Huawei Mate 10 Pro New Smartphone Test

Smartphones with large display and minimal edges are in vogue, Samsung has shown its Galaxy S8 with “Infinity Display” in the spring, Apple has recently launched its iPhone X and Huawei has the Mate 10 Pro now with large display and little rand on offer. But the Mate 10 Pro not only looks good, it also offers advanced technology with a chipset that will perform certain tasks much faster than previously known due to AI technology, which is the first time available in a smartphone. There are also dual SIM with LTE on both SIM cards in a single smartphone and an arrow-fast LTE Advanced Pro Cat18 modem for speeds of more than 1 Gbit/s in the LTE network. In the following test, we will check the features of the Huawei mate 10 Pro with advanced technology and chipset.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro: Design & Display

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is made with an approximately 6-inch AMOLED display in 18: 9 format. The display has a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels, in the test, the presentation was very sharp and in terms of color and brightness, there was no reason to complain. OLED typical, the black value is extremely good, but the display is not particularly color stable at an oblique angle.

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro has opted for a glass body. It is certainly a matter of taste, but personally I find a metal case still much more pleasant, even if the glass case without question has a higher quality and visually more powerful than the metal case of its predecessor Huawei Mate 9. Due to the nearly borderless display in 18: 9 format, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is good in the hand, but a one-handed operation is still only with very large hands or with the help of the one-hand zoom mode. For the target group of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, the one-hand operation is unlikely to be relevant anyway.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro: Kirin 970 chipset

At the heart of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the new HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset. The octa-core processor is not only faster and uses less energy than its predecessor; it can also be used for the first time on AI support. The so-called “Neural Processing Unit”, NPU for short, is intended to massively accelerate certain applications such as image recognition. Unfortunately this could not be tested in the test, because applications that use the NPU are still in short supply. With the camera app to use the NPU, the difference to other current smartphones is not quite noticeable. Probably the future has to show, whether the Mate 10 Pro will have a big lead by the NPU or not.

Incidentally, the internal memory of the Huawei Mate 10 is 128 gigabytes in size, whereby only slightly more than 108 GB can be used by pre-installed software. Personally, I think the size of the memory is sufficient, but many users would have liked something more with such an expensive high-end smartphone. Unfortunately, Huawei has no memory expansion option built-in, i.e a microSD card cannot be used. That is incomprehensible…

Huawei Mate 10 Pro: LTE modem

With the LTE modem of HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset, Huawei has made great progress compared to the Mate 9. Not only is the maximum data rate of 1.2 Gigabit/s in the download extremely fast, but the device can be used in a much more countries than its predecessor by a significantly extended frequency band support. In detail, the following frequency ranges are supported:

  • LTE (FDD): B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / B5 / B6 / B7 / B8 / B9 / B12 / B17 / B18 / B19 / B20 / B26 / B28 / B32
  • LTE (TDD): B34 / B38 / B39 / B40 / B41 (2545 ~ 2655MHz)
  • UMTS (3G): B1 / B2 / B4 / B5 / B6 / B8 / B19
  • GSM (2G): 850/900/1800/1900

The modem supports LTE Cat18 and can also bundle up to 5 frequency bands via carrier aggregation in addition to 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology. In the downlink the 256QAM modulation is supported in the LTE network, up to 64QAM are possible in the uplink. Even if only 2 × 2 MIMO antenna technology is available and no frequency bands can be bundled, data rates of up to 200 MBit/s in the downlink and up to 75 MBit/s in the uplink can be achieved. Regarding the dual-SIM feature, the Huawei Mate 10 offers a world first: for the first time, a device supports LTE on both SIM cards slots simultaneously. For example, you can use the Mate 10 Pro as a mobile LTE/WLAN hotspot and at the same time make calls to the device via VoLTE.

 

In the test, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro’s modem made a good impression: data connections were very fast and the reception was very good both in the UMTS network and in the LTE network. Also Wi-Fi speed and quality reception were good, especially the Wi-Fi amplifier or Wi-Fi bridge function liked. This allows you to use an existing Wi-Fi network as an Internet connection and pass it on to other devices via a Wi-Fi hotspot under a “new name”.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro Camera

Not all details of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro are considered in this review, but the Leica dual camera on the Mate 10 Pro definitely deserves a separate section. The camera makes very good quality images and can of course make good shots at night, as you would expect from a current high-end smartphone. The image quality is ensured by a 20 megapixel black and white camera and a 12 megapixel color camera on the back, both with f1.6 aperture.

According to Huawei, the NPU (ie the AI ​​unit of the processor) is also used for the camera; in automatic mode, subjects should be detected more quickly. In practice, however, this is hardly noticeable, as a result, other current top smartphones like the Apple iPhone 8 make at least equally good pictures, even without explicit motif recognition. But according to Huawei, the NPU “learns” over time.

 

Huawei Mate 10 Pro Test: Conclusion

This review does not cover all facts of the Mate 10 Pro, but after the extensive test, the following conclusion remains: With the Mate 10 Pro, Huawei has a very good smartphone in the range. It offers a chic design, a very good camera and very advanced wireless technology. The use of the heavily advertised NPU or the AI ​​functions remains somewhat unclear after the test. Even the missing 3.5mm jack and the missing memory card slot are definitely negative points. Overall, the overall package in comparison with the Apple iPhone X and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the Mate 10 Pro price is even moderate. Thus, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is a strong competitor for the flagship smartphones from Apple and Samsung.

 

Huawei Mate 10 Pro First Impression

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the new flagship smartphone from Huawei. It comes in a new glass design and with a high-resolution 18: 9 display in three different colors now. In addition: a dual camera with f1.6 aperture, 128GB of internal memory and a modern Kirin 970 chipset with Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The LTE Cat18 modem can reach up to 1.2 Gbit/s in the download. The price for the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is quite fair compared to other flagship smartphones such as the Apple iPhone X or the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Today we will take a closer look at the Mate 10 Pro smartphone, and show its details in this article.

Glass body and large OLED display

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro comes with a completely new design compared to its predecessor Huawei Mate 9. The earlier metal back was replaced by a glass back, which is clearly perceptible on all sides. As a result, the Mate 10 Pro is in the palm of your hand thanks to the 18: 9 formats (formerly 16: 9). In the display, Huawei sets a nearly borderless 6 inch OLED, which left a very good impression during the first test. The resolution is 2160 x 1080 pixels.

Kirin 970 chipset with LTE Cat18 support

One of the highlights besides the integrated Leica dual camera is surely the HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset. In addition to an octa core processor with 4 x 2.36 GHz and 4 x 1.8 GHz, this also offers a super-fast LTE modem for data rates of up to 1.2 GBit/s (LTE Advanced Pro category 18). The modem can bundle up to 5 frequency bands (5CC Carrier Aggregation ) and can use the 256QAM modulation. In addition, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is one of the first smartphones with 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology. The number of supported frequency ranges can also be seen, the device can be used worldwide:

  • LTE (FDD): B1 / B2 / B3 / B4 / B5 / B6 / B17 / B18 / B19 / B20 / B26 / B28 / B32
  • LTE (TDD): B34 / B38 / B39 / B40 / B41 (2545 ~ 2655 MHz)
  • UMTS (3G): B1 / B2 / B4 / B5 / B6 / B8 / B19
  • GSM (2G): 850/900/1800/1900

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the first smartphone to support Gigabit LTE networks.

 

 Huawei Mate 10 Pro Software: Android 8 and EMUI 8

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro comes with the operating system Android version 8. The interface is pre-installed with EMUI 8.0, the latest version of the Huawei launcher. According to Huawei, the EMUI version number has skipped some numbers so that the version numbers of Android and EMUI are now identical. In the first test, the software ran smoothly, as you would expect. For easier one-hand operation, EMUI 8.0 has integrated a further improved “Floating Dock” functionality with a “virtual joystick” for the Mate 10 Pro.

 

Camera with NPU support

The Mate 10 Pro is equipped with a dual camera, which was developed in collaboration with Leica like the predecessor. There is an RGB sensor with 12 megapixel resolution and a black and white sensor with 20 megapixel resolution. According to Huawei, the Mate 10 Pro can take very good photos even in low light conditions thanks to the f1.6 optics. In the first test, the pictures really made a good impression, but for exact results one should of course wait for the detailed tests.

According to Huawei, the NPU (“Neural Processing Unit”) of the Kirin 970 chipset ensures a very fast detection of content in the camera image and adjusts accordingly the appropriate camera mode, if desired. In the first test this worked surprisingly well. Videos will be recorded on request in 4K resolution with a maximum of 30 fps, 4K with 60 fps, as supported by the new Apple iPhone 8, while the Mate 10 Pro cannot. The front camera takes photos with up to 8 megapixel resolution and offers an f2.0 aperture.

 

Internal memory without expansion capability

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro comes with 6 GB memory as well as 128 GB internal memory. The memory is very generous compared to many competitors models, but the Mate 10 Pro unfortunately cannot expand the memory via MicroSD card. Why Huawei has saved the slot is a mystery because space would probably have been there, especially since also dual SIM is supported.

 

Further technical data

The battery of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro offers a capacity of 4,000 mAh, it is not interchangeable by the user. The Huawei SuperCharge quick charge function is supported, meaning in a very short time you can recharge the battery.  Since the Mate 10 Pro does not have a 3.5mm jack and cable-connected headphones can only be connected via USB Type C, an adapter from USB Type C is included in the 3.5mm jack plug. A protective cover is included as well.

Huawei Mate 10 Pro: many strengths and few weaknesses

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro has left a good first impression. The device is good in the hand thanks to 18: 9 display format and the glass case. Only the many fingerprints, which are visible after a short time of use, disturb the design somewhat. The built-in technology makes a very good impression, here one can criticize only the missing MicroSD slot as well as the missing 3.5mm jack connection.

 

The device is offered in the colors Titanium Gray, Midnight Blue and Mocha Brown. It’s said many network providers would introduce the Huawei Mate 10 Pro to their plan. Here now, the unlocked version Huawei Mate 10 Pro is available on www.4gltemall.com , you may contact us if you need it.

Huawei Mate 10 — Upcoming Top Smartphone

It will take a month until Huawei will present the Huawei Mate 10 and the Mate 10 Pro in Munich on October 16, but the discussions about the new top models are already in progress. At the moment, the web is all about the design of the new Mate models.

 

In the middle of the week, a video was put into the web, in which the Mate 10 is to be seen. The short clip, however, consists only of several CAD drawings (CAD: computer-aided design), which were made on the basis of the current reports on the Mate 10. Thus, the approximate look of the upcoming smartphone should have been captured, but some details might be different.

 

We can see a smartphone with a dual camera on the back, but not surrounded by the glass inlay we know from the Huawei Mate 9. In addition, the fingerprint sensor is located on the front, which seems odd. Because at the start of the Huawei P10, Huawei explained that the front sensor would only be used on models with a display diagonal up to about 5.5 inches. All larger devices, such as the Huawei Mate 10 with its 5.9 inch screen, should be equipped with a fingerprint sensor on the back.

 

The display of the rendering images to be seen in the video is surrounded by a comparatively wide border, considering that current top smartphones on the market are nearly borderless. Even the trend ratio of 18: 9 seems not to have been respected in the illustrated model. Would Huawei not equal on the Mate 10, or the video just misplayed a wrong picture?

 

Huawei Mate 10 Pro

The fact that the Mate 10 does not seem to follow the trend could also be due to Huawei’s introduction of the Mate 10 Pro on October 16. This should correspond more to the current developments in the display. Because on previously unconfirmed live pictures, a smartphone with a nearly borderless screen and without fingerprint sensor on the front looks like Mate 10 pro. The space thus saved was invested in the display, which seems to have the well-known high-gloss format of 18: 9 or 17: 9. The display diagonal is to be slightly larger with 6.3 inches than with the Mate 10, the resolution is probably 1080 x 2160 pixels.

 

Whether one of the two new Huawei smartphones will have a curved display like the Huawei Mate 9 Pro, remains to be seen. It is already clear that Huawei’s latest processor generation Kirin 970 will be used in the models. It is the first chip system of the manufacturer with a computing unit for neural networks and thus artificial intelligence. The Kirin 970 is manufactured in a very compact 10 nanometer process and, like the predecessor Kirin 960, has four Cortex A73 cores with a clock rate of up to 2.4 GHz and four A53 cores with up to 1.8 GHz. The graphics performance has been improved and an LTE Cat.18 modem is also included.

Huawei Presents HiSilicon Kirin 970 LTE Cat18 Chipset

Huawei presented a new chipset for smartphones at the IFA with the HiSilicon Kirin 970. The Kirin 970 includes a processor, a graphics unit and a mobile radio modem. Especially in the modem, there is some progress compared to the predecessor – the Kirin 960. The Kirin 970 LTE Cat18 supports up to 1.2 GBit/s in the download. In addition, the dual SIM operation supports LTE on both SIM cards at the same time. The Kirin 970 chipset will be used in the Huawei Mate 10 smartphone, which will be presented in mid-October in Munich.

Modern LTE modem

The HiSilicon Kirin 970 is next to the first modem Qualcomm Snapdragon X20, which supports LTE category 18 of the downlink . Thus, speeds of up to 1.2 gigabits per second are possible in a correspondingly developed mobile radio network.

To achieve such high speeds, different 4.5G/LTE Advanced Pro technologies are combined. The Kirin 970 supports, for example, the 4 × 4 MIMO antenna technology and the 256QAM modulation technology. Furthermore, a frequency spectrum of up to 100 MHz can be bundled thanks to the 5CC CA (= five-factor carrier aggregation ).

There is also news about Dual SIM. So far, no smartphone was able to use both SIM slots on LTE at the same time. One of the two cards was therefore always limited to 2G / 3G usage, which is particularly annoying if only an LTE network is available. The Kirin 970 can now also run parallel in the LTE network on both SIM cards, so you can, for example, use the first SIM card to surf via LTE and use the VoLTE in the LTE network via the second card.

Processor, graphics and AI

The HiSilicon Kirin 970 is produced in the 10nm process and is to enable a better battery life than the previous model. An octa-core CPU and a 12-core GPU are integrated in addition to the described modem. The chipset should be particularly suitable for artificial intelligence applications (AI) and be faster and 50x more efficient than a classic quad-core CPU without a AI component through a combination of on-device AI and Cloud AI 25x.