Huawei Ascend G7

Huawei has built a good reputation for power smartphones at affordable prices. Their G series phones have always been a comfortable compromise of price and performance. With the latest, the G7, Huawei is looking to at a more premium feel to their line-up. How does it stack up against a seemingly endless sea of mid-tier competitors? Let’s dig in to what the experts have said!

Without a doubt, every review available for the handset was blown away by its design. When even some flagships are shipping with plastic cases, it’s surprising to see an all-metal unibody shell in the mid-tier market. Not only are the materials right, it would appear design is as well. Recombu praised it, stating that it is, “Tight, slender and perfectly curved.” Some reviews even compared the feel in the hand to an iPhone. Something you certainly wouldn’t expect at this price point.

Continuing the trend, the 5.5-inch 720p IPS display was a favorite as well. While its not the highest resolution available, it is acceptable in its price point. Reviews noted colors were a little warm out of the box but that playing with settings yielding great results. Recombu noted that it is, “Not the brightest panel around.” This was a trend in many reviews. Unfortunately, combined with a high gloss screen, it led many to mention outdoor use was quite difficult.

Reviews on performance were hit-or-miss. With a 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, the phone should have no problems with performance on paper. However, a few reviews pointed out issues in even basic operations. PC Advisor UK said that they, “Saw plenty of lag and stutter when navigating around Android.” On the other hand, Notebook Check hit the Play Store and downloaded Asphalt 8. After some time playing, they declared that the G7, “Can confidently be called gaming suitable.”

Many reviews also noted how modified the EMUI skin is on the phone and questioned if the performance issues might lie in the modifications from Huawei and not the hardware itself. If this is the case, a software update could easily unleash the true potential of the device.

Around back, you’ll find a 13MP camera with flash. From HDR to refocusing photos after you’ve taken them, it comes with bells and whistles than you’d usually find reserved for flagship handsets. Front-facing selfies are equally nice with a 5MP lens to capture plenty of detail. Notebook Check put the camera through its paces and declared, “The pictures look razor-sharp, and the colors are reproduced very accurately.”

With 16GB of internal storage, you’ll probably need to take advantage of the microSD card support if you intend to store a large amount of media. Otherwise, it offers plenty of room for common apps and the occasional music or movie binge.

What the phone might lack in performance, it makes up for in staying power. With a 3000mAh battery, and a bit of tinkering behind the scenes from Huawei, the reviews all found exceptional battery life. Even streaming video at full brightness, the shortest time found was a respectable 7.5 hours. Many reviews found a single charge lasted through multiple days of regular usage. Recombu called the G7, “One of the best phones around for battery life.”

Overall, the only thing that reviews truly found to knock the handset for was its resolution. At the same time, many noted that the quality of the display minimized any negative impact. If you’re looking for a solid mid-tier device, Tech Radar proclaims “The Ascend G7 can’t be touched when it comes to an all metal body in its price bracket.”