To say that Huawei's current situation is difficult compared to five years ago is an understatement if we use English terms. But despite the technology restrictions imposed by the United States, many are still loyal to Huawei because of the amazing camera capabilities of their devices.
The poisonous combination of Huawei and Leica became the talk of the town and until now some of their devices that are quite old are still being used because the owners are satisfied with the camera's capabilities. This year again Huawei's fortunes changed because the cooperation with Leica did not continue. Instead the XMAGE camera system was announced. Is XMAGE still able to deliver the camera performance that makes the Huawei Mate 50 Pro a must-have device?
Specifications
Huawei Mate 50 Pro
6.74″ OLED screen, 1212 x 26160 pixels
120 Hz
Snapdragon 8+ 4G processor (4nm)
1 X 3.19 GHz Cortex X2 chip
3 X 2.75 GHz Cortex A710
4 X 2.00 GHz Cortex A510
Adreno 730 Graphics Chip
RAM 8 Gigabyte LPDDR5
Internal Storage 256GB UFS 3.1
NM card 256GB
Primary Camera 50 MP, f/1.4-f/4.0, OIS (Wide Angle)
13 MP, f/2.2 (Ultra wide)
64 MP, f/3.5, OIS (Telephoto)
4K 60p
Front Camera 13 Megapixel f/2.4,
4K 60p
4700 mAh battery
66W wired charging
50W wireless charging
Dual SIM Nano SIM/Telephony (Hybrid Tray)
NFC Yes
Infrared Yes
Waterproof IP68
Fingerprint Scan System built into the screen
Selling Price RM4404* (256GB)
RM5282* (512GB)
*Prices are converted from Yuan
Screen
The 6.74″ OLED FHD+ screen comes with a higher adaptive 120Hz support compared to only 90Hz on the Mate 40 Pro. However the Mate 50 Pro's screen is slightly smaller and has a lower PPI.
It is also still curved on both sides because Huawei still feels that this design is relevant in 2022. We feel that a flat screen is more practical because the video content that is being watched for example does not overflow to the sides. The size of the bezel on all four sides is thin.
There is a large notch on the top for the 3D facial scanning system. Huawei is one of the few Android manufacturers that still offers facial scanning features like Face ID on their devices. Indeed, this notch is big, but the advantage is that the facial recognition system can be used even in the dark. It is also faster when compared to the under-screen fingerprint scanning system that is also included.
Officially the screen supports Vivid HDR. But on other streaming platforms like Netflix for example there is no HDR support since each device has to pass the Netflix test which Huawei cannot do due to technological restrictions.
The screen still has satisfactory clarity with it being clearly visible under bright sunlight. Colors are also alive with no color banding issues. When scrolling there is no ghosting issue and all touches can be detected accurately.
Design
Restrictions may be imposed on Huawei but in terms of design and quality of finish, they still maintain the quality that has been used over the years. The hard metal frame has rounded sides. In a market filled with devices with flat sides to follow the trend started by Apple, the Mate 50 Pro still believes in its own identity.
The construction is robust and when pressure is applied, it does not immediately flex. No need to worry about the Mate 50 Pro accidentally folding like the P50 Pocket because the frame is sturdy. The power button and audio adjustment are placed on the right side. Like the frame these two buttons are made of metal and they don't feel loose.
There is an infrared emitter at the top. A feature that is rarely given to smartphones of late. On the bottom there is a USB-C charging port, an audio grille and a SIM tray. This tray supports dual-SIM nano and one NM Card with a size of up to 256GB,
On the back there is a big round-shaped bump that houses three cameras – 50MP wide-angle with XMAGE system, 13MP ultra-wide-angle and 64MP telephoto that supports up to 100X digital zoom. There are indeed four lenses on the back but one of them is the laser that is used for focusing.
This giant bump has a Clous de Paris finish which is a pattern commonly used on luxury watches. Because of its large size, the usual issue of the device not being able to be placed flat on the table occurs. The silicone frame that comes with every purchase can solve this issue and at the same time reduce the risk of a dirty back panel.
The battery is 4700 mAh which is bigger compared to last year's 4400 mAh capacity. Supported charging systems are 66W wired, 50W wireless and 7.5W reverse. This charging system is not the fastest but better than the ones provided by Samsung and Apple.
All these components are placed in a body that passes the IP68 standard so it can be immersed in water up to 6 meters. If there's one negative thing we can say about the design it's that there's no audio jack which has been common on the majority of flagship devices for the past five years.
Interface And User Experience
The device we received uses Harmony OS 3.0 which is the latest version of Huawei's standalone operating system. The Mate 50 and Mate 50 Pro are also the first two devices with Harmony OS 3.0. This is a ROM specific to the Chinese market at this time.
Both operating systems have the same interface and features but Harmony OS has deeper integration for various services in China only. Therefore EMUI 13 is used in the global market when it goes on sale later.
The usage experience is smooth without any issues. The use of a 120Hz screen makes the device feel very responsive when in use with no lag issues that we can see. In short, if you've used Huawei and Honor devices with EMUI before, the experience is still the same with the addition of features and changes to some interface elements.
Among the new features supported is the ability to make emergency calls using Beidu satellites. When there is no cellular network or WiFi, the Mate 50 Pro will automatically connect to the satellite system. But at this time it has been confirmed that this feature can only be used in China.
SmartFolder allows applications to be placed in a folder whose size on the screen can be changed. Normally folders only show 9 application icons but in HarmonyOS 3, users can resize folders to their heart's content.
Meanwhile, the SuperStorage feature reduces the storage space required by installed applications. The system intelligently removes unnecessary files at the same time allowing space savings of up to 20GB on 256GB storage. For users of the Huawei ecosystem, the process of sharing various files between applications and devices is simplified with the SuperHub feature.
All of this is done by using Huawei Media Services which has been an alternative to GMS for the past few years. Among the biggest changes is that when an application search is performed in the Huawei App Gallery, applications that are not offered in the Huawei store will be displayed. Users can install applications directly from the App Gallery without having to go to Petak Search. This can be done through built-in third-party store integration.
Bench mark
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G chip used by the Mate 50 Pro is unique in that it does not support 5G networks and is only used by Huawei. The benchmark scores recorded are as below.
We also benchmarked the iPhone 14 Pro Max (A16 Bionic), iPhone 13 Pro Max (A15 Bionic), Honor Magic4 Pro (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1) and Z Fold4 (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1). It is quite strange to see that the score recorded by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G is lower than that of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
Geekbench 5
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – 893/3092
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 1875/5469
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max – 1727/4713
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 – 1298/3963
Black Shark 5 Pro – 958/3268
Antutu 3D
Huawei Mate 50 Pro – 816,503
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 974,941
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max – 789,647
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 – 980,346
Honor Magic4 Pro – 805,972
The lower score compared to the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G is a little surprising since the chip is equipped with the same core. So maybe power is reduced to optimize battery usage. In terms of usage we don't feel there is a significant difference. Scrolling is still smooth, apps open quickly and the game can be played at high settings with a satisfying frame rate. The device also does not show overheating after a video game session.
Telephony, GPS, WiFi
There is no 5G but there is 4G VoLTE and VoWiFi support on telcos that support it. Voice calls are clear and bright again depending on the telco you are using. GPS is also accurate with the mapping application Petal Maps can locate our location in the middle of Kuala Lumpur in less than two seconds. WiFi 6 support is provided for the fastest download capabilities if you have a router at home.
There are rumors that 5G devices with their own technology will be used by Huawei next year. It needs to be done immediately because DNB's 5G network is expanding in Malaysia and without 5G support it will be difficult for Huawei to continue selling their flagship devices in our country.
Camera
On the back there is a large round-shaped hump that houses three 50MP wide-angle XMAGE cameras with variable aperture f/1.4 to f/4.0 and OIS support, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle f/2.0 and a 64MP telephoto f/3.5 that supports optical zoom up to 3.5 X and digital zoom up to 100X The periscope mechanism is used in conjunction with the OIS stabilization system. On the front, a 13MP camera is used. Here are some sample photos that we managed to take for preliminary testing before we publish a full review in the near future.
Pictures taken in good lighting situations look sharp with fast focusing. Especially on a wide-angle lens equipped with an OIS system. The colors in all the pictures are warmer than the actual situation. When there is a light source, no blooming issue can be seen with the HDR system able to avoid glare issues in various situations when pictures are taken.
The macro mode works brilliantly with the spines on the cactus and the hairs on the leaves clearly visible. The camera is smart enough to detect objects located close to the lens and immediately suggest that macro mode is activated. XMAGE's variable aperture feature also produces effects that can be changed according to the photographer's wishes. Detection of background objects and foreground objects is also very good. As with previous Huawei flagship devices, the size of the camera aperture that changes the level of bokeh strength can be changed after the photo is taken via the Gallery app.
Zoom is good up to around 10X with pictures taken still looking sharp. The Mate 50 Pro can support up to 100X digital zoom but in our opinion at this level the photos taken show significant noise effects similar to those seen on the S22 Ultra and Magic4 Pro. So far there is still no smartphone with a 100X zoom feature that we can say is not a gimmick feature. In the case of the Mate 50 Pro, we can only recommend the use of zoom up to 30X only because beyond this limit the viewfinder starts to get tired.
Audio
There is a pair of stereo speakers with one on the bottom and the other on the earpiece. The audio is not very balanced because the bottom speakers are louder. There is no Dolby Atmos support instead it is replaced by a Histen system that operates when audio accessories are plugged in.
Even with the LDAC codec, the Mate 50 Pro's audio performance was only average on the bluetooth accessories we used. It doesn't end there, the audio feels a little flat with strong bass but less prominent treble. In terms of audio, the experience on the Mate 50 Pro doesn't match its status as a flagship device.
Battery
With a 4700 mAh battery it is quite small compared to the one used on the S22 Ultra (5000 mAh) but larger than the P50 Pro (4360 mAh). In moderate use the battery can reach SOT 10 hours and can last up to 24 hours on a single charge. This is good battery life for an Android/EMUI device but still behind the iPhone 14 Pro Max which can last longer even though the battery is only 4323 mAh.
Recharging takes only about 55 minutes using a 66W wired charger. A charger is provided with every purchase along with a USB-A to USB-C cable. For those who like to use wireless chargers, a 50W charging system is also included along with 5W reverse wireless charging.
In the box
Here's what you get with every device purchase in Malaysia.
1x Huawei Mate 50 Pro.
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable
1x 66W Charger
1x Manual.
1x Silicone frame.
1x SIM Pin.
Conclusion
Despite facing various obstacles due to technological restrictions and no longer collaborating with photography giant Leica, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro is still an interesting device. It operates smoothly, can run at high graphics settings, additional features that make it easy for users and XMAGE to maintain the pedigree of Huawei's photography capabilities that are well known to many.
It's a good device in a market that currently has a glut of good devices. This puts the Mate 50 Pro in a rather difficult position because in the category of premium flagship devices, users are looking for perfection that Huawei in Malaysia cannot offer.
The screen is beautiful with HDR but it is not supported on popular apps like Netflix. App selection is improved on the App Gallery with direct Petal Search integration for downloads but it requires two extra steps compared to the Google Play Store. There is a way to use Google apps but like App Gallery it requires extra steps.
The Mate 50 Pro is a merely good device in a category that calls for a perfect device. On premium flagship devices, the most user-pleasing experience is worth gold. Because of this, the Mate 50 Pro will most likely only attract the attention of die-hard Huawei fans who are still reluctant to change to another ecosystem. Honor Magic4 Pro has almost the same design, operating system with similar features/face, comparable camera capabilities, has GMS and is sold at a price of only RM3999.
For three years Huawei refused to give in despite facing various technological restrictions. Their perseverance is admirable but it is like the fate of Sisyphus in the Greek tragedy. The irony in this situation is that when Huawei almost reached the top of the hill, it was Honor that pushed them back down.
Pro
A fast and smooth 120Hz screen.
Fast 3D face scanning system.
App Gallery offers Petal Search integration for easier app downloads.
XMAGE is comparable to the Leica system.
Fast charging system.
IP68 waterproof.
Cons
The screen is curved so it spills out to the sides.
There is no HDR support and Full HD resolution on Netflix.
Audio performance is not satisfactory.
No 5G.