Huawei Mate 10 Pro

Huawei might have started off as a mid-range smartphone, but they’re expanding their lineup hoping to gain market share from bigger names, such as Samsung and HTC.

Do they hit the mark with the Mate 10 Pro? Read below to find out!

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro falls squarely in the phablet category measuring in at 6.07-by-2.93-by-0.31 inches and weighs 186 grams. As expected, reviewers had difficulty using the phone one-handed, despite the small bezels. Its curved glass back and metal sides also made it difficult for them to grip though they appreciated the design esthetic.

That glass back was surprisingly scratch-resistant. Many critics put it in their pocket alongside change or keys. When they took it out, there were no small scratches or scuffs. It also comes with IP67 certification, which means it can survive even if you drop it in a puddle or pool. Despite the slippery feeling, reviewers found the phone sturdy and reassuring.

Taking a page from the iPhone 8, the Mate 10 Pro did away with the 3.5mm headphone jack—a move that disappointed many.

The 6-inch OLED display comes with a resolution of 2160-by-1080 pixels. While less than even the Mate 10, most critics found that it was good enough, saying you’d be hard-pressed to spot individual pixels. In addition, they add that the colors are punchy with the right amount of pop though. If you’re planning to use your phone for editing images or other color-sensitive work, whites weren’t very clean and color reproduction wasn’t as accurate as the Galaxy Note 8.

Despite this, reviewers say it’s still better in terms of viewing angles and color integrity when compared to the Google Pixel 2 or LG V30.

Unlike other smartphone makers, Huawei uses its own processor. The latest iteration is the AI-infused Kirin 970. This, combined with the 6GB of RAM, makes for a very fast phone. It blazed through every task reviewers threw at it without a hiccup and managed 3D games and multitasking.

Because of its powerful processor and huge display, Huawei outfitted the Mate 10 Pro with a 4,000mAh battery.

Experts could get almost one and a half days on a single charge with moderate usage. On standby, it lost only 3 percent of life over a 12-hour period. According to Huawei, the long battery life is due to the processor’s machine learning. It dials back background processes when the phone is not in use.

Like many flagship phones, the Huawei now sports two lenses on the back: a 12MP color sensor and a 20MP monochrome one. The monochrome lens captures detail and improves sharpness while the 12MP one is meant to accurately capture color.

When compared to previous Huawei phones, reviewers noticed a significant improvement in speed. However, they still found it a little slow with auto-focus. Still, this didn’t affect the quality of their images.

Overall, reviewers were happy with sharpness and color accuracy. They were also impressed with its low-light performance, finding low noise levels with good enough detail to post on social media.

In general, critics recommend the Huawei Mate 10 Pro. Trusted Reviews states, “… the Mate 10 Pro is a gorgeous device, offering users slick performance, an above-average camera, and excellent battery life…” PC World adds, “… it’s one of the best handsets of the year, with tremendous battery life, incredible speed, and good looks.”