Huawei’s P60 Pro is the latest addition to their flagship lineup of camera phones. In recent times, we’ve witnessed the emergence of numerous remarkable camera phones, prompting the question: Has Huawei managed to stay ahead and compete with them, even without Google services? Join us as we delve into our in-depth review of the Huawei P60 Pro to find out.
DesignBuild Quality And Display:
The Huawei P60 Pro aims to make a strong impression on consumers with its top-notch specifications and impressive camera capabilities, despite the absence of 5G access and Google services.
One noteworthy feature, similar to last year’s Mate 50 Pro, is the variable aperture lens on the main camera. Furthermore, compared to its predecessor, the P50 Pro, the P60 Pro boasts enhancements such as an upgraded display, a new chipset, a larger battery, and faster charging.
The design of the P60 Pro exudes a fresh and clean aesthetic, accentuated by a glass back that resembles Pearl marble. In addition to this unique look, the phone is also available in more conventional color options.
The vertical camera arrangement is intriguing, featuring a large circle and two smaller dots. Both the front and back of the device gracefully curve into an aluminum frame. Overall, the phone feels comfortable to hold, but it may be a bit slippery, similar to last year’s model. Additionally, the P60 Pro is rated IP68, providing resistance against water and dust.
The front of the phone showcases a 6.67-inch curved LDPO OLED display with a resolution of 2700 by 1220 pixels. It features a fast 120Hz refresh rate and Kunlun glass protection. The introduction of LTPO technology is a new addition, which allows for an extra adaptive refresh rate to conserve energy.
Huawei claims that it can adjust the refresh rate from 120Hz all the way down to just one Hertz during idle periods. However, we were unable to verify this claim as the integrated refresh rate counter did not capture such behavior.
The maximum brightness of this screen surpasses that of previous models, reaching approximately 580 nits when using the manual brightness slider. In auto mode under bright conditions, it can boost up to 1130 nits.
The screen offers high contrast, and with a pixel density of 444 PPI, the content appears exceptionally sharp. There is support for 10-bit color and HDR10+, and the color accuracy can be superb depending on the chosen color settings.
For biometric authentication, the phone incorporates an optical under-display fingerprint reader. This technology allows users to conveniently and securely unlock their device by simply placing their finger on the designated area of the screen. The optical under-display fingerprint reader enhances the overall user experience by providing a seamless and intuitive biometric authentication method.
Audio Quality And Storage Options
In terms of audio, the Huawei P60 Pro is equipped with a pair of stereo speakers that offer impressive loudness. The audio quality is excellent, providing clear vocals, crisp highs, and satisfying bass. Whether you’re listening to music, watching videos, or playing games, the P60 Pro delivers a captivating audio experience.
In regards to storage options, the P60 Pro offers the choice of 256GB or 512GB of internal storage. Additionally, the storage capacity can be expanded by utilizing a Huawei Nano Memory card, allowing you to store even more files, media, and apps on your device. This expandable storage capability provides flexibility and convenience to accommodate your growing digital content needs.
System Interface
The Huawei P60 Pro features the EMUI 13.1 interface, which is based on Android but offers a distinct user experience compared to typical Android phones. Due to the absence of Google services and apps, EMUI 13 relies on Huawei’s own services and apps, along with their proprietary AppGallery app store.
While you won’t have access to Google services on the device, the app selection within the AppGallery is continuously expanding, and you can find many popular apps available there. Huawei has been actively working to ensure a wide range of apps are accessible through their platform, providing users with the essential applications they need.
Although the experience may differ from a traditional Android phone, EMUI 13.1 on the P60 Pro offers a unique interface tailored to Huawei’s services and ecosystem, giving users access to a growing collection of apps through the AppGallery.
Indeed, there are some notable omissions compared to Google Play on the Huawei P60 Pro. However, the integrated Petal Search feature allows users to find apps outside of the AppGallery, including from developers’ websites and other app repositories, and install them directly.
This expands the options for accessing apps beyond the AppGallery’s offerings. Additionally, options like G-Box, a virtual machine, provide a workaround by enabling the installation and use of Google apps, further improving the situation for users who prefer to maintain their connection with Google.
Apart from app-related features, EMUI is packed with functionality and performs well. The interface includes a separate notification center and control center, similar to what you would find on Apple or Xiaomi devices.
The leftmost home screen is customizable and can display various information, such as a news feed and weather updates. Swiping down on any part of the home screen activates a system-wide search function.
EMUI 13 also supports large folders, allowing users to organize apps more efficiently within a compact space while still providing easy access with a single touch. Combined widgets are supported as well, enabling the combination of three widgets into one or the stacking of multiple widgets on top of each other.
Furthermore, the Huawei P60 Pro features an IR blaster, which allows users to remotely control appliances using their device.
Huawei P60 Pro Chipset A Battery
The Huawei P60 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, which was the top-tier silicon for Android flagships in the previous year. However, it can be considered slightly outdated compared to the latest flagships that are equipped with the next-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
It’s important to note that Huawei’s custom version of the chipset used in the P60 Pro is limited to 4G connectivity due to the company’s lack of access to 5G modems.
Despite these limitations, the performance of the P60 Pro is still impressive. It achieves high benchmark scores comparable to the top phones of 2022, indicating more than enough power for smooth multitasking and demanding gaming experiences.
However, during prolonged stress tests, the thermal management of the device can be underwhelming, often leading to significant performance throttling. Fortunately, in real-life usage scenarios, we did not observe any noticeable issues.
Overall, while the chipset may not be the latest in terms of technological advancements and lacks 5G connectivity, the Huawei P60 Pro still delivers strong performance, offering sufficient power for various tasks, including multitasking and gaming.
It’s worth noting that thermal management may struggle under sustained heavy loads, but for everyday usage, users should not encounter any significant performance issues.
The Huawei P60 Pro comes with a larger battery capacity compared to its predecessor, boasting a 4815 milliamp-hour (mAh) battery, whereas the previous model featured a 4360mAh battery.
As a result, the battery life of the P60 Pro is significantly improved, earning an endurance rating of 96 hours, which is commendable for its class. This represents a notable enhancement over the battery performance of the P50 Pro.
Charging capabilities have also seen improvements on the P60 Pro. It now supports 88-watt fast charging, and the included adapter features both a USB-C and a USB-A port. In default charging settings, we were able to charge the phone from 0 to 86 percent in just half an hour, indicating rapid charging speeds.
Moreover, the P60 Pro offers support for 50-watt wireless charging, allowing for convenient and efficient wireless charging. Additionally, the device is equipped with reverse wireless charging, enabling it to serve as a power source to wirelessly charge other compatible devices. Check out this for Cameras specs and Performance.
