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Huawei P Smart Smartphone Review

How exactly is the Huawei P Smart smart? Why did we not think of that? Choosing 'smart' as a name for a smartphone is just as in-your-face as naming a soccer team 'the team'. And it inadvertently raises the question: what exactly does 'smart' really mean?

Smart means clever, and what would be more fitting than adding Huawei’s Neural Network Processing Unit that is featured on the manufacturer’s flagship Mate 10 Pro to the P Smart’s Kirin 659 SoC? Too bad Huawei opted against going down that road. Still, when compared to similarly equipped mid-range Honor, Huawei, Samsung, and Motorola smartphones the P Smart did fairly well. We were particularly impressed by the slim 18:9 display ratio that allows for a high display resolution without being too wide to be comfortably held in hand.

Huawei P smart (P Series)
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 659 8 x 2.4 GHz, Cortex-A53, Kirin 659
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
, 16nm Octacore, 2.36GHz*4, 1.7GHz*4
Display
5.65 inch 2:1, 2160 x 1080 pixel 428 PPI, capacitive 10-point multitouch, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB 
, 22.89 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm headset jack, Card Reader: MicroSD up to 256 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: fingerprint reader, proximity sensor, compass, gravity, USB: OTG, DisplayPort
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM/GPRS/Edge: 850, B900, B1800, B1900; UMTS/HSPA+: 850, B900, B2100, B1900; LTE Band 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.45 x 150.1 x 72.05 ( = 0.29 x 5.91 x 2.84 in)
Battery
0 Wh, 3000 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix dual camera, autofocus, LED
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual, 5V/2A charger, MicroUSB cable, quick start guide, warranty leaflet, headset, screen protector, EMUI 8.0, 24 Months Warranty, Miracast, USB OTG, MicroUSB 2.0, FM radio, head SAR: body SAR: 1.24 W/kg, fanless
Weight
143 g ( = 5.04 oz / 0.32 pounds), Power Supply: 61 g ( = 2.15 oz / 0.13 pounds)
Price
259 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The P Smart is quite nice to look at, and it is available in three colors: Black, Gold, and a dark Blue. Our black review unit was very susceptible to fingerprints, but they were less noticeable on the P Smart’s matte metal surface than on glossy metal or plastic surfaces. The rigid chassis did not creak at all when we tried to twist and warp it. The same-color power button and volume rocker are located on the right-hand side, and at just 7.5 mm (~0.3 in) the case is so slim that both cameras are protruding from it by about half a millimeter (~0.02 in). An ornamental silver line runs from left to right underneath the cameras with another identical one at the bottom of the device. At the front, the display stretches almost up to the rounded edges and the bezels above and below the display are only 9 mm (~0.35 in) wide. No doubt: the P Smart looks good. Above all, it is well made and it feels good too. The case most certainly benefits from the display form factor, which ensures a slender case without sacrificing resolution.

Size Comparison

156.2 mm / 6.15 inch 75.2 mm / 2.96 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 164 g0.3616 lbs152.5 mm / 6 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 181 g0.399 lbs150 mm / 5.91 inch 73.5 mm / 2.89 inch 9.5 mm / 0.374 inch 157 g0.3461 lbs151 mm / 5.94 inch 71.9 mm / 2.83 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 149 g0.3285 lbs150.1 mm / 5.91 inch 72.05 mm / 2.84 inch 7.45 mm / 0.2933 inch 143 g0.3153 lbs147.2 mm / 5.8 inch 72.9 mm / 2.87 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 147 g0.3241 lbs146.5 mm / 5.77 inch 72.7 mm / 2.86 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 153 g0.3373 lbs135.4 mm / 5.33 inch 66.2 mm / 2.61 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 138 g0.3042 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The fingerprint reader, which Huawei had moved from the rear to the front on some past devices, has found its way back to the rear once more. And just like on previous models, it does much more than just scanning your fingers. Provided that these features have been enabled, it can be used for answering an incoming phone call, act as a shutter release button, navigating through ones photos, or displaying the notifications by swiping across it.

The left side is completely flush save for the tiny SIM tray ejection hole. The tray can take either two nano SIM cards or a single nano SIM and a MicroSD card. Unfortunately, the latter cannot be formatted as internal storage, or used for storing apps. It can, however, be configured as the default storage location for photos, music, and other files.

A microphone sits at the top and bottom of the device. The mono speaker as well as the USB port are located at the bottom. Huawei has opted for the less and less frequently used MicroUSB port with support for USB-OTG, which can be used for connecting thumb drives to the device. In addition, the P Smart features an FM radio tuner.

bottom: 3.5-mm headphone jack, microphone, MicroUSB 2.0, mono speaker
bottom: 3.5-mm headphone jack, microphone, MicroUSB 2.0, mono speaker
left: SIM/MicroSD tray
left: SIM/MicroSD tray
right: power button, volume rocker
right: power button, volume rocker
top: second microphone
top: second microphone

Software

Both Android 8 and Huawei’s own EMUI 8 user interface are up-to-date. The EMUI versioning came as a surprise to us: in order to achieve parity with Android’s version numbers EMUI went straight from 5.1 to 8. Some of the well-known EMUI features include a gesture for quick search for appointments, apps, or contacts similar to that in iOS, and a setting for changing the settings for Android’s default navigation buttons. Tapping and holding the multitasking view button will enable a split-screen view, allowing you to run a second app in addition to the current foreground app. In landscape mode, this feature certainly benefitted from the wide 18:9 display. On the other hand, we were flabbergasted when we realized that some of the included in-house apps do not support split screen yet. For example, you cannot launch the calendar app while reading an email with appointment suggestions to choose from. A brand-new feature is the app menu in the home screen that allows you to start an app in a preconfigured mode via a shortcut.

Android navigation options
Android navigation options
quick start menu in lockscreen
quick start menu in lockscreen
quick start of apps via shortcut
quick start of apps via shortcut
for your convenience: a trash for deleted photos
for your convenience: a trash for deleted photos
split screen view for running two apps side-by-side
split screen view for running two apps side-by-side
 

Communication and GPS

Users outside of Europe are largely ignored by Huawei as the Smart P only supports the most common European LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 8, and 20. Users in the US are particularly disadvantaged as the P Smart does not support the most common 850 and 1900 MHz frequencies in neither the 3G nor the 4G LTE networks. This is a mystery to us given that Huawei has its roots in the cellular networks industry, and one should expect proper world-wide cellular support. Wi-Fi capabilities are also limited to the 2.4 GHz range, and accordingly the device does not support link aggregation making for rather poor data transfer rates. While the Aquarix S, the Moto G5s, and the two Samsung smartphones support the faster and less commonly used 5 GHz bands, all Honor and Huawei smartphones in our test group suffered from this limitation. The effects on real-world Wi-Fi transfer speeds were dramatic, as the following graphs indicate:

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
280 MBit/s +457%
BQ Aquaris X
Adreno 506, 626, 32 GB eMMC Flash
270 MBit/s +437%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
225 MBit/s +347%
Motorola Moto G5s
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
111 MBit/s +121%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 655, 16 GB eMMC Flash
53.9 MBit/s +7%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 64 GB eMMC Flash
53.3 MBit/s +6%
Huawei P smart
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 32 GB eMMC Flash
50.3 MBit/s
Honor 9 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 32 GB eMMC Flash
49.9 MBit/s -1%
iperf3 receive AX12
BQ Aquaris X
Adreno 506, 626, 32 GB eMMC Flash
333 MBit/s +544%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
Mali-T830 MP2, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
305 MBit/s +490%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Mali-T830 MP1, 7870 Octa, 16 GB eMMC Flash
251 MBit/s +385%
Motorola Moto G5s
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
121 MBit/s +134%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 655, 16 GB eMMC Flash
54.5 MBit/s +5%
Honor 9 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 32 GB eMMC Flash
52.6 MBit/s +2%
Huawei P smart
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 32 GB eMMC Flash
51.7 MBit/s
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 659, 64 GB eMMC Flash
41.9 MBit/s -19%
GPS test outdoors
GPS test outdoors
GPS test indoors
GPS test indoors

GPS accuracy was pretty poor overall. The GPS-Test app was able to determine an indoor accuracy of 45 m (~49 yd) and an outdoor accuracy of 12 m (~13 yd), with minor fluctuations. Other smartphones are able to achieve accuracy levels of 10 m (~11 yd) indoors and between 3 and 5 m (~3.3 and 5.5 yd) outdoors at the exact same locations.

That said, the P Smart is capable and accurate enough to be used as a car or bicycle satnav. Our usual comparison with a professional Garmin Edge 500 GPS unit was rendered somewhat more complicated this time around due to the identical round-trip route we had to choose. Nevertheless, a close-up of the switchback shows that the P Smart can be significantly off track. This could cause problems when playing AR games or during city quests where even the slightest GPS inaccuracies can cause major issues.

Garmin Edge 500 - overview
Garmin Edge 500 - overview
Garmin Edge 500 - S-turn
Garmin Edge 500 - S-turn
Garmin Edge 500 - switchback
Garmin Edge 500 - switchback
Huawei P Smart - overview
Huawei P Smart - overview
Huawei P Smart - S-turn
Huawei P Smart - S-turn
Huawei P Smart - switchback
Huawei P Smart - switchback

Telephony and Call Quality

telephone menu
telephone menu

The P Smart is capable of taking two SIM cards. The second SIM card is installed in the MicroSD card slot. If two SIM cards are installed, only one of the two will support VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling.

Unlike flagships such as the Mate 10 Pro, the P Smart only features two instead of three microphones. Furthermore, the Kirin 659 also lacks the Neural Network Processing Unit (NPU) for advanced noise-cancelling capabilities. We had no trouble understanding our conversational partners through the headphone and on speakerphone. With the included headset, voices lost a little bit of clarity. From our partner’s perspective opting for the headset was a smart move as our voice was fairly muffled when talking on speakerphone.

Cameras

Huawei P Smart
Huawei P Smart
Huawei P10
Huawei P10

The P Smart has two cameras for high-quality photos and special effects. A feature that was hitherto limited to top-range and flagship smartphones. Compared to these, the P Smart’s two cameras are still somewhat limited - they lack the Leica-branding and the subsequent quality assurances. Flagship smartphone cameras such as the ones on the Mate 10 Plus have a high-resolution 20 MP monochrome sensor and a decently sized 12 MP RGB sensor whereas the sensor resolutions on the P Smart are just 13 and 2 MP, respectively. The differences become very obvious when looking at the P10 and P Smart photos side by side. The P10’s camera’s resolution is identical to the Mate 10 Pro, and its aperture is identical to the P Smart (f/2.2 as compared to f/1.6 for the Mate 10 Pro). The differences become particularly obvious when looking at the clouds in the background.

The P Smart’s bokeh effect can be enabled for both, the main and the secondary 8 MP front-facing selfie camera (f/2.0). The effect was more pronounced and better looking on the main camera, and the front-facing fix focus shooter was unable to keep up (see third photo below).

dual-camera bokeh effect
dual-camera bokeh effect
dual-camera bokeh effect
dual-camera bokeh effect
front-facing camera bokeh effect
front-facing camera bokeh effect

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images
ColorChecker Passport
ColorChecker Passport

We test each camera under normalized conditions in our lab using the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport reference card. The reference color can be seen at the bottom of each square. All things considered, the P Smart’s color representation was somewhat oversaturated and on the cool side. It is quite possible that this was a deliberate decision since photos tend to look more interesting and colorful with these settings applied.

Our test chart was sharp and crisp not just in the center, but also towards the edges. Many smartphone cameras show a significant drop in sharpness further away from the center of the photo.

reference card
reference card
reference card (magnified)

Accessories and Warranty

In addition to a quick start guide, a warranty leaflet, a MicroUSB cable, and a 2A charger the box also contains a headset of mediocre quality. The phone is equipped with a screen protector by default. There are no additional accessories available for the P Smart, not even a protective case. Thus, extras have to be purchased from third party manufacturers.

Huawei sells the P Smart with a 24-month limited warranty on the device, a 6-month limited warranty on the battery, and a 3-month limited warranty on the headset.

Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Handling

The only application from Google’s toolbox that we found preloaded on the device was voice control. The default keyboard application is SwiftKey, and GBoard can be downloaded and installed from the Play Store if necessary. SwiftKey offers a plethora of settings - in addition to various layouts one can for example, use a background photo or customize the keyboard quite extensively. Particularly noteworthy are the possibilities to show optional arrow keys, an extra row of numbers, and the alternative mapping for each key next to the letter/number. Keyboard size can be configured in 5 steps, and it can be either split in the middle (ideal for landscape use) or shifted left/right (ideal for one-handed use). Even the duration of the optional feedback vibration can be configured in the SwitchKey settings.

The 10-point multitouch display was decently calibrated, and we have not had any trouble tapping even the smallest of user interface elements reliably. The AR game “Pokémon Go” is a very good real-world response time test, particularly when throwing pokeballs onto distant targets. Unfortunately, the P Smart was not able to keep up with the iPhone.

On the plus side, Huawei is known for its blazingly fast fingerprint readers, and the P Smart does not disappoint in this regard either. The reader was very quick and reliable.

shifted to the right
shifted to the right
floating keyboard
floating keyboard
landscape mode, split
landscape mode, split
size adjustment
size adjustment
keyboard menu
keyboard menu
individual keyboard design
individual keyboard design

Display

At 5.65 inches, the display’s resolution of 2160x1080 results in a pixel density of 427 PPI, which is quite common for upper mid-range smartphones. Most manufacturers refer to displays with twice as many vertical pixels as horizontal ones as 18:9 due to most users’ familiarity with the 16:9 aspect ratio. This taller display ratio is very popular right now as it allows for higher resolutions for videos and games without sacrificing manageability by being too wide. One of the downsides is that the aspect ratio of the camera’s highest possible setting of 13 MP is 4:3, and accordingly photos have very thick black bezels.

The comparatively high black level of 0.63 nits resulted in a contrast ratio that did not quite meet our expectations. At its maximum brightness of 573 nits at the center the contrast ratio was 910. Brightness distribution was not the best either, and maximum brightness varied between 527 and 594 nits with an average of a very decent 568 nits. The display also features automatic ambient light based brightness control, which can be disabled via the shortcuts that can be swiped down from the top of the display. Many other smartphones force users into their settings app in order to disable this feature.

594
cd/m²
584
cd/m²
568
cd/m²
587
cd/m²
573
cd/m²
561
cd/m²
568
cd/m²
548
cd/m²
527
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 594 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 567.8 cd/m² Minimum: 4.34 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 573 cd/m²
Contrast: 910:1 (Black: 0.63 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.24
Huawei P smart
IPS, 2160x1080, 5.65
Honor 9 Lite
IPS, 2160x1080, 5.65
Huawei P8 lite 2017
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
IPS, 2160x1080, 5.90
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
Super AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
Super AMOLED, 1280x720, 4.70
Motorola Moto G5s
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
BQ Aquaris X
LTPS IPS , 1920x1080, 5.20
Screen
11%
-5%
1%
15%
25%
-3%
-2%
Brightness middle
573
627
9%
575
0%
467
-18%
454
-21%
574
0%
490
-14%
675
18%
Brightness
568
622
10%
559
-2%
457
-20%
463
-18%
576
1%
502
-12%
702
24%
Brightness Distribution
89
82
-8%
91
2%
89
0%
86
-3%
94
6%
92
3%
91
2%
Black Level *
0.63
0.41
35%
0.39
38%
0.3
52%
0.43
32%
0.59
6%
Contrast
910
1529
68%
1474
62%
1557
71%
1140
25%
1144
26%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.2
4.5
-7%
5.2
-24%
5
-19%
2
52%
2.4
43%
5.7
-36%
4.5
-7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.4
7
-9%
10.3
-61%
8.2
-28%
5.3
17%
3.8
41%
7.8
-22%
9.1
-42%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.6
5.1
-11%
7.2
-57%
6.1
-33%
1.7
63%
1.9
59%
4.7
-2%
6.4
-39%
Gamma
2.24 98%
2.26 97%
2.4 92%
2.15 102%
2.1 105%
2.09 105%
2.4 92%
2.24 98%
CCT
7157 91%
7201 90%
7224 90%
7961 82%
6394 102%
6502 100%
7526 86%
7478 87%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

color temperature adjustment
color temperature adjustment

In addition to three preconfigured color temperature profiles - Standard, Warm, and Cold - users can choose one from a chromatic circle at will. A feature for reducing eye strain is also available - it lowers the share of blue in colors either manually or timed to help you fall asleep faster.

The Standard profile results in a fairly inaccurate color representation due to the increased percentage of Cyan. The Warm profile is much more natural and balanced, and DeltaE drops from 5.3 to 4.2 accordingly. These deviations are just high enough to be noticeable with the naked eye.


CalMAN gray scale (Profile: Standard, target color space: sRGB)
CalMAN gray scale (Profile: Warm, target color space: sRGB)
CalMAN colors (Profile: Standard, target color space: sRGB)
CalMAN colors (Profile: Warm, target color space: sRGB)
CalMAN color space (Profile: Standard, target color space: sRGB)
CalMAN color space (Profile: Warm, target color space: sRGB)
CalMAN saturation (Profile: Standard, target color space: sRGB)
CalMAN saturation (Profile: Warm, target color space: sRGB)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
18 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 34 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 23 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 55 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Despite its mediocre contrast ratio the P Smart was quite usable outdoors thanks to its high display brightness. Due to the display’s massive reflections we do however suggest finding a spot in the shade where the effects are minimized.

In-Plane-Switching (IPS) panels are known for their wide viewing angles without distortion or decrease of color, sharpness, and contrast ratio, and the P Smart’s display was particularly good in this respect. We have not noticed any color distortions whatsoever. Brightness dropped very early on but remained at this reduced level afterwards.

Performance

The P Smart is equipped with a HiSilicon Kirin 659 SoC that was first introduced in mid 2017. It features two clusters of four Cortex A53 cores each, the faster of which runs at up to 2.36 GHz. The SoC also includes an ARM Mali-T830 MP2 GPU, first introduced back in 2016 on the almost identical but slightly slower Kirin 650 chip. Despite its age, the GPU fared very well overall with one notable exception: The P Smart fell behind most of its similarly equipped competitors in the OpenGL ES 3.0 Slingshot 3DMark benchmark. The only contender even slower than the P Smart was the Honor 9 Lite based on the exact same SoC.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
66353 Points
Honor 9 Lite
67727 Points +2%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
56798 Points -14%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
63195 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
47339 Points -29%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
45549 Points -31%
Motorola Moto G5s
46370 Points -30%
BQ Aquaris X
63428 Points -4%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
5817 Points
Honor 9 Lite
5887 Points +1%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
4419 Points -24%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
6024 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
4920 Points -15%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
5000 Points -14%
Motorola Moto G5s
4669 Points -20%
BQ Aquaris X
5792 Points 0%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
4874 Points
Honor 9 Lite
4911 Points +1%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
4847 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3722 Points -24%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
3756 Points -23%
Motorola Moto G5s
3604 Points -26%
BQ Aquaris X
4891 Points 0%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
1480 Points
Honor 9 Lite
1423 Points -4%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
435 Points -71%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
1398 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
353 Points -76%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1000 Points -32%
Motorola Moto G5s
848 Points -43%
BQ Aquaris X
1333 Points -10%
System (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
3223 Points
Honor 9 Lite
3058 Points -5%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
2694 Points -16%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
2983 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2368 Points -27%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
2185 Points -32%
Motorola Moto G5s
1553 Points -52%
BQ Aquaris X
3551 Points +10%
Memory (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
1889 Points
Honor 9 Lite
1757 Points -7%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
1658 Points -12%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
1998 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1265 Points -33%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1296 Points -31%
Motorola Moto G5s
656 Points -65%
BQ Aquaris X
1039 Points -45%
Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
857 Points
Honor 9 Lite
859 Points 0%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
826 Points -4%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
849 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
533 Points -38%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
529 Points -38%
Motorola Moto G5s
723 Points -16%
BQ Aquaris X
1014 Points +18%
Web (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
919 Points
Honor 9 Lite
888 Points -3%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
10 Points -99%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
753 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
10 Points -99%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
666 Points -28%
Motorola Moto G5s
703 Points -24%
BQ Aquaris X
843 Points -8%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
946 Points
Honor 9 Lite
945 Points 0%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
914 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
736 Points -22%
Motorola Moto G5s
630 Points -33%
BQ Aquaris X
929 Points -2%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
3732 Points
Honor 9 Lite
3730 Points 0%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
3631 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3777 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G5s
2270 Points -39%
BQ Aquaris X
4522 Points +21%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
3117 Points
Honor 9 Lite
3117 Points 0%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
3015 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
2371 Points -24%
Motorola Moto G5s
1871 Points -40%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
11912 Points
Honor 9 Lite
12278 Points +3%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
11611 Points -3%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
10294 Points -14%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
8318 Points -30%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
8550 Points -28%
Motorola Moto G5s
9491 Points -20%
BQ Aquaris X
14034 Points +18%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
11262 Points
Honor 9 Lite
11712 Points +4%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
11147 Points -1%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
9936 Points -12%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
7456 Points -34%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
7793 Points -31%
Motorola Moto G5s
9626 Points -15%
BQ Aquaris X
13330 Points +18%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
14930 Points
Honor 9 Lite
14780 Points -1%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
13590 Points -9%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
11780 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12955 Points -13%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
12954 Points -13%
Motorola Moto G5s
9045 Points -39%
BQ Aquaris X
17124 Points +15%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
284 Points
Honor 9 Lite
230 Points -19%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
606 Points +113%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
627 Points +121%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
340 Points +20%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
490 Points +73%
Motorola Moto G5s
555 Points +95%
BQ Aquaris X
849 Points +199%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
229 Points
Honor 9 Lite
184 Points -20%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
516 Points +125%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
532 Points +132%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
278 Points +21%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
407 Points +78%
Motorola Moto G5s
483 Points +111%
BQ Aquaris X
724 Points +216%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
1787 Points
Honor 9 Lite
1788 Points 0%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
1547 Points -13%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
1667 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1535 Points -14%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1699 Points -5%
Motorola Moto G5s
1158 Points -35%
BQ Aquaris X
2139 Points +20%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
316 Points
Honor 9 Lite
312 Points -1%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
389 Points +23%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
353 Points +12%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
247 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
312 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G5s
295 Points -7%
BQ Aquaris X
465 Points +47%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
256 Points
Honor 9 Lite
253 Points -1%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
321 Points +25%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
289 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
199 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
253 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G5s
243 Points -5%
BQ Aquaris X
380 Points +48%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
1827 Points
Honor 9 Lite
1748 Points -4%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
1532 Points -16%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
1527 Points -16%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1522 Points -17%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1670 Points -9%
Motorola Moto G5s
1199 Points -34%
BQ Aquaris X
2179 Points +19%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
18 fps
Honor 9 Lite
18 fps 0%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
19 fps +6%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
16 fps -11%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12 fps -33%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
19 fps +6%
Motorola Moto G5s
16 fps -11%
BQ Aquaris X
22 fps +22%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
19 fps
Honor 9 Lite
19 fps 0%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
18 fps -5%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
16 fps -16%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
12 fps -37%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
12 fps -37%
Motorola Moto G5s
16 fps -16%
BQ Aquaris X
23 fps +21%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
8.3 fps
Honor 9 Lite
8.4 fps +1%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
8.5 fps +2%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
6.7 fps -19%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
5.1 fps -39%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
9.8 fps +18%
Motorola Moto G5s
7.4 fps -11%
BQ Aquaris X
9.7 fps +17%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
8.7 fps
Honor 9 Lite
8.6 fps -1%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
7.9 fps -9%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
7.3 fps -16%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
5.1 fps -41%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
5 fps -43%
Motorola Moto G5s
7.1 fps -18%
BQ Aquaris X
9.8 fps +13%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
5.2 fps
Honor 9 Lite
5 fps -4%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
5 fps -4%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
4.5 fps -13%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3.2 fps -38%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
7.3 fps +40%
Motorola Moto G5s
5 fps -4%
BQ Aquaris X
6.3 fps +21%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
5.3 fps
Honor 9 Lite
3.2 fps -40%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
4.6 fps -13%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
4.8 fps -9%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3.3 fps -38%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
3.2 fps -40%
Motorola Moto G5s
4.6 fps -13%
BQ Aquaris X
6.4 fps +21%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
2.9 fps
Honor 9 Lite
2.9 fps 0%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
3 fps +3%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
2.7 fps -7%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps -34%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
3.9 fps +34%
Motorola Moto G5s
2.7 fps -7%
BQ Aquaris X
3.5 fps +21%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei P smart
3.2 fps
Honor 9 Lite
3.2 fps 0%
Huawei P8 lite 2017
2.8 fps -12%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
2.9 fps -9%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
1.9 fps -41%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
1.9 fps -41%
Motorola Moto G5s
2.5 fps -22%
BQ Aquaris X
3.5 fps +9%
Lightmark - 1920x1080 1080p (sort by value)
Huawei P8 lite 2017
4.33 fps
Basemark X 1.1
Medium Quality (sort by value)
Huawei P8 lite 2017
15988 Points
High Quality (sort by value)
Huawei P8 lite 2017
8323 Points
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value)
Huawei P8 lite 2017
145 Points
Epic Citadel - Ultra High Quality (sort by value)
Huawei P8 lite 2017
43 fps

Legend

 
Huawei P smart HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Honor 9 Lite HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei P8 lite 2017 HiSilicon Kirin 655, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei Mate 10 Lite HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP1, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 Samsung Exynos 7870 Octa, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G5s Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Qualcomm Adreno 505, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
BQ Aquaris X Qualcomm Snapdragon 626, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 32 GB eMMC Flash

Google Chrome v64 is Huawei’s web browser of choice, and websites load and scroll very quickly and smoothly. The P Smart landed in the upper midfield in three of the four conducted benchmarks.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Huawei Mate 10 Lite (Chrome 62)
30.23 Points +14%
Huawei P8 lite 2017 (Chrome 55)
29.5 Points +11%
BQ Aquaris X (Chrome Version 60)
27.1 Points +2%
Huawei P smart (Chrome 64)
26.63 Points
Honor 9 Lite (Chrome 63)
26.42 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
25.97 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87)
23.28 Points -13%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
18.66 Points -30%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Huawei Mate 10 Lite (Chrome 62)
5096 Points +13%
BQ Aquaris X (Chrome Version 60)
4786 Points +6%
Honor 9 Lite (Chrome 63)
4742 Points +5%
Huawei P8 lite 2017 (Chrome 55)
4630 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
4560 Points +1%
Huawei P smart (Chrome 64)
4497 Points
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87)
3799 Points -16%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
3035 Points -33%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
13057 ms * -35%
Honor 9 Lite (Chrome 63)
10250 ms * -6%
Huawei P smart (Chrome 64)
9698 ms *
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87)
9669 ms * -0%
BQ Aquaris X (Chrome Version 60)
8825 ms * +9%
Huawei P8 lite 2017 (Chrome 55)
8768 ms * +10%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite (Chrome 62)
8694 ms * +10%
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
6821 ms * +30%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Honor 9 Lite (Chrome 63)
108 Points +17%
Huawei Mate 10 Lite (Chrome 62)
104 Points +13%
Huawei P smart (Chrome 64)
92 Points
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 (Samsung Browser 5.4)
75 Points -18%
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017 (Chrome 56.0.2924.87)
64 Points -30%
Huawei P8 lite 2017 (Chrome 55)
62 Points -33%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
61 Points -34%

* ... smaller is better

32 GB of storage memory, of which 23 GB is available to the user out of the box, are more than decent. In case you choose to forgo the second SIM card, storage can be expanded via a MicroSD card up to 256 GB.

Internal transfer rates were on a par with the Honor 9 Lite, both of which are still equipped with regular eMMC storage (just like many other smartphones in our test group). Smartphones equipped with the newer UFS memory tend to offer much higher transfer rates.

MicroSD transfer rates were determined using our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference card with theoretical read and writes speeds of up to 270 and 150 MB/s, respectively. Unsurprisingly, most devices do not get anywhere near these data rates, and the P Smart was no exception to this rule. However, at just 82 and 72 MB/s read and write respectively, it was still the fastest device in our test group and once again on a par with the Honor 9 Lite.

Huawei P smartHonor 9 LiteHuawei P8 lite 2017Huawei Mate 10 LiteSamsung Galaxy J7 2017Samsung Galaxy A3 2017Motorola Moto G5sBQ Aquaris X
AndroBench 3-5
39%
-50%
-27%
-36%
-41%
4%
-23%
Sequential Read 256KB
269.4
269.6
0%
165.8
-38%
286.8
6%
198.5
-26%
199.7
-26%
259
-4%
266.4
-1%
Sequential Write 256KB
121.1
138.2
14%
42
-65%
99.8
-18%
53
-56%
45.96
-62%
77.5
-36%
75.3
-38%
Random Read 4KB
66.1
68.4
3%
38.7
-41%
31.5
-52%
25.86
-61%
22.32
-66%
40.6
-39%
37.47
-43%
Random Write 4KB
21.3
66.8
214%
8
-62%
15.26
-28%
10.54
-51%
9.62
-55%
46.2
117%
11.85
-44%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
82.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
83.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
1%
53.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-35%
69.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-16%
76.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-8%
75.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-8%
84.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
2%
84.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
2%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
72.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
71.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-1%
32.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-56%
35.35 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-51%
63.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-12%
50.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-31%
62.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-14%
62.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-14%

Gaming

The Kirin 659’s Mali-T830 MP2 GPU supports OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 1.2, and DirectX 11 (FL 9_3). Based on its hardware detection, “Dead Trigger” suggested reducing quality settings among others, limiting the frame rate to 30 FPS. However, the first-person shooter ran just fine at 60 FPS as well.

During our tests we took a closer look at MOBA “Vainglory” that had finally received a 5 vs. 5 mode shortly after we began reviewing the device, and is now one step closer to the PC MOBAS. The P Smart’s 2:1 screen was particularly useful in this game, and while in-game characters were still tiny on the phone’s 5.65-inch display the touch screen responded quickly and reliably to input when selecting items, attacking, or defending ourselves.

Asphalt Nitro
Asphalt Nitro
Vainglory 5v5
Vainglory 5v5
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high58 fps
Asphalt 8: Airborne
 SettingsValue
 high18 fps

no benchmarks found

Emissions

Temperature

GFXBench: SoC under load
GFXBench: SoC under load
GFXBench Manhatten
GFXBench Manhatten

The Huawei P Smart remained fairly cool by and large, particularly its rear cover where it barely got any warmer while gaming. The CPU remained fairly lethargic under load: its overall performance in GFXBench was very poor with only minor fluctuations.

Max. Load
 35.5 °C
96 F
35.7 °C
96 F
34.6 °C
94 F
 
 35.7 °C
96 F
34.7 °C
94 F
34.7 °C
94 F
 
 34 °C
93 F
34 °C
93 F
35.3 °C
96 F
 
Maximum: 35.7 °C = 96 F
Average: 34.9 °C = 95 F
30.3 °C
87 F
31.8 °C
89 F
33.2 °C
92 F
30.6 °C
87 F
31.8 °C
89 F
34.1 °C
93 F
31 °C
88 F
31.2 °C
88 F
32.8 °C
91 F
Maximum: 34.1 °C = 93 F
Average: 31.9 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  26.6 °C = 80 F | Room Temperature 20.6 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.9 °C / 95 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 35.7 °C / 96 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 34.1 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

pink noise

Even before looking at the lab results we were already disappointed by the speaker after using it for a short while. Highs are excessively exaggerated, which was confirmed by the lab results showing an utter lack of bass with overemphasized highs. The device’s maximum volume of 85.2 dB(A) was decent for a smartphone, but not loud enough to fill a room with sound.

As always the audio experience can be massively improved by using an external headset, which also enables the included Histen audio algorithms. Thanks to predefined and individually configurable profiles, these can improve upon individual subjective audio experience significantly. The included headset resembles Apple’s Ear Pods - it is comfortable, but does not mute out all ambient sounds.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.239.92532.935.73137.238.44031.738.45039.6436328.3328027.332.110026.932.712526.735.21602433.120020.939.125020.943.931519.546.340018.555.750017.560.163017.561.780015.761.8100015.867125016.671.2160015.870.7200015.472250015.570.131501674.1400015.87950001677.1630016.372.8800016.3731000016.273.41250016.467.41600016.457.6SPL28.685.2N1.157.7median 16.4median 67Delta2.210.835.242.632.941.437.237.631.739.639.637.828.331.827.330.626.931.226.729.92432.820.939.620.945.819.549.818.557.317.558.417.559.815.762.315.866.216.66915.870.415.472.415.574.81676.415.878.31676.116.374.616.376.816.279.916.472.716.460.428.686.51.162.1median 16.4median 66.22.211.831.630.825.430.525.331.232.930.733.631.731.628.828.422.6272620.836.82240.221.349.220.853.721.257.119.462.619.567.417.767.817.969.517.870.717.372.117.474.616.775.217.275.518.277.917.981.417.67917.775.617.875.417.971.318.162.618.255.83087.11.370.5median 17.9median 70.51.410.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei P smartHuawei Mate 10 LiteSamsung Galaxy J7 2017
Huawei P smart audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.6% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.2% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 47% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 67% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 26% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei Mate 10 Lite audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 10.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 57% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 75% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 20% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 27% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 47% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

frequency diagram (checkboxes selectable/deselectable!)

Power Management

Power Consumption

Huawei’s main target audience for the P Smart are young people who occasionally kill time by playing games. Unfortunately, the device’s high power consumption under load does not seem to fit that bill properly. Standby power consumption is much better, though. The P Smart may not be the most efficient phone in this respect, but 1.76 W is still fairly impressive.

Charging the device from near empty to full takes around 2.5 hours. After 30 minutes of charging the battery indicator reads 30% charge, and 50% after another 30 minutes.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.23 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.62 / 1.76 / 1.87 Watt
Load midlight 4.47 / 6.39 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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.
Huawei P smart
3000 mAh
Honor 9 Lite
3000 mAh
Huawei P8 lite 2017
3000 mAh
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
3340 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3600 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
2350 mAh
Motorola Moto G5s
3000 mAh
BQ Aquaris X
3100 mAh
Power Consumption
-2%
-42%
-9%
46%
55%
4%
-13%
Idle Minimum *
0.62
0.85
-37%
1.44
-132%
0.87
-40%
0.39
37%
0.37
40%
0.67
-8%
1.12
-81%
Idle Average *
1.76
2
-14%
2.47
-40%
2.14
-22%
1.06
40%
0.78
56%
1.4
20%
2.16
-23%
Idle Maximum *
1.87
2.04
-9%
2.58
-38%
2.16
-16%
1.08
42%
0.84
55%
1.52
19%
2.18
-17%
Load Average *
4.47
3.23
28%
4.55
-2%
3.7
17%
1.82
59%
1.52
66%
4.56
-2%
2.94
34%
Load Maximum *
6.39
4.93
23%
6.3
1%
5.48
14%
3.21
50%
2.75
57%
7.05
-10%
5.1
20%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

When compared to Samsung smartphones, their respective longer battery life is a direct effect of larger batteries (Galaxy J7) or a lower display resolution (Galaxy A3, the only HD display in our test group).

But even compared to other Huawei devices the P Smart does not look too good. That said, we have to keep in mind that the Mate 10 Lite has a significantly larger battery and the P8 a slightly lower resolution of 1920x1080 (as opposed to 2160 x 1080). While these excuses may well explain why the P Smart was outclassed by its competitors, it still does not hide the fact that its overall battery life was pretty poor regardless of load or usage scenario.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
16h 25min
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 64)
9h 25min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
10h 15min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 22min
Huawei P smart
3000 mAh
Honor 9 Lite
3000 mAh
Huawei P8 lite 2017
3000 mAh
Huawei Mate 10 Lite
3340 mAh
Samsung Galaxy J7 2017
3600 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A3 2017
2350 mAh
Motorola Moto G5s
3000 mAh
BQ Aquaris X
3100 mAh
Battery Runtime
8%
22%
0%
99%
108%
8%
5%
Reader / Idle
985
965
-2%
1326
35%
1150
17%
1950
98%
2862
191%
1233
25%
H.264
615
622
1%
644
5%
502
-18%
1096
78%
988
61%
645
5%
WiFi v1.3
565
601
6%
604
7%
520
-8%
904
60%
668
18%
518
-8%
592
5%
Load
202
253
25%
283
40%
223
10%
525
160%
532
163%
225
11%

Pros

+ adequate performance
+ Android 8
+ latest version of EMUI
+ dual SIM
+ decent screen to body ratio
+ splitscreen
+ fingerprint reader with additional functionalities
+ dual main camera with bokeh effect
+ selfies with bokeh effect
+ DisplayPort
+ headset

Cons

- lacks important 3G and 4G LTE bands (particularly those used in the United States)
- no ac-Wi-Fi
- mono speaker
- no USB-C
- poor stamina
- rear-facing fingerprint reader unusable with phone place flat down on table
- case susceptible to fingerprints

Verdict


In review: Huawei P Smart (FIG-LX1). Review unit courtesy of Huawei Germany.
In review: Huawei P Smart (FIG-LX1). Review unit courtesy of Huawei Germany.

The Huawei P Smart is like an image campaign for mid-range smartphones. Its relevant hardware specifications such as CPU, GPU, or cellular capabilities equal those of other mid-range smartphones such as the P8 Lite, Mate 10 Lite, and Honor 9 Lite. The Mate 10 Lite offers more RAM and storage memory, but it is also pricier than the P Smart. And unlike the Mate 10 Lite the P Smart is not subject to a direct comparison with an equally named yet better equipped top model. Accordingly, our initial question at the very beginning of this review regarding the device’s classification can be best answered as appreciation of the middle class.

The Huawei P Smart is a decent mid-range smartphone with no ambitions to take on any of the well-known flagships.

Price-performance ratio is decent, and so is its overall performance - it is not the fastest by any means, but by and large always in the top half. Operating system and EMUI are up-to-date. The high-quality aluminum chassis with its very good screen-to-body ratio is fitting for the P Smart’s ambitions, but it does not hide the fact that there are two major downsides: the highly limited choice of cellular frequencies and the short battery life under load.

Huawei P smart - 10/31/2019 v7
Inge Schwabe

Chassis
87%
Keyboard
69 / 75 → 92%
Pointing Device
91%
Connectivity
41 / 70 → 58%
Weight
93%
Battery
86%
Display
85%
Games Performance
6 / 64 → 9%
Application Performance
46 / 86 → 54%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
72 / 90 → 80%
Camera
52%
Average
71%
77%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Inge Schwabe, 2018-03- 8 (Update: 2020-05-19)