Huawei Mate 8 review: Checkmate

27 January, 2016
The Huawei Mate 8 has dropped the Ascend badge, but it offers all the key pros of the Ascend Mate7 and then some. Coming a year after the Mate7, it was only expected that the Mate 8 will show maturity and address its predecessor’s shortcomings, most notably the poor graphics performance and the less than stellar camera output.

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  • d
  • dasman
  • jdg
  • 28 Jan 2016

Great Hardware on the CPU Side...but only decent GPU. Although I think the Kirin 960 will be just as good as the 820 by the GPU side of things.

    • D
    • AnonD-494401
    • 7A{
    • 28 Jan 2016

    still missed one thing. why not type C usb charger?

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • baX
      • 28 Jan 2016

      And i thought my Mate7 has excellent battery life. WOW! Going from a 28nm down to 16nm does wonders...way to go Huawei!!

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • pWQ
        • 28 Jan 2016

        bobby21, 28 Jan 2016Why do they built so big phones?Because there are people willing to buy a "big" phone. Not everyone wants a 4-inch mini version.

          • M
          • Muthu
          • PTi
          • 28 Jan 2016

          bobby21, 28 Jan 2016Why do they built so big phones?It is not that big than iphone 6s plus due to narrow bezels. So actually Huawei has done an excellent job of fitting a large screen in a smaller form factor. You have to credit them for that, not question them.

            Why do they built so big phones?

              • 1
              • 123
              • mDu
              • 28 Jan 2016

              Huawei bringing the big guns in the game!

                • D
                • AnonD-494168
                • Sgv
                • 28 Jan 2016

                Anonymous, 28 Jan 2016software is meh. Hardware is good.I would say other way round..

                  • C
                  • Chen
                  • 9LB
                  • 28 Jan 2016

                  Anonymous, 28 Jan 2016Main disadvantages: - low quality - unknown brand - runs... more- low quality (not all Chinese products are low quality, you need to get out more)
                  - unknown brand (3rd largest smart phone manufacturer in the world)
                  - runs Android (close to stock Android; nothing better than that; or maybe you're an iFan)
                  - price over $99 (oh, the horror)

                    • D
                    • AnonD-234961
                    • 95j
                    • 28 Jan 2016

                    Anonymous, 28 Jan 2016Main disadvantages: - low quality - unknown brand - runs... moreIt's the brand that makes the Nexus 6P.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • pWQ
                      • 28 Jan 2016

                      I kind of want this phone... I have a Nexus 6 now and there's only audio output quality "problems" - this phone has obviously a much better audio chip. Could be a very good phone with vanilla Android. And very nice battery life.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • X{X
                        • 28 Jan 2016

                        software is meh. Hardware is good.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • Pcp
                          • 28 Jan 2016

                          i pref mate 7 for me is the same just a little be changes

                            • M
                            • Muthu
                            • PTi
                            • 28 Jan 2016

                            Anonymous, 28 Jan 2016Any info on the temperature when stressing the CPU, does it... moreNo, it does not even throttle even after prolonged use as per Anandtech's review. You may want to check that out.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-65736
                              • a0Y
                              • 28 Jan 2016

                              AnonD-433808, 28 Jan 2016I don't simply understand Huawei's methodology. They are th... moreMessing with the stock interface is one thing manufacturers do too much, but you can easily change that.

                              On the other hand, offering additional features or merely making existing ones (more) accessible to users without root is what makes Cyanogen or other versions of Android worth the try!

                              Custom OS is the way to differentiate, people should stop complaining about that because no OEM with high commercial expectations will ever drop this factor. Especially when it's so easy to do away with it.
                              And I actually liked not having to root my Oppo to get a screen recording feature. That comes with ColorOS. Not that I loved it, but I took what I needed from it. Almost any phone allows you to do that, Huawei's included.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-65736
                                • a0Y
                                • 28 Jan 2016

                                Anonymous, 28 Jan 2016Main disadvantages: - low quality - unknown brand - runs... moreSuch a troll...
                                Just because you don't know a brand does not mean you can have a go at them talking about things you, once again, have no idea about.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • pv@
                                  • 28 Jan 2016

                                  Main disadvantages:
                                  - low quality
                                  - unknown brand
                                  - runs Android
                                  - price over $99

                                  No thanks!

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • IWN
                                    • 28 Jan 2016

                                    Any info on the temperature when stressing the CPU, does it thermal throttle after prolong use?

                                      kam, 28 Jan 2016i want this phone, audio quality is important to me and thi... moreit could be 23mp and still be bad, this is all just numbers on paper real performance in real life is different not all 13 mp cameras perform the same and give the same quality same applies to this one

                                        • B
                                        • Bars
                                        • pT2
                                        • 28 Jan 2016

                                        UI is iOS ripoff which bring shame to android. look at 3th smartphone manufacturer in the world and how miserable they are. their design is HTC and apple ripoff ,UI is iOS ripoff.what exactly huawei did? :))))))