Huawei P50 review
The Huawei P50 is a mid-range variant that offers a more affordable price tag without sacrificing too much in terms of features and performance. While it may miss out on the 64MP periscope camera found in its Pro counterpart, it still boasts a capable dual matrix camera setup with Leica Optics. The phone also comes with a powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset, impressive display, and decent battery life. But is this enough to make it a formidable choice for users looking for a more budget-friendly option? Let's dive deeper into our review to find out.
Build Quality and Design
The Huawei P50 is the latest addition to the company's P-series lineup, and while it takes some inspiration from its flagship sibling, the P50 Pro, it also makes some notable compromises in terms of build quality and design. One such compromise is the removal of the mirror-like finish found on the P50 Pro. In hindsight, this was a wise decision, as the reflective surface made the phone a major fingerprint magnet and rather ostentatious. The new Coco Gold colorway with a muted matte finish is a more practical and refined choice, both to the eye and in-hand. Another design change is the adoption of a flat-edge 6.5-inch display, which makes the phone feel more manageable and streamlined. While the screen's resolution and refresh rate remain impressive, it's worth noting that the P50 Pro had a slightly larger 6.6-inch display with an even higher refresh rate. The trade-off in design is still a well-respected 88% screen-to-body ratio, with reasonably thin bezels and a punch-hole cutout housing the 13-megapixel front-facing camera. The 6.5-inch True Chroma OLED display still delivers impressive brightness, color accuracy, and smoothness, although it may not match the gaming performance of higher-refresh-rate displays. Overall, while the Huawei P50's design is not as flashy or premium as its Pro variant, it still exudes a sense of refinement and practicality that will likely appeal to those seeking a reliable mid-range smartphone.
Battery Life
The battery life of the Huawei P50 is a bit of a letdown, considering its capabilities. With a 4,100mAh capacity, I expected at least a day and a half of use, but it barely managed to scrape through with around a day's worth of juice. This is a decent performance, but not exceptional by any means. In my experience, the phone struggled to make it through an average day, and I found myself needing to charge it every evening. The 66W fast charger that comes in the box did its job well, getting me back to full capacity in around 40 minutes, but this didn't exactly make up for the battery life shortfalls. Given the phone's mid-range status and its Snapdragon 888 chipset, I was expecting better power efficiency from the P50. Unfortunately, it seems like Huawei has prioritized other aspects of the phone over extending its battery life. The lackluster battery performance is made more apparent when compared to some of Huawei's older models, such as the Nova 9, which offers a slightly larger battery capacity and still manages to outlast the P50 in real-world usage. This is not a deal-breaker by any means, but it does make me wonder if there was room for improvement in this area. In conclusion, while the Huawei P50's battery life is not terrible, it falls short of my expectations given its capabilities. A more efficient power management system would have been welcome, and I hope Huawei takes note of this and addresses it in future iterations.
Display
The Huawei P50's display is one of its standout features, despite being a mid-range variant of the popular P series. The 6.5-inch True Chroma OLED screen offers a punchy and bright output, supporting the P3 white color gamut and reaching up to 1 billion colors. With a 90Hz refresh rate and a 300Hz touch sampling rate, this display provides a very smooth viewing experience. One of the notable changes from its predecessor is the adoption of a flat edge design, which makes the phone feel more manageable in hand. Although it's smaller than the 6.6-inch display on the P50 Pro, the reduction in size doesn't detract from the overall quality of the screen. The display boasts an impressive 88 screen-to-body ratio, with reasonably thin bezels and a punch-hole cutout housing the 13-megapixel front-facing camera. The screen density is still high at 458 pixels per inch (ppi), resulting in consistent colors from edge to edge. While it's true that the P50 doesn't match the gaming specs of higher refresh rates, its display still provides an excellent viewing experience for movies and videos. The stereo speakers also produce loud outputs, reaching up to 89 decibels, making watching content on this phone a pleasure. The only potential drawback is the lack of a high frame rate, which might be a deal-breaker for those seeking an all-rounder that can handle demanding gaming specs. However, overall, the display on the Huawei P50 is a significant improvement over its predecessor and provides an enjoyable viewing experience.
Camera
The camera system on the Huawei P50 is a notable departure from its Pro variant sibling. Gone are the 64 megapixel periscope camera and the 40 megapixel true chroma sensor, replaced by a more modest 50 megapixel wide-angle lens and a 12 megapixel periscope telephoto camera. While this setup still manages to produce very sharp images with good contrast, it's clear that some compromises have been made. The colors may not quite reach the same level of vibrancy as the Pro variant, particularly in daylight scenarios where highlights and shadows are more accurately captured by the Pro model. In our experience, the P50's camera struggles to match the output of its Pro sibling, with some images feeling a little muted compared to what we're accustomed to from Huawei. This may be due to the lack of a true chroma sensor, which is often responsible for adding that extra bit of pop to photos. That being said, the P50 still manages to produce good results in various lighting conditions and at different zoom lengths. The video output is similarly solid, with 4K resolution and decent frame rates up to 60fps. However, we did notice some minor quirks when trying to capture more dynamic content, such as a slight lack of vibrance that makes the footage feel somewhat less engaging. In terms of performance, the P50's camera system feels like it's been toned down slightly compared to its Pro counterpart. While it's still capable of producing good results, it doesn't quite have the same level of punch and character that we've come to expect from Huawei's higher-end models. Ultimately, the camera on the Huawei P50 is a solid, if unremarkable, effort. While it may not be as exciting or feature-rich as some other options in its class, it still manages to deliver good results most of the time. However, fans of Huawei's Pro series will likely feel like they're missing out on some key features and capabilities that set those models apart from their more affordable counterparts.
Price and Value
The Huawei P50 is an intriguing device that attempts to strike a balance between affordability and flagship-grade features. With a starting price of 2999 ringgit (approximately $998 USD), it's clear that this mid-range variant wants to be taken seriously. However, the more we use the P50, the more we question its existence in the grand scheme of things. While it boasts many of the same features as the flagship P50 Pro, such as a Snapdragon 888 chipset and Leica optic dual matrix camera construction, some compromises have been made to achieve its lower price tag. The most noticeable difference is the camera setup, which swaps out the 64-megapixel periscope lens for a more conventional 50-megapixel wide-angle snapper. This change results in slightly muted colors and reduced vibrance compared to the P50 Pro's image outputs. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, but it does make you wonder why Huawei didn't opt for the higher-end camera configuration. The battery life is another area where the P50 falls short of expectations, lasting around a day with moderate use and requiring some frequent top-ups to stay in line. Still, the inclusion of a 66W fast charger is a welcome touch, allowing for relatively quick replenishment of power reserves. Given its specs and pricing, the Huawei P50 feels like an awkward middle child. It's neither here nor there, neither excellent value nor egregious overpricing. In comparison to other options in Huawei's lineup, such as the Nova 9, which offers a slightly bigger battery and lower price tag, we're not convinced that the P50 is the best choice for everyone. Ultimately, whether or not the P50 represents good value depends on your individual priorities. If you're looking for a reliable, feature-packed smartphone without breaking the bank, there might be better options elsewhere in Huawei's portfolio.
Performance
The Huawei P50 is a mid-range variant that inherits many features from its pro counterpart, but with some noticeable cutbacks. One area where the phone excels is in performance. Under the hood lies a Snapdragon 888 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and Adreno 660 GPU. In our tests, the phone delivered decent Geekbench scores - 917 for single-core and 3154 for multi-core - which are on par with some high-end devices like the Samsung Galaxy S21+. Although not the highest performer in its class, it still outperformed other phones in multi-core scores. The phone also handled demanding tasks like 3D Mark Wildlife tests with ease, recording an overall score of 5865 and averaging a frame rate of 35.1. In gaming scenarios, the phone's temperatures remained relatively linear, reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. However, during intense gaming sessions, the device did get warm to the touch. Our experience playing Call of Duty on the phone was smooth, but it's worth noting that some devices may offer better performance in this regard. While the P50's performance is respectable, it's essential to consider its pricing and comparison with other Huawei models. The starting price of RM 2999 (or around $998 USD) might be a bit steep for what you get. However, if you're looking for an all-around performer that won't break the bank, the P50 is still a viable option. Ultimately, the phone's performance will depend on your specific needs and expectations. If you prioritize gaming or demanding tasks, this phone should suffice. However, if you want the absolute best performance, you might want to look elsewhere - perhaps to the P50 Pro variant itself.