In my article “What’s in a name – Breaking into the Cellphone Market”, I wrote about Huawei and how they built a successful brand. So, I was really chuffed when I found out my first review of 2018 would be one of their devices. I have often stated in my writing I’m a fan of the mid-tier range because I feel they offer, for the most part, features that apply to the widest audience. The Huawei P Smart landed in my lap and I used it for a solid week and I must say, overall, I give it two thumbs up.
With the P Smart, Huawei, has managed to bring to the fore a new trifecta- a new standard for me. What blew my hair back with this device was the user experience, superb battery life and exquisite design.
Let’s talk design. Who says affordable needs to be boring. The P Smart has a modern, striking and perhaps even enviable design. With a 5.56” full HD display it’s more long than wide and the metallic finish is polished and easy to handle.
The important thing to note is the aspect ratio of 18:9. This is a big deal! Why? This specific ratio provides a better media streaming experience without having to change your phone into landscape mode but also allows enhanced viewing without the liability of a big bulky phone. This design has, up until now, only been featured on top tier flagship devices.
Another win for the P Smart is the FullView experience – another rarity in the affordable sector so its impressive that Huawei has not exclusively reserved these features for the high-end devices.
The next big win for me was UX or user experience. The P Smart, for me, flowed effortlessly. Everything seemed to be where I would expect it. I didn’t struggle to get used to the device, it felt like I had been using it for months. The fingerprint sensor is perfectly placed. Ultra -responsive it can be used to answer calls, scroll through your phone and obviously to lock and unlock your device. It’s these small things that just make sense to me.
Featuring Android Oreo, an Octa Core processor and 3GB RAM you will find the Huawei P Smart incredibly responsive and able to handle multi-tasking with relative ease.
The third huge driver was the battery life. I used the phone across all platforms and put it through the ringer in terms of Facebook, Twitter, Netflix and Showmax. The result – 2 days of battery. I was impressed! Furthermore, the intelligent power feature worked incredibly well informing me of which power hungry apps were eating my battery allowing me to manage my battery.
I would have liked to have seen wireless charging as an option, but I keep reminding myself that this is a mid-range option and that there will be limitations. I would have also like to have seen a USB-C connection rather than Micro-USB. Another missing feature for me was the IP rating, but bearing in mind this is a budget phone it is understandable in light of all the other cool features.
As pioneers of the new industry standard, Huawei has given the P Smart dual rear cameras (13MP + 2MP). While this is great innovation on a budget buy the images are going to be good but not mind blowing. You will find all the customizable camera apps you would expect but will not achieve the image quality you would on the Mate 10 Pro or P10. The 8MP front shooter worked well although with a 2.0 aperture it did struggle a little in the dark.
In its price category the P Smart is a trailblazer. Huawei has really thought this through and balanced cost and features to release a phone with great user experience and design in the R4000 market. I would confidently recommend this phone to anyone wanting a well-priced all-rounder with a premium feel and premium features.
Experience boundless fun with the new Huawei P smart, available Now!
Written By: Lesa J
