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Review Huawei Ascend Y530 Smartphone

Gigantic little Y. Huawei's Y product line is aimed at price-conscious smartphone newbies. The Ascend Y530 is no exception. The Chinese manufacturer bundles a rounded package for 149 Euros (~$206) and keeps a simplified usage in mind - and the 4.5-inch Y is available for less online.

For the original German review, see here.

Some relevant online shops list Huawei's Ascend Y530 for only 120 Euros (~$166). An up-to-date Android smartphone will barely be found for less - especially when it features Android 4.3 and a 4.5-inch screen. The Chinese manufacturer is thus launching a true value-for-money sensation. It is important that the necessary austerity measures do not have a major impact on daily usage. However, it is also obvious that cutbacks have to primarily be made in storage capacity and the key component, the SoC, when the low price point is to be met in an economically reasonable manner.

Huawei relies on a relatively new SoC from Qualcomm. The decision for this very reputable manufacturer already puts Huawei in a good light seeing that Qualcomm provides the currently fastest mobile processors. Of course, a much slower model operates in the Y530. The Snapdragon 200 MSM8210 is a dual-core model with a clock rate of 1.2 GHz. An Adreno 302 is responsible for graphics calculations, which is a new entry-level model from Qualcomm. This meets the 4.5-inch smartphone's claim, just like the 512 MB working memory, the small yet expandable 4 GB of internal storage, and the screen's resolution of 854x480 pixels, that the Y530 has in common with the bigger and more expensive Ascend G610 model. Huawei also transfers the camera configuration of a 0.3 MP unit on the front and a 5 MP lens on the back in the entry-level model.

As to contenders in this price range, there are not many up-to-date models available. The equally sized dual-SIM Acer Liquid E1 Duo would come into question. Apart from that, the ZTE Blade III and the LG L5 II are alternatives, although they both have slightly smaller screens.

Case

A breath of fresh air in the entry-level category, owing to Huawei's Ascend Y530
A breath of fresh air in the entry-level category, owing to Huawei's Ascend Y530

Highlights in design are rare in this price range. However, the casing of Huawei's Y530 is not completely trite. The slightly rounded corners and the roughened battery cover pulled halfway over the edge at least give the entry-level smartphone a bit of individuality. A white model is also available as an alternative to the black device.

The Y530 is not a lightweight with 145 grams but is nevertheless pleasant to hold. This is also due to its thickness of just 9.3 millimeters and the compact dimensions that comply with the slim line.

We also liked the casing's build quality and rigidness, as it could barely be warped. However, creaking and snapping noises were produced quite early in the corresponding tests.

Connectivity

A recommended retail price of 149 Euros (~$206), that must have an impact on the connectivity; and it does. However, Huawei, fortunately, has not blundered massively here. Overall, the configuration makes a balanced impression and fits to the entry-level category. The key component is a dual-core SoC from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 200 MSM8210 was introduced not long ago, and we are testing it for the first time. Huawei's Ascend Y530 clocks with 1.2 GHz. An Adreno 302, which is a downright low-end model, provides graphics power. A 512 MB working memory and 4 GB of internal storage support the SoC. Neither are much in this price range, but the latter can be expanded by up to 32 GB via a micro-SD card. We did not discover any highlights - except for maybe that the power button and volume rocker are located on the casing's left edge.

The power button and volume rocker on the casing's left edge
The power button and volume rocker on the casing's left edge

Software

Huawei uses a fairly up-to-date version of Google's operating system in its new entry-level model with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. However, KitKat 4.4 would certainly have been a good choice since it is considerably more sparing on resources - especially in view of the limited performance in this price range. Huawei is apparently not yet planning an update though. Huawei's Emotion UI skin also covers Android in the Y530. A special feature in the 4.5-inch smartphone is, however, the option to switch between two operating modes. Large tiles that slightly resemble Window's Phone 8 are displayed in the Easy UI mode, which is the "simple" home-screen style. In fact, we believe that this view is very well suitable for smartphone newbies.

GPS test
GPS test

Communication & GPS 

LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC? Certainly not in this price range. However, Huawei's Ascend Y530 definitely has a solid communication configuration. Reception should be possible almost anywhere in the world with quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). Dual-band UMTS (900/2100 MHz) alongside HSPA+ provides speedy data transmission rates, and Bluetooth 4.0 ensures energy-efficient short-range connections, for example, to other smartphones or peripherals such as headsets or fitness wristbands.

An A-GPS receiver is also installed. It only needs a few seconds to find a satellite and immediately achieves a high accuracy even indoors. Minor drawbacks were displayed in real-life use on an approximately 11-kilometer MTB route compared with a Garmin Edge 500 navigation system. Huawei's Ascend Y530 shortens the total route by over 300 meters. This is because the GPS receiver tends to "ignore" curves, i.e. it calculates the beeline rather than the real route. In a nutshell, the navigation performance is acceptable though.

Huawei Ascend Y530: total route
Huawei Ascend Y530: total route
Huawei Ascend Y530: bridge
Huawei Ascend Y530: bridge
Huawei Ascend Y530: woods
Huawei Ascend Y530: woods
Garmin Edge 500: total route
Garmin Edge 500: total route
Garmin Edge 500: bridge
Garmin Edge 500: bridge
Garmin Edge 500: woods
Garmin Edge 500: woods

Telephony and Speech Quality

The phone app is very clearly arranged, and even newcomers will soon manage easily. Phone numbers are entered quickly and without typos, owing to the large number buttons.

The speech and audio quality also satisfied us. The called person understood us perfectly, and the voice also sounded quite natural. Communication was only difficult in loud surroundings due to the lack of noise cancellation. The speaker is unsuitable for use as a hands-free replacement. The volume level setting in telephone mode is simply too low.

Cameras & Multimedia

A measurement of 0.3 megapixels on the front is not exactly a sensation even in the entry-level category. The popular selfies are correspondingly lifeless, and the camera is just still suitable for video chats. A 5 MP lens is installed on the back. Its resolution is high enough to perhaps use Huawei's Ascend Y530 as a replacement for a conventional digital camera. But pixels are not everything. The unit in the Y530 struggles with weak light output, which leads to minor noise issues in bright daylight. However, very bright picture areas appear overexposed. Not least, it lacks focus.

Huawei Ascend Y530: fruit
Huawei Ascend Y530: fruit
Huawei Ascend Y530: scene
Huawei Ascend Y530: scene
Huawei Ascend Y530: surroundings
Huawei Ascend Y530: surroundings
Apple iPhone 5: fruit
Apple iPhone 5: fruit
Apple iPhone 5: scene
Apple iPhone 5: scene
Apple iPhone 5: surroundings
Apple iPhone 5: surroundings
Nokia Lumia 1020: fruit
Nokia Lumia 1020: fruit
Nokia Lumia 1020: scene
Nokia Lumia 1020: scene
Nokia Lumia 1020: surroundings
Nokia Lumia 1020: surroundings
Sony Alpha A57: fruit
Sony Alpha A57: fruit
Sony Alpha A57: scene
Sony Alpha A57: scene
Sony Alpha A57: surroundings
Sony Alpha A57: surroundings


Accessories

In addition to the battery and power supply, Huawei includes a stereo headset. A very fair gesture considering the low price. More accessories will soon be available in Huawei's online shop.

Warranty

To put it briefly: 2 years on the smartphone, and six months on the battery.

Input Devices and Controls

As to the keyboard, the same applies here as ascertained in the recently reviewed Huawei Ascend G610 - excepting for the slightly smaller size. Thus, we will quote it at this point: "Huawei's Emotion UI includes its own keyboard layout that involves both advantages and disadvantages compared with the stock Android keyboard. For example, the uppermost key row always has to be pressed for a long time to enter numbers, the space bar is assigned with ".com" in the browser, and a smiley button is available. It is also possible to switch between the German and English keyboard layout. Unfortunately, the system does not permanently save the selected setting, and the setting first has to be saved elsewhere. The click noise and vibration clearly enhance the keyboard's feedback."

The touchscreen also does a satisfactory job and is highly accurate up into the edges. The fingers don't always glide smoothly over the surface and sensitive users will notice a short delay - for example, when scrolling. Nevertheless, smooth operation is mostly possible. Only very energetic inputs and very large websites cause the smartphone to stutter.

Keyboard: landscape mode
Keyboard: landscape mode
Keyboard: portrait mode
Keyboard: portrait mode

Display

In view of the price below 150 Euros (~$208), only the screen's size deserves a special mention. 4.5-inches is anything but usual; there are still many devices that feature a 3 before the point in the entry-level sector. The resolution of 854x480 pixels is naturally not very high, but a good choice for a budget smartphone - particularly considering the screen's good rates. The maximum brightness is 388 cd/m², and the illumination is a very good 91%. Although the screens in LG's L5 II and Acer's Liquid E1 Duo are even brighter, the Y530's results are certainly satisfying. Not quite as pleasing is the high black level of 0.74 cd/m² that leads to an only middling contrast of 507:1. The comparison devices all score considerably better here.

352
cd/m²
368
cd/m²
370
cd/m²
353
cd/m²
375
cd/m²
383
cd/m²
360
cd/m²
378
cd/m²
388
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 388 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 369.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 375 cd/m²
Contrast: 507:1 (Black: 0.74 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 8.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 8.69 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.03

Subjectively, the weak contrast leads to a rather pale color reproduction. The UI looks hazy particularly when the "Easy Mode" is used. Apart from that, the screen does a good job. However, we missed the last bit of sharpness.

We used the X-Rite i1Pro 2 colorimeter to assess the screen objectively. A visible bluish cast in the grayscale reproduction became evident using the CalMAN software. The color temperature is clearly too high here. Untrained eyes will not notice the shifts in the primary colors. Quite the opposite is true in mixed colors: an average DeltaE of 8.8 is very high. The screen also shows weaknesses in color saturation.

Grayscale reproduction
Grayscale reproduction
Primary colors
Primary colors
Mixed colors
Mixed colors
Color saturation
Color saturation

Direct sunlight should be avoided when using the Huawei Y530 outdoors. The extremely reflective surface alongside the middling brightness cannot defy bright sunlight. However, the viewing angles are beyond reproach although Huawei generally only specifies a TFT screen. The stable viewing angles with the light-reddish glow on a black surface and the flat angles, however, point to an IPS or similar technology. We have seen considerably worse screens in this price range.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 200 MSM8210 dual-core processor does the computing work in Huawei's Ascend Y530. This still relatively new SoC fuses two Cortex A7 cores that clock with 1.2 GHz each in the Y530. We basically find opting for a Qualcomm SoC a good idea because the Snapdragons from the 800 line regularly achieve new top scores in the smartphone premium range. Nevertheless, two A7 cores with rather low clock frequencies do not promise miracles. That is also true for the installed Adreno 302 GPU, which, however, fits well in the entry-level sector.

The benchmarks show that the GPU is more present than the CPU in the benchmarks. Huawei's Ascend Y530 scores worse than either LG's L5 II or Acer's Liquid E1 Duo in almost all benchmarks. Motorola's Moto G and Google's Nexus 5 are in their own league in the system tests. However, it looks different as soon as graphics power outweighs. Although the Y530 is still remote from high performance, it can at least keep some of its budget contenders at bay. The graphics power is enough for many current games. Really demanding titles only run fairly smoothly in low details though. Unfortunately, we could not run all benchmarks due to the limited working memory.

Huawei's Ascend Y530 did quite a good job in the browser tests, and that is noticed in everyday use. Browsing is well possible with the low-budget phone. Low-budget was likely also the motto for choosing the internal storage though. It does not sport any of the swiftest chips.

Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
324 Points
LG L90
342 Points +6%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
341 Points +5%
Google Nexus 5
694 Points +114%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
605 Points
LG L90
1129 Points +87%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
1169 Points +93%
Google Nexus 5
2239 Points +270%
AnTuTu v4 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
12124 Points
LG L90
17147 Points +41%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
17360 Points +43%
Google Nexus 5
22379 Points +85%
PassMark PerformanceTest Mobile V1 - System (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
1262 Points
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
1440 Points +14%
LG L90
2212 Points +75%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
2414 Points +91%
ZTE Blade III
960 Points -24%
Google Nexus 5
2984 Points +136%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
11.7 fps
LG L90
14.5 fps +24%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
11 fps -6%
ZTE Blade III
1.2 fps -90%
Google Nexus 5
23 fps +97%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
0 fps
LG L90
5.8 fps
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
5.7 fps
Google Nexus 5
21 fps
3DMark - 1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
2203 Points
LG L90
2894 Points +31%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
2771 Points +26%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
19673 ms *
LG L90
15101 ms * +23%
Google Nexus 5
7852 ms * +60%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
LG L90
1905 Points
Google Nexus 5
5416 Points
Google Nexus 5
4722 Points
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
1539 ms *
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
1497 ms * +3%
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
1497 ms * +3%
LG L90
1097 ms * +29%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
1414 ms * +8%
Google Nexus 5
1090 ms * +29%
Google Nexus 5
716 ms * +53%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
628 Points
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
504 Points -20%
LG L90
689 Points +10%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
488 Points -22%
ZTE Blade III
200 Points -68%
Google Nexus 5
835 Points +33%
AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
37.2 MB/s
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
31.38 MB/s -16%
LG L90
90.3 MB/s +143%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
103.3 MB/s +178%
ZTE Blade III
33.67 MB/s -9%
Google Nexus 5
74.9 MB/s +101%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
9.24 MB/s
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
5.85 MB/s -37%
LG L90
7.72 MB/s -16%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
12.54 MB/s +36%
ZTE Blade III
5.28 MB/s -43%
Google Nexus 5
15.52 MB/s +68%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
8.02 MB/s
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
8.59 MB/s +7%
LG L90
14.6 MB/s +82%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
13.61 MB/s +70%
ZTE Blade III
7.69 MB/s -4%
Google Nexus 5
9.88 MB/s +23%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Huawei Ascend Y530
0.51 MB/s
Acer Liquid E1 Duo
0.54 MB/s +6%
LG L90
0.48 MB/s -6%
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032
2.52 MB/s +394%
ZTE Blade III
0.51 MB/s 0%
Google Nexus 5
0.84 MB/s +65%

Legend

 
Huawei Ascend Y530 Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 8210, Qualcomm Adreno 302, 4 GB Flash
 
Acer Liquid E1 Duo MediaTek MT6577, PowerVR SGX531, 4 GB Flash
 
LG L90 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 8 GB SSD
 
Motorola Moto G 1. Gen XT1032 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 8 GB SSD
 
ZTE Blade III Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 MSM7227A, Qualcomm Adreno 200, 4 GB Flash
 
Google Nexus 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974, Qualcomm Adreno 330, 16 GB iNAND Flash

* ... smaller is better

Emissions

Temperature

Some smartphones reach temperatures of 50 °C and more at single points on the casing during full load. That feels unpleasant. Huawei's Ascend Y530 is remote from these rates. A maximum of 36.7 °C will not burn even the hands of a child. The surface also remains considerably cooler during routine use with a maximum of 30.1 °C. The power supply gets lukewarm at best, so there is no reason for complaint.

Max. Load
 29.9 °C
86 F
29.3 °C
85 F
32.7 °C
91 F
 
 31.5 °C
89 F
30.7 °C
87 F
36.7 °C
98 F
 
 30.8 °C
87 F
30.7 °C
87 F
36.6 °C
98 F
 
Maximum: 36.7 °C = 98 F
Average: 32.1 °C = 90 F
32.4 °C
90 F
31.1 °C
88 F
29.2 °C
85 F
32.7 °C
91 F
31.2 °C
88 F
29.5 °C
85 F
34.5 °C
94 F
31.5 °C
89 F
30 °C
86 F
Maximum: 34.5 °C = 94 F
Average: 31.3 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.3 °C = 99 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-350
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.1 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.7 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 34.5 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

The sole speaker in Huawei's Ascend Y530 is on the upper-left back. Since we have just heavily criticized the speaker in the Ascend G610, our expectations for the entry-level model were very low. In fact, the little speaker even managed to positively surprise us a bit. The sound is clearer, and the maximum volume is higher. There is even a hint of bass. However, the best thing is that the trebles are not as overemphasized as in the G610.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

We often ascertain a clearly increased standby power consumption in entry-level smartphones with a low-budget SoC. However, Huawei's decision to install a brand-name SoC in the Ascend Y530 is likely very obvious here. We measured an off and standby power consumption of just 0.1 watts - exemplary. The 4.5-inch device is also quite frugal in total. The idle power consumption fluctuates between 0.5 and 1.3 watts, and the multimeter never recorded more than two watts even during load. That gives hope for long battery runtimes.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.5 / 1.2 / 1.3 Watt
Load midlight 1.8 / 2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

The lithium-ion battery supplies 6.5 Wh, and its capacity is exactly on average with the comparison group. The battery runtime measurements during full system load and maximum brightness already make it obvious that Huawei's entry-level phone lasts for a relatively long time. It achieves almost three-and-a-half hours, which is considerably more than LG's L5 II and co. Motorola's Moto G, however, lasts one-and-a-half hours longer.

This impression continues in browsing via a Wi-Fi connection and a brightness of 150 cd/m². The Y530 defeats many budget phones in this test with a runtime of over eight hours.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Surfing
8h 03min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 28min

Verdict

Newcomer with ambitions: Huawei's Ascend Y530
Newcomer with ambitions: Huawei's Ascend Y530

A bigger screen than in Apple's iPhone 5S for a fifth of the price - Huawei's Ascend Y530 lures customers with this. Although many other manufacturers from the low-budget sector use this strategy, the fewest have managed to implement it as well as Huawei has. Many budget smartphones "stand out" with an inferior build, poor screens, and anything but a smooth operation. Not the Ascend Y530.

The choice of materials and build quality would also look good in a mid-range smartphone. Huawei's Ascend Y530 is surely not a design highlight, but it is not exactly boring either. It would be nice if the battery cover did not produce annoying creaking noises so easily though.

The configuration is typical for the entry-level sector, but nothing really important has been left out. The SoC comes from Qualcomm - a good choice - and though it is not particularly speedy it copes well with daily requirements. However, 512 MB of working memory is sometimes the bottleneck, especially in demanding applications and games. That was certainly the reason why some of our benchmarks refused to run.

The screen deserves the label "Good." Even if it cannot be described with any positive superlatives, negative ones cannot be used either. In a nutshell, more cannot be expected in this price range - considerably less is the rule.

The cameras are usually austerity victims in the budget sector. The Y530 is not a big exception here. Although the front-facing camera is virtually unusable, the primary camera shoots pictures in a relatively high resolution and acceptable quality. It should suffice for social networking.

Since the Ascend Y530 does not exhibit any major drawbacks otherwise - battery runtime, temperature development and speech quality are absolutely acceptable - our verdict is: Huawei's Ascend Y530 is one of the few overall well-conceived entry-level smartphones for a fair price.

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In Review: Huawei Ascend Y530. Review sample courtesy of Huawei Germany.
In Review: Huawei Ascend Y530. Review sample courtesy of Huawei Germany.

Specifications

Huawei Ascend Y530 (Ascend Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 8210 2 x 1.2 GHz, Cortex-A7
Graphics adapter
Memory
512 MB 
Display
4.50 inch 16:9, 854 x 480 pixel, capacitive, TFT, glossy: yes
Storage
4 GB Flash, 4 GB 
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm jack, Card Reader: microSD bmax. 32 GB, Sensors: accelerometer, proximity, ambient light, A-GPS
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, HSPA+: 21 MBit/s down; 5.76 MBit/s up
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.3 x 132.5 x 67 ( = 0.37 x 5.22 x 2.64 in)
Battery
7 Wh Lithium-Ion, 1750 mAh, Talk time 2G (according to manufacturer): 430 h, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 640 h, Standby 2G (according to manufacturer): 591 h, Standby 3G (according to manufacturer): 612 h
Operating System
Android 4.3
Camera
Webcam: front: 0.3 MP; primary camera: 5 MP
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
145 g ( = 5.11 oz / 0.32 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
149 Euro

 

The design of Huawei's Ascend Y530 is contemporary.
The design of Huawei's Ascend Y530 is contemporary.
The back is roughened and available in either black or...
The back is roughened and available in either black or...
...white.
...white.
The skin looks a bit like Window's Phone 8 in "Easy" mode.
The skin looks a bit like Window's Phone 8 in "Easy" mode.
System info
System info
AnTuTu v4
AnTuTu v4
Geekbench 3
Geekbench 3
3DMark 2013
3DMark 2013

Similar Devices

Similar devices from a different Manufacturer

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

TrekStor WinPhone 4.7 HD Smartphone Review
Adreno 302, Snapdragon 200 200 MSM8212
LG L Fino Smartphone Review
Adreno 302, Snapdragon 200 200 MSM8212

Devices with the same GPU

LG Joy Smartphone Review
Adreno 302, Snapdragon 200 200 8210, 4.00", 0.127 kg
Microsoft Lumia 532 Smartphone Review
Adreno 302, Snapdragon 200 200 MSM8212, 4.00", 0.136 kg
Microsoft Lumia 435 Smartphone Review
Adreno 302, Snapdragon 200 200 8210, 4.00", 0.134 kg

Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Good build
+Slim silhouette
+Feasible performance
+Viewing angle stable screen
+Decent speaker
+Low price
 

Cons

-Abysmal front-facing camera
-Small working memory
-Low and slow internal storage
-Occasional stutters in use

Shortcut

What we like

Huawei has bundled a rounded overall package for a very affordable price. This even makes a low-budget smartphone fun.

What we'd like to see

The front-facing camera could be a bit higher quality. More working memory would also be nice, but likely too much of a good thing for this price range.

What surprises us

That there are so few good smartphones in the low-budget sector. Huawei proves that it's not impossible.

The competition

Possible alternatives would be: The Acer Liquid E1 Duo, LG L5 II, ZTE Blade 3, and when prepared to spend a bit more, Motorola Moto G.

Rating

Huawei Ascend Y530 - 04/30/2014 v4(old)
Patrick Afschar Kaboli

Chassis
79%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
44 / 60 → 73%
Weight
93%
Battery
90%
Display
79%
Games Performance
51 / 63 → 81%
Application Performance
15 / 70 → 21%
Temperature
88%
Noise
100%
Audio
55 / 91 → 60%
Camera
58%
Average
69%
79%
Smartphone - Weighted Average
Patrick Afschar Kaboli, 2014-05- 3 (Update: 2018-05-15)