It is March 2017, and Huawei has arrived with a handset that is as much a fashion statement as it is a technical powerhouse. The Huawei P10 is a slim, 145g masterpiece of metal and glass, featuring a ‘Hyper Diamond-Cut’ finish that catches the light beautifully and resists fingerprints. In the UK, it is being hailed as the ‘photographer’s phone,’ continuing the prestigious partnership with Leica. It is a compact, ergonomically brilliant device that packs high-end imaging tech into a chassis that is remarkably easy to use with one hand.
The technical headline is the Leica Dual Camera 2.0. The P10 features a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor paired with a 12-megapixel RGB sensor, both with f/2.2 optics. This setup allows for incredible detail, true-to-life black and white photography, and a sophisticated ‘Portrait Mode’ that uses 3D facial detection to apply professional lighting effects. Under the hood, it is powered by the Kirin 960 octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM, ensuring that the EMUI 5.1 interface on Android 7.0 is fluid and responsive. It also features ‘Ultra Memory’ technology, which uses machine learning to allocate RAM based on your usage patterns.
The screen is a 5.1-inch Full HD IPS display (1920 x 1080) with 432 PPI, offering excellent colour accuracy and brightness. One of its best technical features is the front-facing fingerprint sensor, which supports gesture navigation to free up screen space. Connectivity is robust with 4G LTE, Wi-Fi ac, and a USB-C port that supports Huawei’s ‘SuperCharge’, giving you a full day’s use from just 30 minutes of plug-in time. The 3,200 mAh battery is a solid performer for its size. The Huawei P10 is a refined, artistic bit of tech; it proved that Huawei could match the industrial design and photographic prowess of the established industry giants.