Huawei P20 Pro long-term review

19 July 2018
It was an exciting flagship season this spring, yes, but once the dust has settled, there was only a handful of devices that left lasting impressions. On top of that shortlist is the tri-eyed beast that is the Huawei P20 Pro and it was high time we do a long-term review of this one while using it as a daily driver.

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Anonymous, 19 Jul 2018It's unbelievable how often websites praise the 5x zoom set... moreOf course there is no difference in details, it's fairly obvious that 5x zoom is basically a digital zoom from 3x zoom with different processing(the same trick Sony uses on their digital cameras, called Clear Image Zoom).

"I have covered the monochrome camera at Iso 6400 and the difference is very small when you pixel peep"
That's because P20 Pro, unlike Huawei's previous phones, doesn't use monochrome camera to enhance the image quality when you're shooting in 1x magnification and they never advertised that it would. The sensor is so massive and it doesn't need additional sensor to enhance the image quality whereas Mate 10/P10/Mate 9/P9 all had tiny 1/2.9 inch sensor. The only time monochrome sensor kicks in is when you're zooming in where extra resolution is needed.

    Great idea, poor execution.
    Waiting for Sony to do this idea in the future. They made the monochrome sensor to work much more effectively than Huawei ever did, and this one will be no exception.
    It is definitely possible, since that 1/1.7" sensor of the P20 Pro is a Sony IMX one, and there's no reason for them to sell better sensors to other OEMs than the ones that they use at least for their own flagships. Maybe an even better one.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • mx{
      • 20 Jul 2018

      Best camera ever is p20 pro

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • mx{
        • 20 Jul 2018

        Anonymous, 19 Jul 2018I dont understand all hype about this phone. Except camera... moreThey sold 100,000,000 in like half a year lol, stop hating fanboy

          • S
          • Shui8
          • KZ8
          • 20 Jul 2018

          visconderoberto, 20 Jul 2018When the editor told that Huawei camera was better than the... moreEspecially when they said, 'far off better' than the X. Lol.

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            • AnonD-122899
            • QXP
            • 20 Jul 2018

            I read that the gaming performance on this phone is bad. It's GPU is lagging in games even in Pokemon Go. Perhaps any gamers having the phone can comment if this is true?

              When the editor told that Huawei camera was better than the X, was a mix of astonishment, like someone broken the Holy Graal and burning the Bible at the same time...how can anyone dare to compare cheap Chinese crap to the only goddess allowed in the Acropolis? Poor iPhone lovers...

                This is the most overrated phone of 2018.

                  • R
                  • Rolleyeball
                  • uQ5
                  • 20 Jul 2018

                  YalokIy, 19 Jul 2018"Apple was first to cut a notch into the display and most o... moreUgh..rolleyeball

                  We all know its not iphone but when other phone implement it, it doesnt change s***. Forgotten. Poof. Gone. Irrelevant

                  So yea, its iphone that revolutionise notch. Stop being in denial

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                    • Anonymous
                    • Q6x
                    • 20 Jul 2018

                    Man, that camera is amazeballs.

                      Great phone that brought new standard for phone camera abilities. Still, I will choose quality over quantity. Well, depends on usage.

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                        • AnonD-594740
                        • 8{Y
                        • 19 Jul 2018

                        Iron Mike, 19 Jul 2018Hi GSMArena team. That is a great long-term review of th... moreMost certain that its gorilla glass like the front, so expect micro scratches even with a case.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • gBV
                          • 19 Jul 2018

                          It's also unexplainable why gsmarena doesn't criticize the ghosting artifacts of the night mode. Google shows that it can avoid ghosting despite using exactly the same technique as Huawei.

                            Lol this phone is massively overrated.

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                              • Anonymous
                              • gBV
                              • 19 Jul 2018

                              It's unbelievable how often websites praise the 5x zoom setting. I have compared multiple(!) 3x and 5x photos and there isn't a difference in details. If there is a difference, then it might be equivalent to the details of maybe ≈3.2x zoom. Of course the 5x setting is much better than the 5x setting from other phones because it needs to use less digital zoom for 5x. The 5x setting is actually ≈1.7x digital zoom with the tele camera!! Not 5x digital zoom!!
                              I am also surprised that not a single reviewer examines the effect of the monochrome camera. I have covered the monochrome camera at Iso 6400 and the difference is very small when you pixel peep(!). I am also surprised that no reviewer compares the amount of details of the 2x zoom setting with the 40megapixel mode...

                                "Apple was first to cut a notch into the display and most of the makers followed suit soon after. "

                                Essential and sharp disagree.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • JpF
                                  • 19 Jul 2018

                                  I dont understand all hype about this phone. Except camera, it is not better than Mate 10.

                                  Cheap screen.
                                  2017 cpu, not on pair with Qualcomm's , Samsung's nor Apple's.
                                  Weaker gpu
                                  Awful updates, I doubt it will see P before march.
                                  Video quality not better than midranges
                                  Selfie is a joke, strongest beautification ever also overexposed
                                  No headphone jack..

                                  No surprise why they dont sell even 15 million phones out of China

                                    • J
                                    • Josh
                                    • CDF
                                    • 19 Jul 2018

                                    Salah, 19 Jul 2018It's still not worth the almost 1000$ it costs. Screen is... moreSo what's your point??!!

                                      Hi GSMArena team.

                                      That is a great long-term review of the P20 Pro.

                                      I have a question regarding the physical durability of the phone. How well does it hold up to everyday use in regards to dings and scratches on the body, back, camera lenses and screen?
                                      Did you use a cover and screen protector, or did you use the phone without any protection? If you used it without protection, how has it fared?

                                      Maybe other P20 Pro users here also have comments on this as well?

                                      Chris

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • pp}
                                        • 19 Jul 2018

                                        Best phone until Mate 20pro arrive.