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Huawei P8
Huawei P8
Huawei P8
Huawei P8
Huawei P8
...


7.9/10
Informr score
The Huawei P8 currently has an Informr score of 7.9 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 17 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Excellent low light picture quality
  • Vibrant and sharp display
  • Extremely thin at 0.25 inches

What's bad

  • Performance lag during multi-tasking and intense tasks
  • Mediocre battery life
  • Sharp in-hand feel

While in the market for years, Huawei is still a relative unknown in countries other than China. Consumers that have heard of it likely associate the company with budget phones. Huawei hopes to change that stigma with their first attempt at a flagship phone – the P8.

As with other premium phones the P8 has a full aluminum back cover and Gorilla Glass protective layer. There are no branding or speaker grilles anywhere to be found; lending it what reviewers consider a very clean albeit generic look. What does make it stand out is its thinness. At only 0.25 inches thick, the P8 is thinner than the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy 6, making it easier for critics to handle. With that said, they did find it to feel a bit sharp in-hand though they add the contoured edges made it a bit smoother. Interestingly, while it is thinner than the competition it ends up being slightly heavier at 144 grams. The weight is not unwelcome as reviewers point out it actually gives it a good overall premium feel.

The 5.2-inch screen comes with a full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920, which translates to a superb pixel density of 424ppi. Reviewers describe it as bright, clear and easy to read in all lighting conditions though it skews a tad towards warmer color temperatures. Luckily, there is the option to adjust these temperatures in the settings menu so users can find a more natural balance. When compared to its competitors, critics found it held up relatively well in terms of color vibrancy though it loses out in other areas such as details, dark blacks and clean whites. Still, Trusted Reviews notes, "…it's a great screen all around."

While the P8 does have an octo-core processor, it isn't quite as beefed up as its rivals with its "muscle" cores clocking in at 2.0GHz and its standard ones coming in at 1.5GHz. The cores themselves were designed more for battery efficiency than speed, which was reflected in its performance. While critics generally swiped through the home screen without issue, they did notice freezes and lag once they started multi-tasking or using more intense apps. As well, some reported jerkiness when web browsing sites with a large amount of images. Battery-life is also average, lasting critics around a day of moderate use and 7 hours of heavy use. The battery is also removable so users can keep a spare charged battery on hand in case of emergencies.

The 13MP rear camera might not be able to stand up to the big names in Android in terms of resolution, but Huawei has another trick up its sleeve. They claim the P8 comes with the world's first RGBW imaging sensor. This sensor allegedly cuts out noise in low light conditions and provides better brightness and contrast. When put to the test, reviewers were impressed with the amount of detail the camera captured especially on outdoor shots. Their indoor shots, however, tended to be over-exposed and saturated in some parts. In indoor and low light shots, they were able to get clear pictures with hardly any noise due in part to its optical image stabilization technology.

Although the P8 might not completely measure up to its competitors, it still offers plenty of features at a much lower cost of entry. Still, reviewers are hesitant to fully recommend the phone. Techradar states, "The Huawei P8 has all the right ingredients for a top of the range smartphone, but something's not quite gone to plan in the baking." Anand Tech adds, "The P8 just seems to have too many compromises to be able to be considered a viable alternative to other devices at that price range…the whole device…just seems to underperform…"


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2 GHz
Processor
Processor
2 GHz
5.2"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.2"
13+ MP
Camera
Camera
13+ MP
2680 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


TechRadar
TechRadar

The Huawei P8 has all the right ingredients for a top smartphone, but something's not quite gone to plan in the baking stage. The lower price point certainly helps, but the mainstream flagships can rest easy.

- John McCann, TechRadar
Softpedia
Softpedia

One thing is certain, the Huawei P8 looks mighty gorgeous and sleek and can easily be seen competing with the big leagues. What’s more, the company is selling the smartphone for a very affordable price range, when compared to the competition, naturally. However, Huawei still has some work to...

- Softpedia News (Alexandra Arici), Softpedia
What Mobile
What Mobile

An attractive device that gives you top-of-the-range specs and a fantastic camera for half the price of the Samsung Galaxy S6 or iPhone. The performance isn’t as slick as its major rivals, but that isn’t a deal breaker. Especially when the phone costs half the price of the iPhone 6 and S...

- Alex Yau, What Mobile
GSMArena
GSMArena

The Huawei P8 is a handsome device and built to high standards. Its stylish exterior and premium feel will get it quite a lot of attention. The P8 is well equipped too and is sure to please the majority of Android users, who value quality exterior and rich functionality.

- GSMArena team, GSMArena
Brighthand
Brighthand

It has a credible finish, excellent display, and notable performance. Sure, its photos are a bit soft, the battery is average, and Huawei blatantly copied rivals with the design, but those are minor niticks. Bottom line, the Huawei P8 simply has the best price-to-performance ratio.

- Dragan Petric, Brighthand


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Huawei P8 user manual here.


Huawei backs up the P8 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your P8 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Huawei support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Huawei's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
5.2"

The Huawei P8's screen size is 5.2 inches with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

Processor
2 GHz

There is a HiSilicon Kirin 930 Octa core 2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system (OS).

Camera
13+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 13+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 8+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
16 GB

Internal memory is 16 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2680mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 2680 mAh battery. Huawei's performance ratings are 900 minutes, 812 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Huawei P8 Specs

Overview
Release Date June 30, 2015
Regions Available United Kingdom
Operating System Android 5.0 Lollipop

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor HiSilicon Kirin 930 Octa core 2 GHz
Internal Storage 16 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.473 W/kg
Body: 1.72 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Yes
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
13+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, Image stabilization, ISO, Night mode, Panorama, HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, XviD
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density 424 pixels
Size 5.2 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 2680 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 565 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 812 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Up to 320 minutes
Talk Time Up to 900 minutes
Standby Time Up to 20.4 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Mystic Champagne, Titanium Gray, Carbon Black, Prestige Gold
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.5 x 7.2 x 0.6 cm (5.7 x 2.8 x 0.2 in)
Weight 144 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
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Additional Information Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Manual (PDF)
Huawei P8 Reviews
Where to buy Huawei P8
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