The HUAWEI Mate Xs foldable smartphone has been announced, and will soon be here!
But what’s the difference between the HUAWEI Mate Xs, and the HUAWEI Mate X? Let’s find out!
HUAWEI Mate Xs vs Mate X : What’s Different?
Let’s start with our hands-on experience with the new HUAWEI Mate Xs foldable smartphone. You won’t be able to tell the HUAWEI Mate Xs from the HUAWEI Mate X by touching and feeling them – they both look and feel identical.
The HUAWEI Mate Xs is basically an improved version of their first foldable smartphone, the HUAWEI Mate X.
It features the same design, with an external 8-inch foldable display, and a Leica quad-camera system. But there have been some changes internally.
New 5G Mobile Platform
The HUAWEI Mate X pairs the Kirin 980 mobile SoC with the Balong 5000 5G chip. While that offers 5G connectivity and a good mobile platform, the separate chips mean higher power consumption and thermal output.
The HUAWEI Mate Xs, on the other hand, uses the new Kirin 990 5G mobile SoC, which has a multi-mode 5G modem built in. It also comes with a powerful 16-core ARM Mali-G76 GPU, and a new Da Vinci neural architecture with 2 big NPUs and 1 small NPU.
Improved Cooling
Keeping the Kirin 990 5G cool is a new flexible bionic graphite cooling system that folds with the display, and dissipates heat through both sections. The HUAWEI Mate X does not appear to feature this cooling design.
Improved Falcon Wing Mechanism
While it uses the same foldable design and foldable OLED display, the Falcon Wing mechanism has been improved somewhat in the HUAWEI Mate Xs.
HUAWEI did not reveal when the Mate Xs would be available, but they confirmed that it has a MSRP of €2,499, which works out to roughly US$2,699 / £2,899 / A$3,999 / S$3,699 / RM 10,999.
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HUAWEI just announced their latest flagship tablet – the MediaPad M6 10.8″, which boasts a powerful flagship processor, 2K display and quad speakers tuned by Harman Kardon!
Here is a quick primer on the new HUAWEI MediaPad M6 10.8″ tablet. Find out if this is the tablet you have been waiting for!
The HUAWEI MediaPad M6 10.8″ Tablet
The HUAWEI MediaPad M6 is a flagship tablet, built around the Kirin 980 – a powerful 7 nm mobile SoC, whose performance is further enhanced by their GPU Turbo technology.
In addition, it comes with a IPS touch display with a 2K resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, and HUAWEI ClariVu technology.
For a more cinematic audio experience, HUAWEI also equipped the MediaPad M6 10.8″ with a new quad-channel, quad-speaker sound system tuned by Harman Kardon.
Powering all that is a large 7,500 mAh battery that HUAWEI says will offer a standby time of about 23 days, with video playback time of 11 hours. It also supports 18W fast charging, which lets you fully recharge its large battery in just 2.5 hours.
Smart Magnetic Keyboard (Optional)
Weighing at only 345 g, the smart magnetic keyboard for the HUAWEI MediaPad M6 10.8” gives you a laptop-like working experience.
With an easy-to-use file management system and the ability to smoothly run multiple windows on its large display, the MediaPad M6 10.8″ can easily be your laptop replacement!
HUAWEI M-Pen Lite (Optional)
The M-Pen Lite stylus that will give you natural handwriting and drawing capability on the MediaPad M6 10.8″. It is pressure-sensitive with 2,048 pressure levels, offering greater control and creativity.
HUAWEI MediaPad M6 10.8″ Specifications
Specifications
MediaPad M6 Wi-Fi
MediaPad M6 LTE
Model
SCM-W09
SCM-AL09
Display
10.8-inch IPS display
– 2560 x 1600 pixels, 280 ppi
Operaing System
EMUI 10 (based on Android 10)
Platform
HiSilicon Kirin 980
Processor
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 cores (2.6 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 cores (1.92 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores (1.8 GHz)
GPU
ARM Mali G76 MP10 (720 MHz)
LTE
No
Yes, 4G LTE, WCDMA, GSM
Connectivity
WiFi : WiFi-AC (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : Type C
Audio : 3.5 mm audio jack
LTE : 600 Mbps DL / 75 Mbps UL
WiFi : WiFi-AC (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : Type C
Audio : 3.5 mm audio jack
Storage + RAM
4 GB RAM+ 64 GB storage
4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage
microSD slot : Up to 512 GB
Cameras
Front : 8 MP fixed focus camera
Rear : 13 MP autofocus camera
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes
Other Sensors
Ambient light, Gyroscope, Gravity, Compass, Hall
Battery
7500 mAh lithium polymer battery (3.82 V)
– supports 18 W fast charging
Audio
Quad speakers tuned by Harman Kardon
Dimensions
170.0 mm wide
257.0 mm tall
7.2 mm thick
Weight
489 g
HUAWEI MediaPad M6 10.8″ Price + Availability
The HUAWEI MediaPad M6 10.8” will go on sale in Malaysia on 20 December 2019, starting from RM1,899 / ~US$459 / ~£349 / ~A$665 / ~S$619.
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After a preview launch in June, the HONOR 20 Pro went on sale in August 2019. But guess what – the HONOR 20 Pro is now available in a new Icelandic Frost colour option!
Now, we were not invited to this very exclusive launch, but from what we heard, the new HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost is so cool, it’s just what we need for this hot, hot world!
Here is EVERYTHING you need to know about the HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost model!
It originally launched in four colour options – Sapphire Blue and Midnight Black in Malaysia, with Phantom Black and Phantom Blue available in other countries.
Until yesterday… when HONOR unveiled to their media friends, the new HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost model!
Memory + Storage
The HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost (Price Check) comes with 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory and 256 GB of internal storage.
Cameras
The HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost (Price Check) comes with a 32 MB front camera, and a quad camera system at the back.
A 48 MP main camera with f/1.4 aperture and OIS capability
An 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 and OIS
A 16 MP super-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture
A 2 MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture
The 48 MP main camera on both smartphones use the Sony IMX586 image sensor, and defaults to 12 MP because this allows for better image quality, thanks to the larger “combined” pixel size of 1.6 µm.
Battery
The HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost (Price Check) has a 4,000 mAh battery, and supports 22.5 watt fast charging.
Colour
According to their press release, the Icelandic Frost colour was “inspired by the magnificence of Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon in Iceland – capturing the wonders of the glacier lagoon where icebergs glisten in the sunset, making the smartphone shine like a diamond“.
Well, we did not check it out in person, but we can tell from the photo that HONOR was not lying about how shiny it is!
Look at that mirror finish! So shiny you can use it to reflect the sun’s glare and combat climate change!
Seriously though – it’s so shiny, it doubles as a mirror when you need to apply your make up, or to find out if you have a stalker…
HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost Specifications
Specifications
HONOR 20 Pro
Display
6.26-inch LPTS display
– 1080 x 2340 pixels (412 ppi)
Operating System
Android 9.0 with Magic UI 2.1.0
System Platform
HiSilicon Kirin 980
CPU
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 cores (2.6 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 cores (1.92 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores (1.8 GHz)
NPU
2 x NPU
GPU
ARM Mali-G76
RAM
8 GB LPDDR4x
Storage
256 GB storage
Front Camera
32 MP camera
Rear Cameras
40 MP main camera (f/1.4, OIS) 8 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4, OIS) 16 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2) 2 MP macro camera (f/2.4)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Type C
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, Rear-Mounted
Other Sensors
Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Compass,
Proximity, Gravity, Hall Sensor,
Infra-red Sensor, Colour Temperature
NFC
Yes
Battery
4,000 mAh
22.5 W wired charging
Dimensions
73.97 mm wide
154.25 mm tall
7.87 mm thick
Weight
174 g
HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost Price + Offer For Malaysia
The HONOR 20 Pro Icelandic Frost has a launch price of RM 2,299 in Malaysia, which is approximately ~US$549 / ~£439 / ~A$809.
It is available from 21 September 2019 at retail stores onwards, with online sales kicking off on 23 September 2019. However, you can pre-order it right now!
Here in Malaysia, HONOR is bundling every purchase with a free HONOR Band 5 smartwatch worth RM 199.
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Retail sale of the HUAWEI nova 5T kicks off on 7 September 2019, and here are the top 5 reasons why you should buy this HUAWEI smartphone for just RM 1,599!
The Top 5 Reasons To Buy The HUAWEI nova 5T!
The HUAWEI nova 5T is one of the most compelling mid-range smartphones in the market today, offering flagship-class performance with an exquisite design at a highly affordable price.
Here are the top 5 reasons why you should buy the HUAWEI nova 5T over its competitors :
Reason #1 : The HUAWEI nova 5T has 5 AI cameras!
Different scenes require different lenses, which is why DSLR cameras can switch lenses. Unfortunately, smartphones can’t do that.
The HUAWEI nova 5T works around that problem with five separate AI cameras so you can select the best camera for the scene!
32 MP Selfie Camera
The front 32 MP camera combines a large f/2.0 aperture and 4-in-1 pixel fusion to create brighter, clearer selfies even in poor lighting conditions.
But that’s not all. It automatically uses AI technology to create the best possible selfies by balancing exposure and backlighting, while enhancing the background.
48 MP Main Camera
The 48 MP main camera uses a class-leading 1/2-inch Sony IMX586 sensor with a very bright f/1.8 aperture for professional-quality shots.
At night, the AI-powered Super Night Mode uses intelligent light sensing, image de-noising, long exposure and stabilisation technology to deliver incredible, blur-free photos… without using a tripod!
16 MP Ultra-Wide Camera
Wide-angle photos are incredible at conveying the grand scale of architectures and landscapes, making them look much more dramatic and interesting.
The HUAWEI nova 5T‘s 16 MP ultra-wide camera does that, even at night, thanks to its bright f/2.2 aperture.
2 MP Macro Camera
DSLRs have to use special macro lenses to take close-up photos, but thanks to its dedicated Macro Camera, the HUAWEI nova 5T can take close-up photos from just 4 cm away from the subject!
2 MP depth sensor
The 2 MP depth sensor lets the 48 MP main camera distinguish the background from the subject. The Kirin 980‘s image signal processor uses that information to create stunning portraits with incredible background bokeh in real-time!
Reason #2 : The HUAWEI nova 5T has a premium look and feel
You don’t need to buy an expensive flagship device for that premium look and feel. The HUAWEI nova 5T looks and feels like a flagship device that cost 2-3X as much!
In the front, it boasts an ultra-small 4.5 mm camera cutout, with an astounding 91.6% screen-to-body ratio!
For a better hand feel and grip, HUAWEI used a metal frame made out of aerospace-grade aluminium. It also boasts a 2.5D glass back, with a new 3D holographic effect.
Thanks to these painstaking attention to detail, the HUAWEI nova 5T looks and feels like an ultra-premium flagship smartphone! You have to try it out for yourself!
Interesting Note : The Midsummer Purple version has a monogram pattern with a hidden meaning. When viewed sideways, it looks like a boy stretching his arms to hug a girl.
Reason #3 : The HUAWEI nova 5T delivers flagship performance!
In addition to its four high-performance A76 and four low-power A55 cores, it also comes with a 24-core GPU and two NPUs, which double its graphics and AI performance.
The HUAWEI nova 5T will also automatically optimise its gaming performance using GPU Turbo 3.0, which can boost CPU performance by 75% and GPU performance by 46%.
On top of that, it supports LTE Category 21 download speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps, as well as dual frequency GPS (L5 + L1) for 10X more accurate positioning.
Reason #4 : The HUAWEI nova 5T Level-Up Programme!
If you are an existing HUAWEI nova user, we highly recommend you take advantage of the special HUAWEI nova 5T Level-Up Program!
HUAWEI Member Center Rewards
Please note that HUAWEI nova 5T users can obtain rewards worth up to RM 1,000 through the HUAWEI Member Center app (available from HUAWEI AppGallery).
Viu : 3 months premium subscription
PUMA : Save up to RM 120 with a minimum purchase of RM 400
Sunway Lagoon : 37% discount on entrance tickets
Free deals from GSC, Photobook Malaysia, Baskin-Robbins, etc.
HUAWEI MediaPad M5 lite Price + Availability
At the same time, HUAWEI is also making the MediaPad M5 lite tablet available for sale on 7 September 2019 onwards, with an official recommended retail price of RM 1,299 / ~$309 / ~£249 / ~A$459.
Every purchase of the MediaPad M5 lite will come with these FREE gifts worth RM 268!
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The HUAWEI nova 5T is categorised as a mid-range smartphone from a price perspective. However, it boasts a number of flagship-class features that makes it a STEAL!
Find out why the HUAWEI nova 5T is a great option for those who want flagship features and an exquisite design, at only RM 1,599!
The Kirin 980 is a flagship-class platform that uses a new tri-cluster architecture with :
two 2.6 GHz Cortex-A76 cores for high-performance boost,
two 1.92 GHz Cortex-A76 cores for sustained high-performance, and
four 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 cores for background or less-intensive workloads.
The Kirin 980 also comes with a 24-core ARM Mali-G76 GPU and two NPUs, which double its graphics and AI performance.
On top of that, it supports LTE Category 21 download speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps, as well as dual frequency GPS (L5 + L1) for 10X more accurate positioning.
8 GB Memory + 128 GB Storage!
Also surprising for a mid-range device is its 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory. That is A LOT of memory at this price point.
Its 128 GB internal storage of the UFS 2.1 type is also on the high-side for a mid-range device.
HUAWEI nova 5T Boasts An Exquisite Design!
The HUAWEI nova 5T has a large 6.26-inch IPS display, with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels.
Thanks to its ultra-small 4.5 mm camera cutout, it has an astounding 91.6% screen-to-body ratio!
For a better hand feel and grip, HUAWEI used a metal frame made out of aerospace-grade aluminium. It also boasts a 2.5D glass back, with a new 3D holographic effect.
Thanks to these painstaking attention to detail, the HUAWEI nova 5T looks and feels like an ultra-premium flagship smartphone! You have to try it out for yourself!
HUAWEI nova 5T Has 5 AI Cameras!
Featuring the latest punch hole design, the HUAWEI nova 5T boasts a very high-resolution 32 MP front AI camera.
In addition to a wide f/2.0 aperture, this front AI camera also has the ability to combine 4 pixels into one, for superior low-light 8 MP photos!
At the back, it boasts a four more AI cameras :
a 48 MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture
a 16 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
a 2 MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture
a 2 MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture
The 48 MP main camera defaults to a 12 MP mode, which combines four pixels to create a Super Pixel – delivering superior image quality with low noise levels. But you can switch it to the full 48 MP pixel mode too.
The 2 MP depth sensor does not actually take any photos. Rather, it lets the main camera better differentiate the subject from its background, allowing for more realistic software bokeh effects.
HUAWEI calls them AI cameras because they boast these AI features :
AI HDR+ algorithm for balanced exposure against backlight
Enhanced AI beautification algorithm
AI Image Stabilisation cancels out blurring caused by handshake
AIS Super Night Mode – combines up to 16 different exposures to create one magnificent night shot
Master AI – automatically identifies the scene and subject, and enhances the image
Battery + Fast Charging
The HUAWEI nova 5T has a large 3,750 mAh battery, which should last a full day of normal use.
Coupled with GPU Turbo 3.0, it will also help gamers play for hours on end.
For longer gaming sessions, you will be glad to know it supports 22.5 watt fast charging, even when some flagship smartphones still rely on slower fast charging technologies.
According to HUAWEI, you can recharge its battery by 50% in just 30 minutes!
HUAWEI nova 5T Price + Availability
The HUAWEI nova 5T has an official recommended retail price of RM 1,599 / ~$379 / ~£309 / ~A$559.
It is available for pre-order from 29 August until 5 September 2019, with these exclusive gifts :
HUAWEI is preparing a Level-Up Program for current HUAWEI nova users.
However, that will only open up from 7 September onwards at official HUAWEI Stores.
HUAWEI MediaPad M5 lite Price + Availability
At the same time, HUAWEI is also making the MediaPad M5 lite tablet available for pre-order from 29 August until 5 September 2019, with an official recommended retail price of RM 1,299 / ~$309 / ~£249 / ~A$459.
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HUAWEI just introduced a new mid-range smartphone with 5 AI cameras – the HUAWEI nova 5T, and we had an exclusive opportunity to get some hands-on time with all three colours!
Here is our hands-on preview of the new HUAWEI nova 5T, including a colour comparison of all three colour options!
HUAWEI nova 5T Price + Availability
First of all, a quick primer on the HUAWEI nova 5T price and availability.
HUAWEI is offering it in three colour options – Black, Crush Blue and Midsummer Purple. When we recorded this video, they had not yet confirmed the colour names.
The HUAWEI nova 5T has an official recommended retail price of RM 1,599 / ~$379 / ~£309 / ~A$559.
It is available for pre-order from 29 August until 5 September 2019.
HUAWEI categorises the nova 5T as a mid-range smartphone, from a price point-of-view. However, it has a number of flagship-class features that make it a steal!
On the left side, you will only find the dual SIM tray…
The Power button is on the right side (together with the Volume control), and doubles as a fingerprint sensor.
At the top, you can see an IR emitter (so it can be used as a remote control), a second microphone port, and the top speaker port.
At the bottom, you will find a USB Type C port flanked by the speaker ports and a microphone port.
In case you missed it, the HUAWEI nova 5T does NOT have a 3.5 mm audio port.
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Flagship-Class Kirin 980 Platform
Unbelievably, the HUAWEI nova 5T runs on the flagship-class Kirin 980 platform.
The Kirin 980 also uses a new 2+2+4 cluster architecture, with two ARM Cortex-A76 high-performance cores running at 2.6 GHz, two additional ARM Cortex-A76 cores running at 1.92 GHz and four ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.8 GHz for background or less-intensive workloads.
It also comes with a 24-core ARM Mali-G76 GPU and two NPUs, which should double both its graphics and AI performance.
On top of that, it supports LTE Category 21 download speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps, as well as dual frequency GPS (L5 + L1) for 10X more accurate positioning.
8 GB Memory + 128 GB Storage!
Also surprising for a mid-range device is its 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory. That is A LOT of memory at this price point.
Its 128 GB internal flash storage of the UFS 2.1 type is also on the high-side for a mid-range device. That said, it doesn’t come with a microSD card slot…
32 MP Front AI Camera!
Featuring the latest punch hole design, the HUAWEI nova 5T boasts a very high-resolution 32 MP front AI camera.
In addition to a wide f/2.0 aperture, this front AI camera also has the ability to combine 4 pixels into one, for superior low-light 8 MP photos!
HUAWEI calls it an AI camera because its photos are enhanced by these AI algorithms :
AI HDR+ algorithm for balanced exposure against backlight
Enhanced AI beautification algorithm
AI scenes recognition for intelligent scene optimisation
Quad Rear AI Cameras!
At the back, the HUAWEI nova 5T boasts a quad AI camera system, that consists of :
a 48 MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture
a 16 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
a 2 MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture
a 2 MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture
The 48 MP main camera defaults to a 12 MP mode, which combines four pixels to create a Super Pixel – delivering superior image quality with low noise levels. But you can switch it to the full 48 MP pixel mode too.
The 2 MP depth sensor does not actually take any photos. Rather, it lets the main camera better differentiate the subject from its background, allowing for more realistic software bokeh effects.
HUAWEI calls them AI cameras because they boast these AI features :
AI Image Stabilisation cancels out blurring caused by handshake
AIS Super Night Mode – combines up to 16 different exposures to create one magnificent night shot
Master AI – automatically identifies the scene and subject, and enhances the image
HUAWEI nova 5T Specifications
Specifications
HUAWEI nova 5T
Display
6.26-inch AMOLED display
- 1080 x 2340 pixels
Protection
NA
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Platform
HiSilicon Kirin 980
Processor
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 (2.6 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 (1.92 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
NPU
2 x NPU
Graphics Processor
ARM Mali-G76
Memory
8 GB LPDDR4x memory
Storage
128 GB internal UFS 2.1 storage
No microSD card slot
Front Camera
32 MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture
Rear Cameras
Quad Camera System
- 48 MP camera with f/1.8 aperture
- 16 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 2 MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 2 MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
SIM Support
2 x nano SIM cards
Dual SIM, Dual Standby capable
NFC
No
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, Side Power Button
Other Sensors
NA
Battery
3,750 mAh lithium-ion battery
- supports 22.5 W fast charging
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Thanks to the Trump ban, HUAWEI has been forced to shift gears, and will soon reveal a new laptop that runs Windows 10 on ARM processors, instead of Intel x86 processors!
Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming HUAWEI Windows 10 on ARM laptop, and what this would mean to you as a consumer!
The HUAWEI Trump Ban Strikes Again!
The HUAWEI Trump ban just scored another kill – a new HUAWEI MateBook model that was supposed to be revealed at MWC Shanghai 2019.
HUAWEI has delayed that MateBook laptop launch indefinitely, because they can no longer source components from US companies like Intel, it would not be possible to ship the new MateBook laptop.
They also “paused production” of their PC business because of supply restrictions on US components.
Global Times claims that HUAWEI will introduce this new laptop sometime in July 2019.
Yes, that’s just weeks away, although we have to point out that the Global Times is part of the Chinese state media, and their often bombastic claims have to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Windows 10 on ARM (WoA) is a Microsoft initiative to introduce the ability to run the Windows 10 operating system and apps on ARM-based systems.
Windows 10 on ARM is not new. It was first demonstrated at a Windows Hardware Engineering event in China, back in December 2016. And Microsoft later released this demo video :
From the 2018 Fall Creators Update onwards, the Pro and S editions of Windows 10 can run on systems powered by ARM64 processors.
Built-in Windows 10 apps like Edge, Cortana, the Start menu and Explorer were recompiled to run natively on ARM64 / ARM32.
Windows 10 on ARM will run ARM32 and ARM64 apps natively, and will run x86 apps under emulation.
An analyst at the China Merchant Securities told Global Times that, “The new laptop’s system will run based on ARM architecture that supports Windows, which shows that the cut-off of some technologies has very little impact on Huawei.”
Very little impact? While we admire his patriotism, that’s just utter bullshit.
Performance Limitation
The HiSilicon Kirin 980 and the upcoming Kirin 985 are flagship-class mobile SoCs, with eight ARM processor cores – four high-speed cores + four low-power cores. Its ARM Mali-G76 GPU has 10 cores running at 750 MHz.
However, they are no match for Intel Core processors, or AMD’s mobile Ryzen processors. These mobile CPUs are not only much more powerful, they have faster graphics cores that run at higher speeds.
The key advantage of ARM-based processors is power-efficiency, not raw performance.
The HiSilicon Kirin 980 and Kirin 985 are designed for mobile devices. So even though they support quad memory channels, they can only support up to 8 GB of memory.
Laptops that run on x86 processors from Intel and AMD can support up to 64 GB of memory.
Windows 10 On ARM Limitations
Shifting to Windows 10 on ARM is an obvious workaround for HUAWEI’s troubles, but it is not without its own set of problems.
No support for 64-bit x86 apps : WoA can only run 32-bit x86 apps, which are limited to the first 4 GB of memory. 64-bit x86 apps must be recompiled into native ARM64 code to run on WoA.
No support for shell extensions : Apps that use shell extensions must be recompiled for ARM64 to run on WoA.
Limited driver support : WoA require ARM64 drivers, and (obviously) cannot use existing x86 drivers. This imposes a limit on hardware configurations that will work with WoA.
No OpenGL support (yet) : Windows supports OpenGL 1.1, but due to lack of NVIDIA or AMD driver support (see above), OpenGL games and apps will not run. Currently, WoA is limited to DirectX apps and games.
In other words, it will have limited access to Windows 10 apps. Even though it can run 32-bit versions in emulation mode, they will be slower and be limited to the first 4 GB of memory.
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The HONOR 20 Pro and HONOR 20 smartphones have just been launched, both in London and in Kuala Lumpur!
Let’s take a look at these latest HONOR flagship smartphones with 4 rear cameras – their key features, the official launch presentation, and their prices and offers!
What Trump Ban? HONOR 20 Series Launched!
In spite of the ongoing troubles with the Trump Administration, HONOR went ahead and launched their latest HONOR 20 series flagship smartphones!
In their launch presentation, details were short on their response to the Trump ban. They would only say that they are confident of supporting their customers, and that they are here to stay.
Now, the phones on display at the launch had Google Play services and Play Store installed. But as you will see later, they are both not available for sale just yet.
HONOR 20 Series Key Features
Both models have the same 6.26-inch LPTS display, and run on the same HUAWEI Kirin 980 mobile SoC.
They too have the same 32 MP front camera, and the same colour options – Sapphire Blue and Midnight Black in Malaysia, with Phantom Black and Phantom Blue available in other countries.
They differ in three main areas, specifically…
Memory + Storage
The HONOR 20 has 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory and 128 GB of internal storage, with while the Pro version comes with 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory and 256 GB of internal storage.
Rear Cameras
Both devices feature a quad camera system at the back. However, there are quite big differences :
The HONOR 20 has a 48MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture, while Pro version features a wider, brighter f/1.4 aperture and adds OIS capability.
The HONOR 20 has a 2MP depth sensor, instead of the Pro version’s 8MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 and OIS.
They both have the same 16MP super-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture.
They both have the same 2MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture.
The 48 MP main camera on both smartphones use the Sony IMX586 image sensor, and defaults to 12 MP because this allows for better image quality, thanks to the larger “combined” pixel size of 1.6 µm.
Battery
The HONOR 20 has a 3,750 mAh battery, while the Pro version has a slightly larger 4,000 mAh battery. They both support 22.5 watt fast charging.
HONOR 20 Series Specifications
Specifications
HONOR 20 Pro
HONOR 20
Display
6.26-inch LPTS display
- 1080 x 2340 pixels (412 ppi)
6.26-inch LPTS display
- 1080 x 2340 pixels (412 ppi)
Operating System
Android 9.0 with Magic UI 2.1.0
Android 9.0 with Magic UI 2.1.0
System Platform
HUAWEI Kirin 980
HUAWEI Kirin 980
Processor
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 (2.6 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 (1.92 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 (2.6 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 (1.92 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
NPU
2 x NPU
2 x NPU
Graphics Processor
ARM Mali-G76
ARM Mali-G76
Memory + Storage
8 GB + 256 GB
6 GB + 128 GB
Dust + Water Resistance
No
No
Front Camera
32 MP AI camera
32 MP AI camera
Rear Camera
Quad Camera System
- 48 MP main camera with f/1.4 lens and OIS
- 16 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens and OIS
- 2 MP macro camera with f/2.4 lens
- Laser autofocus
Quad Camera System
- 48 MP main camera with f/1.8 lens
- 16 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 2 MP macro camera with f/2.4 lens
- 2 MP depth sensor
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
GPS
GPS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
Galileo : E1 + E5a Dual Band
QZSS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
AGPS, GLONASS ,Beidou
GPS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
Galileo : E1 + E5a Dual Band
QZSS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
AGPS, GLONASS ,Beidou
Battery
4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- supports 22.5 W fast charging
3,750 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- supports 22.5 W fast charging
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, Rear-Mounted
Yes, Rear-Mounted
Other Sensors
Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Compass, Proximity, Gravity, Hall Sensor, Infra-red Sensor
Colour Temperature
Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Compass, Proximity, Gravity, Hall Sensor, Laser Sensor
Colour Temperature
NFC
Yes
Yes
Dimensions
73.97 mm wide
154.25 mm tall
7.87 mm thick
73.97 mm wide
154.25 mm tall
7.87 mm thick
Weight
174 grams
174 grams
Colour Options
Sapphire Blue / Midnight Black / Phantom Blue / Phantom Black
Sapphire Blue / Midnight Black / Phantom Blue / Phantom Black
HONOR 20 Series Price + Availability
HONOR is only launching the HONOR 20 here in Malaysia, with the Pro version “coming shortly”. They also announced the prices of the HONOR Flypods Lite and HONOR Soundstone.
Here are the official global and local HONOR 20 series price list, including new HONOR accessories :
At the time they announced the HONOR 20 price list, they did not specify exactly when they would be available, only that they will be available “very soon“, due to the Trump ban…
However, we can now confirm that they will be made available for sale starting 21 June 2019.
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HUAWEI just unveiled the P30 Series smartphones, which boast their most advanced camera system with enhanced optical and AI image stabilisation technology.. Here are the official HUAWEI P30 Pro and P30 price list, colour options and complete specifications!
The HUAWEI P30 Series Smartphones Compared
The HUAWEI P30 Series consists of the standard P30 with a 6.1-inch display, as well as a larger P30 Pro with a 6.46-inch display.
Both models run on the HUAWEI Kirin 980 mobile SoC, and come with either 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, and storage options of 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB.
They both also come with an in-display fingerprint sensor, as well as a high-resolution 32 MP front camera. Now, let’s see how they differ!
Quad Camera System
- 40 MP main camera with f/1.6 lens and OIS
- 20 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens and OIS
- Time-of-Flight camera
Triple Camera System
- 40 MP main camera with f/1.8 lens and OIS
- 16 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens and OIS
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
GPS
GPS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
Galileo : E1 + E5a Dual Band
QZSS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
AGPS, GLONASS ,Beidou
GPS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
Galileo : E1 + E5a Dual Band
QZSS : L1 + L5 Dual Band
AGPS, GLONASS ,Beidou
Battery
4,200 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- supports 40 W fast charging
- supports 15 W wireless quick charge
3,650 mAh lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- supports 22.5 W fast charging
Fingerprint Sensor
Yes, In-Display
Yes, In-Display
Other Sensors
Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Compass, Proximity, Gravity, Hall Sensor, Infra-red Sensor
Colour Temperature
Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Compass, Proximity, Gravity, Hall Sensor, Laser Sensor
Colour Temperature
NFC
Yes
Yes
Dimensions
73.4 mm wide
158.0 mm tall
8.41 mm thick
71.36 mm wide
149.1 mm tall
7.57 mm thick
Weight
192 grams
165 grams
Colour Options
Breathing Crystal, Amber Sunrise, Aurora, Pearl White and Black
Breathing Crystal, Amber Sunrise, Aurora, Pearl White and Black
Although the HUAWEI P30 series has now been launched globally, it will only be launched locally in stages. Here in Malaysia, HUAWEI will launch them next Tuesday, on 2 April 2019.
You can register your interest in advanced, to receive a FREE RM 10 accessories voucher!
Note that this is NOT a pre-order. You are just submitting your email address to get notified about the HUAWEI P30 series.
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The new HONOR View20 smartphone boasts a 48 MP main camera, paired with a 3D TOF camera. Is the 48 MP camera a game changer? What on earth is a 3D TOF camera?
In our preview, we will take a close look at the HONOR View20, and share with you details on its 48 MP main camera, and the 3D TOF camera!
The New HONOR View20 Smartphone
The HONOR View20 is built around the new Hisilicon Kirin 980 mobile SoC, with two variants – 6 GB RAM with 128 GB storage, or 8 GB RAM with 256 GB storage.
The large storage capacity is important, because the View20 lacks a microSD card slot.
The HONOR team extended their experience with advanced nanolithography coating technologies to develop a new V-shaped colour gradient with a gleaming effect for the View20’s back panel.
They also managed to pack a large 4,000 mAh battery into its svelte form factor, with 22.5 watt fast charging capabilities.
HONOR View20 Price + Availability
The HONOR View20 will be available in four colour options, three of which are shown in this video :
It will be available in two variants, with the following launch prices :
Like the recently-launched HUAWEI nova 4, the HONOR View20 has a 6.4-inch display with a punch hole 25 MP front camera, which allows it deliver a 91.8% screen-to-body ratio.
Flagship Processor + Graphics + AI
The HONOR View20 is powered by the Hisilicon Kirin 980, which is the first 7 nm mobile SoC in the world. It is also the first to come with two NPUs, a Cat.21 modem and support for faster LPDDR4X-2133 memory.
The Kirin 980 also uses a new 2+2+4 cluster architecture, with two ARM Cortex-A76 high-performance cores running at 2.6 GHz, two additional ARM Cortex-A76 cores running at 1.92 GHz and four ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.8 GHz for background or less-intensive workloads.
It also comes with a 24-core ARM Mali-G76 GPU and two NPUs, which should double both its graphics and AI performance.
On top of that, it supports LTE Category 21 download speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps, as well as dual frequency GPS (L5 + L1) for 10X more accurate positioning.
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48 MP + 3D TOF Cameras
While the HUAWEI nova 4 opted to go with a triple camera setup, the HONOR team chose a dual camera module for the View20. It pairs a 48 MP main camera with a 3D TOF camera.
The 48 MP main camera has a large ½-inch Sony IMX586 sensor, with 48 million pixels – each 0.8 micron in size. It is paired with a fast, bright f/1.8 lens, which would give it excellent low-light performance.
The second camera is a ToF (Time of Flight) camera, which does not actually take any photos.
Paired with an LED emitter that sends out pulses of invisible near infra-red light, its sensor captures the reflected light to create a 3D map of objects and their distances.
This 3D TOF camera also allows the View20 to more accurately separate the subject of your photograph from the background, for better retouching of the subject and background blurring.
It can also turn the View20 into a motion-controlled gaming console with compatible games.
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HONOR View20 Specifications
Specifications
HONOR View20
HONOR View10
Display
6.4-inch All-View display
- 1080 x 2310 pixels
5.99" FullView Display
- 1080 x 2160 pixels
- 18:9 aspect ratio, 402 ppi
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie with Magic UI 2.0.1
Android 8.0
Platform
Hisilicon Kirin 980
HiSilicon Kirin 970
Processor
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 cores (2.6 GHz)
2 x ARM Cortex-A76 cores (1.92 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores (1.8 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A73 cores (2.4 GHz)
4 x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.8 GHz)
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Triple Leica Camera System
- 40 MP wide-angle camera with f/1.8 lens
- 20 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens
Triple Leica Camera System
- 40 MP wide-angle camera with f/1.8 lens
- 20 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens
Triple Leica Camera System
- 12 MP wide-angle camera with f/1.8 lens
- 16 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens
Connectivity
Network : LTE Cat. 21, LTE Cat. 13
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB 3.1 Type C
Network : LTE Cat. 21, LTE Cat. 13
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB 3.1 Type C
Network : LTE Cat. 21, LTE Cat. 13
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB 3.1 Type C
Water-Resistance
Some, IP53
Yes, IP68
Some, IP54
Battery
5,000 mAh Li-Po battery
- supports fast-charging
4,200 mAh Li-Po battery
- supports fast-charging
- supports 15 W wireless charging
4,000 mAh Li-Po battery
- supports fast-charging
- supports 15 W wireless charging
HUAWEI Mate 20 Series Price + Availability
After overtaking Apple, HUAWEI is aiming its sights at Samsung. It is a steep mountain to climb, with a huge gap in their sales, and the overwhelming popularity of the Samsung Galaxy Note9, but they’re counting on the Mate 20 will help them gain on Samsung.
They officially released the Mate 20 smartphones for sale on 27 October 2018, with overwhelming response.
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The HUAWEI Mate 20 Up Close!
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) boasts a large 6.53-inch IPS display, with a resolution of 1080 x 2244 pixels. But thanks to its thin bezels, it does not feel like an overly large device.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) runs on the new HiSilicon Kirin 980 platform using Android Pie. It comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory, and 128 GB of internal flash storage. All that is powered by a large 4,000 mAh battery, in a chassis that is only 8.3 mm thick, and weighs just 188 grams.
Dewdrop Notch
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) has a large 6.53-inch IPS display, with a resolution of 1080 x 2244 pixels. To maximise the display area, while minimising the actual device size, it uses very thin bezels and a dewdrop notch. Also known as a raindrop notch, this is a very small notch that gives us a larger notification area.
HUAWEI Kirin 980
Although Apple was the first to launch smartphones with a 7nm mobile SoC, the HUAWEI Kirin 980 is technically the first 7 nm mobile SoC in the world. It is also the first to come with two NPUs, a Cat.21 modem and support for faster LPDDR4X-2133 memory.
The Kirin 980 also uses a new 2+2+4 cluster architecture, with two ARM Cortex-A76 high-performance cores running at 2.6 GHz, two additional ARM Cortex-A76 cores running at 1.92 GHz and four ARM Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.8 GHz for background or less-intensive workloads.
It also comes with a 24-core ARM Mali-G76 GPU and two NPUs, which should double both its graphics and AI performance. On top of that, it supports LTE Category 21 download speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps, as well as dual frequency GPS (L5 + L1) for 10X more accurate positioning.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) comes with a hybrid SIM + NM card tray. It has slots for two nano SIM cards, but the second SIM slot can be filled with an NM card for extra storage (up to 256 GB).
What is an NM card? Short for Nano Memory, the NM card is a HUAWEI invention that is basically a smaller version of the microSD card. In fact, it is shaped exactly like a nano SIM card, and is designed to fit the same slot.
While NM card may be the future, it is quite hard to get hold of – only HUAWEI makes and sells them. And they are pricier than microSD cards – the 128 GB NM card costs £55 in the UK, and RM 299 here in Malaysia.
Unless you are prepared to pay a premium for an NM card, be prepared to live without additional storage…
Fingerprint Sensor
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) features a rear fingerprint sensor, located right below the square camera module at the back. This is a very fast and accurate fingerprint sensor that is easy to train and use.
Like all other rear fingerprint sensors – it cannot be used while the Mate 20 is mounted on a car dashboard.
Its close proximity to the Leica camera module increases the risk that you will smear their lenses while trying to locate the sensor… which is made even more likely by the sensor’s almost completely flat profile, which offers little tactile sensation.
Fortunately, the cutout in the TPU case that comes with the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) helps guide your finger to the sensor.
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The HUAWEI Mate 20 Front Camera
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) has serious photography chops. In the front, it has a very high-resolution 24 MP camera with f/2.0 lens.
In this close-up shot, you can just about make out the light sensor to its upper left, and the row of tiny speaker ports.
The front camera takes 24 MP photos with a resolution of 5632 x 4224 pixels. Despite its very high resolution, the front camera is limited to recording 720p videos.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 Leica Triple Cameras
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY)’s key selling point though is its Leica triple camera system in the back. It consists of three different cameras, supported by an LED flash :
12 MP sensor with standard lens and f/1.8 aperture
16 MP sensor with wide-angle lens and f/2.2 aperture
8 MP sensor with 2X telephoto lens, and f/2.4 aperture
All three cameras support laser autofocus, phase focus and contrast focus, as well as HUAWEI AI Image Stabilisation. Let’s check out how useful the three cameras are in these three photo comparisons, which you can click on to check out the full, original photos :
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Hyper Optical Pattern
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) is available in four colours – Black, Twilight, Midnight Blue and Emerald Green. They all have a special glass texture which is non-slip and anti-fingerprint.
The Midnight Blue and Emerald Green colours are unique though, because they have a unique Hyper Optical Pattern, which you can see below.
The Hyper Optical Pattern is not just about looks though. It also imparts a matte finish that gives you a better grip, with a textured surface that is resistant to fingerprint smears.
Bigger Battery + Wireless Charging
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The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) come with a bigger 4,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, which should allow it to last longer, especially with its more efficient 7 nm Kirin 980 SoC.
It supports the HUAWEI SuperCharge fast charging technology. With its 22.5 watt charger, you just need 30 minutes to get from 1% to 58%!
It also supports 15 watt fast wireless charging. However, it does not support reverse wireless charging. That feature is only available in the Mate 20 Pro.
Ergonomics
Despite its larger 6.53-inch display, the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) is slightly smaller than the Samsung Galaxy Note9! Of course, one may argue that it’s not a true 6.53-inch display due to its display notch.. even though it is a small dewdrop notch.
Thanks to its relatively small form factor, it fits quite well in our hands. It is still a two-handed device, of course, but it will fit better in your pocket than the longer Galaxy Note9. We also like its textured back which gives a better grip, and is more resistant to fingerprint smears.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) lacks the higher-resolution and more brilliant WQHD+ OLED display of the higher-end HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, or the Samsung Galaxy Note9. But it’s not something you would notice unless you compare them side-by-side. More importantly, it’s bright enough to use outdoors without looking washed out.
Please note that its FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2244 pixels results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of the movie.
Available Memory & Storage
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) does not allow monitoring of the available system memory, but this workaround showed that with a clean system, it has between 2.9 GB and 3.3 GB of free memory.
That is between 48% and 55% of its 6 GB memory, and is more than enough to run several memory-guzzling apps at the same time. However, it does point to a considerable amount of bloat.
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) comes with 128 GB of internal flash storage, with about 113 GB of free space to use. This is enough space to store about 31,000 photos, 19 hours of 1080p videos, or 11 hours of 4K videos.
There is thankfully A LOT of free space for you to use, because you can’t just pop in a microSD card for extra storage. The Mate 20 offers storage expansion only using their NM card. You can buy 128 GB NM card for £55 in the UK, and RM 299 here in Malaysia.
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HUAWEI Mate 20 Camera Performance – Photos
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) has a main 12 MP camera with f/1.8 lens. The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4608 x 3456 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are fourteen full-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
The resolution and detail of the HUAWEI Mate 20‘s main camera is truly incredible. Download the original photos and expand them to see how much detail it captured.
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We especially love its macro capability, which allows you to take really close-up shots. Many competing cameras lack a macro mode, and have trouble focusing close up.
The f/1.8 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nice bokeh effect. But you have to be more careful in framing the shot, because the subject may end up out-of-focus.
If you need a stronger bokeh effect, the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) has a Wide Aperture mode, which is very similar to the Live Focus capability of the Samsung Galaxy Note9.
It basically uses the main camera as a depth sensor, to help the telephoto camera in separating the subject from the background. This allows the Mate 20 to apply a software bokeh effect to the background. You can adjust the amount of bokeh effect after taking the photo.
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HUAWEI Mate 20 Camera Performance – Video Recording
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) can record not just 1080p videos, but also 4K videos, from its main camera. Surprisingly, its front camera can only record 720p videos even though it has a much higher-resolution sensor.
HUAWEI has traditionally been weak in video recording capabilities, so let’s see how well the Mate 20 fares in this regard…
Video Recording Test #1 : Piano Performance (1080p)
In Mr. Yang’s live rendition of one of Emil Chau’s best songs – Friends, you can see just how sharp and detailed the video is, and just how well its electronic image stabilisation (EIS) worked. Note too how the Mate 20 allows you to switch between its three cameras while recording the video.
The only problem we have with the Mate 20 is its rather poor noise cancellation capabilities. It really detracts from its rather rich audio range.
Instead of focusing on the audio from the back, and using the other microphones to cancel sound from other directions, it just recorded from all directions.
Video Recording Test #2 : Piano Performance (4K)
In his rendition of The Last Waltz from 1967, you will see some autofocus issues in the beginning. But the image quality was very good, and so was its electronic image stabilisation (EIS) capabilities.
Its ability to zoom in and out of the scene was also incredibly useful, although there’s a weird jerk after each switch. It’s certainly not seamless as it is with the Samsung Galaxy Note9.
The recorded audio was, however, richer than the Galaxy Note9, albeit with less than stellar noise cancellation. However, in this video, the lack of noise cancellation worked to its benefit – you can hear people from the sides and the back singing.
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Video Recording Test #3 : Street Market (1080p)
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) does not support optical image stabilisation (OIS), but it has pretty good electronic image stabilisation (EIS) capabilities. While not as smooth as smartphones with OIS cameras, it does a good job of preventing you from creating nausea-inducing videos.
Video Recording Test #4 : Street Market (4K)
When we switched to 4K, EIS was thankfully still enabled. However, we noticed that it was less effective at this higher resolution, compared to when we recorded the 1080p video above.
Do note though how much richer the audio recording is. HUAWEI definitely did a better job in the audio department, although they could do better at noise cancellation.
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the HUAWEI Mate 20’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
The new HiSilicon Kirin 980 demonstrated just how fast it is. It beat the Honor Play, which uses the last-generation Kirin 970, by almost 39%! It was almost 84% faster than the Exynos 9810 used in the Samsung Galaxy Note9, and is 90% faster than the Exynos 7885 used in the Galaxy A7 2018.
Gaming Performance – 3DMark
Next, we tested the HUAWEI Mate 20’s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
We then tested the HUAWEI Mate 20’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
Even though it has the same battery capacity as the Samsung Galaxy Note9, and is almost twice as fast in the Work 2.0 test, the Mate 20 lasted two hours longer in this stress test!
This means the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) is about 20% more efficient than the Galaxy Note9. VERY IMPRESSIVE!
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Battery Recharging Performance
The HUAWEI Mate 20 comes with a 22.5 watt HUAWEI SuperCharge power adaptor. Let’s see how fast it recharges the 4,000 mAh battery.
It took the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) just over 118 minutes (1 hour 58 minutes) to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%. Not particularly good performance, considering it’s using a high-powered 22.5 watt charger.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9, in comparison, took under 107 minutes (1 hour 47 minutes) to recharge its 4,000 mAh battery with a less powerful 15 watt charger. The Note9 is thus 9% faster and 14% more efficient than the Mate 20 in this aspect.
This slower battery recharging speed gives the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) a battery life : recharging ratio of 6.3 : 1 – a good ratio. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, charge it for 9.5 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 90% level. This took just under 84 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 35.5 minutes to top up the remaining 10%.
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Our Verdict + Award
The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) is a seriously impressive smartphone. Powered by the very powerful HiSilicon Kirin 980, it trounced its rivals in both work and gaming performance. If that’s not impressive enough – it delivered all that performance with an exceptionally long battery life!
It also boasts serious camera chops with a 24 MP front camera, and a Leica triple lens camera. Far from being a marketing ploy, the Mate 20 delivers incredibly detailed photos with a very useful automatic macro mode, and a Wide Aperture mode for greater bokeh effects.
Its video recording capabilities was less impressive, but only in comparison to its more expensive rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Note9 and the Samsung Galaxy S9+.
Now, it’s not perfect. HUAWEI made a particularly controversial decision in swapping out the microSD card slot for the new NM card slot. Only HUAWEI currently makes and sells NM cards, so buying the Mate 20 means you either pay HUAWEI a premium for their new NM card, or stick to internal storage.
HUAWEI also made the questionable decision of limiting the front camera to 720p video recording. Now, we understand the need to differentiate the cheaper HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) from its more expensive Mate 20 Pro brother. However, why set the limit to 720p, and not 1080p? It is, after all, the year 2018… not 2016.
But other than these two issues we are pointing out, the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) is an exceptionally good deal. Hence, we have no qualms awarding it our Editor’s Choice Award. Congratulations, HUAWEI, on a job well-done!
HUAWEI Mate 20 Purchase Links
Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :
Triple Leica Camera System
- 12 MP wide-angle camera with f/1.8 lens
- 16 MP ultra-wide-angle camera with f/2.2 lens
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 lens
Connectivity
Network : LTE Cat. 21, LTE Cat. 13
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB 3.1 Type C
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Excited about the HUAWEI Mate20 series of smartphones? HUAWEI just kicked off the Mate20 sales launch and roadshows! Look at how amazing it was!
The HUAWEI Mate20 Sales Launch + Roadshow!
HUAWEI Malaysia kicked off, not one, not two, but THREE official sales launch roadshows on the 27th and 28th of October 2018 at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Queensbay Mall in Penang and AEON Bandar Dato Onn, Johor Bahru.
For those who don’t know yet, the HUAWEI Mate20 Pro is selling for RM 3,599 / ~US$ 900. It runs on the HUAWEI Kirin 980, and comes with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal flash storage. The Mate20 Pro features three rear cameras (40 MP + 20 MP + 8 MP), a 24 MP selfie camera, and is powered by a 4,200 mAh battery.
The HUAWEI Mate20, on the other hand, is selling for RM 2,799 / ~US$ 700. It runs on the HUAWEI Kirin 980, and comes with 4 GB or 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal flash storage. The Mate20 features three rear cameras (16 MP + 12 MP + 8 MP), a 24 MP selfie camera, and is powered by a 4,000 mAh battery.
The HUAWEI Mate20 Sales Launch Offer
HUAWEI had a special Mate20 sales launch offer for the first 1,600 customers.
The first 1,000 customers at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the first 300 customers at Queensbay Mall and the first 300 customers at AEON Bandar Dato Onn will each receive a FREE DJI Tello worth RM 469, with every purchase of a HUAWEI Mate 20 Series smartphone!
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We were recently invited to an exclusive HUAWEI Kirin 980 tech briefing session.
Here is everything you need to know about the HUAWEI Kirin 980, with videos of the demos and its development board.
Now you can pretty much guess how the upcoming HUAWEI Mate 20 will perform before its official launch on 16 October 2018!
The HUAWEI Kirin 980
Although Apple was the first to launch smartphones with a 7nm mobile SoC, the HUAWEI Kirin 980 is technically the first 7nm mobile SoC in the world.
Take a look at the development board, and how small the Kirin 980 really is.
The HUAWEI Kirin 980 is also the first to feature the ARM Cortex-A76 processor core, and Mali-G76 GPU, as well as the first to come with two NPUs, a Cat.21 modem and support for faster LPDDR4X-2133 memory.
It took HUAWEI and TSMC 36 months of joint research and co-engineering to develop this mobile SoC.
The process, which started in 2015, involved over 1000 semiconductor design and process experts.
Thanks to their efforts, the 7 nm process technology delivered a 20% speed improvement, with a 40% boost in power efficiency, and a 60% greater transistor density. This allowed HUAWEI to cram 6.9 billion transistors into the Kirin 980.
Now, let’s take a closer look at what’s new in the HUAWEI Kirin 980!
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The Kirin 980 CPU Architecture
The HUAWEI Kirin 980 pairs four new ARM Cortex-A76 high-performance cores, with four ARM Cortex-A55 cores.
However, instead of the traditional big.LITTLE 4+4 clusters, HUAWEI uses a 2+2+4 cluster architecture.
The four ARM Cortex-A55 cores, running at 1.8 GHz, are used for low loads and background tasks, while two ARM Cortex-A76 cores, running at 1.92 GHz, will be used for most loads, together with some of the A55 cores.
But when you really need a big boost in performance, the last two Cortex-A76 cores kick in.
With a higher clock speed of 2.6 GHz, they offer a big boost in performance. But to conserve battery life, they are meant to be used in short bursts.
Here is a table that illustrates the kinds of loads that will trigger each cluster :
New Mali-G76 GPU
The HUAWEI Kirin 980 is the world’s first mobile SoC to deploy the ARM Mali-G76 GPU.
HUAWEI did not reveal how many cores it has, but they say that it offers 46% better performance than the Mali-G72 GPU used in the Kirin 970, with 178% better power efficiency.
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Kirin 980 Has Dual NPUs
The HUAWEI Kirin 980 retains the same NPU that was first introduced in the Kirin 970.
However, HUAWEI double its AI performance by using two of them, instead of just one.
The boost in AI performance allows HUAWEI to introduce new AI-related technologies like :
the HUAWEI AI Loading Prediction technology, and
the Real-Time Multi-Person Gesture Recognition technology.
We will take a closer look at these two technologies below.
HUAWEI AI Loading Prediction Technology
The HUAWEI Kirin 980 manages its CPU and GPU performance using an AI Loading Prediction Technology.
It basically predicts when a game will require more power, or less; and pre-emptively boosts or reduces the CPU and GPU clock speeds accordingly. It also determines when the CPU’s turbo cluster (of two Cortex-A76 cores running at 2.6 GHz) should be activated for a boost in performance.
The combination of much faster CPU and GPU cores, with AI Loading Prediction Technology, allows the Kirin 980 to hit and sustain 60 fps even with strenuous games.
Note that while it can go beyond 60 fps in this demo of NBA 2K18, the AI Loading Prediction Technology caps its frame rate to reduce power consumption and extend battery life.
Real-Time Multi-Person Gesture Recognition
Thanks to its greater AI processing capabilities, the HUAWEI Kirin 980 can perform real-time multi-person gesture recognition.
It can also determine their distance using a single camera, allowing it to know when someone has gone in front of, or behind, someone else.
Most impressively, it accomplished this using a single camera. Imagine how much more accurate it can be using two cameras which would offer much better depth perception.
Kirin 980 Has Dual ISPs
It has two image signal processors which offer a 46% boost in performance, a 33% reduction in recording latency, and 23% better power efficiency.
The boost in performance greatly expands its ability to “massage” the raw images to produce better photos.
Although HUAWEI did not detail how they did it, their sample photos above appear to be using HDR to bring out details in the shadows while correcting for overblown highlights.
For sharp images, it will needs to be paired with a fast image sensor that can take multiple photos with different exposures in quick succession.
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Kirin 980 Has Faster LTE + WiFi Speeds
The HUAWEI Kirin 980 boasts a new LTE Cat.21 modem, which allows it to deliver download speeds of up to 1.4 Gbps! Upload speed remains at 200 Mbps.
When paired with the HUAWEI Hi1103 chip, it can offer WiFi transfer rates of up to 1.7 Gbps.
Kirin 980 Introduces Dual-Frequency GPS
This is arguably its most underrated feature – support for dual-frequency GPS.
By using both L1 and L5 frequencies, it can deliver 10X better positioning accuracy. You won’t ever have to worry taking the wrong turn!
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How Fast Is The HUAWEI Kirin 980?
These HUAWEI performance comparisons show the performance differences between the Kirin 980 and its predecessor, the Kirin 970 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845.
CPU : 75% Better Performance, 58% Better Power Efficiency Than Kirin 970
CPU : 37% Better Performance, 32% Better Power Efficiency Than Snapdragon 845
Memory : 20% More Bandwidth, 22% Lower Latency Than Snapdragon 845
GPU : 46% Better Performance, 178% Better Power Efficiency Than Kirin 970
Image Recognition : 89% Faster Than Snapdragon 845, 3X Faster Than Apple A11
App Launch Time : 6% to 23% Faster Than Snapdragon 845
Game Performance : 22% Better Performance, 32% Lower Power Consumption Than Snapdragon 845
AI Performance : 2X Better Performance, 87% Better Power Efficiency Than Snapdragon 845
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Kirin 980 vs Kirin 970 Summarised
Here is a HUAWEI comparison of the Kirin 980 against the Kirin 970.
Kirin 980 vs Snapdragon 845 Summarised
And this is a HUAWEI table summarising the differences between the Kirin 980 and the Snapdragon 845.
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The Complete HUAWEI Kirin 980 Keynote Slides
Here is the complete set of the official HUAWEI keynote slides for your perusal :
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