The little one of the future top device family of the Chinese giant - the 26 March - has finally arrived in Italy and is on sale with a particularly attractive promotion. Will the new mid-range with Quad Camera win the hearts of fans of the peninsula? Find out in our review of Huawei P40 Lite!
Huawei P40 Lite Review
Sales package
The sales box of the device is presented as the most essential package you could wish for: a simple white hardcover with the brand logo and the name of the smartphone in the center of the upper part. Inside the box we find:
- Huawei P40 Lite;
- USB / USB Type-C cable;
- SuperCharge wall power supply;
- manuals;
- pin for the SIM slot;
- headphones;
- protective film pre-applied.
Design and construction
Compared to its predecessor P30 Lite - recently returned to the market in its incarnation new-edition - the newcomer completely turns things upside down thanks to a decidedly different design and more in line with the trends of this year. Huawei P40 Lite introduces a renewed photographic module, a square Quad Camera positioned in the center of the body, and a large front panel without notch. In the upper left corner there is a hole for the selfie camera while the edges appear - on the whole - well optimized, with a slightly more pronounced chin.
The device measures dimensions of 159.2 x 76.3 x 8.7 mm for a weight of 183 grams and lets it be easily held in hand. The back cover is made of glass with slight curves towards the edges while all around we have an aluminum frame. Build quality is impeccable and coloring Sakura Pink of our P40 Lite is really beautiful. There are no particular reflections or gradient nuances: simply the pink of the upper part turns towards white in the center of the cover and then flows into the blue in the lower part of the body.
The lower edge of the smartphone houses the mini-jack input, the Type-C charging port, the main microphone and the speaker; on the contrary, we find only the microphone for the reduction of background noise. On the right there is the volume rocker and the power button. The latter also integrates the fingerprint reader: just touch the module to instantly unlock the device. The left edge houses the Dual SIM slot, which can also be used for a SIM and a NanoSD.
Display
The display of Huawei P40 Lite sanctions the farewell to the drop notch, preferring a small one forum in the upper left corner. This is not a particularly intrusive solution and allows you to have a nice panel in your hands LCD "Full screen", from 6.4" with resolution Full HD + (2310 x 1080 pixels). The display has a density of 389 PPI and a surface / screen ratio of 90.6%.
Although the Chinese company has once again opted for an "only" LCD solution, we are faced with a good display, with vivid but never excessively saturated colors and the usual defects of this type of panel (such as the blacks just mentioned).
In the settings you can change the temperature and intensity of the colors, in order to set the preferred display option.
Hardware and Performance
Compared to the predecessor, Huawei P40 Lite takes a step forward - as well as in design - also in the hardware component. The device is moved by the SoC Kirin 810, a 7 nm solution consisting of two ARM Cortex-A76 and one Cortex-A55 cores, with a maximum frequency of 2.27 GHz and an integrated NPU. The processor is supported by 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB internal expandable memory (via NanoSD). How did the device behave in daily use?
The Kirin 810 offers excellent performances and offers one smooth navigation and smoothly throughout the day. The animations they are set - as usual - to 1X and consequently keep to "slow down" the experience slightly. However, it is only an impression dictated precisely by the animations and to deactivate or make them faster, just put your hand to the dedicated settings in the Developer Options.
For the rest, the opening and closing of the app (backgroud and not) proceeds quickly and there are no lag obvious or freeze. The full experience is rewarding and certainly offers what you would expect from a mid-range of the Huawei P family.
The GPU Mali-G52 improves the performance offered by the previous generation, with a balanced gaming experience and good performance both with lighter titles and with those that require some extra effort. We have not encountered problems with temperatures, even during the most demanding game phases. Finally we remember the presents of technology GPU Turbo, aimed at improving the performance in play and reducing consumption.
Huawei P40 Lite Review - Benchmark
Software
In addition to the design and the hardware component, we are witnessing another step forward with the software part. Huawei P40 Lite arrives with on board EMUI 10.0.1, the latest version of the Chinese brand's proprietary interface, on a base Android 10. At the moment there are the patches of January 2020, but - obviously - our test unit does not make text in this case.
The new interface of the EMUI shows up from the first use more fresh, clean ed intuitive compared to the previous version of the software. The toggles have been improved, as has the settings menu. Inside the section dedicated to the display we have the possibility to set the dark theme and the Eye Protection.
Then there is the digital Management (to limit the time of use of the smartphone and keep an eye on your statistics), the full screen gestures, the SOS Emergency function (to send messages and quick calls in case of need), the App Block and many small goodies that make the user experience complete.
A praise to the Face Unlock, able to unlock the device in a flash. We have already mentioned the speed and reliability of the side finger scanner while face recognition was a real surprise. The Face Unlock is quite fast and has proved capable even in low light conditions or in the dark (obviously keeping the device at a "human" distance).
Huawei Mobile Services
Speaking of software, Huawei P40 Pro arrives with i Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), which replace Google's services. After an unsettling first approach, we begin to get used to it. At the beginning we have to get carried away and keep in mind that we will not be able to use the Mountain View apps, or third-party apps and services in which we are used to logging in directly through Google. For example, I had a bit of a headache at first because of the address book: the numbers are saved on the Google account and then switching to a smartphone without its services is equivalent to having to enter the numbers manually or make a backup to be removed. However, just use Phone Clone, the Huawei app that automatically copies them from the previous device.
L'AppGallery Huawei - or its proprietary store - is provided, but various known names are currently missing. To name a few, if you want to install Facebook, Whatsapp, PUBG, Brawl Stars, Spotify o Waze you will need to download the respective APK. In the case of Facebook and WA, looking for them in the store you will be redirected directly to the APK download page. Various benchmark apps are also missing, while software such as Telegram, TikTok and Call Of Duty Mobile can be downloaded from the store without problems. However you can "transport" your apps on board P40 Lite thanks to Phone Clone.
Photographic quality
Also as regards the photographic sector we have an improvement: we go from the triple module of P30 Lite to a Quad Camera. Again we have a main sensor from 48 MP (f/1.8), accompanied by an ultra wide angle lens from 8 MP (f/2.4) and two sensors from 2 MP (f/2.4), one dedicated to depth of field and one for macro shots (from 4 cm). Here are some photographic samples (original resolution images can be downloaded here).
The level of detail it's not bad and is perfectly in line with the price range. The main module does its duty (remember that it shoots at 48 MP only in Pro mode) by returning good images, with colors they are well balanced (even if they tend towards warm tones) and also the operation of AI for the improvement of the scenes does not miss a beat. In illuminated situations, the device is able to give satisfactions, also as regards the ultrawide module, the Portrait mode and the sensor Macro (especially the latter can be used for some more particular shots).
When the light starts to run low, the level of detail also drops; luckily, for the night shots we have the Night Fashion, effective in situations that would otherwise give dull images e poco detailed.
The hole in the display houses a selfie camera 16 MP (f/2.0) a solution capable of returning average and valid shots in the social sphere, with a good level of detail and effective bokeh. The situation changes radically at night: in this case we have pasty and less convincing images.
However, for lovers of night selfies, there is a practical soft flash mode. Finally, the device is capable of shooting video in Full HD (1080p) at 30 fps.
Autonomy
One of the points in favor of the new smartphone is certainly autonomy. The battery from 4.200 mAh he assured us about 8 hours display on, in over two days of average use (with web browsing, reading e-mails, various tinkering and a few games). This is a good result, especially when compared with the charging times: the supplied SuperCharge charger (from 40W) is able to bring the device to 63% in just 23 minutes while the refill is completely completed about an hour.
The good result is also to be considered in view of the absence of Google services which, basically, require an always active synchronization and therefore a constant consumption of resources.
Connectivity and audio
The new mid-range of the P40 series comes with support dual SIM and a modem 4G LTE Cat. 13. Reception never gave problems - except in particularly difficult points, deliberately tested - and the audio on call is clear and of adequate volume. Connectivity is also good 802.11 Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac Dual Band, although the scepter is up to Bluetooth 5.1, particularly reliable. Present the appealNFC, now an essential feature. No problem with satellite navigation via GPS / AGPS / Glonass / QZSS / Galileo, through the Waze app.
The audio of Huawei P40 Lite relies on a single speaker positioned along the bottom frame. It is a solution capable of reaching a considerable volume, with a good balance (even if there is no lack of imperfections at higher volumes). Headphone audio is still good, both through wired solutions thanks to the 3.5 mm mini jack input and TWS.
How to install the Play Store and Google Mobile Services
On Huawei P40 Lite it is currently possible to install i Skills Google means APK external. This possibility makes up for the software gaps that the company has already filled or is filling with AppGallery. Battery ratings could vary precisely with the use of Google services which, as we know, are very energy-intensive and therefore could decrease the duration from the 8 hours detected during the review phase to less.
The procedure to follow is very simple but there is no guarantee that it will work in the coming weeks as well. The fact remains that the device, with the necessary precautions and thanks to the app of Huawei TrovApp, which helps to find a solution in case of an app not available on the AppGallery, offers an excellent user experience as highlighted in the review.
However, should you wish to proceed with the installation here you can find the complete guide.
Huawei P40 Lite review - Price and conclusions
Final thoughts on Huawei P40 Lite they are simpler than you might think. The mid-range has behaved very well, managing to conquer myself thanks to its design, the Sakura Pink coloring and the many aspects that we have examined in the review phase.
The P40 Lite offers an excellent autonomy, performs well in photographic field, presents four different sensors (which allow you to indulge yourself not poco) And the Kirin 810 does his duty, also accomplices i 6 GB of RAM. L'EMUI 10 brings a breath of fresh air to the Lite series and is now more than mature software. As for i Huawei Mobile Services, it is a feature in the making that improves day by day.
Of course, it will be necessary to change mindset and get used to it (as for any news, after all) but wanting to make a final consideration, Huawei is preparing to become the Apple of the Android world relying on software that is based on the Android AOSP itself but which, as in the case of Apple with iOS, needs a different approach that is the result of habits and an awareness of use that matures day after day thanks to apps support, for users who approach HMS, like FindApp or the increasingly well-stocked AppGallery.
Returning to our P40 Lite, the real gem - which would also be a detail that makes the balance tip towards the mid-range - is also the promotion available at launch. Huawei P40 Lite is sold in Italy to €299.90 with headphones as a gift FreeBuds 3.
Before talking about promotion it is important to evaluate that often the mid-range of Huawei they tend to devalue in a few weeks and therefore it is not difficult to hypothesize an even cheaper street price after 1/2 months.
Regarding the gift, the value is not to be underestimated (here you find our review) and if this is the time for you to change your smartphone ... take advantage of the initiative. For the complete regulation and all the details, we refer you to the promo page, which will be active from March 13 (the day on which the smartphone will actually be available for purchase).
In short, the launch price surprised us, the promo is very inviting but above all this is a clear signal that Huawei is not he is afraid to have his say and it does so aggressively in a market that absolutely needs Huawei.
