I'm very close to pushing the button on one of these, upgrading from an m8, was going for an HTC 10, but a but pricey, got a deal where I'm paying slightly less a month for what looks like a fairly high end handset.
I'm not sure what I'll make of the OS.. But i can sling nova prime on it till there's some good roms out if it's that bad.
It's an upgrade from the m8 it seems, not fussed about a quad HD screen in the slightest and not paying S7 money for an OS I know I won't like.
The only other slight consideration I think is the g5.. Am I doing the right thing?
I had similar thoughts. Depends on what your priorities are and what you are looking for.
Huawei are a huge company and they are making a big push in the mobile phone sector so I think they will support their devices well in the future. 2 year warranty is pretty good! They are one of the more reliable Chinese brands.
As an all-rounder it's not quite up there with the best but very close. It should definitely be cheaper than the S7, HTC 10, G5 and the likes, mainy because of the following (some of these may not actually matter but do indicate that the phone should be cheaper):
- No 2K display
- No wireless charging
- No super fast charging (has rapid charge but not the fastest and I have heard only a normal charger is included in the box)
- No OIS on the camera
- Kirin 955 SoC is good but not as good as QC 820 and has an older gpu
OS is a bit over the top but actually ok to use once you get used to it (they seemed to have changed things just for the sake of change and not actually make things better) and improving over time. There is some activity on XDA regarding rooting and ROMs etc which is good to know.
There are a lot of positives with this phone though which is why I have chosen to get one soon:
- 5.2" screen is perfect size for me
- Build quality is superb and, in my opinion, looks fantastic (Mystic Silver). Feels nice to hold (even though a bit too tall for me as I'm currently using the amazingly compact LG G2). Sandblasted metal back is much much nicer than glass like the S7, doesn't get as greasy and much fewer fingerprints.
- Truly global network support. It supports a lot more LTE bands than most phones.
- Base config of 3GB/32GB is good
- Fingerprint scanner is one of the best in terms if speed and reliability. Also supports swipe gestures, e.g. swipe down to show the notification panel
- Dual-camera is very good quality and a lot of fun to use. Auto mode not as good as the best (S7 is better) but still produces very good snaps. Dynamic range is very good so produces much more realistic looking photos. If you know what you're doing in the Pro mode then I've seen some stunning photos. The monochrome shots are gorgeous!
- Cheaper!
The LG G5 i'm not sure about. I think the s/w is very good, the camera quality is excellent, and the build is nice. But I find the phone too large for a 5.3" device. If you want the modular add-ons then it's a good device but if not then I think the it depends if you find the size ok. For me, I think they made too many design compromises to make the modular stuff work that I will never use. Nice idea though.
