Huawei P40 Pro+ in for review

We just got our hands on the Huawei P40 Pro+ and are here to tell you that it's a special, special phone.

But first, here's what you get in the box. Just like the P40 Pro, the Pro+ comes with a 40W charger, a USB-C cable and USB-C headphones. The only thing we could wish for is a complimentary case.

The Huawei P40 Pro+ shares the same dimensions as the P40 Pro but has a noticeably larger camera bump on the back and is also heftier in the hand. Unlike its mainstream counterpart the P40 Pro+ lacks a 128GB option - only 256GB and 512GB are on offer and you get 40W wired and wireless charging, the latter of which is the currently joint fastest in the world.

Huawei P40 family - P40 Pro, P40 Pro+ and P40

But what really sets the Huawei P40 Pro+ apart, even from its capable counterpart the P40 Pro, is the 240mm periscope camera. The 8MP f/4.4 module delivers 10x optical zoom, compared to the 5x of the Huawei P40 Pro and Oppo Find X2 Pro, and the 4x of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.

On paper the doubled optical zoom sounds impressive, but seeing it in action is mind-blowing. The Huawei P40 Pro+ brings you much, much closer to the object you want to capture. It's an unparalleled zooming capability in a modern smartphone, period, and we'll give you a deep dive into its performance in our full review, coming next week.

The rest of the cameras on the Huawei P40 Pro+ are also impressive. The main shooter on the rear is a combination of the 50MP 1/1.28-inch sensor that's the largest in a phone right now, sat behind a wide-angle 23mm f/1.9 lens. The 40MP 18mm ultrawide, shared with the P40 Pro, also has a big 1/1.54-inch sensor. The final, fourth, sensor is an 8MP f/2.4 camera that delivers 3x optical zoom.

With all the diverse sensors on the back of the Huawei P40 Pro+, you can say it's the most versatile cameraphone around.

Here we come to the Huawei P40 Pro+' Achilles' heel - the lack of Google Mobile Services. Just like every other high-end phone from Huawei this year, the P40 Pro+ lacks access to the Play Store and it has no Gmail, YouTube nor Google Maps.

Huawei has been prompt in addressing the issue with its own Huawei Mobile Services suite, including the Huawei App Gallery store, which adds more and more must-have apps constantly. We'll make sure to check how far that has come in our review and if it lets you live a full smartphone life.

The Huawei P40 Pro was a properly impressive package even without the GMS and we are keen to find out if the P40 Pro+ can build on that. We've started its full review, which is coming next week, so stay tuned!