone and want to spend less, the $ 1,400 Galaxy Z Flip is another option, although again that's a different proposition than the Mate Xs, as it has a normal 6.5-inch screen, which can be halved for easy transportation and convenience.

If you want something bizarre, check out the cheaper LG G8X Dual Screen, which offers some great multitasking benefits, is a lot harder than the Mate Xs, and also has a great price.

How long it will take?

The Mate Xs is not waterproof, so you need to be careful with it and you will likely be concerned about the screen's durability, despite Huawei's assurances that it is more robust than the first generation model. Treat it badly and it will likely get scratched, but that's true of almost every phone. Huawei regularly provides updates for EMUI, but it is not known how long it will take for Android 11 or higher to appear on a current Huawei phone.

If you buy it now, you have one of the most modern, futuristic smartphones currently available, and this ensures that it stays fresh and powerful for many years. Huawei has numerous software and hardware improvements that ensure that the software runs smoothly and the capacity of the battery is optimally used.

Yes, you will spend a fortune to get one. Assuming you can now live with the lack of Google Apps, the Mate Xs will serve you very well in the coming years. During this time, Huawei promises improvements to the app gallery so that it could become more accessible to international audiences in the coming months.

Should you buy it

No, but not for the reasons you might think. The lack of Google Apps is a problem, especially when you're deep in the Google ecosystem. However, for many people, little adjustment may be required to cope with it daily. Instead, it is other aspects of the Mate Xs that make it difficult to recommend. The audio is disappointing, and the unreliable software doesn't meet my expectations for Huawei, so it doesn't live up to the expectations you'd get after paying the extremely high price.

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