Huawei P8 Lite: A full mid -range at a low price [Test]

The Huawei P8 Lite smartphone is one of the three aircraft announced by the Chinese manufacturer at its press conference in May 2015.It did not take long to see the "Lite" declination of the last flagship of the brand arrive in the trade.Even if it appeared on Amazon in April, it has been available since May and Unsimpleclic has had the chance to receive a copy of the "mini" version of the Huawei P8 on loan.Version lightened by its characteristics and its price, it is nonetheless an interesting device on many points.

Box

At first glance, the box of the P8 Lite could be that of another smartphone except that the box, all white, is finer but higher than that which we usually see.Everything is explained as soon as you open the case: the device and the different cases containing the accessories and booklets are all presented on the edge and not flat.The whole interior is black and each cardboard case contains pictograms to understand the content.In the end, here is the list of the elements present in the box: the P8 Lite smartphone, a hands -free kit, a USB cable, an AC adapter and a quick handling guide.

I find the idea of the box very original.It's not much but Huawei differs from other manufacturers and it's already a good point.

Technical sheet

The "mini" version of the Huawei P8 smartphone is equipped with a Kirin 620 processor (8 cores), 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space (expandable via a 32GB Max micro-SD card).For display, the P8 Lite has a Mali 450 graphics chip and a 5 ″ HD screen (1280 x 720px).This gives him a density of 294ppi, far from the P8 with 424ppi, the latter being equipped with a Full HD screen of 5.2 ″.For the photo, the smartphone is equipped with a 13mpx sensor and a LED flash at the rear and a 5mpx sensor at the front.Capable of filming in 1080p in 30 images /s, it also offers several features including the detection of faces and smiles or the activation by the voice.For connectivity, it is not equipped with the latest versions but offers the principal: Bluetooth 4.0, wifi (802.11 b, g, n), USB2.0, NFC, GPS, A-GPS and 4G compatibility of category 4.It has an advantage little proposed by major smartphones brands, double-Sim compatibility.You can therefore equip it with SIM cards from two different operators.

The device is powered by an irremovable battery of 2,200mAh and its dimensions, lower than that of the P8 (except for the thickness), are 143 x 70.6 x 7.7cm for a weight of 131g.It comes under Android Lollipop with the Home Interface, Emotion UI (version 3.1)

Description

The P8 Lite is a smartphone whose appearance is quite classic.There is no innovation or surprise on this side because it resumes the main lines of its eldest, the Huawei P8, with the metal less.The tested model consists of two white facades, in plastic, attached to a central part of gold color and metallic appearance (the slices).The front facade contains, in its upper part, a notification LED, the luminosity and proximity sensors, a speaker (earphone), and the front camera.On the opposite side, on an also white part, there is just the Huawei brand logo.

Regarding the slices, only the one on the right is used.There is, in a row, from bottom to top, the volume bar, the Power button then the locations for the cards.There are two drawers the first of which can be used for a memory card or for a second SIM card.The second drawer allows you to insert the number 1 SIM card.It will therefore be necessary to choose between extending the storage capacity which can quickly prove to be too fair (16GB) and a second SIM card.

The Power button is distinguished from the volume bar by its size but especially by its ribbed surface and therefore recognizable to the touch.

The left edge of the P8 Lite

On the lower edge, there are two speakers which take a position on each side of the location of the micro-USB socket.We do not see it but we can say that the main microphone must be hidden somewhere there, behind one of the grids.

Finally, on the upper edge, Huawei placed the headphone jack as well as a second microphone, for the reduction of ambient noise.

If we return the device to discover the rear facade, what do we see?First of all, we immediately notice that there are two different textures but both white.

At the top, there is a part of which the surface is smooth and identical to that present on the front facade.There is the camera positioned practically in the upper left corner as well as the LED flash, placed on its right.

Then the rest of the facade is still made of plastic but with a brushed effect.This part contains with a Huawei color gold logo in a higher third part and some mentions below.

Even if it does not stand out much of the competitors, the design is overall well successful.The "metallic" aspect of the slices, whose color contrasts with the rest of the smartphone, is well successful even if we stay on plastic.In addition, its dimensions give it a good grip.

Interface and application

The P8 Lite is well delivered with the latest Android version (Lollipop) but forget your good old habits because the homemade overlay takes over.Huawei has actually taken the side of "imposing" its interface which contains good ideas when others could be optimized.

Interface and options of the Settings menu

We obviously find the same features as another smartphone under lollipop but presented differently.For example, for notifications, you must always make a sliding movement from the top of the screen but the window is presented differently.

The notifications are displayed and grouped by application and listed in the form of "timeline".A vertical time scale displays as much line (s) as there is notification (s).

To my taste, it could have been even more useful if the presentation had been different.If you have not checked your notifications for a long time, you may come across an interminable list.Maybe a display with a "Develop / Reduce" function would have been more effective.The idea of integrating a timeline is interesting but too "information kills information".The notifications can be configured from a submenu of parameters: authorize or not the notifications and in which form they must be displayed (status bar, banners and locking screen).

The shortcuts are also present but in a second page accessible by a shift to the right or by clicking on "shortcuts".It includes important shortcuts and a downward movement on display others.

There is another point that may surprise: there is no "applications" button.At each installation, a new icon appears and is placed following the other.I therefore advise you to bring them together by creating files.

Multi -based mode is accessible via one of the configurable buttons from the bottom of the screen.It displays a page with 4 applications in the form of stickers.You will access additional applications via a shift to the right or left.A movement up from the bottom of the screen will have the effect of closing them all.I find that this mode does not exploit the entire surface.It would have been necessary to display more vignettes or present them differently.On the other hand, Huawei thought of indicating the available memory.You will therefore have the freedom to check the released memory after closing all the windows.

The Settings menu is also presented in two tabs.The first contains the main parameters (wifi, bluetooth, brightness, sound, ...) while the second list all.Among this menu, some functions reserve good surprises in store for us.

There is an example of a feature that should be seen more often: the impossibility of an action an action when the smartphone is in a pocket or a bag.How many times have you called the last number composed without knowing it or vice versa, to be called when your correspondent does not know.You can test this function by placing your hand on the upper edge then turn on your screen: a message will automatically appear.

In terms of personalization, it is possible to modify the style of the reception (classic or simplified) and the display submenu will allow in addition to selecting the temperature of the color, the wallpaper (with random change option), the size of the police but also the effect to apply during the passage between the different pages of the interface.

You can even display a floating menu which, in the form of a lozenge positioned on the right or left edge, allows access to a set of functions (return, multitasking, home, lock the screen or closure of all applications).

Even if the device has only a diagonal of 5 ″, the Huawei P8 Lite offers some controls by the movement.They are in limited number but it has the merit of existing.There are options such as "turn over the device to cut the sound" or "shake to reorganize".

Finally, it is possible to launch applications by drawing certain letters directly on the screen.Having tried, I recommend it: it works very well and it's very fast.On the off screen, you draw a C: the smartphone screen lights up and switches to the contact directory.

I finish with the “Network applications” submenu which offers the possibility of selecting if the applications can be executed via the Cellular Network and/or WiFi.When the application is launched, the smartphone displays you a message that possibly cancels the restriction (and not restoration as indicated).

Throughout my period of use, I noticed a display bug as soon as I actually activated a few options (operator name, network speed and light light)).It may well be that the P8 Lite loaned by Huawei is a test copy and therefore may not be equipped with the latest version of the system.It happens that the notification bar and the navigation buttons disappear and then reappear.It's as if I had activated a full screen reading mode without wanting to.

Apart from that, I appreciated all the functions related to telephony and contacts: they are easy to use and intuitive.For example, from a message received, if you click on the recipient's photo, you visualize an overview of its file but above all a discussion history (date and type of call and number concerned).

Applications

The first application I'm talking about could have been classified in my personalization chapter because these are themes.It allows you to modify all the different component elements The theme: Lock style, unlocking animation, home screen or the font used.So it goes very far in the configuration and it's pretty nice.

The Files application changes existing applications among competitors because in addition to listing the memory occupied by theme (images, audio, videos, archives, applications, etc.), we take note of the remaining space on internal memory or onSD card.In addition, you can start cleaning to free up space.This last function is also available from the storage submenu.

In addition to the standard programs found on all smartphones (calculator, agenda, weather), the P8 Lite offers, via backup, the possibility of setting up a copy process, with encryption and backup options.Be careful because saved files can quickly represent a large volume (almost 12GB during my test).

Screen

Unlike the Huawei P8 which is equipped with a 5.2 ″ Full HD screen, the “Lite” version is limited to an HD resolution on an IPS screen of a 5 ″ diagonal, both being protected by a treatmentGorilla Glass 3.We realize by reading the technical sheet and then testing it that the display is one of the elements on which Huawei saved.The main weak point of this screen is its brightness.By large outdoor light, the screen is barely readable, while there is a specific option to increase readability under the sun.It is clearly not as comfortable as high -end devices, that the parameter is managed in automatic or pushed to the maximum.In addition, the speed at which the smartphone adapts to ambient brightness would need to be improved.

Even if the diagonal of the screen is only 5 ″, the smartphone offers two options to optimize manipulations with one hand: positioning of the screen or keyboard.The two screens are reduced and position themselves, according to your choice, on one side or the other following if you are left -handed or right -handed

The P8 Lite screen is good for the range of smartphones in which it is, the mid -range.

Photo

Above all, I propose to make a detour through the camera interface before giving my opinion on the rendering of the shots.On one of the sides (in landscape mode), there is the trigger (the same for the photo or the video), the shortcut towards gallery and the addition of effects.On the opposite side, there are only 3 buttons: Flash management, Passage in Selfie mode and access to the 6 modes as well as to the Settings menu.Finally, the interface is simple and intuitive.This is what must be sought before offering a whole series of additional options.

In addition to the modes now entered in habits (HDR, Panorama), there are others: - Best photo: Take several photos in a row and offer you the best, - Audio note: recording up to 10s of audioAfter taking the photo, - UNIV development.: Possibility of modifying the focus after taking the photo, - watermark: allows you to add to the photo a watermark indicating the following information: place, weather, (represented by a picto), temperature, date of the day.This mode requires activating internet connection as well as location.

Regarding the focus, it is clear that the P8 Lite cannot measure itself the best smartphones: even if it is done automatically, I did not find it fast enough.Once the focus has been made, in case of movement, the new stored point must be better designated to obtain the focus faster.On the other hand, the P8 Lite catches up by proposing an "object monitoring" option: after the development made on an object, the camera follows the latter while retaining the focus.This avoids redoing the focus after changing position.

There are a multitude of other options that will facilitate the life of photography: capture of smiles, trigger photos by voice, photo "ultra-instant" photo (double click on the volume low button when the screen is off).Finally, for those who want to intervene on certain parameters, the Huawei P8 Lite offers the possibility of modifying the ISO, the Whites or even of adjusting the exposure, the saturation, the contrast and the brightness.

The most important is all the same the result and on this side, the P8 Lite is doing well: net photos and close to reality as well as a good contrast at least when the conditions are good.Here are some examples of photos taken with the P8 Lite:

Performance

As you may have read a little above, even if the P8 Lite is positioned as a mid-range smartphone, it is still equipped with an octo-core (8 hearts) and 2GB processor of RAM..So I treated it like any other smartphone by subjecting it to a whole series of tests.I started with benchmarks to try to assess what to expect but it turned out to be very difficult because I was impossible for me to install certain applications (Antutu, PCMARK, GFXBENCH).They download but display a message during installation.It then becomes complicated to compare it with other devices.For information, here is what I get as a result of other tests: average FPS of 55.6 on Epic Citadel (in resolution 1200 × 720), 7021 on Standard Quadrant or 12310 on Gpubench.

On the responsiveness and fluidity side (within the interface), the P8 Lite has largely shown itself up.I have not noted any false note on this side, which proves that its configuration is sufficient for daily use and even for multimedia.It is mainly on the games that the P8 Lite shows its limits.The games are getting well but most of the time, the graphics are not up to the height because it adapts to the configuration of the machine.It is possible to push them to the highest level of detail but the lack of fluidity is felt.On some games and even on some benchmark applications, I ended up with display flaws (black bands or squares).Again, it can come from the smartphone and it only happened on very rare occasions.

There is another point that demonstrates the mid -range configuration: recording a screenshot.If you click at the same time on the Power and Low Volume button, you make a "screenshot" of the screen on which you are.On the P8 Lite, you must wait a bit before the image taken disappears from the screen and restore your hand.

Battery and autonomy

The P8 Lite is delivered with a 2200mAh battery, which is much lower than that present on the top of the range, the P8.On the other hand, he has a less muscular configuration and a only HD screen.On average, I succeeded at more or less 8 p.m. with a point at 26 hours with a duration remaining estimated at 2 hours.On the other hand, if you are a smartphone hitch, you risk or even the autonomy can be reduced very quickly.So, if you don't spend your time downloading, playing or on the internet, the battery holds water, without being exceptional and it's a good surprise.

To improve autonomy, the P8 Lite offers, in the Sub-Menu Energy Economy, different options whose choice of power plan (ultra, intelligent or normal), the choice of applications that can continue to work when the screenis extinguished or the display List of the most energy -consuming programs.

Price and availability

Available since the beginning of May 2015, the P8 Lite is still offered around € 249 but you can find it for a few euros less on Expansys.You can acquire it in two different colors: dark or white gray.

Conclusion

In the end, even if the P8 Lite is not free from faults, it turned out to be a good surprise.Its dimensions give it a good grip, its design a certain class and its performance are satisfactory for most treatments.It offers, in addition to complete connectivity, double-Sim compatibility.The Huawei P8 Lite is therefore a complete, balanced and accessible smartphone without breaking the bank.

As a word of the end, I invite you to watch the official video presentation of the Huawei P8 Lite