A flagship smartphone is very good, but again, it's hard for me to recommend it to someone else. A similar situation was experienced while reviewing Flagship from Huawei in the middle of 2020 yesterday. And when the successor, Huawei Mate 40 Pro was present, it turned out to be more or less giving the same impression.
So the first with a chipset sprayed 5nm. The camera sensor was perfected by Leica. Waterfall Display Design with a very elegant combination of gradation colors. The speaker stereo is very high quality, while designed waterproof. Lots of advantages were brought by Huawei, making Huawei Mate 40 Pro very competitive when compared to other flagship.
So, what's not to like, then? What makes this smartphone difficult to recommend? Again, the compatibility of the application in it. A situation that unfortunately still has to walk into now. Almost perfect, but less suitable for me. Will it be suitable for you? Check out the full review below.
Design
All I can promise, starting from the design until the camera will be full of praise from me. Not because it is paid to praise this product (because it doesn't accept a penny to make this review), yes because as flagship, Huawei Mate 40 Pro is indeed as good. Especially the rear camera design that carries a new language style "Space Ring". At first, glance makes me and some people remember the iPod classic.
In addition to Leica's logo that brings a luxurious impression, Huawei Mate 40 Pro also comes with premium curved glass material. The color of the silver mystic which I use has a wide color range gradation - ranging from pink, purple, blue, yellow, and of course silver. The material is not easily dirty or imprinted fingerprints, even though it tends to be slippery without the use of soft cases.
Unlike the previous series, Huawei Mate 40 Pro is still equipped with a physical volume button, even though the virtual button is still available through the arch screen. This smartphone has also pocketed waterproof and dust. IP68 certification. The weight is still quite awake in 212 grams, with a 9.1mm thickness where the camera module is not too thick or poking.
Overall, Huawei Mate 40 Pro looks expensive and quite comfortable to grasp. Little unfortunate, other color variants with vegan material leather are not officially present in several countries. Even though the color choices are quite interesting, they can be a differentiator of the other flagship series.
Screen
The luxury continues to the screen view. When other flagships returned to the flat screen design, Huawei still arms Mate 40 Pro with a horizon display that curved 88 degrees in the left and right corner. Visually, certainly, add expensive value. But how does the software work to increase usage?
The panel itself has a dimension of 6.76 inches, with a resolution of 1344p which provides a 456ppi pixel density. High enough, support HDR10 standards, and already 90Hz (can be constant and adaptive set). Even though the left and right corners are curved sharp enough, the screen is good enough to reject the palm part, aka it's not easy to beat up.
Just worry if it falls or just ahead, anyway. Even though there is already screen protection installed in default, it still must be careful if it falls. Other shortcomings may be felt if they are displaying content that is indeed displayed from the end to the end of the screen, where the content on the curved section will certainly look unclear.
The color reproduction I think is very good, and also bright when used outdoors. Including the sensor of the fingerprint that is instant and responsive even though my finger is easily wet or sweating. At best, the slightly annoying one is the front camera setup that is quite large. Although presenting interesting features.
Camera
One of the key features that are needed on this smartphone is of course in the camera section. In the Space Ring section behind it, there are four sensors, each of which has different functions. The main camera sensor has a resolution of 50MP f / 1.9, has big physical sensor dimensions of 1 / 1.28 inches, and supports the PDAF.
One other sensor that is also seeded is Ultra-Wide 20MP F / 1.8. Yes, you could say the biggest and light in his class, which was also supported by the OCTA PDAF. The sensor when is a 12MP f / 3.4 periscope that gives 5x optical zoom with OIS, plus an autofocus laser sensor to help focus quickly in all lighting conditions.
Using optics from Leica, Huawei veins its AI capabilities that can detect various objects and scenarios, which are then increased in real-time. I think it's quite successful, it's just when used for photos of close objects, sometimes AI automatically replaces the sensor from Wide to Ultra-wide, where of course the photo quality will be a little reduced. Just tap "x" if the suggestion is not suitable.
So what about the quality of the photo? In my opinion, it can certainly compete with the best camera flagship in its class. The results of the three different sensors have a uniform and consistent color accuracy, also details of ultra-wide sensors are still quite awake (despite producing photos in the ratio of 3: 2 and not as wide as other ultra-wide smartphone cameras).
Speaking of the ratio, I was confused Why from last year Huawei did not provide photo options in a 16: 9 ratio. The choice is only 4: 3, 1: 1 (box), or fullscreen. Even though now it is the content of content for Instagram Stories or Tiktok, so it will be a bit troublesome because it has to crop or don't know exactly the right framing. Hopefully, this option can be present through the updated software.
The rarest one I use is the night mode at Huawei Mate 40 Pro. For two reasons; Sometimes photos of auto mode look brighter, and the duration of taking photos is too long. Starting from - + 7 seconds when using the main sensor, until dozens of seconds when using ultra-wide. The positive, auto mode was quiet in dark light conditions.
The negative, if you want to use the night mode so it guesses whether it will become darker (although detail is better) than auto or brighter mode. And also it is less suitable for retrieving objects that cannot be steady or silent.
Apart from the rear camera, the 13MP F / 2.4 front camera at Huawei Mate 40 Pro is also able to provide good details. This sensor is very wide, and even though it is a crop for a faster self-photo, it still looks quality enough. While for video recording, it can't be 8K, indeed. But the 4K 30 / 60fps video quality produced is good. Huawei gave HDR capabilities automatically, and the displacement between sensors was also smooth.
Uniquely, when it first gets into video mode, the default sensor used is ultra-wide. Also present other supporting features such as Steady Shot or manual mode both for photos and videos. Plus filter filters option including the typical Leica camera filter.
Feature
Being a flagship, of course, this Huawei Premium smartphone comes with several gimmick features that I think can increase usage. The first I want to be approved is the motorcycle vibration and the quality of the stereo speakers. Very comfortable when activated for a virtual keyboard, while the speaker makes me rarely turn on the Bluetooth speaker, so good and fast.
Well, besides the front camera, inside the Huawei Mate 40 Pro punch-hole is a 3D Depth Sensing Camera. The Face Unlock feature can still run even though I use a mask. The water scroll feature is also useful when hands are not able to touch the screen glass but want to scroll content on Instagram and YouTube. Plus, the sensor can correct the position of the screen. So even though chili confuses, the screen remains in portrait mode.
The always-on display features also work together with the 3D sensing sensor. If the smartphone is being placed on the table, the user is enough the lyrics of the eye towards the screen, and the Huawei Mate 40 Pro screen will turn on itself. Finished, die alone. Between cool or rather spooky (because it means the sensor is always active 24/7), depending on the perception of you.
Postscript
Just like P40 Pro Plus, Huawei Mate 40 Pro also runs Emui 11 based on Android 10. And of course, without Google Play Services. The alias must use the Huawei Mobile Services alternative provided by Huawei and download the application from Huawei AppGallery. Unfortunately, the situation is still the same as my experience using Emui last months.
Indeed, the application in AppGallery has been far developed (there is already a grab, for example). And applications that are not available can be found from third-party application stores through Petal Search. Can be downloaded, can be installed, but it is not necessarily able to run thanks to the absence of Google Play Services.
Access to YouTube, Google Keep, and Google Photos can still be obtained through a browser or browser (although the experience is far down). Applications from Microsoft such as Edge, Outlook, and To-Do are still functioning, even though To Do always displays not compatible notifications every time accessed.
But then, one day, I have to follow a meeting that uses the Amazon Chime platform. It's installed, but it turns out it can't be accessed. Through the browser, it looks less good. That way, there are no other alternatives besides access from my iPhone or laptop. In my opinion, these things should not happen when they use a flagship, and this is the biggest issue that must be fought by Huawei.
Performance
Running homemade chipsets, Kirin 9000 5G on Huawei Mate 40 Pro is arguably one of the best at the moment. With 5nm fabrication, the clock speed reaches 3.13GHz on the core CPU, coupled with the capacity of the RAM and internal storage of relief. It can still be added via NM card (Nano Memory), a type of memory card that is indeed less common.
With more than 14 billion transistors in it, making this smartphone performance is tight and awake. I rarely find lag, and the temperature is always awake. Likewise with the gaming capabilities, as well as its contribution that makes AI features useful and accurate (like water scrolls above).
And like the current flagship, this chipset also supports 5G. But of course, it is still locked, given the government, regulation has not been completed. A hard processor also serves to present Huawei's special features that can be run with an ecosystem device, such as multi-screen collaboration.
Battery
For smartphones that have a 4,400 mAh battery, Huawei Mate 40 Pro can last all day with my intensive use. The capacity is not as big as other flagship or a mid-range smartphone that reaches 5,000 mAh, it seems that it is helped by a power-efficient chipset.
It's not just a performance, the charging is also fast, supporting the 66W standard via cable and 50W wireless (wireless). With the default adapter (and cable), charging 30 minutes I can reach almost 90% (approximately 45 minutes to fill in the full power). Remember, must use a special adapter and cable, huh. Because the protocol is special, not a power delivery or Qualcomm Quick charge.
Huawei Mate 40 Pro Specifications:
- Type: SmartphoneScreen size: 6.67 inch
- OS version: Android 10.0 EMUI 11, no Google Play Services
- CPU: Qualcomm 9000 5G (5 nm)
- CPU speed: 2.54 GHz Octa-Core
- Internal memory: 256 GB, 512 GB
- RAM: 8 GB
- External memory: microSD
- Battery: Lithium Polymer 4400 mAh, Non-Removable
- Screen resolution: 1344 x 2772 Pixel
- Network: 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G
- Camera: Back 50 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP, Front 13 MP
- Dimensions size: 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm
- Weight: 212 g
- Other features: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass, Barometer
- Price: $ 840.97 (price depends on the place of purchase)
Conclusion
A flagship approaches perfectly, if I describe it, it can't be separated from the following two words: If only. It's good, has a value that is evenly 9 out of 10, starting from the camera, audio, design, performance, screen to the features he carried. Complete package of flagship a dozen million.
But again, the same limitations were still taken to Huawei Mate 40 Pro, namely the absence of service support and Google Applications at EMUI carried. When people (including me) use services from Google for ease of access from various devices, including Apple though.
In my opinion, only that is just the main limit that makes you buy or not buy Huawei Mate 40 Pro. Okay with conditions without Google? Already 'invest' with the Huawei ecosystem? Please buy this smartphone and enjoy all the advantages offered. But if the two questions the answer is 'no', then please search for alternative smartphones in the same price range.