Huawei P60 Professional

First Impressions

Introduction

Huawei’s P60 Professional has lastly discovered its method to European shores, bringing with it a really tempting digicam array able to some fairly implausible pictures.

Because of quite a few points, Huawei telephones haven’t at all times been simple sells for UK and different European patrons over the previous few years.

That doesn’t change a lot right here, nonetheless the P60 Professional reveals Huawei can nonetheless innovate and produce Android telephones with some beautiful {hardware} however they continue to be hamstrung in lots of on a regular basis use circumstances.

For the £1199/€1199 beginning worth, the P60 Professional has to rely loads on a choose few abilities to rival the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely. This could possibly be one of the best Huawei cellphone in years – however, for most individuals, I’m not certain that’s going to be sufficient.

Display screen and Design

• Distinctive rear design
• Feels nice to carry and cozy to make use of
• Two colors obtainable

There are such a lot of supplies discovered on the again of Android telephones in 2023: vegan leather-based, ceramic, metallic. Huawei isn’t utilizing any of these, as an alternative selecting a end that intently resembles pearl or marble.

Earlier than the launch, Huawei reps claimed each P60 Professional within the Rococo Pearl end is exclusive and can have a barely totally different general look. I did have the prospect to check various totally different items, and so they all had been barely assorted within the form of the sample on the again.

The marble-like end is actually distinctive – although whether or not that’ll be constructive or damaging will fully rely in your preferences. For me, it’s somewhat too opulent and garish, whereas colleagues described it as trying both like a kitchen counter or a Las Vegas resort lavatory. It’ll enchantment to some although, and not less than I can’t blame Huawei for enjoying it protected.

There’s a black mannequin obtainable for these after a extra delicate end, and various different colors, together with inexperienced, though these appear to be unique to the Chinese language market.

I additionally respect how Huawei has stored the digicam module small, particularly when rivals just like the Oppo Discover X6 Professional and Xiaomi 13 Extremely have made it the primary design focus. On the P60 Professional, the digicam doesn’t stick out an excessive amount of and appears tasteful.

Whereas I’m not fully gained over by the design of the rear panel, I do like the virtually smooth texture it provides the cellphone. This, mixed with the pretty low 200g weight and gently sloped sides make for a cellphone that’s among the many most comfy flagships to carry and use for prolonged durations of time. Huawei nonetheless is aware of the right way to make a cellphone that feels nice.

Protecting the cellphone is the model’s personal Kunlun glass, whereas it’s IP68 rated for cover from splashes and dirt.

The 6.67-inch is completely sized, whereas the marginally odd 2700 x 1220 decision appears a sensible center floor between 1440p and 1080p. After all it’s a 120Hz OLED panel, with tremendous easy scrolling and good color copy. There’s HDR assist, however to date I haven’t discovered any companies that’ll stream that form of content material to the cellphone.

Digital camera

• Duo of rear 48MP sensors
• 13MP ultrawide completes the triple rear array
• Glorious zoom high quality

The cameras on the again are the P60 Professional are superb, hardly a shock contemplating Huawei has been churning out among the finest digicam telephones for years now.

Sitting on the cellphone’s rear is a principal 48MP sensor with an aperture that may transfer between f/1.4 and f/4, paired with one other 48MP sensor with a 90mm telephoto lens and at last a 13MP ultrawide.

In contrast to Oppo and Xiaomi, Huawei isn’t being drawn on how huge the precise sensor is, as an alternative focussing extra on what the optics right here truly obtain. I managed to spend a while with the P60 Professional at a safari occasion organized by Huawei forward of the launch and I’m satisfied the easiest way of showcasing what this digicam can do is by exhibiting pattern photographs.

The true highlights are the colors produced in lower-light conditions – simply look how pretty the sundown seems and the way the solar shimmers off the edges of the Land Rover – whereas the element rendered in pictures shot at 10x is unimaginable. You may clearly make out particular person strands of the giraffe’s fur and there’s minimal noise or distortion. There’s a beautiful stage of background blur too, as you’ll be able to see within the pattern pictures of the vegetation.

Common daytime photographs are actually saturated, although numerous this may be put all the way down to the Grasp AI system which I do have a tendency to seek out pumps up greens and reds somewhat an excessive amount of – flip this off although and issues appear rather more pure.

As is the case with a number of different telephones, there’s one thing somewhat odd happening with moon pictures. The picture under was truly taken within the early night gentle, but the outcomes present a very black sky with an in depth moon. It would look nice, but it surely’s nothing just like the view I used to be truly taking a look at.

I’ll delve extra into the digicam, together with the entrance 13MP sensor and the 4K as much as 60fps video prowess, within the full overview.

Efficiency

• No 5G assist
• 2022 chipset from Qualcomm
• Nonetheless feels quick and fluid

Huawei is correct to give attention to the elements of the telephones – notably the digicam and design – it has full management over as a result of elsewhere the troubles the model remains to be going by means of make themselves consistently identified.

Because of the ongoing commerce points with the USA, the P60 Professional’s {hardware} and software program are somewhat odd – particularly for a cellphone that prices over £1000.

First off the P60 Professional isn’t powered by the most recent Qualcomm chipset, As an alternative of the 8 Gen 2 you’ll discover inside rivals from Oppo, Samsung, Xiaomi and the OnePlus 11, that is powered by the 8 Plus Gen 1. Personally, this doesn’t trouble me an excessive amount of – the 8 Plus Gen 1 is barely 6 months previous and through my first few days with the cellphone it’s not clearly slower than something newer. Nevertheless, once more, it is a very costly cellphone and it’s honest to be barely aggravated that it doesn’t include the very newest tech.

There’s additionally no 5G assist, making this most likely the most costly 4G cellphone in the marketplace. Like using a barely older chip, this doesn’t trouble me an excessive amount of – I can’t say I’ve ever used 5G and genuinely felt it supplied something 4G doesn’t, but it surely’ll irk some folks and some years down the road it is perhaps a far greater problem. Though it’s simply getting a European launch, the P60 Professional does really feel somewhat outdated when the whole lot is considered.

In terms of the software program expertise, Huawei’s continued lack of Google Play assist will make this a whole non-starter for some. Companies like the vast majority of banking apps, fully-featured Netflix and those who utilise the Google Play Companies backend – Uber, for instance – merely gained’t work as they need to.

Huawei’s alternate app retailer, App Gallery, isn’t new anymore however stays stuffed with apps that nearly really feel like price range remakes of fashionable options, padded out with video games I doubt will enchantment to many. APKs nonetheless stay the best method to get fashionable downloads onto the cellphone, and these can include a scarcity of updates down the road.

There are numerous compromises that must be made to comfortably use a Huawei cellphone every day. If you happen to can dwell with that, then nice – it simply feels Huawei’s retailer must be somewhat extra superior at this stage, particularly for a cellphone this succesful.

Reminiscence sits at both 8 or 12GB RAM with storage choices at 256GB or 512GB. There’s expandable storage too, within the type of Huawei’s NM playing cards, for bumping that up additional. There’s a charging included which sits at 88w, whereas 50w wi-fi charging is onboard – although that does require a selected Huawei charger for these excessive speeds.

I haven’t spent lengthy sufficient with the cellphone to evaluate the 4815mAh battery but, with a deeper take a look at that coming within the full overview.

Early Verdict

Among the zoom and macro abilities of the Huawei P60 Professional’s digicam are merely beautiful. The colors, the element even once you’re pushing in 10x and the consistency of the picture whether or not you’re taking pictures extremely extensive or telephoto have completely blown me away throughout my first days with the cellphone.

The digicam {hardware} isn’t fairly as spectacular on paper because the Xiaomi 13 Extremely or Oppo Discover X6 Professional, however the outcomes are among the highest I’ve ever from a digicam cellphone. Plus, the far smaller digicam housing isn’t anyplace close to as in your face as these two competing telephones.

Digital camera apart, the P60 Professional has impressed me elsewhere too. The display screen has simply the correct quantity of curvature, whereas the pearly end on the again of my overview pattern is smooth and cozy to carry – if somewhat opulent for my normal tastes.

However, after all, any Huawei cellphone comes with caveats. The dearth of 5G assist isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it surely does sting considerably contemplating the cellphone’s lofty place and the quantity of fantastic competitors.

It’s the same story for the 2022, fairly than 2023, Qualcomm chipset inside – it’s good, however it might’t actually compete with the newer silicon. After which there’s the app scenario – the shortage of Google Play means those that are entrenched in Gdocs, Gmail and YouTube ought to look elsewhere. Nevertheless it additionally means getting apps put in and up to date is a faff, whereas the Huawei App Gallery is stuffed with obscure companies and unhealthy video games – it may need numerous apps obtainable, however I’m simply undecided you’re going to need any of them.

Huawei has rightly chosen to give attention to the digicam as soon as once more – an space it might actually innovate and impress in – and for many who can dwell with out Google there’s a tempting quantity happening.