BARCELONA—Huawei may be better known for its midrange phones in the US (the Honor 6X comes to mind), but don't let that fool you. The 5.1-inch Huawei P10 and the 5.5-inch P10 Plus are both high-end flagships packed with powerful hardware, the latest software, and some cool camera capabilities. We don't know pricing or availability yet, or if the phones will even launch in the US, but we got to spend some time with the P10 at Mobile World Congress and found plenty to get excited about.
From the Outside
Both the P10 and the P10 Plus feature metal unibody builds available in three different finishes: High Gloss (glossy), Hyper Diamond Cut (textured ridges and a reflective back panel), and Sandblast (matte). The Hyper Diamond Cut is my favorite, reflecting light in unique patterns reminiscent of the Honor 8 , but with a grippy texture on the back, making it comfortable to hold and use with one hand. It also didn't pick up fingerprints as easily as Sandblast. No matter the finish, it's a sleek look that will pair nicely with the Huawei Watch 2 and Watch 2 Classic.
There are also nine colors available including Ceramic White, Dazzling Blue, Dazzling Gold, Prestige Gold, Graphite Black, Greenery, Mystic Silver, and Rose Gold. Combined with the finished, that's quite a bit of customizability, though availability will depend on region.
The P10 measures 5.7 by 2.7 by 0.3 inches (HWD), while the larger P10 Plus comes in at 6.0 by 2.9 by 0.3 inches. The P10 has a 5.1-inch, 1080p IPS display clad in a durable sheet of Gorilla Glass 5. It looks sharp in person, with good viewing angles and bright colors. I didn't get to see the P10 Plus, but it has a 5.5-inch, 1440p IPS display, which should make it even sharper.
Below the display you'll find a combined fingerprint sensor and navigation key. According to Huawei, the sensor is embedded in the touch screen itself, making it the first phone to have this feature. It's one that's rumored to appear on the iPhone 8 and other devices, as manufacturers try to maximize screen size and minimize bezel.
Under the Hood
Under the hood, the phones are powered by Huawei's proprietary octa-core Kirin 960 processor clocked at 2.5GHz, the same chipset you'll find in the Mate 9. It's a fast chipset, significantly more powerful than the Kirin 655 in the Honor 6X and the Kirin 950 in the Honor 8. It remains to be seen how it stacks up to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor, which is expected to appear in the next wave of flagships including the Samsung Galaxy S8.
The P10 will be available with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage and 4GB of RAM. The P10 Plus will come in configurations of 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, or 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. Connectivity protocols include dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC for mobile payments.
The P10 has a 3,200mAh battery with Huawei's SuperCharge, a proprietary adaptive charging standard that optimizes voltage to extend the cell's lifespan. The P10 Plus has a 3,750mAh battery.
On the software side, both phones come running Android 7.0 Nougat, with Huawei's heavy EMUI layer on top. The changes made are significant. The app drawer is removed in favor of splashing apps across the home screens, and app icons and the Settings menu are all altered.
A Lot to Leica
Both phones feature Leica camera modules: one 20-megapixel monochrome sensor and one 12-megapixel RGB sensor, with OIS (optical image stabilization) and 4K video recording. According to Huawei, the two camera modules make for better low-light performance, and allow for bokeh (the artistic blur in the background of a photo). They also have a special 3D-sensing feature that can determine the location of a specific object. And the cameras sit flush, so there's no bump on the back. Both phones also have front-facing 8-megapixel cameras for selfies and video chat.
You'll find a host of modes and settings including HDR, manual controls (white balance, exposure, shutter speed, and ISO), and the aforementioned bokeh and 3D facial detection modes. The test shots we took with the P10 looked crisp in a controlled, well-lit indoor setting, but the real test will be how the sensors perform in low light.
While pricing and availability are not yet available, the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus are easy to like. Here's hoping they make it to the US—at a competitive price. Check back soon for more details.