Notebookcheck Logo

Huawei P9 Plus Smartphone Review

Is everything better with the Plus? The new P9 Plus from Huawei is not just a bigger version of the standard P9, the display differs completely from the smaller sibling as well. The Press Touch feature is also reserved for the Plus model.

For the original German review, see here.

It is currently a trend to offer two versions of a smartphone. This is the case for high-end models, like from Apple (iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus) or Samsung (Galaxy S7/Galaxy S7 Edge), and also for mainstream devices (Moto G4/Moto G4 Plus). Huawei follows this trend as well with its flagship device P9. We already reviewed the standard model and it managed a very good rating of 90%.

Manufacturers usually equip the more expensive versions with bigger screens, bigger batteries or also some additional features. All these three points are also true for the P9 Plus, but Huawei even goes a step further. The display is not only bigger (5.5 vs. 5.2-inch), but it is based on the AMOLED instead of IPS technology and supports pressure-sensitive inputs, which are called "Press Touch" by Huawei. Users also get a second speaker as well as an IR transmitter.

Huawei’s P9 Plus is definitely a premium product, which is supported by the pricing. At 699 Euros (~$773), the test model is 130 Euros (~$143) more expensive than the standard P9. There are numerous rivals in this segment, including the Samsung Galaxy S7 EdgeApple iPhone 6s PlusMicrosoft Lumia 950 XLMoto X ForceSony Xperia Z5 Premium and the brand-new OnePlus 3 (review will follow soon).

Huawei P9 Plus (P9 Series)
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 955 8 x 2.5 GHz, Cortex-A72/-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
, LPDDR4
Display
5.50 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 401 PPI, capacitive, 10 touch points, AMOLED, glossy: yes
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 52 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio, Card Reader: microSD up to 128 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Proximity, rotation, accelerometer and G-sensor, digital compass, step counter, USB-OTG, WiFi-Direct, Miracast
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, 2G GSM(850/900/1800/1900MHz), 3G UMTS (800/850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE Cat.6 (Bands 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/12/17/18/19/20/26/28), LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 6.98 x 152.3 x 75.3 ( = 0.27 x 6 x 2.96 in)
Battery
3400 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Camera
Primary Camera: 12 MPix (Leica dual-camera, Summarit-H 27 mm f/2.2 ASPH, BSI CMOS, 2-tone LED-flash, Full-HD video)
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix (f/2.4)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo speakers, Keyboard: virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, Power adapter (10 Watts), USB cable, SIM tool, headset, protective cover, quick-start guide, EMUI 4.1, Phone Manager, HiCare, Health, Designs, Mirror, Compass, Recorder, Memo, 36 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
162 g ( = 5.71 oz / 0.36 pounds), Power Supply: 74 g ( = 2.61 oz / 0.16 pounds)
Price
699 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The cases from the two P9 models hardly differ from each other. Because of the bigger screen and the bigger battery (not replaceable), the P9 Plus is obviously a bit bigger and slightly heavier at 162 grams as well. You do not have to waive the excellent unibody chassis though. The rear cover has a slightly different texture (horizontal stripes) but is once again very smooth. Similar to the P9, we can measure a height of 7.1 mm, so the P9 Plus also misses the value in the spec sheet (6.95 mm).

The stability of the bigger model can completely convince us. Neither pressure nor twisting attempts are a problem for the smartphone and we cannot produce ripples on the screen, either. All gaps are even and the card tray (also aluminum) sits flush with the case. The premium case definitely meets the premium price. The P9 Plus is currently only available in gray (Quartz Gray) in Germany, but other regions also get models in white (Ceramic White) and gold (Haze Gold).

158.2 mm / 6.23 inch 77.9 mm / 3.07 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 192 g0.4233 lbs154.4 mm / 6.08 inch 76 mm / 2.99 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 181 g0.399 lbs151.9 mm / 5.98 inch 78.4 mm / 3.09 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs152.7 mm / 6.01 inch 74.7 mm / 2.94 inch 7.35 mm / 0.2894 inch 161 g0.3549 lbs152.3 mm / 6 inch 75.3 mm / 2.96 inch 6.98 mm / 0.2748 inch 162 g0.3571 lbs149.8 mm / 5.9 inch 78 mm / 3.07 inch 9.2 mm / 0.3622 inch 169 g0.3726 lbs150.9 mm / 5.94 inch 72.6 mm / 2.86 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 157 g0.3461 lbs145 mm / 5.71 inch 70.9 mm / 2.79 inch 6.95 mm / 0.2736 inch 144 g0.3175 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

Huawei uses the fast Kirin 955 SoC with the Mali-T880 MP4 GPU for both P9 models, but there are differences in terms of memory and storage. While the standard P9 (not Premium) is only available with 32 GB storage and 3 GB RAM in Germany, the P9 Plus comes with 64 GB storage and 4 GB RAM. The internal storage can also be expanded by up to 128 GB via microSD-card. Apps cannot be transferred to the card via App2SD, but the card can be formatted as internal storage. The card will only work with this particular smartphone, but it is an inexpensive way to expand the storage capacity.

The other features of the P9 Plus cannot quite meet the expectations for the high price. We do get a modern USB-C port with OTG-support for the quick attachment of USB devices, but it only meets the USB 2.0 standard. We managed to transfer files to our PC (SSD) at around 50 MB/s and from the PC to the smartphone at around 33-38 MB/s.

Users of the P9 Plus also get an IR blaster at the top edge as well as the corresponding app called "Smart Controller". The app already includes many manufacturers and we could control the most important things of our Sony TV after a couple of minutes. Another highlight is the compatibility with DSLRs, where the P9 Plus can be used as a remote trigger. A step counter is also included and can be used in combination with the preloaded app "Health".

Connections to other devices are possible via Wi-Fi Direct, Miracast, NFC and Bluetooth 4.2, but you do not get an FM radio.

Bottom: 3.5 mm audio, microphone, USB 2.0 Type-C, speaker
Bottom: 3.5 mm audio, microphone, USB 2.0 Type-C, speaker
Right side: power button, volume rocker
Right side: power button, volume rocker
Left side: combined Nano-SIM and microSD-slot
Left side: combined Nano-SIM and microSD-slot
Top: microphone, Infrared
Top: microphone, Infrared

Software

Huawei ships the P9 Plus with the latest Android version 6.0 Marshmallow including its own user interface EMUI 4.1. The latter leaves a very clean impression and can be heavily customized. There is no app drawer and apps are just located on the home screens, where folders can help to organize them. Contrary to the smaller P9, our review unit of the P9 Plus was not filled with unnecessary gaming apps, but only some tools from the manufacturer.

Another little specialty is a small menu, which can be activated on the lock screen with a swipe from the bottom. Similar to Apple's iOS you will get access to some apps (voice recording, flashlight, calculator, camera) and you can skip through the preloaded wallpapers.

Besides regular screenshots, it is also possible to record screen videos. In addition to the actual screen content, you will also see your inputs visualized as circles. This is a good way to create How-To videos or capture gaming scenes, for example. The quality, however, is not very good, because the videos can only be captured in HD (1280x720 pixels, 21 fps, ~7 Mbps, 60 MB per minute) and Mini (768x432 pixels, 20 fps, ~1.3 Mbps, 10 MB per minute). The low fps number in particular is not representative for the actual user experience, which is extremely smooth and there are basically no stutters at all.

Home screen 1/2
Home screen 1/2
Home screen 2/2
Home screen 2/2
Software information
Software information
Standard & Simple Mode
Standard & Simple Mode
Stagefright Detector App
Stagefright Detector App

The Huawei P9 Plus also offers a split-screen mode (long press on the rectangle symbol), but the number of supported apps is very limited. The P9 Plus does offer another highlight, because the manufacturer implements a pressure-resistant touchscreen similar to the Mate S. Huawei calls this feature "Press Touch", and the functionality is already familiar from Apple's current iPhone generation. However, the feature is mainly limited to Huawei’s own apps. A hard press on the app will open a small context menu, and we included some examples below. This feature is really handy with pictures, where you can launch the zoom with pressure gestures.

Press Touch contacts
Press Touch contacts
Press Touch camera
Press Touch camera
Press Touch Phone Manager
Press Touch Phone Manager
Split View
Split View
Split View
Split View

Communication & GPS

Huawei only sells one global version of the P9 Plus, so the number of supported frequencies is pretty big (see specs at the beginning of this review for the full list) and you should be able to get a connection in many parts of the world. Similar to the standard P9, however, you can only get the single-SIM version (VIE-L09; dual-SIM: VIE-L29) here in Germany. The SoC supports fast LTE Cat. 6 (downstream up to 300 Mbps, upstream up to 50 Mbps), but not LTE Cat. 9. There is no criticism for the signal quality in the metropolitan T-Mobile network.

The supported WLAN standards also include the fast 802.11ac in 2.4 as well as 5 GHz networks. Huawei also advertises the so called WLAN + 2.0 feature, where the smartphone lists networks based on their signal quality and automatically switches to the best available network. This feature did work with our two test routers Fritz!Box 7490 and ASUS RT-AC56U. Depending on our position, the smartphone did not continue to use the weaker network, but automatically switched to the better one. Subjectively, the signal quality was excellent.

GPS Test: indoors
GPS Test: indoors
GPS Test: outdoors
GPS Test: outdoors

Inside the building, the Huawei P9 Plus can only locate the position when it is close to a window, but the accuracy is not very good in this case at 16 meters. The smartphone supports the satellite networks GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou. The initial location takes around 20 seconds outdoors with an accuracy down to 6 meters. We also check the performance on a bicycle ride and compare the results with the professional navigation device Garmin Edge 500. The overall distance on the smartphone is ~150 meters shorter, which is the result of some “shortcuts”. The position is not located as often in some areas, so the smartphone will draw a straight line. Still, there should not be any problems when you use it for navigation in the car or on a bike.

Huawei P9 Plus: overview
Huawei P9 Plus: overview
Huawei P9 Plus: crossing
Huawei P9 Plus: crossing
Huawei P9 Plus: turning point
Huawei P9 Plus: turning point
Garmin Edge 500: overview
Garmin Edge 500: overview
Garmin Edge 500: crossing
Garmin Edge 500: crossing
Garmin Edge 500: turning Point
Garmin Edge 500: turning Point

Telephone & Voice Quality

Phone app
Phone app

The bigger P9 model also leaves a very good impression when you make calls. Both people can hear clear voices without annoying background noises. The provided headset works well, but we actually preferred the hands-free function: We can hear the voice of the call partner loudly and clearly, and our voice is also recorded in a good quality.

We already know the Phone app from other Huawei smartphones and there should not be any problems with the handling. You can see the large numbers pad by default, but it is also possible to access the contacts and favorites.

Cameras

Front camera
Front camera

The camera equipment does not differ between the two Huawei P9 models, so we also want to refer to the review of the standard P9. At the front is an 8 MP camera, so Huawei follows the current selfie trend. The quality of the pictures is very good and is definitely sufficient for selfies. Thanks to the Beauty Mode, you can apply a soft focus, which will smoothen out folds or pronounce the eyes. This is certainly a nice gadget for some users. The camera still takes decent pictures in low-light situations.

We really like the camera app with its intuitive handling via swiping gestures. A swipe from the left opens the picture modes, a swipe from the right the settings. The professional mode can be accessed with a swipe from the bottom.

Picture modes
Picture modes
Professional mode
Professional mode
Settings
Settings
Settings
Settings

The most advertised feature of the P9 or P9 Plus, respectively, is definitely the dual-camera at the back, which was designed in cooperation with Leica according to Huawei. The maximum resolution is 13 MP (up to 3968x2976 pixels, 4:3) with one standard RGB sensor as well as a monochrome sensor. We can confirm the results from the Huawei P9 review. The test images are conveniently sharp and offer very rich colors in daylight in particular, which results in a very vivid picture impression. You can still see all the contours when you zoom in. The sharpness will take a slight hit in low-light situations, but the picture is pretty bright and there is not a lot of noise. You can still see all the important details (like the manhole cover or the sign). 

While the picture quality is also convincing within the comparison group, we are slightly disappointed by the video features. 4K recordings are not supported and 1080p videos at 60 fps are noticeably darker than 1080p30. If the latter is sufficient, you will get a very good picture quality with good stereo sound. Slow-motion videos and time lapses are unfortunately only possible in the HD resolution (720p).

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: The target color is displayed in the bottom half of each patch.
ColorChecker Passport: The target color is displayed in the bottom half of each patch.

In addition to our sample pictures, we also evaluate the sharpness as well as the colors under controlled lighting conditions. We take pictures of the ColorChecker Passport and our test chart, and the results are not edited afterwards.

The colors support our subjective impression, because many colors are oversaturated and the white balance is a bit too warm. The sharpness is good in the center of the test chart, and we can only see slightly blurry edges when we zoom in. The sharpness is slightly reduced towards the edges and the picture is a bit brighter.

Accessories & Warranty

The appealing box is filled with the usual accessories like the power adapter, USB cable (USB-C to USB-A), headset and some service brochures. You also get a transparent protective cover, which can be attached to the back of the smartphone.

Huawei is obviously really convinced by its product and ships the P9 Plus with a three-year warranty by default. You also get a free replacement display if you damage it within the first three months after purchase, and Huawei will send you a replacement device instead of a repair when there is a hardware problem within the first three months.

Input Devices & Handling

The physical buttons at the right side do not fall behind the very good chassis. The power button is slightly ribbed to differ from the volume rocker. The control elements have a short travel and are perfectly integrated into the chassis. The Android control buttons are implemented as on-screen buttons, so the space on the display will be reduced in some cases.

At the center rear is the fingerprint scanner, and it works very reliably and quickly. Similar to the smaller P9, you can also use it for other inputs like scrolling through your pictures. There is also a small status LED at the top of the smartphone, but you can only activate or deactivate it in the settings.

The capacitive touchscreen of the P9 Plus provides great gliding capabilities and is not too sensitive at the same time. We did not experience any accidental inputs and the peripheral areas were sensitive as well. Huawei uses its familiar virtual keyboard, which supports all common features (word predictions, swipe inputs). The keyboard occupies a lot of space, particularly in landscape mode, and there is not much left from the actual screen content. It is obviously possible to install other models from the Google Play Store.

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

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

Contrary to the standard P9, Huawei does not use a NEO-IPS, but an AMOLED screen for the bigger model. It is slightly bigger at 5.5 inches (P9: 5.2-inch), but the resolution is similar at 1920x1080 pixels. This also results in a slightly lower pixel density compared to the smaller sibling as well as many rivals. 401 PPI is still sufficiently high to produce sharp images and fonts.

As expected, the luminance is a bit lower compared to the standard P9, but the performance of the P9 Plus is not bad by any means. We can measure up to 392 cd/m² on a completely white picture, and even a very good 446 cd/m² in the more realistic APL50 test (even distribution of bright and dark content). One advantage of the AMOLED technology is the black value of 0 cd/m², because black pixels are not illuminated. This results in a very high contrast ratio, which can easily compensate for the brightness disadvantage. Only the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is much better in this respect, as it can reach more than 700 cd/m².

341
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
390
cd/m²
344
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
392
cd/m²
350
cd/m²
359
cd/m²
392
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 392 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 365.6 cd/m² Minimum: 3.97 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 361 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.24
Huawei P9 Plus
AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Super AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.50
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.70
Motorola Moto X Force
AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.40
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
IPS, 3840x2160, 5.50
OnePlus 3
Optic-AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.50
Huawei P9
IPS-NEO, JDI, 1920x1080, 5.20
Screen
53%
36%
21%
19%
-20%
12%
29%
Brightness middle
361
554
53%
583
61%
297
-18%
337
-7%
560
55%
419
16%
582
61%
Brightness
366
552
51%
560
53%
297
-19%
336
-8%
541
48%
431
18%
563
54%
Brightness Distribution
87
96
10%
91
5%
93
7%
91
5%
85
-2%
84
-3%
91
5%
Black Level *
0.46
0.45
0.38
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.1
1.59
69%
3.55
30%
2.67
48%
3.99
22%
9.19
-80%
4.1
20%
4.4
14%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10
2.56
74%
3.98
60%
7.07
29%
15.01
-50%
12
-20%
7.4
26%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.5
2.01
63%
3.88
29%
2.81
49%
1.66
70%
10.58
-92%
3.3
40%
4.8
13%
Gamma
2.24 98%
2.01 109%
2.2 100%
2.08 106%
2.32 95%
2.7 81%
2.1 105%
2.2 100%
CCT
7388 88%
6321 103%
7280 89%
6379 102%
6584 99%
9760 67%
6550 99%
6175 105%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
82.12
59.05
66.31
73.19
89.38
77.78
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.98
92.8
99.79
100
99.44
Contrast
1267
1244
1532

* ... smaller is better

CalMAN Grayscale (profile: Standard, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Grayscale (profile: Standard, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (profile: Standard, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (profile: Standard, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (profile: Standard, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (profile: Standard, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (profile: Standard, target color space AdobeRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (profile: Standard, target color space AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Grayscale (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Grayscale (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Colorspace (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Colorspace (profile: Intense, target color space sRGB)
CalMAN Colorspace (profile: Intense, target color space AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Colorspace (profile: Intense, target color space AdobeRGB)

The Huawei P9 Plus offers several settings for the colors. Users can adjust the color temperature (presets or manually) and the picture mode (Standard, Intense). The picture mode "Intense" in particular produces rich colors, which are typical for AMOLEDs. We personally preferred the normal mode. Our measurements with the professional software CalMAN and a spectrophotometer also show more accurate results for the normal mode. The results are still below average, only the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium shows higher DeltaE-2000 deviations for the colors and the grayscale within our comparison group. We can also see a slight blue cast and the color temperature is a bit too cool. All in all, the standard P9 with its IPS display performs better in this section and does not show PWM flickering, either.

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
10 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 5 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. » 21 % 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
10 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 5 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 18 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

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 detected 240.4 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 240.4 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 240.4 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The luminance is not further reduced on battery power, but it is not increased, either. Thanks to the high contrast, the visibility is still very good as long as you can avoid reflections. The smartphone does not show any problems in respect of the viewing angles. The only noticeable issue is a slight blue cast at an angle of around 30 degrees, which is also the case for many other AMOLEDs. This was no problem for us, though.

Outdoors with reflections
Outdoors with reflections
Outdoors without reflections
Outdoors without reflections
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The two review models of the Huawei P9 only differ in terms of memory size when we look at the specs. Our unit of the standard P9 had 3 GB RAM, while the P9 Plus is equipped with 4 GB. The SoC on the other hand is identical: Huawei's own HiSilicon Kirin 955, which was announced with the P9 this spring. It is an octa-core, where four cores are combined in a cluster. One cluster consists of four Cortex-A72 cores that can reach up to 2.5 GHz and handle complex tasks. There are also four frugal Cortex-A53 cores (up to 1.8 GHz) for simpler tasks.

The two siblings are usually on par in the CPU benchmarks, which is not surprising, but the P9 Plus often has the edge. The processor can probably maintain the high clocks for a longer period due to the bigger case. The two Huawei devices are actually at the top in the Geekbench Multi test, while they are sometimes beaten by the rivals when we only stress one core. Once again the very good PCMark score is noticeable, as this evaluates the general system performance. This supports our experiences with the device, because the handling is always smooth and there are virtually no annoying waiting times or stutters.

The graphics card cannot quite keep up with this good performance. ARM's Mali-T880 MP4 is certainly no slouch, but it is even beaten by the "old" Adreno 430 (Snapdragon 810) most of the time. The overall 3DMark scores always include the good CPU performance (Physics value), so we are mainly interested in the Graphics sub-scores. The GPUs of the Apple iPhone 6s Plus, OnePlus 3, and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge are sometimes more than twice as fast, which is also confirmed by the GFXBenches.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
142090 Points +44%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
133626 Points +36%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
128749 Points +31%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
98413 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
95743 Points -3%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
94122 Points -4%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
89911 Points -9%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
78324 Points -20%
Geekbench 3
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
6556 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
6522 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
6480 (6415min) Points -1%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
5645 Points -14%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
4791 Points -27%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
4492 Points -31%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
4429 Points -32%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
2538 Points +32%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
2398 Points +24%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2170 (2120min) Points +12%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1929 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
1767 Points -8%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1335 Points -31%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1262 Points -35%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2425 Points
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
1935 Points -20%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
1811 Points -25%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
3249 Points +300%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2394 Points +194%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
813 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
2823 Points +196%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2234 Points +134%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
954 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2411 Points
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
1912 Points -21%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
1773 Points -26%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
4804 Points +340%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
3071 Points +181%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1091 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
3595 Points +189%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2641 Points +113%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1242 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2547 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
2503 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2121 (1594min) Points -17%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
1892 Points -26%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
1676 Points -34%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1402 Points -45%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1351 Points -47%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
2864 Points +255%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
2601 Points +222%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2229 (2043min) Points +176%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
2067 Points +156%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1074 Points +33%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
829 Points +3%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
807 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
2571 Points +170%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
2318 Points +143%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2204 (1923min) Points +132%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1849 Points +94%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1132 Points +19%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
974 Points +2%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
952 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
2510 Points +7%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2336 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2002 (1539min) Points -14%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
1789 Points -23%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
1697 Points -27%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1348 Points -42%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1282 Points -45%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
4633 Points +345%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
4557 Points +337%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
3226 Points +210%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
3015 (2895min) Points +189%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
2336 Points +124%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
1080 Points +4%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1042 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
3424 Points +188%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
3316 Points +179%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2710 (2421min) Points +128%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
2413 Points +103%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
2009 Points +69%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
1237 Points +4%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1188 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
21771 Points +42%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
19610 Points +28%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
15517 Points +1%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
15331 Points
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
12854 Points -16%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
12852 Points -16%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
11963 Points -22%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
41615 Points +91%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
38394 Points +76%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
37725 Points +73%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
34023 Points +56%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
33031 Points +51%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
21807 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
21577 Points -1%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
30241 Points +52%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
28671 Points +44%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
27795 Points +39%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
26380 Points +32%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
25751 Points +29%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
19936 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
19854 Points 0%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
Points
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Physics
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
Points
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
Points
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
Points
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
60 fps +40%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
59 fps +37%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
52 fps +21%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
51 fps +19%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
43 fps 0%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
43 fps
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
42 fps -2%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
18.75 fps -56%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
89 fps +117%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
81 fps +98%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
78.9 fps +92%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
58 fps +41%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
56 fps +37%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
41 fps
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
40 fps -2%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
27.11 fps -34%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
46 fps +142%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
38.4 fps +102%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
27 fps +42%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
27 fps +42%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
19 fps 0%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
19 fps
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
17 fps -11%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
11.81 fps -38%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
47 fps +161%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
38.4 fps +113%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
38 fps +111%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
27 fps +50%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
25 fps +39%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
18 fps 0%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
18 fps
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
17.54 fps -3%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
30 fps +173%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
28 fps +155%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
19 fps +73%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
15 fps +36%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
12 fps +9%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
11 fps 0%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
11 fps
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
31 fps +210%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
28 fps +180%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
28 fps +180%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
20 fps +100%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
18 fps +80%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
10 fps 0%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
10 fps
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
12 fps
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
4.7 fps
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
7.1 fps
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
2.5 fps
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
19 fps
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
7.5 fps
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
19 fps
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
6.9 fps
on screen Car Chase Onscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
18 fps +165%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
7.9 fps +16%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
7.3 fps +7%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
7.1 fps +4%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
6.8 fps
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
6.1 fps -10%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
18 fps +190%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
15 fps +142%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
12 fps +94%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
6.5 fps +5%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
6.2 fps
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
5.8 fps -6%
PCMark for Android
Work 2.0 battery life
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
383 min
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
min
Work 2.0 performance score
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
5765 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
5226 Points
Work performance score
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
7159 Points
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
7101 Points -1%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
7058 Points -1%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
5365 Points -25%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
5094 Points -29%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
4660 Points -35%
BaseMark OS II
Web
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
1199 Points +14%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
1112 Points +6%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1049 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
1029 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
994 Points -5%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
986 Points -6%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
939 Points -10%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
837 Points -20%
Graphics
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
4813 Points +218%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
4299 Points +184%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
3376 Points +123%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
3137 Points +107%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2203 Points +46%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
2040 Points +35%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
1583 Points +5%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
1512 Points
Memory
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2667 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
2627 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2072 Points -22%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
2052 Points -23%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1945 Points -27%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
1124 Points -58%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1085 Points -59%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
876 Points -67%
System
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
4080 Points +4%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
3932 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
3930 Points 0%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
3925 Points 0%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
3537 Points -10%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
2878 Points -27%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
2737 Points -30%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1386 Points -65%
Overall
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
2496 Points +24%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
2206 Points +9%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2074 Points +3%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
2025 Points 0%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2019 Points
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1774 Points -12%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1649 Points -18%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
1465 Points -27%

Huawei does not include its own browser and uses Google Chrome instead, in this case version 51. The standard P9 was shipped with version 48, which also explains the slightly better results of the P9 Plus. Only the Galaxy S7 Edge as well as the Apple iPhone 6S Plus perform better in the benchmarks. Subjectively, however, there is no criticism from our side. Even complex websites are quickly loaded and the handling is smooth. Browsing with the P9 Plus is a very enjoyable experience in general.

Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
5553 ms * -99%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
4377 ms * -57%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
4080 ms * -46%
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
2923 ms * -5%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
2921 ms * -5%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
2792 ms *
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
2564 ms * +8%
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
1743 ms * +38%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
15967 Points +32%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
13191 Points +9%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
12058 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
11783 Points -2%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
9155 Points -24%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
8851 Points -27%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
8699 Points -28%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
8059 Points -33%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
118.7 Points +70%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
75.1 Points +7%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
70 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
68.4 Points -2%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
54.4 Points -22%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
49.37 Points -29%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
48.2 Points -31%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
46 Points -34%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9, A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 2048
190 Points +46%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Exynos 8890, Mali-T880 MP12, 4096
163 Points +25%
Huawei P9 Plus
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 4096
130 Points
Huawei P9
Kirin 955, Mali-T880 MP4, 3072
128 Points -2%
OnePlus 3
820 MSM8996, Adreno 530, 6144
122 Points -6%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
113 Points -13%
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
106 Points -18%
Motorola Moto X Force
810 MSM8994, Adreno 430, 3072
103 Points -21%

* ... smaller is better

You can use around 52 GB after the initial launch.
You can use around 52 GB after the initial launch.

The internal storage capacity is 64 GB and you can use around 52 GB after the initial setup, but the value drops to about 51 GB after the update of all preloaded apps. The storage manages good write results in particular in the benchmarks. The read results are not bad, either, but the P9 Plus is clearly beaten by the Galaxy S7 Edge and the OnePlus 3 when we compare sequential read operations.

We check the performance of the microSD reader with our reference card from Toshiba (THN-M401S0640E2, 64 GB), which can reach transfer rates of up to 95/80 MB/s (read/write) according to the manufacturer. AndroBench 3 determines a decent result of 62 MB/s for read operations, but only 25 MB/s write. This means it can take longer than necessary when you copy large files or install games.

Huawei P9 Plus
64 GB eMMC Flash
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
Motorola Moto X Force
32 GB eMMC Flash
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
32 GB eMMC Flash
OnePlus 3
64 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
Huawei P9
32 GB eMMC Flash
AndroBench 3-5
42%
-11%
-41%
60%
-12%
Sequential Read 256KB
284.3
487.3
71%
252
-11%
256.8
-10%
408.7
44%
281.3
-1%
Sequential Write 256KB
140.4
145.1
3%
47.99
-66%
99.4
-29%
153.3
9%
72.2
-49%
Random Read 4KB
39.33
86.7
120%
22.55
-43%
19.11
-51%
137.6
250%
39
-1%
Random Write 4KB
51.2
15.79
-69%
19.78
-61%
14.53
-72%
18.23
-64%
47.45
-7%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
62.5
76.4
22%
79
26%
55
-12%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
24.95
50.4
102%
46.96
88%
24.83
0%

Games

The gaming performance cannot keep up with current top GPUs like the Mali-T880 MP12 (Exynos 8890) or Adreno 530 (Snapdragon 820), but the performance is still more than sufficient for modern games in the Full HD resolution. We can measure the maximum 30 fps (fps lock) in the racing game Asphalt 8: Airborne with high settings, and Dead Trigger 2 also runs smoothly at 56 fps with high settings. Both the touchscreen as well as the sensors worked very well, but you can soon cover the speaker at the bottom in landscape mode. The sound will be slightly distorted as a result.

Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
Asphalt 8: Airborne
Asphalt 8: Airborne
Asphalt 8: Airborne
 SettingsValue
 high30 fps
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high56 fps

Emissions

Temperature

The P9 Plus does not really warm up at all while idling, and we can notice the slightly bigger chassis under load, because the surface temperatures are around 1 degree cooler compared to the smaller P9. Up to 41 °C is perceptible, but not inconvenient by any means.

We use the GFXBench Battery Test to see how the smartphone handles sustained load. The performance will drop after the 14th run of version 3.1, but it is only reduced by 6% in the worst case. For comparison: The P9 reduced the performance after the 4th run and lost up to 30% of its performance (Manhattan 3.1). The heat development is less of a problem here due to the bigger chassis.

GFXBench Battery Test 2.0
GFXBench Battery Test 2.0
GFXBench Battery Test 3.1
GFXBench Battery Test 3.1
Heat development front
Heat development front
Heat development rear
Heat development rear
Max. Load
 40.9 °C
106 F
41.2 °C
106 F
36.1 °C
97 F
 
 41.1 °C
106 F
40.8 °C
105 F
36.2 °C
97 F
 
 39.6 °C
103 F
38.6 °C
101 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
Maximum: 41.2 °C = 106 F
Average: 39 °C = 102 F
35.1 °C
95 F
36.4 °C
98 F
38 °C
100 F
35.1 °C
95 F
37 °C
99 F
38 °C
100 F
34.5 °C
94 F
36.8 °C
98 F
37.8 °C
100 F
Maximum: 38 °C = 100 F
Average: 36.5 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  31.6 °C = 89 F | Room Temperature 21.9 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39 °C / 102 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 41.2 °C / 106 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 38 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.4 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

Pink Noise diagram
Pink Noise diagram

We can also see a big difference compared to the standard Huawei P9 in this section. Besides the speaker at the bottom, the ear piece is used as a second speaker. There is a specialty though, because the sound characteristics will change depending on the orientation of the smartphone. This is also noticeable by a short interruption of the sound when you change the orientation. The P9 Plus can reach up to 88.38 dB(A) and is therefore even slightly louder than the standard P9.

The ear piece works as a tweeter in portrait mode, while the smartphone produces a stereo sound in landscape mode. You can clearly hear the differences. Music sounds much more balanced in portrait mode, while it loses some precision in landscape mode. Movies on the other hand should be watched in landscape mode with the stereo sound; otherwise, the sound will be too focused on the bottom speaker. This basically makes sense, since you will rarely watch videos in portrait mode. We would still have preferred a possibility to adjust the feature. There is no equalizer or other software improvements either.

All in all, we still like the sound a lot. Thanks to the second speaker, the sound appears richer, but the tweeter in particular tends to distort at high volumes. Bass is also limited. The stereo jack produces a clear signal and is sufficiently loud for normal headphones like the provided headset, which does not even sound bad. The smartphone could, however, be too weak for high-impedance headphones.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Huawei P9 Plus is one of the most frugal smartphones within this comparison. This is also a result of the comparatively low luminance as well as the FHD resolution. The overall package is once again very frugal under load with less than 6 Watts. The provided 10-Watt power adapter (5V, 2A) does not have any problems with this consumption.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.09 / 0.62 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.87 / 1.2 / 1.27 Watt
Load midlight 4.69 / 5.63 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Gossen 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 P9 Plus
Mali-T880 MP4, 1920x1080
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Mali-T880 MP12, 2560x1440
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
A9 / PowerVR GT7600, 1920x1080
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
Adreno 430, 2560x1440
Motorola Moto X Force
Adreno 430, 2560x1440
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
Adreno 430, 3840x2160
OnePlus 3
Adreno 530, 1920x1080
Huawei P9
Mali-T880 MP4, 1920x1080
Power Consumption
-7%
-14%
-138%
-26%
-60%
-18%
-27%
Idle Minimum *
0.87
0.63
28%
0.5
43%
2.85
-228%
0.96
-10%
0.83
5%
0.57
34%
0.77
11%
Idle Average *
1.2
1.1
8%
1.9
-58%
2.95
-146%
1.35
-13%
2.36
-97%
1.24
-3%
2.36
-97%
Idle Maximum *
1.27
1.56
-23%
2.2
-73%
3.26
-157%
1.4
-10%
2.42
-91%
1.36
-7%
2.37
-87%
Load Average *
4.69
5.95
-27%
3.2
32%
8.92
-90%
6.11
-30%
7.27
-55%
5.92
-26%
3.09
34%
Load Maximum *
5.63
6.7
-19%
6.4
-14%
9.39
-67%
9.43
-67%
9.18
-63%
10.53
-87%
5.35
5%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

Compared to the standard P9, the battery capacity was increased from 3000 to 3400 mAh for the bigger P9 Plus. The battery runtimes should be very long in combination with the low power consumption.

This is also confirmed by our tests. Particularly interesting are the two tests with an adjusted luminance at 150 cd/m². Our WLAN test determines almost 9 hours, while our test video Big Buck Bunny (1080p, H.264) runs for almost 13 hours. Only the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is much better in both tests and the small sibling Huawei P9 can at least win in the WLAN test but is clearly beaten in the video test. All the other comparison devices are more or less clearly beaten.

Besides the familiar power plans "Normal", "Intelligent" and "Ultra", Huawei also implements the so-called ROG power-saving mode. It will reduce the resolution from 1920x1080 to 1280x720 pixels to save power. We repeated our WLAN test in this mode and actually recorded a much longer runtime of around 13 hours (772 minutes). The picture is not quite as sharp, but the gained stamina is not insignificant.

A complete charge of the battery (remaining capacity 3%) takes about 01:40 hours. 50% is available after 40 minutes, and 90% after another 30 minutes.

Battery Manager
Battery Manager
Power plans
Power plans
The Ultra power-saving mode can enable long runtimes even with a low battery capacity.
The Ultra power-saving mode can enable long runtimes even with a low battery capacity.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
24h 06min
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 51)
8h 50min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
12h 56min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 23min
Huawei P9 Plus
 Wh, 3400 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
13.86 Wh, 3600 mAh
Apple iPhone 6S Plus
10 Wh, 2750 mAh
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
13 Wh, 3340 mAh
Motorola Moto X Force
 Wh, 3760 mAh
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
13 Wh, 3430 mAh
OnePlus 3
 Wh, 3000 mAh
Huawei P9
11.46 Wh, 3000 mAh
Battery Runtime
30%
-6%
-27%
2%
-27%
16%
-9%
Reader / Idle
1446
1663
15%
1655
14%
1078
-25%
1610
11%
1277
-12%
1338
-7%
1514
5%
H.264
776
914
18%
714
-8%
611
-21%
710
-9%
411
-47%
847
9%
568
-27%
WiFi v1.3
530
732
38%
513
-3%
369
-30%
426
-20%
372
-30%
840
58%
569
7%
Load
263
392
49%
197
-25%
179
-32%
330
25%
210
-20%
268
2%
206
-22%

Pros

+ fast SoC
+ expandable storage
+ wide range of frequencies
+ good cameras
+ voice quality
+ provided headset
+ quick-charge
+ USB Type-C
+ very good battery runtimes
+ Press Touch
+ Infrared
+ cover included
+ 3-year warranty
+ good speakers

Cons

- only USB 2.0
- only LTE Cat. 6
- neither MHL nor SlimPort
- slight SoC throttling under sustained load
- no 4K video recordings
- no FM radio
- expensive

Verdict

In review: Huawei P9 Plus. Test model courtesy of Huawei Germany.
In review: Huawei P9 Plus. Test model courtesy of Huawei Germany.

The Huawei P9 Plus is not just a bigger version of the standard P9. The manufacturer not only equips the Plus model with a bigger screen and a larger battery but also implements several additional features and even uses a completely different display technology. The IR blaster and the additional speaker are certainly going to be an additional value for some users, but the Press Touch feature is still in its infancy for Android. So far, the context menus are only available for Huawei's own apps. The feature was only really useful for the zooming of pictures in our opinion, but the situation should improve with time.

The big question is obviously whether the P9 Plus is worth the additional 130 Euros (~$143) over the standard P9. The answer is not easy, because the two models are basically identical in terms of their core features like the case, connectivity, camera, voice quality and the performance. If you consider all the improvements (twice as much storage, more RAM, bigger display, bigger battery, additional features), the additional price is probably justified, which is why we can recommend both models.

The Huawei P9 Plus can justify its higher price over the standard P9. We get a great high-end smartphone with many good characteristics; only the video features of the Chinese smartphone cannot really meet our expectations.

The P9 Plus is certainly no bargain for 700 Euros (~$774), but the smartphone does not have to hide behind the rivals. Only the video quality (no 4K) and the graphics performance fall behind some of the rivals, but at least the latter is not noticeable in practice. That the P9 Plus still gets a lower total score than the standard P9, despite the additional features, is a result of the slightly worse display measurements (including PWM).

Huawei P9 Plus - 07/01/2016 v5.1(old)
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
93%
Keyboard
71 / 75 → 94%
Pointing Device
96%
Connectivity
55 / 60 → 92%
Weight
91%
Battery
93%
Display
83%
Games Performance
48 / 63 → 77%
Application Performance
63 / 70 → 89%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
79 / 91 → 87%
Camera
81%
Average
80%
89%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
Andreas Osthoff, 2016-07- 9 (Update: 2018-05-15)