Huawei Ascend P6 Philippines Review, Price Php 18,990, Sample Camera Photos, Emotion UI Screenshots : TechPinas Badge of Excellence Awardee
I already have two friends who've purchased Huawei Ascend P6 after I let them play with my handset.
Quoting one of them, "Huawei Ascend P6 is the absolute best phone that my budget could have gotten. I believe that our gadgets should be a reflection of ourselves and P6 totally does that for me. It's very slim, which I love since I'm also trying to lose weight. Haha. But it's not just slim -- it's also very powerful and the camera - especially the front-cam - is amazing! This phone has given me the best selfies ever! Thanks for showing me your phone, Mark! I would have never learned about how great Huawei Ascend P6 is had you not shown it to me in the flesh."
Design
Measuring only 6.2 millimeters at its thickest point, Huawei Ascend P6 - as of writing - is the thinnest smartphone ever released and is currently the unrivaled slimmest smartphone in the world today.
But it's not just its ultra-slim form factor that made me fall in love with P6 at first sight. There are a lot of thin handsets in the market -- but few have a design language as attractive as that of the Chinese Giant's top-of-the-line release.
As I've shared in a previous TP Post, if the svelte iPhone 5 and gorgeous Sony Xperia Z had a love child, it would look more or less like Huawei Ascend P6.
The aluminum accent running down the sides of the phones - similar to that of iPhone 5 - doesn't only give the phone an air of luxury but also makes it feel very solid in the hand. Its very decisive, almost industrial footprint - reminiscent of Sony Xperia Z - provides an aura of corporate elegance and sophistication.
Huawei Ascend P6's width is only 65.5 millimeters, which makes it very easy to hold and to use even with just one hand. If you're not a fan of big smartphones that require you to use two hands to type on its touchscreen, you'll love this handset.
This flagship release is not just slim and thin but it's also very light. Weighing only 120 grams, Huawei Ascend P6 is a joy to have in the pocket -- and for girls, I'm sure they'll have no issues keeping it in their purses.
Design-wise, I really can't ask for more from Huawei Ascend P6. I think that the handset can stand shoulder to shoulder with other gorgeous metal-clad releases this year - including Nokia Lumia 925, iPhone 5S, and HTC One - and not feel a bit shy.
Display
P6 flaunts a 4.7 inch 720 x 1280 pixels (~312 ppi pixel density) IPS+ LCD panel underneath its scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass touchscreen. What's particularly good about this type of display (at least, versus SuperAMOLED) is that it delivers accurate colors or hues that are closer to how they actually look 'in the flesh'. Hence, you won't get yellowish or greenish skin color replication on screen. IPS+ HD panels also display consistent colors with utmost clarity from all viewing angles.
Camera
Considering how slim the phone is, it's truly amazing how Huawei was able to put two powerful camera modules inside Huawei Ascend P6.
The smartphone features an 8 MegaPixel autofocus camera at the back with BSI sensor, F2.0 aperture and 4cm macro view (for stunning close-up shots). The F2.0 aperture lets 44% more light through versus the f/2.4 aperture on the iPhone 5, and over 69% more light compared to Samsung GS3's f/2.6. P6's aperture combined with its backside illuminated sensor and LED flash allow it to deliver crisp, clear, and vibrant images even in low-light conditions. Check out these sample shots:
But what truly sets Huawei Ascend P6 from practically all smartphones currently available in the market is that it has a front-facing camera specifically made to deliver great selfies.
The 5 MegaPixel front cam (not interpolated) with BSI sensor - on its own - is already good enough to deliver clear self-photos but its capabilities are further enhanced by Huawei's very own camera application with Beauty mode, which instantly "fixes" your selfies by removing skin blemishes and making your eyes look more prominent. You can choose the level of "enhancement" from a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the most "intense" beauty level. Check out my Level 5 selfies, TP Friends.
Note, however, that Beauty Mode only removes skin blemishes, evens out your skintone, highlights your bone structure, and "dilates" your eyes (giving you that supposedly nice anime look). Even at Level 10, it can't really altogether change your facial proportions, completely remove eye-bags, add dimples, or give you a nose-line (if you don't have it in the first place). You'd need a separate app or a more powerful software like Photoshop to get those.
Innards and Synthetic Benchmarks
Huawei Ascend P6 runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system skinned by Emotion UI version 1.6 with its Quad Core 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex A9 and Vivante GC4000 GPU based Huawei K3V2 chipset. The handset comes with 8 GB of internal storage expandable via microSD card slot and handles multitasking with 2GB of RAM.
During our internal testing, Huawei Ascend P6 got a high Antutu Benchmark test score of 15,574, easily besting most Android smartphones and tablets in its sub Php 19,000 price echelon.
The combination of the ARM Cortex A9 based Quad Core processor and the 2GB of RAM, I believe, also made it possible for Huawei Ascend P6 to get a Quadrant Standard score of 5,104, which is higher than that of HTC One X, the Taiwanese company's very expensive 2012 flagship release.
These stellar benchmark scores merely reflect the lag-free and buttery smooth touch, gaming, and music and video playback performance that the smartphone delivers.
Emotion UI
In this era of run-of-the-mill Android smartphones with stock interface, it's really refreshing to see a handset with a custom skin or user experience that doesn't only look pleasing to the eyes but also adds much needed utilities like Permissions Manager, Power Manager, App Installer, Motion Control, Gloves Mode, and App Verification.
Here are some sections of Huawei Ascend P1's Emotion UI:
Battery Life
Huawei Ascend P6 is powered by a 2,000 mAh Li-Po battery pack that's non-removable, which made it possible for the device to be as thin and light as it is. I get around 12 hours of regular use with the handset with more or less 6 hours of web browsing time on Smart Power Plan. I think it's not particularly the best smartphone out there in terms of uptime but its battery life is good enough to last you the whole day.
Value for Money
Looking at Huawei Ascend P6 and thinking about its hardware capabilities and software features, it's truly incredible that the handset only costs Php 18,990.
That's more than Php 10,000 less than the SRP of Samsung Galaxy S4 and almost Php 15,000 more affordable than the price tag of HTC One. Sure, you can argue that two phones have far more powerful than Huawei Ascend P6 but there are definitely some departments - including design and build, imaging capabilities, and user interface - where the Chinese company's flagship can match if not beat its more expensive rivals.
And it also doesn't hurt that Huawei Ascend P6 even comes with this free soft silicon case, which helps protect the phone from the knocks and bumps of daily use.
Verdict
All things considered, Huawei Ascend P6 is every bit worthy of receiving the TechPinas Badge of Excellence Award. (Badge design in the works, TP Friends. We want to get it right.) This a badge that we give to gadgets that don't only look good and perform extremely well but also give Filipinos great value for their money.
From its design to its camera, from the construction to the user interface, it's clear that Huawei Ascend P6 is a product of the Shenzhen-based electronics company's drive for excellence and as such, it's a smartphone that I'll be more than happy to recommend to anyone.
Yes, there's room for improvement - the battery could be bigger and the handset could use a more powerful loud speaker - but the pros of the device far, far outweigh the cons. As an owner of Huawei Ascend P6 myself and having it as one of my daily phones currently, I don't have any problem giving it 9.9 out of 10 TP Stars. Two thumbs up, Huawei!
Quoting one of them, "Huawei Ascend P6 is the absolute best phone that my budget could have gotten. I believe that our gadgets should be a reflection of ourselves and P6 totally does that for me. It's very slim, which I love since I'm also trying to lose weight. Haha. But it's not just slim -- it's also very powerful and the camera - especially the front-cam - is amazing! This phone has given me the best selfies ever! Thanks for showing me your phone, Mark! I would have never learned about how great Huawei Ascend P6 is had you not shown it to me in the flesh."
Design
Measuring only 6.2 millimeters at its thickest point, Huawei Ascend P6 - as of writing - is the thinnest smartphone ever released and is currently the unrivaled slimmest smartphone in the world today.
iPhone 5 - like iPhone 5S - has depth of 7.6 millimeters; Apple's flagship is 1.4 millimeters thicker than Huawei Ascend P6.
But it's not just its ultra-slim form factor that made me fall in love with P6 at first sight. There are a lot of thin handsets in the market -- but few have a design language as attractive as that of the Chinese Giant's top-of-the-line release.
As I've shared in a previous TP Post, if the svelte iPhone 5 and gorgeous Sony Xperia Z had a love child, it would look more or less like Huawei Ascend P6.
The aluminum accent running down the sides of the phones - similar to that of iPhone 5 - doesn't only give the phone an air of luxury but also makes it feel very solid in the hand. Its very decisive, almost industrial footprint - reminiscent of Sony Xperia Z - provides an aura of corporate elegance and sophistication.
On the right side of the handset, you will find the trays for the microSIM card and the microSD card, as well as the volume rocker and the power button.
Huawei Ascend P6's width is only 65.5 millimeters, which makes it very easy to hold and to use even with just one hand. If you're not a fan of big smartphones that require you to use two hands to type on its touchscreen, you'll love this handset.
This flagship release is not just slim and thin but it's also very light. Weighing only 120 grams, Huawei Ascend P6 is a joy to have in the pocket -- and for girls, I'm sure they'll have no issues keeping it in their purses.
On the lower part of the device's left panel, you'll see the 3.5 mm audio jack covered by a metal plug or cap, which stays firmly in place even when you vigorously shake the handset.
Design-wise, I really can't ask for more from Huawei Ascend P6. I think that the handset can stand shoulder to shoulder with other gorgeous metal-clad releases this year - including Nokia Lumia 925, iPhone 5S, and HTC One - and not feel a bit shy.
Display
P6 flaunts a 4.7 inch 720 x 1280 pixels (~312 ppi pixel density) IPS+ LCD panel underneath its scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass touchscreen. What's particularly good about this type of display (at least, versus SuperAMOLED) is that it delivers accurate colors or hues that are closer to how they actually look 'in the flesh'. Hence, you won't get yellowish or greenish skin color replication on screen. IPS+ HD panels also display consistent colors with utmost clarity from all viewing angles.
Camera
Considering how slim the phone is, it's truly amazing how Huawei was able to put two powerful camera modules inside Huawei Ascend P6.
This module also houses a Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second video recorder.
The smartphone features an 8 MegaPixel autofocus camera at the back with BSI sensor, F2.0 aperture and 4cm macro view (for stunning close-up shots). The F2.0 aperture lets 44% more light through versus the f/2.4 aperture on the iPhone 5, and over 69% more light compared to Samsung GS3's f/2.6. P6's aperture combined with its backside illuminated sensor and LED flash allow it to deliver crisp, clear, and vibrant images even in low-light conditions. Check out these sample shots:
But what truly sets Huawei Ascend P6 from practically all smartphones currently available in the market is that it has a front-facing camera specifically made to deliver great selfies.
The 5 MegaPixel front cam (not interpolated) with BSI sensor - on its own - is already good enough to deliver clear self-photos but its capabilities are further enhanced by Huawei's very own camera application with Beauty mode, which instantly "fixes" your selfies by removing skin blemishes and making your eyes look more prominent. You can choose the level of "enhancement" from a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the most "intense" beauty level. Check out my Level 5 selfies, TP Friends.
Note, however, that Beauty Mode only removes skin blemishes, evens out your skintone, highlights your bone structure, and "dilates" your eyes (giving you that supposedly nice anime look). Even at Level 10, it can't really altogether change your facial proportions, completely remove eye-bags, add dimples, or give you a nose-line (if you don't have it in the first place). You'd need a separate app or a more powerful software like Photoshop to get those.
Innards and Synthetic Benchmarks
Huawei Ascend P6 runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system skinned by Emotion UI version 1.6 with its Quad Core 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex A9 and Vivante GC4000 GPU based Huawei K3V2 chipset. The handset comes with 8 GB of internal storage expandable via microSD card slot and handles multitasking with 2GB of RAM.
During our internal testing, Huawei Ascend P6 got a high Antutu Benchmark test score of 15,574, easily besting most Android smartphones and tablets in its sub Php 19,000 price echelon.
The combination of the ARM Cortex A9 based Quad Core processor and the 2GB of RAM, I believe, also made it possible for Huawei Ascend P6 to get a Quadrant Standard score of 5,104, which is higher than that of HTC One X, the Taiwanese company's very expensive 2012 flagship release.
These stellar benchmark scores merely reflect the lag-free and buttery smooth touch, gaming, and music and video playback performance that the smartphone delivers.
Emotion UI
In this era of run-of-the-mill Android smartphones with stock interface, it's really refreshing to see a handset with a custom skin or user experience that doesn't only look pleasing to the eyes but also adds much needed utilities like Permissions Manager, Power Manager, App Installer, Motion Control, Gloves Mode, and App Verification.
Emotion UI version 1.6 on Huawei Ascend P6 is the latest iteration to the Chinese Giant's unique Android User Interface.
The handset comes with five built-in themes, namely, Halo (Blue), Taste (Slate Gray), Pure (Champagne Gold), Elegant (Carnation Pink), and Crystal (Pink), which users can further customize.
The Permissions Manager lets you choose which apps can send you push notifications and access your mobile or WiFi networks. It also has a section for preventing apps from monitoring your calls and taking photos in the background without your knowledge.
Here are some sections of Huawei Ascend P1's Emotion UI:
Lock Screen
Home Screen
Themes Page
Widget Board
Multitasking Panel with Memory Usage Meter and One-click Close All Apps button
Permissions Manager
Power Manager
Alarm Clock Settings
Motion Control Settings
Sound Profiles
Tools App Drawer
Inbox
Email Composition Page
Music Album
Play Track
Photo Album
Share / SNS Integration
Notification Panel Buttons/Shortcuts
Settings Page
Calendar Month View
Battery Life
Huawei Ascend P6 is powered by a 2,000 mAh Li-Po battery pack that's non-removable, which made it possible for the device to be as thin and light as it is. I get around 12 hours of regular use with the handset with more or less 6 hours of web browsing time on Smart Power Plan. I think it's not particularly the best smartphone out there in terms of uptime but its battery life is good enough to last you the whole day.
Value for Money
Looking at Huawei Ascend P6 and thinking about its hardware capabilities and software features, it's truly incredible that the handset only costs Php 18,990.
That's more than Php 10,000 less than the SRP of Samsung Galaxy S4 and almost Php 15,000 more affordable than the price tag of HTC One. Sure, you can argue that two phones have far more powerful than Huawei Ascend P6 but there are definitely some departments - including design and build, imaging capabilities, and user interface - where the Chinese company's flagship can match if not beat its more expensive rivals.
And it also doesn't hurt that Huawei Ascend P6 even comes with this free soft silicon case, which helps protect the phone from the knocks and bumps of daily use.
Verdict
All things considered, Huawei Ascend P6 is every bit worthy of receiving the TechPinas Badge of Excellence Award. (Badge design in the works, TP Friends. We want to get it right.) This a badge that we give to gadgets that don't only look good and perform extremely well but also give Filipinos great value for their money.
From its design to its camera, from the construction to the user interface, it's clear that Huawei Ascend P6 is a product of the Shenzhen-based electronics company's drive for excellence and as such, it's a smartphone that I'll be more than happy to recommend to anyone.
Yes, there's room for improvement - the battery could be bigger and the handset could use a more powerful loud speaker - but the pros of the device far, far outweigh the cons. As an owner of Huawei Ascend P6 myself and having it as one of my daily phones currently, I don't have any problem giving it 9.9 out of 10 TP Stars. Two thumbs up, Huawei!
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