Tag Archives: HUAWEI Mate 20

Your Guide To HUAWEI Year-End Festival 2019 Deals!

HUAWEI Malaysia just announced a slew of year-end deals – massive discounts, flash deals and free gifts!

Here is our guide to those great HUAWEI deals! Don’t miss ’em!

 

The HUAWEI Year-End Festival 2019 Deals!

Let’s start with the top 5 HUAWEI year-end deals that you can reserve RIGHT NOW to purchase at these special prices on 12 December 2019!

 

HUAWEI Year-End Festival 2019 Grab Voucher Deals!

You can also grab vouchers for these great deals RIGHT NOW to purchase at these special prices on 12 December 2019!

 

HUAWEI Year-End Festival 2019 Flash Deals!

HUAWEI also has a number of great flash deals :

  • HUAWEI WiFi WS5200 Router : RM 99
  • HUAWEI P30 : RM 12
  • HUAWEI Backup Storage : RM 12
  • HUAWEI Freebuds Lite : RM 12

 

HUAWEI Year-End Festival 2019 Free Gift Deals!

Finally, HUAWEI is bundling these FREE GIFTS with every purchase of these devices :

 

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The Mid-2019 HUAWEI Price Cut Details + Analysis

On top of the HUAWEI Carnival 2019 promotions, and the HUAWEI No Worries promotion, HUAWEI Malaysia just announced their mid-2019 price cut on selected smartphones!

Here are the full HUAWEI price cut details, and our analysis… HUAWEI fans are in for some real nice deals!

 

The HUAWEI No Worries Promotion + Price Cut

HUAWEI ended June with a slew of great news – they sold 100 million smartphones by 30 May, 10 million P30 smartphones by 20 June, and the release of their EMUI 9.1 – a major upgrade of their mobile OS.

To kick off the second half of 2019, they are announcing a new HUAWEI No Worries promotion, with an extended warranty promotion, and a price cut on their three bestsellers!

  • HUAWEI P30 (8 GB + 128 GB) : Now only RM 2,299 – a RM 400 (15%) discount!
  • HUAWEI P30 Pro (8 GB + 256 GB) : Now only RM 3,399 – a RM 400 (10.5%) discount!
  • HUAWEI Nova 3i : Now only RM 799 – a RM 100 (11.1%) discount!

 

HUAWEI Carnival 2019 Promotions!

HUAWEI Malaysia also announced HUAWEI Carnival 2019, where you will have the chance to win prizes worth RM 1 million!

  • Mercedes-Benz GLA200 Night Edition
  • 100 units of E-bike Orbit
  • 400 units of Starlight Electric Scooters
  • Other gifts like tripod stands, USB-C to HDMI converters, HUAWEI body fat scale, and more!

For the full details, read our HUAWEI Carnival 2019 article!

 

The Mid-2019 HUAWEI Price Cut Details + Analysis

In conjunction with the HUAWEI Carnival 2019, HUAWEI Malaysia also announced a slew of price cuts, so everyone can now own a HUAWEI smartphone!

To make it easier for you, we summarised them and calculated the discount for you in this nifty table!

HUAWEI Smartphones Original Price New Price! Discount
HUAWEI Mate20 Pro RM 2,999 RM 2,599 – RM 400 (13.3%)
HUAWEI Mate20 RM 2,399 RM 2,099 – RM 300 (12.5%)
HUAWEI Mate20 X RM 2,899 RM 2,599 – RM 300 (10.3%)
HUAWEI P30 Pro (512 GB) RM 4,399 RM 3,899 – RM 500 (11.4%)
HUAWEI nova 4e RM 1,199 RM 999 – RM 200 (16.7%)
HUAWEI Y7 Pro 2019 RM 649 RM 599 – RM 50 (7.7%)

Percentage-wise, the HUAWEI nova 4e gets the best discount, followed by the HUAWEI Mate20 Pro and HUAWEI Mate20 smartphones.

However, the HUAWEI P30 Pro (512 GB) received the biggest discount in value – a whopping RM 500 off its launch price! That’s a very good deal!

Recommended : The HUAWEI No Worries Promotion + Redemption Details!

 

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EMUI 9.1 Upgrade For HUAWEI Mate 20 Series Coming Up!

HUAWEI just announced that the new EMUI 9.1 will be available for four HUAWEI Mate 20 models very soon! Here are the full details!

 

EMUI 9.1 Upgrade For HUAWEI Mate 20 Series Coming Up!

HUAWEI will make EMUI 9.1 available on 27 June 2019 for four HUAWEI Mate 20 models – the Mate 20, the Mate 20 Pro, the Mate 20 X and the Mate RS Porsche Design.

Here are the new features you can expect in EMUI 9.1 to all models :

  • EROFS, a new file system that will deliver improved file compression and 20% higher random read performance.
  • GPU Turbo Version 3.0, with support for 25 games. For those games, it will improve performance further while reducing device power consumption.
  • A new Incoming Call Video Show replaces the traditional monotonous system ring tone and interface.
    You’ll be able to set different self-made or third-party videos as the incoming call display for different contacts.

Mate 20 Pro and Mate 20 X users can further benefit from this new EMUI 9.1 feature :

  • a new Moon Mode, to help you take better moon shots using the Super Zoom capability of the Leica triple cameras.

 

EMUI 9.1 Mate 20 Upgrade Precautions

Before signing up for the EMUI 9.1 upgrade, you should be aware of the following precautions:

  1. Some third-party apps are incompatible with Android 9.0 and may not work properly after the upgrade. Specifically, crashing, freezing, and faster battery draining may occur. To avoid these issues, ensure that all of your apps are updated on Google Play Store.
  2. Ensure that your phone is not rooted.
  3. Ensure that your phone has more than 6GB of internal storage space. Otherwise, the upgrade may fail. To check the remaining storage space on your phone, go to Settings > Storage.
  4. Ensure that the current mobile phone version is the baseline version (original software version).
  5. Check the EMUI version your phone is using, go to Settings >System> About phone.
  6. If the EMUI version is not the baseline version, update it by going to Settings >System> Software update> CHECK FOR UPDATES.) Details of the software version (only for Malaysia) is listed as below.
Model Original Software Version Target Software Version
Mate 20 HMA-L29C 9.0.0.270 HMA-L29C 9.1.0.300
CUDA Cores LYA-l29C 9.0.0.267 LYA-L29C 9.1.0.300
TMUs EVR-L29B 9.0.0.207 EVR-L29B 9.1.0.300
ROPs LYA-L29CP 9.0.0.277 LYA-L29CP 9.1.0.300

 

Sign Up For The EMUI 9.1 Mate 20 Upgrade Now!

If your phone meets the above-mentioned criteria, open the HiCare app, and click on ‘Apply’ to sign up for the new EMUI 9.1 experience!

Once the update is available from 27 June 2019 onwards, you can open the HiCare app, click on Update and then Download.

 

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HUAWEI Outsmarts SD + microSD Ban With NM Card! 2.0

HUAWEI has just been removed as a member of the SD Association, because of the Trump ban. But they got an ace up their sleeves this time – their NM Card format!

Find out how the HUAWEI NM Card format lets them bypass the SD and microSD ban, and what else HUAWEI can do moving forward!

Updated @ 2019-05-31 : The SD Association quietly restored HUAWEI as a member. Seriously.

Originally posted @ 2019-05-25

 

What SD + microSD Ban?

The HUAWEI Trump ban keeps expanding its reach. Even the international SD Association has been forced to remove HUAWEI as a member.

This prevents HUAWEI and HONOR from making and selling any products that use the SD standards. Effectively, all future HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones can no longer be manufactured with microSD support.

 

What About Current Smartphones?

Don’t worry! Your HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones will continue to work normally with microSD cards.

These actions by the US Department of Commerce and the SD Association only apply to HUAWEI and HONOR smartphones that have not been released by 15 May 2019 onwards.

Recommended Reading : The HUAWEI Trump Ban – Everything You Need To Know!

 

NM Card To The Rescue!

HUAWEI now seem absolutely prescient when they released their own NM Card format together with the HUAWEI Mate20 smartphones last year.

The NM Card, or the HUAWEI Nano Memory Card in full, is 45% smaller than the microSD card. Precisely designed to mimic the shape and size of a nano SIM card, it allows for a more compact hybrid SIM tray design.

But more importantly, in the context of the Trump ban, the NM Card is a HUAWEI standard, and not a SD Association standard.

 

What Are Their Options?

Option A : Switch To NM Card

Thanks to their foresight in creating the NM Card standard, HUAWEI can easily replace microSD card slots with NM Card slots in their future smartphones.

Now, to be certain, the NM Card is neither cheap nor ubiquitous. The only company making and selling them is HUAWEI.

Hence, they have so far been introduced only in their flagship smartphones, like the HUAWEI Mate20, HUAWEI Mate20 ProHUAWEI Mate20 X, HUAWEI P30 and HUAWEI P30 Pro smartphones.

We expect HUAWEI to continue this trend, perhaps introducing NM Card into their higher mid-range devices; while simultaneously cutting prices on NM Cards.

Option B : Skip microSD Card

Switching to NM Card will not work well for their mid-range and entry-level smartphones, because the greatest appeal of microSD cards is their low cost and ubiquity.

If the Trump ban does not get resolved soon, the best option would be to skip the microSD card slot entirely and just increase the internal storage of their mid-range and entry-level smartphones.

We have already seen this trend with some Android smartphones like the OPPO R17 Pro, the Xiaomi Mi A2, and the HONOR 10. Apple iPhones never had the option in the first place, and they are still selling well!

Recommended : HUAWEI Legal Motion Too Late, But China Has A Trump Card!

 

Why Did The SD Association Remove HUAWEI?

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The problem isn’t really the SD Association per se. It is the fact that the SD licence is owned and enforced by a US company, SD-3C LLC.

When the Trump Administration added HUAWEI to the Entity List, SD-3C LLC is forced to stop their licensing arrangements with HUAWEI.

Because Micron is a part owner of SD-3C LLC, technology of US origin is also involved – the same issue that forced ARM to sever business ties with HUAWEI.

Recommended Reading : The HUAWEI ARM Business Suspension – How Bad Is This?

 

And HUAWEI Is Back In Again

Almost as quickly and quietly as the SD Association removed HUAWEI as a member, they restored HUAWEI’s membership around 29 May 2019.

There was no official explanation for both removing HUAWEI or restoring them, all in a matter of days.

 

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HUAWEI Announces Mate 20 Pro Price Cut!

HUAWEI just announced a major Mate 20 Pro price cut! Here are the full details!

 

HUAWEI Announces Mate 20 Pro Price Cut!

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro, which was named the Best Smartphone at MWC 2019 is getting a major price cut!

Effective 1 March 2019, the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro price will be reduced from RM 3,599 to just RM 2,999! That is a major price cut of 20%!

“We are very proud that the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro has received the ‘Best Smartphone’ award – it’s almost the same feeling of getting an Oscars award in the technology scene. The strong sales figures have implied that the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro has won the love and trust from Malaysians,” said Matthew Ng, Deputy Country Director, HUAWEI Consumer Business Group.

“With that in mind, we would like to further reward our customers by making the HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro more affordable than ever, helping people from all walks of life to access cutting-edge technology – powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is in line with HUAWEI’s commitment to delivering best user experience for all our customers,” he added.

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro is available in three colour options – Emerald Green, Twilight and Black. Here are some purchase links :

 

HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro Specification Comparison

SpecificationsHUAWEI Mate20 XHUAWEI Mate20 ProHUAWEI Mate20
Display7.2-inch OLED display
- 1080 x 2244 pixels (345 ppi)
- DCI-P3 colour gamut
6.39-inch OLED display
- 1440 x 3120 pixels (538 ppi)
- DCI-P3 colour gamut
6.53-inch IPS display
- 1080 x 2244 pixels (381 ppi)
- DCI-P3 colour gamut
System PlatformHiSilicon Kirin 980HiSilicon Kirin 980HiSilicon Kirin 980
Memory6 GB LPDDR4x6 GB or 8 GB LPDDR4x4 GB or 6 GB LPDDR4x
Storage128 GB internal storage
NM card slot (up to 256 GB)
128 GB pr 256 GB internal storage
NM card slot (up to 256 GB)
128 GB internal storage
NM card slot (up to 256 GB)
Front Camera24 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens24 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens24 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens
Rear CameraTriple 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
ConnectivityNetwork : 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-ResistanceSome, IP53Yes, IP68Some, IP54
Battery5,000 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

 

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HUAWEI Mate 20 with Triple Leica Cameras In-Depth Review!

As the huge crowds at the HUAWEI Mate 20 sales launch show, the HUAWEI Mate 20 has been a huge MAJOR success.

We were amongst the first to receive the HUAWEI Mate 20, and here is our in-depth review. Find out why it won our Editor’s Choice Award!

Updated @ 2018-12-08 : Added a few updates, including new photos from Sydney.

Originally posted @ 2018-11-16

The HUAWEI Mate 20 Series

Instead of one flagship device, HUAWEI released three smartphones in the Mate 20 series. Let’s compare their specifications :

SpecificationsHUAWEI Mate20 XHUAWEI Mate20 ProHUAWEI Mate20
Display7.2-inch OLED display
- 1080 x 2244 pixels (345 ppi)
- DCI-P3 colour gamut
6.39-inch OLED display
- 1440 x 3120 pixels (538 ppi)
- DCI-P3 colour gamut
6.53-inch IPS display
- 1080 x 2244 pixels (381 ppi)
- DCI-P3 colour gamut
System PlatformHiSilicon Kirin 980HiSilicon Kirin 980HiSilicon Kirin 980
Memory6 GB LPDDR4x6 GB or 8 GB LPDDR4x4 GB or 6 GB LPDDR4x
Storage128 GB internal storage
NM card slot (up to 256 GB)
128 GB pr 256 GB internal storage
NM card slot (up to 256 GB)
128 GB internal storage
NM card slot (up to 256 GB)
Front Camera24 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens24 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens24 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens
Rear CameraTriple 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
ConnectivityNetwork : 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-ResistanceSome, IP53Yes, IP68Some, IP54
Battery5,000 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.

Here are their official retail prices :

  • HUAWEI Mate 20 with 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storageRM 2,799 / ~US$ 700
  • HUAWEI Mate 20 Pro with 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage : RM 3,599 / ~US$ 900

And here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :

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Unboxing HUAWEI Mate 20

The HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY) comes in a black premium cardboard box. Let’s unbox it and see what we find inside!

Once you fully unbox the HUAWEI Mate 20 (US | UK | MY), you will find the following items :

  • One HUAWEI Mate 20 smartphone
  • One HUAWEI Mate 20 TPU bumper case
  • One HUAWEI Mate 20 Quick Start Guide + warranty information
  • One 22.5 watt HUAWEI SuperCharge power adaptor
  • One USB Type C data and charging cable
  • One pair of earphones and microphone
  • One SIM tray ejection pin

Next Page > HUAWEI Mate 20 Up Close + Key Features

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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.

For more details, check out The Official HUAWEI Kirin 980 Tech Briefing + Demos!

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Hybrid SIM + NM Card Tray

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.

Next Page > The HUAWEI Mate 20 Front Camera + Leica Triple Cameras

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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 :

1X View vs. Wide-Angle View

Wide Angle vs. 1X Video vs. 2X Zoom (Vertical)

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Wide Angle vs. 1X Video vs. 2X Zoom (Horizontal)

Next Page > Hyper Optical Pattern, Battery, Ergonomics, Memory + Storage

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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.

Next Page > HUAWEI Mate 20 Camera Performance – Photos

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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.

Next Page > HUAWEI Mate 20 Camera Performance – Video Recording

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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.

Next Page > HUAWEI Mate 20 Performance – Work, Gaming, Battery, Recharging Speed

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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.

Work 2.0 HUAWEI Mate 20 Honor Play Samsung
Galaxy Note9
Samsung
Galaxy A7
Performance Score
(Average)
10215 7361 5557 5379
Web Browsing 10960 7695 5763 5278
Video Editing 6147 5499 5410 4413
Writing 12506 6649 5421 5056
Photo Editing 20262 13326 5898 7427
Data Manipulation 6514 5764 5316 5147
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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.

Ice Storm Unlimited HUAWEI Mate 20 Samsung
Galaxy Note9
Honor Play Samsung
Galaxy A7
Gaming Score 61595 42598 31622 15354
Graphics 72523 51199 37351 15788
Physics 40327 26825 20576 14005
Graphics Test 1 386.2 fps 330.2 fps 208.9 fps 136.5 fps
Graphics Test 2 266.4 fps 167.9 fps 132.8 fps 45.8 fps
Physics Test 128.0 fps 85.2 fps 65.3 fps 44.5 fps
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The HiSilicon Kirin 980 once again proved its superiority. It was almost twice as fast as its predecessor, the Kirin 970 (which powered the Honor Play.

Impressively, it proved to be 45% faster than the Samsung Galaxy Note9, and was 4X faster than the Galaxy A7 2018!

Battery Life – PCMark

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%.

Work 2.0 HUAWEI Mate 20 Samsung
Galaxy A7
Samsung
Galaxy Note9
Honor Play
Battery Life 12 hours 19 mins 10 hours 25 mins 10 hours 15 mins 9 hours 56 mins
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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%.

Next Page > HUAWEI Mate 20 Verdict + Award, Full Specifications, Purchase Links

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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 :

Full HUAWEI Mate 20 Specifications

SpecificationsHUAWEI Mate20
Display6.53-inch IPS display
- 1080 x 2244 pixels (381 ppi)
- DCI-P3 colour gamut
Operating SystemAndroid 9.0 Pie
System PlatformHiSilicon Kirin 980
Processor2 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)
NPUHiSilicon M1 x 2
Graphics ProcessorARM Mali-G76 MP24
Memory4 GB or 6 GB LPDDR4x
Storage128 GB internal storage
NM card slot (up to 256 GB)
Front Camera24 MP sensor with f/2.0 lens
Rear CameraTriple 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
ConnectivityNetwork : LTE Cat. 21, LTE Cat. 13
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth 5.0
USB 3.1 Type C
GPSGPS (L1 + L5 dual band) / AGPS / Glonass / BeiDou / Galileo (E1 + E5a dual band) / QZSS (L1 + L5 dual band)
NFCYes
Fingerprint SensorYes, Rear-Mounted
Other SensorsGravity, Ambient Light, Proximity, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall Sensor, Laser Sensor, Barometer, Infra-red, Colour Temperature
Water-ResistanceIP54
Battery4,000 mAh Li-Po battery
- supports fast-charging
- supports 15 W wireless charging
Dimensions77.2 mm wide
158.2 mm tall
8.3 mm thick
Weight188 grams

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The Spectacular HUAWEI Mate20 Sales Launch + Roadshow!

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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