What's good
- Incredible battery life
- Very bright screen
- Good performance
What's bad
- Some lag when using processor intensive apps
- Heavy and not easy to use one-handed
- Comparatively low screen resolution
The second generation Ascend Mate from Huawei maintains the same large screen as the original while improving upon the internal hardware. Despite having a pocket-stretching 6.1-inch display, Huawei manages to keep the body of the phone a relatively slim 6.3 x 3.3 x 0.4 inches though it's slightly hefty at 202 grams. Techradar describes it as feeling like a, "light, yet thick slate of glass." Due to its large size, critics found it difficult to wrangle one-handed though the curved and textured back give it a decent grip to prevent accidental drops.
The display itself, while large, offers a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels for a low 241ppi pixel density. In normal situations reviewers didn't notice any significant detail loss but did find pixilation on text heavy sites. Despite some clarity issues, they go on to mention that the colors are vibrant, albeit slightly saturated, and the screen brightness is perfect for outdoor use.
Keeping in line with their mid-tier price, the Huawei Ascend Mate 2 offers a decent 1.6GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. Benchmark tests place it firmly in the middle of the smartphone pack and real life testing backs up the data. Experts didn't notice any significant lag during everyday usage though they did experience some hiccups when playing processor heavy games. What really blew away critics was battery life. The Ascend Mate 2 comes equipped with a 3,900mAh battery that, when put through rigorous battery draining tests, lasted a whopping 25 hours. Real life testing put the battery life at around 4 days with moderate usage. In addition, the battery can also be used to charge other devices with a micro-USB-to-micro-USB cable or micro-USB-to-Lightning cable.
While there are a few issues with the phone, most reviewers have no problem recommending it for the price point. Slashgear says for the price, "…it's easy to overlook the relative lack of explosive or otherwise stand-out features on the Huawei Ascend Mate 2." CNET adds, "The Huawei Ascend Mate 2 has a few nits to pick, but it remains the best-value Android phone of its size."
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Stanley Goodner, GadgeTellI find the Huawei Ascend Mate2 to be quite the impressive smartphone. I think that the company was smart to cherry-pick certain hardware while leaving the rest untouched. The result is an affordable smartphone with great camera optics and a large 6.1” screen. For only $300 off-contract, the As...
- Jane McEntegart, Mobile SyrupThe Ascend Mate 2 is a great mid-range solution. Priced at $399 outright on WIND, this device is a great example of more than adequate performance balanced with a great price. Huawei has made sacrifices where they won’t be missed (like the lower resolution display) and really pushed forward in...
- Brighthand Staff, BrighthandWhile the Ascend Mate2 is fine for personal and business use, there are going to be tradeoffs due its size. For one, the device will stick out of most pockets and will mostly need to be carried in a bag. Additionally, some people might not be comfortable holding such a large phone while on calls.The...
- Kevin C. Tofel, GigaOMOnly have $300 to spend on an off-contract phone? If you don’t mind a large handset, Huawei’s Ascend Mate2 is worth the look. It has some advanced features, a solid camera and a massive battery along with LTE support.
- Dima Aryeh, Android and MeThe Huawei Ascend Mate2 4G LTE is a very solid device, especially for the $300 price tag. With a nice display lacking in resolution, good performance, a decent camera, and some incredibly battery life, this device will definitely suit a lot of people. Hell, it suited me for the time I used it aside...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G prices will vary depending on retailer, age, special offers and whether or not it's purchased with a service plan. If purchased with a 2 year service contract for example, you would likely pay much less for the phone itself up front. Huawei's suggested retail price is $299.99. You can compare Ascend Mate 2 4G prices from around the web here on The Informr.
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G user manual here.
Huawei backs up the Ascend Mate 2 4G with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Ascend Mate 2 4G 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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