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Huawei Y6 2018 Smartphone Review

Still affordable. The Huawei Y6 2018 is a device that has a lot of power for the money. The device looks modern and has a decent display, but can it be crowned the king of budget devices?
Huawei Y6 2018

Didn’t Huawei want to get out of the cheap smartphone market? Last year, the margins on affordable devices were considered too low, but the success of the Y Series seems to have convinced Huawei to release another budget smartphone. So, here we have the Huawei Y6 2018 in for review. While last year’s Y6 2017 had plenty of power at an affordable price, its camera quality was, unfortunately, less convincing. This year’s model introduces a fresh new design, and a 2:1 aspect ratio, frequently referred to as 18:9. The Y6 2018 costs €150 (~$175), which is slightly cheaper than last year’s model. At this price, Huawei is looking for a larger piece of the budget smartphone market.

Huawei faces stiff competition from other manufacturers for market share though. We will be comparing the Y6 2018 against the cheaper Nokia 2, the more expensive BQ Aquaris VS and the equally priced Motorola Moto G5s.

Huawei Y6 2018 (Y6 Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) 4 x 1.4 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
5.70 inch 2:1, 1440 x 720 pixel 282 PPI, Capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm jack, Card Reader: microSD card up to 256 GB, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Positional Sensor, USB-OTG
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.2, GSM (850/​900/​1800/​1900), UMTS (850/​900/​1900/​2100), LTE (B1/​B3/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B20), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.8 x 152.4 x 73 ( = 0.31 x 6 x 2.87 in)
Battery
11.4 Wh, 3000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 8.0 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix Contrast Auto Focus (AF), LED flash, Videos at up to 1080p/30 FPS
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix LED flash
Additional features
Speakers: Mono speaker on the underside of the device, Keyboard: Virtual keyboard, Charger, USB cable, SIM Tool, HiCare, Game Suite, Phone Clone, App Gallery, Tips, Themes, 24 Months Warranty, Bandwidth Download/Upload: 150 Mbps/50 Mbps LTE; SAR values: 0.31 W/kg Head, 0.5 W/kg Body, fanless
Weight
150 g ( = 5.29 oz / 0.33 pounds), Power Supply: 50 g ( = 1.76 oz / 0.11 pounds)
Price
149 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Broadly, the Y6 2018 reflects Huawei’s design traditions. However, Huawei has opted for a new case that incorporates narrower display bezels and helps make the Y6 2018 look more modern than its predecessor. While the back is made from plastic, the case frame is made from metal. The removable back of last year’s model has gone, with Huawei moving the SIM slot from beneath the back case to the left-hand side of the frame. The display does distort when pressed hard, but only marginally so. Equally, while we could twist our review unit it did not creak or make cracking sounds when we did so. Huawei factory-fits a screen protector that protects the display, but it is difficult to remove and makes the display feel cheaper because of it.

The Y6 2018 is currently available in black, blue or gold. Our review unit is blue and looks stylish. The frame catches the light, while the back is matte, the texture of which resists fingerprints well. Weighing 150 g (~5.3 oz), the Y6 2018 is a light smartphone that weighs just as much as its predecessor. Likewise, the device is thin at 7.8 mm (~0.3 in) thick; although this means that the rear camera module protrudes by around 0.5 mm.

Huawei Y6 2018
Huawei Y6 2018
Huawei Y6 2018
Huawei Y6 2018
Huawei Y6 2018
Huawei Y6 2018
Huawei Y6 2018

Size Comparison

152.4 mm / 6 inch 73 mm / 2.87 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 150 g0.3307 lbs150 mm / 5.91 inch 73.5 mm / 2.89 inch 9.5 mm / 0.374 inch 157 g0.3461 lbs148.1 mm / 5.83 inch 73 mm / 2.87 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs143.5 mm / 5.65 inch 71.3 mm / 2.81 inch 9.3 mm / 0.3661 inch 161 g0.3549 lbs143.8 mm / 5.66 inch 72.2 mm / 2.84 inch 8.85 mm / 0.3484 inch 150 g0.3307 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The Y6 2018 has 16 GB of internal storage and 2 GB RAM. In comparison, the Nokia 2 has half the volume of internal storage and RAM while the Moto G5s has 32 GB storage and 3 GB RAM. Overall, the Y6 2018 is suitably equipped for a €149 (~$174) device released in 2018. The Y6 2018 supports microSD cards up to 256 GB too. Cards can only be formatted as external storage, so apps cannot be stored on a microSD.

Our review unit is the Dual-SIM variant. This supports two SIMs and a microSD simultaneously rather than a compromise between Dual-SIM functionality or microSD expansion as is the case with some smartphones.

The Y6 2018 has a micro-USB port that supports USB OTG. Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi Direct is the only other connectivity worth mentioning though as everything else is rather underwhelming.

Top: 3.5 mm jack
Top: 3.5 mm jack
Bottom: Microphone, micro-USB port, Mono speaker
Bottom: Microphone, micro-USB port, Mono speaker
Left: SIM slot
Left: SIM slot
Right: Volume rocker, Power button
Right: Volume rocker, Power button

Software

The Y6 2018 ships with Android 8.0 Oreo, on top of which Huawei installs EMUI 8.0. Our review unit came with Android security patch 1st March 2018, which was 2 ½ months old at the time of testing. EMUI is laid out slightly differently than stock Android; fortunately, there is a shallow learning curve. There are many configuration options, a drawback of which being that Huawei preinstalls various additional software that takes up precious internal storage. Our review unit had just 10 GB of internal storage left for user apps and files. Some of the preinstalled apps and games can be safely deleted and reinstalled from the Google Play Store when needed.

Huawei installs some useful tools, such as a Theme and Tips apps.

Software Huawei Y6 2018
Software Huawei Y6 2018
Software Huawei Y6 2018
Software Huawei Y6 2018
Software Huawei Y6 2018
Software Huawei Y6 2018
Software Huawei Y6 2018
Software Huawei Y6 2018

Communication & GPS

The Y6 2018 supports 802.11 b/g/n standards. In practical terms, this means that the device can only connect to 2.4 GHz networks and not 5 GHz ones. In comparison, the Moto G5s can connect to 5 GHz networks, with the more expensive Aquaris VS even supporting the faster 802.11 ac standard. While we would have liked 5 GHz support, the degree of Wi-Fi connectivity that the Y6 2018 does have is adequate for a sub €150 (~$175) device. Our review unit clearly performed worse than our comparison devices in our Wi-Fi tests with our reference Linksys EA 8500 router. By contrast, the Y6 2018 outperformed its predecessor.

Likewise, our review unit supports more LTE bands than its predecessor. The Y6 2018 is compatible with the four main UMTS bands. This is something upon which Huawei has improved, with last year’s model lacking support for LTE Band 5, the 850 MHz band used in North and Latin America. Despite these generational improvements, the Y6 2018 may still be difficult to use abroad as not all bands are supported. We had no LTE reception problems on Vodafone in Germany during our tests though. The Y6 2018 supports VoLTE too.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
BQ Aquaris VS
Adreno 505, 430, 64 GB eMMC Flash
230 MBit/s +341%
Motorola Moto G5s
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
111 MBit/s +113%
Nokia 2
Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 8 GB eMMC Flash
54.2 MBit/s +4%
Huawei Y6 2018
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
52.2 MBit/s
Huawei Y6 2017
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737T, 16 GB eMMC Flash
48.7 MBit/s -7%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +645%
BQ Aquaris VS
Adreno 505, 430, 64 GB eMMC Flash
280 MBit/s +454%
Motorola Moto G5s
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
121 MBit/s +140%
Nokia 2
Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 8 GB eMMC Flash
55.4 MBit/s +10%
Huawei Y6 2018
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
50.5 MBit/s
Huawei Y6 2017
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737T, 16 GB eMMC Flash
43.6 MBit/s -14%
GPS Test – indoors
GPS Test – indoors
GPS Test – outside
GPS Test – outside

The GPS module could not locate us indoors but quickly manages to locate us outside up to an accuracy of four metres (~13 ft). There is no onboard compass, so we could not use Google Maps directional view. We found map placement to be reasonable despite this limitation though, even inside buildings.

We took the Y6 2018 on a mountain bike ride along with a Garmin Edge 500 and compared the GPS data from the Y6 2018 against that from the Garmin, a professional navigation system. Our review unit placed us reasonably precisely, albeit rather complicatedly over a bridge and poorly through wooded areas. Overall, there is a clear difference between the accuracy of both devices. However, the Y6 2018 does a good job for its price.

GPS Garmin Edge 500 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 500 – overview
GPS Garmin Edge 500 – wooded areas
GPS Garmin Edge 500 – wooded areas
GPS Garmin Edge 500 – bridge
GPS Garmin Edge 500 – bridge
GPS Huawei Y6 2018 – overview
GPS Huawei Y6 2018 – overview
GPS Huawei Y6 2018 – wooded areas
GPS Huawei Y6 2018 – wooded areas
GPS Huawei Y6 2018 – bridge
GPS Huawei Y6 2018 – bridge

Telephone Function & Call Quality

Huawei installs its EMUI phone app, which looks and feels like Google’s default phone app. The app opens to a list of your recent calls, under which sits a keypad. The phone app is arranged by tabs that sit at the top of the screen, which include tabs for contacts and favorites. The phone app has a dedicated settings menu too, in which you can configure things such as call blocking.

The Y6 2018 has decent call quality. The earpiece sounds loud at no cost to clarity, with voices reproduced clearly during calls. It is worth noting that during calls we heard a faint background noise. The microphone is sensitive, which is both a good and bad thing. On the one hand, the microphone picks up quiet voices well, but it also can be overwhelmed by loud voices. Talking over speakerphone works well too, with voices sounding clear and undistorted. However, the microphone is not sensitive enough to capture soft voices yet breaks off with loud voices.

Cameras

Example shot using the front-facing camera
Example shot using the front-facing camera

The cameras have not changed much in comparison to the Y6 2017, even though the rear camera housing looks different. The Y6 2018 still has a 13 MP rear camera with a monochrome flash and a 5 MP front-facing camera. These are solid specs for a smartphone in this price range.

The front-facing camera takes photos that are well lit in dark areas and overexposed in bright ones, partly thanks to its LED flash. The 5 MP camera only has fixed focus, which requires objects being at a certain distance away from the camera before coming into focus. Front-facing shots lack detail, but this is to be expected from such a cheap smartphone.

Huawei has positioned the main camera near the top right-hand corner of the rear case, which makes it easy for a finger to stray into shot when taking a photo. The rear camera takes images in which objects appear sharp, but colors are rather cool. Low light performance is poor, with photos coming out blurry and underexposed. The camera has a panoramic mode too, but this mode overexposes the sky and has significantly fewer details than higher quality smartphone cameras.

The rear-facing camera can record videos at up to 1080p. As with photos, the colors are cool, while the autofocus jumps each time it refocuses. We found that the exposure adapts well to changing lighting conditions. Overall, the level of detail in videos is adequate for a cheap smartphone.

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

We also examined camera performance in our lab under controlled lighting conditions for a more thorough test. The results from taking photos of our test chart and the X-Rite color control panel came out reasonably sharp, albeit colors look a bit patchy. Equally, the Y6 2018 reproduced text against a colored background sharply but struggled with yellow backgrounds. Both images are almost uniformly sharp too, with only minor losses in sharpness at the edges of each test image.

The color reproduction is acceptable, but it is a bit too bright in our opinion.

ColorChecker: The target color is in the bottom half of each area.
ColorChecker: The target color is in the bottom half of each area.
Photograph of our test chart.
Photograph of our test chart.
Test chart in detail.
Test chart in detail.

Accessories & Warranty

The Y6 2018 comes with a charger, a USB cable and a SIM tool. These accessories cannot be purchased on Huawei’s online store, nor are any additional accessories available either.

The Y6 2018 comes with twenty-four months warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Operation

Huawei includes SwiftKey as the default keyboard. The app has many input options and can be personalized with different themes. You are not stuck using SwiftKey though as it can be replaced with other keyboard apps such as those downloadable from the Google Play Store.

The touchscreen worked reliably during our testing and is sensitive throughout, even up to the edges. The preinstalled screen protector feels smooth to the touch and does not affect using the device. It is difficult to remove though.

The Y6 2018 uses capacitive navigation buttons with the power button and the volume rocker being the only physical buttons on the device. They both have a good pressure point and are easy to find when holding the device.

There is no fingerprint scanner, but you could use Face Unlock as an alternative to a traditional PIN or pattern. Face Unlock takes a photo of your face and unlocks your device when it recognizes a face matching the one that has been recorded. Google requires you to set a PIN or pattern in case the device fails to recognize your face, but Face Unlock is not very secure. We managed to unlock our review unit by just holding up another smartphone with a picture of a corresponding face.

The keyboard in portrait mode
The keyboard in portrait mode
The keyboard in landscape mode
The keyboard in landscape mode

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The Y6 2018 has a 5.7-inch 1,440 x 720 display with a 2:1 aspect ratio. This resolution is as expected for a device at this price, with the Moto G5s being our only comparison device to have a higher resolution display. The Y6 2018 has a brighter display compared to its predecessor, but this is still darker than our other comparison devices. We measured an average brightness of 460 cd/m² using X-Rite i1Pro 2 which should be bright enough in most cases.

Brightness distribution is okay at 88%, but we do notice differences in brightness across large areas of a single color.

442
cd/m²
482
cd/m²
442
cd/m²
443
cd/m²
483
cd/m²
432
cd/m²
457
cd/m²
492
cd/m²
465
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 492 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 459.8 cd/m² Minimum: 4.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 444 cd/m²
Contrast: 1208:1 (Black: 0.4 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.42
ΔE Greyscale 5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
93.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.6
Huawei Y6 2018
IPS, 1440x720, 5.70
Nokia 2
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Motorola Moto G5s
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
BQ Aquaris VS
IPS, 1280x720, 5.20
Huawei Y6 2017
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Screen
-8%
6%
-1%
37%
Brightness middle
483
527
9%
490
1%
535
11%
438
-9%
Brightness
460
503
9%
502
9%
544
18%
432
-6%
Brightness Distribution
88
91
3%
92
5%
88
0%
90
2%
Black Level *
0.4
0.68
-70%
0.43
-8%
0.61
-53%
0.13
67%
Contrast
1208
775
-36%
1140
-6%
877
-27%
3369
179%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.8
5.3
9%
5.7
2%
5.3
9%
4.8
17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
12.6
9.2
27%
7.8
38%
11.1
12%
11.4
10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.42
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5
5.8
-16%
4.7
6%
4
20%
3.2
36%
Gamma
2.6 85%
2.12 104%
2.4 92%
1.95 113%
2.23 99%
CCT
7709 84%
7894 82%
7526 86%
6800 96%
7090 92%

* ... 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 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Optimised settings
Optimised settings

The Y6 2018 has a good contrast ratio and black value of 1,208:1 and 0.4 cd/m² respectively. Our review unit cannot match its predecessor’s black value though, which we measured at 0.13 cd/m². The display has strong colors and does not use PWM for brightness regulation.

We also used a spectrophotometer and CalMAN software for a more precise measurement of color representation. We noticed a clear blue tint to the display at default settings. White balance can either be manually adjusted or set to one of three presets. The default “cold” preset produces a heavier blue tint and sets colors even further from the reference value. Equally, setting the display to “warm” mode results in higher than desirable color values and creates a green tint to grays. We were able to manually adjust the white balance so that whites are displayed accurately. Light grays look too dark though. We have included a screenshot of the optimal settings for reference. Colors are also more accurate than using the standard settings.


CalMAN Color Accuracy - Normal
CalMAN Color Accuracy - Normal
CalMAN Color Space - Normal
CalMAN Color Space - Normal
CalMAN Saturation - Normal
CalMAN Saturation - Normal
CalMAN Grayscale – Normal
CalMAN Grayscale – Normal
CalMAN Color Accuracy - Cold
CalMAN Color Accuracy - Cold
CalMAN Color Space - Cold
CalMAN Color Space - Cold
CalMAN Saturation - Cold
CalMAN Saturation - Cold
CalMAN Grayscale - Cold
CalMAN Grayscale - Cold
CalMAN Color Accuracy - Warm
CalMAN Color Accuracy - Warm
CalMAN Color Space - Warm
CalMAN Color Space - Warm
CalMAN Saturation - Warm
CalMAN Saturation - Warm
CalMAN Grayscale - Warm
CalMAN Grayscale - Warm
CalMAN Color Accuracy – Optimised Settings
CalMAN Color Accuracy – Optimised Settings
CalMAN Color Space – Optimised Settings
CalMAN Color Space – Optimised Settings
CalMAN Saturation – Optimised Settings
CalMAN Saturation – Optimised Settings
CalMAN Grayscale – Optimised Settings
CalMAN Grayscale – Optimised Settings

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
22 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 12.8 ms rise
↘ 9.2 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. » 42 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
23.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 9.6 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. » 28 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The Y6 2018 is easily usable outdoors at maximum brightness except for on bright days. There should be no problems using the device in the shade even on the brightest of days. The brightness sensor reacts quickly and precisely to different lighting.

While screen content is recognizable from any viewing angle, there are noticeable brightness shifts at acute angles.

Outdoor use – minimum brightness
Outdoor use – minimum brightness
Outdoor use – medium brightness
Outdoor use – medium brightness
Outdoor use – maximum brightness
Outdoor use – maximum brightness
Outdoor use – Brightness sensor
Outdoor use – Brightness sensor
Viewing Angles
Viewing Angles

Performance

The Y6 2018 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, a budget quad-core CPU that clocks up to 1,400 MHz. While the Y6 2018 is generally faster than its MediaTek powered predecessor, the difference is marginal in daily use. Overall, our review unit delivers class-leading performance for its price and can even compete with devices that are more expensive.

The Y6 2018 often stutters in everyday use, particularly if a complex app is open in the background or you are switching between apps.

Graphics are handled by the Qualcomm Adreno 308. The Y6 2018 lacks support for newer OpenGL version, so benchmarks like GFXBench Manhattan 3.1/4.0 and 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme will not work. This affects games too as some graphical settings are just not there. Worse still, the Y6 2018 performed worse than its predecessor in benchmarks. This makes the Y6 2017 a better choice for gamers than its successor.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
39089 Points
Nokia 2
24924 Points -36%
Motorola Moto G5s
46370 Points +19%
BQ Aquaris VS
44022 Points +13%
Huawei Y6 2017
40981 Points +5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (29054 - 39106, n=17)
36278 Points -7%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
46710 Points
BQ Aquaris VS
56906 Points +22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (32557 - 46710, n=10)
42979 Points -8%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
4756 Points
Nokia 2
3109 Points -35%
Motorola Moto G5s
4669 Points -2%
BQ Aquaris VS
4751 Points 0%
Huawei Y6 2017
4607 Points -3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3681 - 5253, n=17)
4389 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +217%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
3629 Points
Nokia 2
2304 Points -37%
Motorola Moto G5s
3604 Points -1%
BQ Aquaris VS
3648 Points +1%
Huawei Y6 2017
3487 Points -4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2829 - 3831, n=18)
3299 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +200%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
743 Points
Nokia 2
149 Points -80%
Motorola Moto G5s
848 Points +14%
BQ Aquaris VS
894 Points +20%
Huawei Y6 2017
839 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (207 - 891, n=17)
642 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +668%
System (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
1043 Points
Nokia 2
901 Points -14%
Motorola Moto G5s
1553 Points +49%
BQ Aquaris VS
1544 Points +48%
Huawei Y6 2017
1354 Points +30%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1043 - 1477, n=17)
1274 Points +22%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +822%
Memory (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
1069 Points
Nokia 2
233 Points -78%
Motorola Moto G5s
656 Points -39%
BQ Aquaris VS
773 Points -28%
Huawei Y6 2017
1288 Points +20%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (363 - 1372, n=17)
678 Points -37%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +483%
Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
443 Points
Nokia 2
251 Points -43%
Motorola Moto G5s
723 Points +63%
BQ Aquaris VS
786 Points +77%
Huawei Y6 2017
386 Points -13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (418 - 447, n=17)
437 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +3038%
Web (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
616 Points
Nokia 2
9 Points -99%
Motorola Moto G5s
703 Points +14%
BQ Aquaris VS
680 Points +10%
Huawei Y6 2017
734 Points +19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (10 - 802, n=17)
611 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +141%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
692 Points
Nokia 2
423 Points -39%
Motorola Moto G5s
630 Points -9%
BQ Aquaris VS
657 Points -5%
Huawei Y6 2017
680 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (541 - 692, n=18)
654 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +632%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
1939 Points
Nokia 2
1118 Points -42%
Motorola Moto G5s
2270 Points +17%
BQ Aquaris VS
2400 Points +24%
Huawei Y6 2017
1903 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (883 - 1939, n=18)
1761 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +599%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
1419 Points
Motorola Moto G5s
1871 Points +32%
BQ Aquaris VS
1808 Points +27%
Huawei Y6 2017
1238 Points -13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1113 - 1460, n=16)
1345 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +646%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
6067 Points
Nokia 2
4577 Points -25%
Motorola Moto G5s
9491 Points +56%
BQ Aquaris VS
9977 Points +64%
Huawei Y6 2017
6858 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2951 - 6526, n=18)
5908 Points -3%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
5426 Points
Nokia 2
4150 Points -24%
Motorola Moto G5s
9626 Points +77%
BQ Aquaris VS
10271 Points +89%
Huawei Y6 2017
6184 Points +14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2546 - 5778, n=18)
5330 Points -2%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
10344 Points
Nokia 2
7150 Points -31%
Motorola Moto G5s
9045 Points -13%
BQ Aquaris VS
9067 Points -12%
Huawei Y6 2017
11088 Points +7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3958 - 11927, n=18)
9933 Points -4%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
70 Points
Nokia 2
120 Points +71%
Motorola Moto G5s
555 Points +693%
BQ Aquaris VS
605 Points +764%
Huawei Y6 2017
267 Points +281%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (39 - 350, n=18)
86 Points +23%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points +4969%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
55 Points
Nokia 2
120 Points +118%
Motorola Moto G5s
483 Points +778%
BQ Aquaris VS
533 Points +869%
Huawei Y6 2017
221 Points +302%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (31 - 297, n=18)
69.7 Points +27%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points +7000%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
907 Points
Nokia 2
539 Points -41%
Motorola Moto G5s
1158 Points +28%
BQ Aquaris VS
1145 Points +26%
Huawei Y6 2017
967 Points +7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (622 - 944, n=18)
869 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points +231%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
14 fps
Nokia 2
9.6 fps -31%
Motorola Moto G5s
16 fps +14%
BQ Aquaris VS
21 fps +50%
Huawei Y6 2017
17 fps +21%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (6.4 - 20, n=18)
13.4 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +497%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
7.7 fps
Nokia 2
5.4 fps -30%
Motorola Moto G5s
16 fps +108%
BQ Aquaris VS
18 fps +134%
Huawei Y6 2017
11 fps +43%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3.4 - 7.8, n=18)
7.42 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +3056%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
5.9 fps
Nokia 2
4.4 fps -25%
Motorola Moto G5s
7.4 fps +25%
BQ Aquaris VS
15 fps +154%
Huawei Y6 2017
8.1 fps +37%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3.7 - 11, n=18)
5.97 fps +1%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +1108%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Y6 2018
2.8 fps
Nokia 2
1.6 fps -43%
Motorola Moto G5s
7.1 fps +154%
BQ Aquaris VS
7.7 fps +175%
Huawei Y6 2017
3.9 fps +39%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1.3 - 3, n=17)
2.71 fps -3%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +4825%

Legend

 
Huawei Y6 2018 Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917), Qualcomm Adreno 308, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Nokia 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 APQ8009, Qualcomm Adreno 304, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G5s Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Qualcomm Adreno 505, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
BQ Aquaris VS Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Qualcomm Adreno 505, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei Y6 2017 Mediatek MT6737T, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash

The Y6 2018 sits among the upper midfield of comparable devices within our Internet benchmarks. This performance is at the same level as last year’s model. HTML 5 websites like Google Interland load quickly but there are visible stutters while navigating throughout the site.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 104.3, n=2, last 2 years)
85.2 Points +359%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
18.66 Points +1%
Huawei Y6 2018 (Chrome 66)
18.55 Points
BQ Aquaris VS (Chrome 65)
18.13 Points -2%
Huawei Y6 2017 (Chrome 60)
17.64 Points -5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (15.5 - 18.7, n=16)
17.5 Points -6%
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65)
11.61 Points -37%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +1192%
BQ Aquaris VS (Chrome 65)
3296 Points +28%
Huawei Y6 2017 (Chrome 60)
3092 Points +20%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
3035 Points +18%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2411 - 3374, n=17)
2952 Points +14%
Huawei Y6 2018 (Chrome 66)
2582 Points
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65)
1948 Points -25%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65)
19275 ms * -19%
Huawei Y6 2018 (Chrome 66)
16192 ms *
BQ Aquaris VS (Chrome 65)
13612 ms * +16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (10742 - 16192, n=17)
13125 ms * +19%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
13057 ms * +19%
Huawei Y6 2017 (Chrome 60)
12255 ms * +24%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +90%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (62 - 79, n=8)
71.3 Points 0%
Huawei Y6 2018 (Chrome 66)
71 Points
Huawei Y6 2017 (Chrome 60)
65 Points -8%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
61 Points -14%

* ... smaller is better

The internal memory is sufficiently fast, but it may be worth noting that read speeds are significantly higher than write speeds. Our review unit accesses our reference Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSD card relatively quickly too.

Huawei Y6 2018Nokia 2Motorola Moto G5sBQ Aquaris VSHuawei Y6 2017Average 16 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-24%
72%
28%
-4%
-32%
1350%
Sequential Read 256KB
254.3
131.1
-48%
259
2%
254.4
0%
202.6
-20%
164.5 ?(9.66 - 294, n=256)
-35%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
477%
Sequential Write 256KB
65.6
50.8
-23%
77.5
18%
185.9
183%
66.9
2%
43 ?(8.74 - 106.3, n=256)
-34%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
1543%
Random Read 4KB
38.8
17.44
-55%
40.6
5%
47.2
22%
25.93
-33%
21.7 ?(2.49 - 62.1, n=256)
-44%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
524%
Random Write 4KB
9
8.1
-10%
46.2
413%
6.4
-29%
20.54
128%
8.08 ?(0.49 - 44.9, n=256)
-10%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
2856%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
84.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
81.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-4%
84.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-1%
83.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-2%
48.4
-43%
59.1 ?(8.1 - 87.7, n=137)
-30%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
64 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
61.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-4%
62.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-3%
59.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-7%
26.4
-59%
39.8 ?(6.38 - 65.8, n=137)
-38%

Games

The Y6 2018 can comfortably play games at 30 FPS; gaming at 60 FPS is the stuff of fantasy. We noticed considerable stuttering while playing Arena of Valor even at low settings. These stutters are represented by the peaks and troughs in the chart below. In short, we would recommend looking for another device if you are a hardcore smartphone gamer.

Unconnected to these in-game stutters is the touchscreen and positional sensor, which worked reliably throughout our tests.

Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
Shadow Fight 3
Shadow Fight 3
Shadow Fight 3
 SettingsValue
 high39 fps
 minimal41.5 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!
Arena of Valor
 SettingsValue
 min31 fps
 high HD30 fps
  Your browser does not support the canvas element!

Emissions

Temperature

GFXBench battery test
GFXBench battery test

The Y6 2018 gets hottest at the top, reaching 35.8 °C (96.44 °F) on the front under load. Our review unit reached 33 °C (91.4 °F) in the corresponding area on the rear. While these temperatures are noticeably warm, they are not uncomfortable or dangerous.

As the results from GFXBench demonstrate, the Snapdragon 425 maintains peak performance even under prolonged load.

Max. Load
 35.6 °C
96 F
31.6 °C
89 F
30.5 °C
87 F
 
 35.8 °C
96 F
31.2 °C
88 F
31.5 °C
89 F
 
 33.8 °C
93 F
31.1 °C
88 F
32.6 °C
91 F
 
Maximum: 35.8 °C = 96 F
Average: 32.6 °C = 91 F
28.8 °C
84 F
29.7 °C
85 F
33 °C
91 F
29 °C
84 F
29.8 °C
86 F
31.4 °C
89 F
28.9 °C
84 F
30 °C
86 F
31.3 °C
88 F
Maximum: 33 °C = 91 F
Average: 30.2 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  38.9 °C = 102 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.6 °C / 91 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 35.8 °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 33 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.4 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Thermal imaging of the back of the Huawei Y6 2018 under load
Thermal imaging of the back of the Huawei Y6 2018 under load
Thermal imaging of the front of the Huawei Y6 2018 under load
Thermal imaging of the front of the Huawei Y6 2018 under load

Speakers

Pink noise speaker test
Pink noise speaker test

The Y6 2018 has a single mono speaker that is on the underside of the device. While a smartphone speaker will not be passable for music enthusiasts, the speaker is good enough for short-term listening. The speaker has better lows and midrange than its predecessor and does a better job at muting the highest of high tones too. This results in a good sound that is relatively warm and balanced. The speaker tends to sound tinny and unpleasant at maximum volume, which we measured at 84 dB(A). While this is loud, it is 2% quieter than Huawei’s claim of 88 dB(A).

There is a 3.5 mm jack at the top of the device, which outputs sound cleanly to headphones or external speakers. The Y6 2018 comes with Histen sound effects, which allows you to equalize sound and configure settings to best suit your listening device. Our review unit transmits sound via Bluetooth without issue too.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.336.22535.645.23131.341.94037.232.8503835.6632825.78026.525.710024.624.112522.523.61602131.520020.243.825019.648.331518.352.440017.157.250016.75963016.260.980016.262.5100015.467.1125015.269.5160015.272.220001573.125001574.1315015.375.5400015.374.4500015.273.8630015.272800015.372.31000015.471.31250015.258.81600015.241.6SPL27.884.2N155.7median 15.4median 62.5Delta1.812.229.629.929.627.928.927.928.83028.836.647.836.630.534.230.525.726.325.724.528.524.528.131.728.138.536.238.530.423.430.436.121.736.14020.74043.919.643.947.52147.553.820.253.859.818.759.864.718.864.765.717.665.767.117.667.169.516.869.570.116.370.172.816.472.873.916.173.975.916.275.973.81673.870.315.970.370.216.170.273.61673.668.815.868.853.815.953.883.429.983.452.11.452.1median 65.7median 17.6median 65.711.52.811.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei Y6 2018Huawei Y6 2017
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Huawei Y6 2018 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 10.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (2.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (27.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 66% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 28% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 80% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 15% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei Y6 2017 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.8% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.2% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 63% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 31% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 79% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 17% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life

Power Consumption

The Y6 2018 is not very economical in terms of power consumption. Our review unit consumes 6.8 W under load, which is around 7% higher than average consumption under load for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 device. In terms of our comparison devices, the Y6 2018 consumes slightly less than the Moto G5s consumes but is significantly more consumptive under load than both the BQ Aquaris VS and the Nokia 2. Strikingly, the Y6 2018 uses around twice the energy at idle than an average of our comparison devices.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 1.2 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.7 / 2.5 / 3.2 Watt
Load midlight 5.2 / 6.8 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 Y6 2018
3000 mAh
Nokia 2
4100 mAh
Motorola Moto G5s
3000 mAh
BQ Aquaris VS
3100 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917)
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
46%
33%
41%
21%
22%
Idle Minimum *
1.7
0.55
68%
0.67
61%
0.61
64%
1.113 ?(0.54 - 4.02, n=17)
35%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
47%
Idle Average *
2.5
1.02
59%
1.4
44%
1.7
32%
2.19 ?(1.2 - 6, n=17)
12%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
42%
Idle Maximum *
3.2
1.09
66%
1.52
52%
1.71
47%
2.55 ?(1.62 - 6.64, n=17)
20%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
49%
Load Average *
5.2
4.48
14%
4.56
12%
3.02
42%
4.32 ?(2.9 - 9.6, n=17)
17%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-7%
Load Maximum *
6.8
5.32
22%
7.05
-4%
5.31
22%
5.5 ?(4.3 - 7.34, n=17)
19%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-21%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Accordingly, the Y6 2018 has underwhelming battery life. The Y6 2017 lasts 8% longer than its successor in our load battery test and has 15% longer idle runtimes. Comparatively, the Y6 2018 significantly outlasts the Moto G5s. All three devices have 3,000 mAh batteries. The Y6 2018 often rigorously manages apps that consume energy in the background and has two energy-saving modes to preserve battery life. The screen resolution can even be reduced to save energy. The Y6 2018 scored ten hours and forty-three minutes in our Internet browsing battery test with no energy-saving features activated.

Charging the Y6 2018 with the included charger takes over two hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
22h 9min
WiFi Websurfing
10h 43min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
11h 42min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 39min
Huawei Y6 2018
3000 mAh
Nokia 2
4100 mAh
Motorola Moto G5s
3000 mAh
BQ Aquaris VS
3100 mAh
Huawei Y6 2017
3000 mAh
Battery Runtime
31%
-13%
6%
6%
Reader / Idle
1329
1233
-7%
1522
15%
H.264
702
645
-8%
693
-1%
WiFi v1.3
643
840
31%
518
-19%
681
6%
654
2%
Load
279
225
-19%
302
8%

Pros

+ slim and modern looking case
+ good sounding speakers
+ remains cool
+ high contrast display
+ affordable

Cons

- no compass, no fingerprint sensor
- small amount of internal storage
- no 5 GHz WiFi
- there are microphone dropouts in handsfree mode
- occasional stuttering
- high energy consumption

Verdict

The Huawei Y6 2018 in review: test device courtesy of Huawei Deutschland.
The Huawei Y6 2018 in review: test device courtesy of Huawei Deutschland.

The Huawei Y6 2018 is a good package at an affordable price. While you could spend more money on other devices, they will not necessarily have more features than that which the Y6 2018 offers. The Y6 2018 provides good performance for the money. The display is relatively bright and has a good contrast ratio while the GPS is accurate enough to use Google Maps. The cameras take passable photos too. Equally, the speakers sound good and the device stays mostly cool under load.

Naturally, there are some drawbacks with a sub €150 (~$175) device: there is no fingerprint scanner or compass, power consumption is high and there are occasional stutters that disrupt the user experience.

The Huawei Y6 2018 is a good choice for those looking to save some money. Do not expect miracles though.

While the price point limits the praise that we can give, the Y6 2018 still receives a recommendation from us. Simply, the Huawei Y6 2018 offers good performance and value for the money.

Huawei Y6 2018 - 05/17/2018 v6(old)
Florian Wimmer

Chassis
79%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
35 / 60 → 59%
Weight
92%
Battery
93%
Display
83%
Games Performance
7 / 63 → 10%
Application Performance
40 / 70 → 57%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
56 / 91 → 61%
Camera
67%
Average
68%
79%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Florian Wimmer, 2018-05-21 (Update: 2020-05-19)