In the fall of 2014, at the IFA exhibition, Huawei presented its new smartphone, capable of competing with devices from well-known brands. Huawei Ascend Mate 7 has a metal body, a 6-inch display, an 8-core processor and a 4100 mAh battery.
Of course, the price of such a smartphone turned out to be rather high.
Can Huawei Ascend Mate 7 really compete with smartphones like Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro, Samsung GALAXY Note 4, HTC One Max and Apple iPhone 6 Plus? In order to answer this question, we write reviews. And you are reading (I hope).
Specifications
- OS: Android 4.4.4 KitKat, Emotion UI 3.0 shell
- Processor: 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 925, 1.8 GHz
- Screen: IPS, 1920 x 1080, 6.0 inches, Gorilla Glass 3
- Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100, LTE 700/800/850/900/1700/1800/
- 1900/2100/2600 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28), microSIM
- Data transfer: Wi-Fi 802.11n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0, USB-host, NFC
- RAM: 2 GB, 16 GB internal memory, microSD memory card up to 64 GB
- Camera: main 13 MP, front 5 MP, autofocus, LED flash, HDR, FullHD video recording
- GPS: A-GPS, GLONASS
- Battery: 4100 mAh
- Dimensions: 157 x 81 x 7.9 mm, weight 185 g
- Price: ~33,000 rubles
Appearance
It may come as a surprise, but the 6-inch Ascend Mate 7 is shorter than the 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 6 Plus. All thanks thin frames, framing the screen - they are only 2.9 mm.
Back panel It is completely made of brushed metal, but at the bottom and top there are small plastic linings made to look like metal - antennas. The corners of the body are slightly rounded.
On the right side there is a power on/off button and a volume key. On the left there is a slot for a memory card and a microSIM card.
At the bottom end there is a microUSB connector, at the top there is a 3.5 mm headset jack.
The smartphone is really big and it is almost impossible to operate it with one hand.
Yes, the situation is slightly corrected by the interface buttons, which can move to the right edge for more convenient control with one thumb, but overall the picture remains deplorable - only two hands and only large pockets.
More about the fingerprint scanner a little later.
Screen
Huawei Ascend Mate 7 has a 6-inch screen made using IPS technology, with Full-HD resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and a pixel density of 368 ppi. At this resolution, you will not be able to distinguish the pixels on the screen, the images look bright, with rich colors.
Despite the fact that the screen resolution of competing devices has already reached the Quad HD level, and is 2560 x 1440 pixels, the “low” resolution of Ascend Mate 7 allows you to save battery power longer. And in my opinion, this is a significant plus.
In general, it is worth noting that the screen has high brightness, excellent color reproduction, and good contrast.
Fingerprint scanner
The fingerprint scanner of the Huawei Ascend Mate 7 is located at the back, on the back panel. It looks quite neat, as it doesn’t stand out too much and matches the color of the back panel.
The scanning principle is the same as that of competing companies: fingerprints are stored in protected memory, they are not transferred anywhere, and applications only have access to the recognition result, but not to the fingerprints themselves. Moreover, scanning occurs with one touch and quite clearly, you do not need to run your finger over the scanner again and again, wondering whether the reading will work.
You can use the scanner not only to unlock the screen, but also to open locked applications, your Huawei account, and gain access to personal folders.
Battery
The device received a battery with a capacity of 4100 mAh - not bad for a tablet phone, and taking into account the fact that the screen resolution here is lower than that of some analogue devices of competitors, this volume is quite enough for comfortable use of Ascend Mate 7.With moderate use (calls, sending messages, surfing the Internet), the smartphone lasts for two days, and this is a lot.
In our proprietary test, the hardware lasted almost 17 and a half hours, and taking into account all the energy-saving capabilities of the device’s software, it can last all 60.
By the way! Mate 7 can be used as external battery for charging other devices.
Iron
This battery performance is largely due to the 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor - 4 Cortex A15 cores and 4 Cortex A7 cores for non-resource-intensive tasks with reduced energy consumption.
The SmartI3 coprocessor is used to work with the scanner, which also increases the operating time of the smartphone.
As for memory, the smartphone received 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory.
Camera
As mentioned earlier, Ascend Mate 7 received a 13 MP main camera, which uses the latest generation Sony Exmor RS module. The pictures are high-quality, clear, with good color rendition, rich and bright. The settings menu contains an HDR mode, various effects and functions - for example, setting focus after you have taken a photo.
The same shot with focus correction
The front camera is 5 megapixels, so you can upload selfies in excellent quality to Instagram. For video chats, such a module is more than enough.
The video is shot in Full HD format.
Software platform
Huawei Ascend Mate 7 runs under Android control 4.4.4 KitKat with the proprietary Emotion UI 3.0 shell.
We remind you that the EUI shell has abandoned multiple desktops: there is only one menu with all the widgets and programs that you can sort into folders.
In the notification manager, in addition to the fact that you can disable notifications for some programs and enable notifications for others, you can also choose which applications will continue to run in sleep mode.
When you lock, swipe down to bring up a panel of 4 icons quick launch to quickly enable the application you need.
Of course, there are several themes that change not only background image desktop, but also icon style, fonts, etc.
If you're a motorist, you'll love the "simple screen" mode, which displays large icons on the screen, which is very convenient if you need to use a navigator or maps while driving.
Pre-installed applications include a file browser, a flashlight, and an application for saving energy consumption - it shows which applications consume more battery power.
In general, Huawei did a good job on new version proprietary shell, equipped with convenient modes, functions and an excellent stylish interface.
Let's sum it up
Among the obvious advantages of Huawei Ascend Mate 7 it is worth noting for a long time operation, LTE support, a convenient and neat fingerprint scanner, as well as a proprietary shell version 3.0.
Of course, the price may scare off buyers, but that’s why reviews exist - so that you can decide for yourself whether to choose the Ascend Mate 7 or not.
pros
- Expensive body materials and stylish appearance
- High quality screen
- Fingerprint scanner
- good time battery life
- Comfortable branded shell
- Support for everyone LTE standards Cat 6
- Not the best best camera
- Size too big
Just a year ago, smartphones with a 5.2″ diagonal seemed simply unrealistically large, but now the situation has changed. Even Google itself released the Nexus 6 with a diagonal corresponding to its number, pushing the line of “normal” a little further. Therefore, it is logical that manufacturers keep up with the trend and produce large devices in new ways. And today we will look at just such a smartphone, Huawei Mate 7.
The first thing that comes to mind when you pick up the Mate 7 is still “How huge it is.” Even if you have the smallest hands, a six-inch display is a lot. The device tries to slip out every now and then, although the texture of the surface is not conducive to this, it’s just a matter of dimensions. But let's talk about everything in order.
Equipment
The Mate 7 comes in a beautiful black box. Everyone is accustomed to the fact that most devices from Chinese vendors are not the most expensive, but in this case this is not the case. And this is confirmed not only by the price, but also by the quality of the packaging in particular. On the box, which is made of cardboard with a snakeskin texture, there is a large number 7, as if foreshadowing the packaging of the iPhone in a couple of years.
Everything looks solid inside. Everything is located in separate black boxes placed in their own slots. You get the feeling that you are holding in your hands a box from some not-so-cheap watch.
The package comes with fairly standard pieces of paper with instructions and specifications that no one ever reads, but for some reason they are written, microUSB cable for charging, an adapter for a socket with an output current of 2A (which is very good) and included headphones. I don’t even want to talk about the latter; to be honest, it’s completely unclear why such things are still put in boxes.
In addition, the kit includes a metal clip that will help you remove the memory card and SIM card slots. It's a useful thing, but interesting feature The downside is that it is quite thick, so you may not be able to use it for other devices. Moral: keep the original paper clips from your devices.
Frame
From the other contents of the box, let's move on to the main thing - Huawei Mate 7. Its body is made of metal, which feels very pleasant in the hand. Assembling the device on top level. Everything is very rigid, nothing moves anywhere, does not creak, does not play, creating the feeling of a truly premium device. Actually, the price of the Mate 7 obliges us to do just that, and it would be strange if we could make any complaints about the build quality.
The control buttons are located on the right side. They, like the rest of the body, are metal, well-fitted and have a sufficient degree of clickability. Pressing them is quite convenient, however, thanks to some features that we will talk about later, you will not need to do this so often.
On the left side there are two card slots: one for a SIM card, the other for a microSD memory card. They pop up and slide in with a characteristic click, and when closed they form a solid surface with a side edge, so that when you run your finger along it, you will not get caught on them in any way. A definite plus.
At the top there is a 3.5 mm jack output into which you can insert headphones. I highly recommend doing this with a model different from the one you find in the box, otherwise you can pretty much ruin the whole impression. You can also see the microphone hole at the top.
On the bottom edge you can find a microUSB connector, which is a standard nowadays, including a legal one. By the way, there is also a microphone at the bottom.
The back surface is an almost solid aluminum surface with small pieces at the top and bottom. Higher up is a camera peephole with a flash, underneath which is a fingerprint scanner. Its location evokes associations with the HTC One Max, however, the entire design as a whole refers to it. The nice thing is that the scanner does not differ either in appearance or in tactile sensations from the surrounding texture, although it is slightly lowered and edged with a glossy frame.
Below you can see the Huawei logo and the speaker grille, which is the only one here and is located at the back.
The front panel is occupied by a gigantic display, on top of which there is a speaker grille, sensors and a front camera.
Display
The biggest and most noticeable part of the Mate 7 is definitely its display. It is made using IPS technology and stretches as much as 6″. The resolution today is a very conservative 1920 x 1080 pixels, in other words FullHD. The pixel density is approximately 368 ppi, and I’ll tell you honestly, this is quite enough.
Thanks to the peculiarities of the technology, the black color looks grayish, but otherwise the color rendition is at the same level. If you don’t like the color temperature, you can adjust it using the built-in software tools. Particularly picky users should like this option.
Otherwise, it is worth noting that the large display is really convenient for consuming content. Videos, toys, photographs - this is precisely why it is worth purchasing a device with such rather large dimensions.
Another point worth paying attention to is the oleophobic coating, which is quite good here. Whatever one may say, a large glass surface will one way or another collect a lot of fingerprints, so it is important to be able to remove them well and quickly. And, at least while the device is new, the Mate 7 has no problems with this.
Sound
If the display is ideal for consuming as much content as possible from a smartphone (phablet?), then in terms of sound everything is not so rosy. As already mentioned, there is only one speaker in the Mate 7, and it is located on the rear panel, i.e. The sound is directed away from the user. In this context, the Nexus 6 version looks more logical, when the chin and chin were slightly enlarged to accommodate stereo speakers that direct sound waves to the user. After all, with such dimensions, the slight increase in height is not as significant as in more compact models.
In this regard, you still have to hold your hand “boat” in order to better hear the words of the characters in the film or the roar of the engine during the game, and this is inconvenient. It’s good that there is enough volume reserve, and the sound quality is at the same level. Only, unfortunately, those around you will learn more about this, and not you yourself, since it will be directed specifically at them.
So, despite the fact that the sound is loud and quite high-quality, the manufacturer is pushing you to still use headphones. The sound in them is unremarkable, everything is as it should be, but without a hint of a wow effect. By the way, you will definitely need to buy headphones separately if you don’t already have a pair, because the ones that come in the kit are very, very dull.
Fingerprint scanner
We should also highlight the fingerprint scanner, which is present in the Huawei Mate 7. It is located on the back surface of the device and can be quite conveniently reached with your index finger when you take the smartphone in your hand.
In order to activate fingerprint unlocking, you need to set a lock using a pin or password. A significant disadvantage is that when the smartphone is lying on a table or other surface with its back down, it is impossible to unlock it, unlike the iPhone, so you have to enter a secret combination. And given the size of the device, it should lie on the table quite often.
It’s not in vain that we remembered the iPhone, because the Mate 7 is in many ways reminiscent of it. In particular, the fingerprint recording animation is very, very similar. In terms of software, Huawei’s creation is generally very reminiscent of people from Cupertino, but we will return to this later. In the context of a fingerprint scanner, copying is not so shameful. In the Mate 7, everything works at least as well as in the iPhone, although they say that after the phone freezes outside, problems may arise. Well, keep your smartphones closer to your body.
Camera
Huawei Mate 7 has a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. They both take decent photographs. For me, as a person who is not very keen on mobile photography, the cameras offered are quite enough. However, aesthetes and connoisseurs of high art can find something to complain about and make a choice in favor of or (Plus).
However, Sasha gave the camera high marks; in his opinion, it finally easily competes with the strongest among smartphones.
We should probably mention the camera interface. One has only to look at it to understand what the creators were inspired by. However, this topic will come up again in our review, but here, as they say, everything is obvious. Apple in all its glory, don't you think?
Photo examples
Specifications
- Dimensions: 157 x 81 x 7.9 mm.
- Weight: 185 g.
- Operating system: Android 4.4 KitKat + EmotionUI 3.0.
- Processor: eight-core, HiSilicon Kirin 925, 4 x 1.8 GHz Cortex A15 + 4 x 1.3 GHz Cortex A7.
- Graphics: Mali-T628.
- Display: IPS, 6″, 1920 x 1080, 368 ppi.
- Memory: 16 GB flash + 2 GB RAM or 32 GB + 3 GB RAM, expandable with MicroSD cards (up to 128 GB).
- Camera: 13 MP, front 5 MP.
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, MicroUSB.
- Battery: Li-Po battery 4100 mAh.
Software
Huawei Mate 7 has Android version 4.4 KitKat installed, which has not been the latest for quite some time. But as a result of the manipulations of Chinese programmers, who rolled their own shell called EmotionUI version 3.0 on top of all this, the result was a kind of mixture of iOS and Lollipop. Moreover, all that remains from the latter are new on-screen buttons, which are geometric shapes, and not understandable icons. Their convenience is questionable, but fashion is fashion.
Otherwise, EmotionUI 3.0 is very similar to iOS. There is also no application menu, and everything is stacked on desktops. You need to organize icons into folders, which here open in full screen and display no more than nine applications at a time. On this big screen the move is not the most logical, but since Johnny-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named came up with it, then so be it.
In addition, Huawei decided that it was possible to give the user the ability to change themes, but the icons should still be enclosed in a square with rounded corners. And it doesn’t matter that developers often think differently, we’ll just blurt out their creations on some background. Often this does not look the best, but here, apparently, they were guided by the same principle as in the case of folders.
Copying You-Know-Which OS doesn't end there. So, swiping down brings up a search, which is very reminiscent of Spotlight. You can also search for applications on your smartphone or information on the Internet. Well, the background is also blurred. In general, no one is hiding anything.
The notification curtain has also changed. The bright white background displays events as they occur, and in the adjacent curtain there are icons, of which there are many, but some of them are very interesting. Although, for example, why there is a need for a “reboot”, which can be accidentally touched, is not entirely clear.
The multitasking window is implemented in the form of a 2 by 2 grid, which can be closed by swiping up on the corresponding application. At the same time, you can close all applications at once with one swipe from the bottom edge.
Special abilities
Considering that the smartphone has an impressive size, it is logical that it was equipped with special features, in particular for ease of operation with one hand. Thus, controls such as on-screen buttons or dialing buttons can be moved to one side, which makes it a little easier to manipulate one limb, but not to say that doing this becomes absolutely convenient. I still can’t recommend the device, and it needs to be taken out of your pocket on the go.
In addition to shifting the buttons, you can also turn on a special floating thing, tapping on which opens a menu of nailed buttons, locking the screen and clearing random access memory. You can move it along the edges of the screen, and in fact using this function turned out to be quite convenient.
But the Chinese were not at all going to stop at copying only iOS. After all, there is such a wonderful OS as Windows Phone, which is not enough to complete the combo. Something similar to it can be observed in “simplified mode”. So if you decide to give a six-inch monster to your grandmother (although it is not clear why), then she will be comfortable clicking on the large icons and reading the large letters.
Performance
The heart of Huawei Mate 7 is the HiSilicon Kirin 925 chip, built using “biglittle” technology, i.e. four cores for more productive tasks and four energy-efficient ones. In general, they are enough for both smooth operation of the interface and demanding toys. To be honest, you can’t make any claims against him. Although it may be that with longer use it will be possible to catch some bugs related to the optimization of applications for a not so common chip.
If this is still important for some, then in Antutu Mate 7 scores about 43k points, which is a very decent result, although far from top-end. But we know that it actually means quite a bit.
Autonomy
Battery life is where the Mate 7 shines. Thanks to the combination of a not very voracious processor, a screen with a FullHD resolution that is reasonable for its diagonal, as well as a very impressive 4100 mAh battery, the device lives for a really long time. It should easily last you two days of moderate work, but even if you want to hack some powerful toys, you can be sure that it will last you until the evening and you won’t have to look for an outlet.
But with great capacity comes great responsibility—long charging times. Even taking into account the fact that the box with the device comes with a power supply with an output current of 2A, which is quite a lot by smartphone standards, it takes a long time to charge the Mate 7, which may not be the most convenient circumstance if you need to recharge, and you, for example, you are late.
In any case, a large battery is good, even despite the huge screen that needs to be backlit and the color of each pixel calculated many times per second. So once again I would like to note the developers for the resolution of “only” 1920 x 1080. With the current development of battery technology, more is not needed.
Impressions of use
Perhaps the main question that I asked myself, and, probably, you ask me while reading this review, is how realistic is it to use such a large device? Let me try to answer it.
Even after spending quite some time getting used to the 5.2″ Moto X (2014), the Mate 7 still feels huge. It's virtually impossible to operate it with one hand, even with all the software aids. And this immediately imposes a number of restrictions. For example, I quite often have to talk on the phone, which often means that I need to constantly take my smartphone out of my pocket. And you have to do this even on the go, which in the case of such a giant is fraught with falls, chips of the case and webs of cracks across the screen. Not the most pleasant thing that can happen, I tell you.
With my usual grip, I could reach with my thumb just above the middle of the display. And since Huawei for some reason forgot to copy from Apple the function in which the display goes down (although so much was copied that it’s unclear why not), in order to reach the upper elements of the interface, you need to change your grip.
And although the metal of the case provides a very pleasant tactile sensation, and the build quality is pleasing, it is still virtually impossible to hold the smartphone with one hand. Nevertheless, it is more intended precisely to hold one and use the other. But this does not mean that there is any negativity in my words.
Phablets like the Mate 7 definitely have a right to life. These are just not the devices we are used to. Nobody scolds iPad Air 2 for being difficult to hold with one hand. Of course, I am exaggerating, but I think the meaning is clear. Phablets are phablets. If you like, more bedside and desktop smartphones than convenient dialers that can access the Internet. And if you need to talk on it on the go, buy a headset and live happily. Otherwise, use both hands.
Of course, all this may no longer be so relevant in a few years. A striking example is the photograph below. I remember now what an incredible shovel, unusable, the HTC HD2 seemed to me. And now you can see for yourself where it is in the size range. So it is quite possible that in a few years we will remember the Huawei Mate 7 as a miniature device that was convenient to use. But this, firstly, is unlikely, and, secondly, it will only happen in the future, so when it comes, then we’ll talk.
conclusions
Huawei Ascend Mate 7 is very good smartphone, if you can still call it that. Build quality, display, fingerprint scanner - all this is done at the highest level and evokes only positive emotions. In addition, he overcomes with dignity the main problem of modern mobile devices, namely the lifetime from one charge. At the same time, as you might guess, its main advantage and disadvantage is the diagonal of this very display. Today, 6″ is still very, very large, but if you are sure that these sizes will suit you, you can safely go and buy.
Prices start at $550 for the version with 16 GB of internal memory and 2 GB of RAM and end at around $650 for 32 GB + 3 GB. At this price tag, the Mate 7 is a very good choice.
For whom such a smartphone might be ideal are iOS lovers who, for some reason iPhone display 6 Plus seems small and iPad Mini I'm not happy with the fact that I can't make calls. The craftsmen from Huawei not only largely followed the precepts of Johnny-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but even introduced an option in a gold-colored case. And compared to the “plus”, you will also be able to save a little. By the way, there is also a 128 GB version on sale (only in gold color), so in terms of memory you can fully compensate for the lack of apples in your blood, if one suddenly appears. There's also a lot more RAM here.
As a result, we have a very ambiguous device. On the one hand, it performed very well in a number of aspects; it can be safely recommended for purchase even taking into account the rather inflated price tag. But on the other hand, such large sizes are not suitable for everyone, and the Huawei brand (especially in countries where Russian is spoken) has not yet established itself enough for the masses to be willing to shell out “flagship” money for it. All this makes the Mate 7 a great device, but also a very niche one.
What do you know about Chinese phones? Are they cheap, made of plastic, and poorly adapted for Russia? Whatever the case! Huawei Ascend Mate 7 breaks all our stereotypes. It's big, has serious specs, a metal body and a fingerprint scanner. And it's also expensive. More precisely - on the level. This is such a Chinese! However, let's figure it out.
I already wrote earlier about the Russian one, dedicated to the new smartphone. If you haven’t had time to read it, don’t worry. That was just a first glance, and now together with you we will analyze everything in detail. In that Huawei review Ascend Mate 7 I will share my two-week experience of using the phone as my main device. I’ll tell you about the pros and cons of the device, what pitfalls await potential buyers of the device and, of course, we’ll talk about the price. The latter is becoming especially acute these days, but I will say in advance that not everything is so simple. Go!
Equipment
The solid black box made of thick cardboard contains a microUSB power cable, a 5V and 2A adapter, a simple headset, a special clip for removing the SIM card and, of course, the Mate 7.
The packaging as a whole is tasteful, high quality and creates the feeling that this is an expensive item. The accessories do not make such an impression: ordinary little laces made of white plastic. Go ahead.
Design and ergonomics
The first thing that catches your eye is the frame. They are thin (about 2.9 mm), and the screen occupies 83 percent of the entire area of the front side of the smartphone. For comparison, in the iPhone 6 Plus this figure is 73%, and in the Samsung GALAXY Note 4 - 80%.
Despite the fact that the engineers tried to make the case as compact as possible, the dimensions still make themselves felt. The device is big and even very big. Due to the beveled corners at the back, the Mate 7 fits relatively well in the palm of your hand.
However, it is impossible to operate it with one hand.
Due to the all metal body, it is a bit slippery. Of course, not the same as, but the risk of accidentally dropping the gadget is still present.
I propose to immediately compare the dimensions of our hero with his main competitors:
| Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| Huawei Ascend Mate 7 | ||||
| Apple iPhone 6 Plus | 158,1 | 77,8 | ||
| Samsung GALAXY Note 4 | 153,5 | 78,6 | ||
| LG G3 | 146,3 | 74,6 |
A smartphone can easily replace a tablet, if you do not use the latter as a work tool. However, the taste and color, as you know...
The main part of the body is machined from a single piece of metal. On the top and bottom of the back you can see that plastic inserts are used. The phone antennas are hidden under them.
The main camera eye protrudes slightly above the surface, but the fingerprint scanner platform, on the contrary, is slightly recessed.
To the left of the camera there is a single-section led flash. And below, under small perforations in the metal, there is a multimedia speaker. The sound through it is quite loud. It will most likely be difficult to miss a call on a noisy street.
Above the screen there are the usual “sense” organs of any modern device: light and proximity sensor, LED responsible for various notifications, front camera peephole and earpiece grid.
Below, on the front surface there is nothing except the brand name. Touch keys are part of the interface and can be configured from the menu, as well as hidden when needed or always.
On the right side there are volume keys and a wake-up button.
The left side is occupied by two trays, one of which is used as a carrier for a SIM card (Micro standard), the other for a memory card.
On the top edge there is a microphone hole and a 3.5 mm audio output, and on the bottom there is another microphone and a microUSB connector.
The overall impression of the smartphone is very positive. The thing is really high quality, reliable and looks expensive. And this is Chinese, for a moment.
There are three color variations of smartphones found in nature:
We tested it with a silver model, but I recommend taking a look at the dark version. The latter looks very noble.
By the way, another version of the smartphone will soon be available in China. The word “Monarch” will be added to the name, which means there will be 64 GB of memory on board and an extended warranty. Under the latter, the user can be sure that his phone will be repaired in just one hour if any problem arises with it. The price for a VIP class ticket is set at $710. However, all this is completely irrelevant for Russia.
Smartphone display
It is based on an IPS matrix with a diagonal of six inches and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The pixel density per inch does not exceed 368 ppi. I am convinced that QuadHD is not what even a modern flagship with a similar diagonal needs. It will be very difficult to discern the difference, so good old Full HD is more than enough here. At the same time, it saves processor and battery resources.
Viewing angles, brightness, contrast (1500:1) - everything is in perfect order. The colors are moderately rich, close to natural. Let's see how everything really looks.
From the settings, you can play with the gamma parameters: from cold to warmer shades. This is normal functionality from Huawei.
The screen is covered with a glass panel called Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The coating is actually very resistant to scratches and the accumulation of grease from fingers.
Technical characteristics of Huawei Ascend Mate 7:
- HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor (8 cores)
- special chip Sensor Management Unit i3 (230 MHz)
- Mali T628 graphics accelerator
- RAM 2 (about 906 MB available) or 3 GB
- internal memory 16 or 32 GB (25.30 GB actually available)
- microSD memory card support (up to 128 GB)
- 6’’ display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (368 ppi)
- main camera 13 MP, aperture f/ 2.0
- front camera 5 MP
- sensors: gyroscope, light sensor, accelerometer, compass, fingerprint scanner
- microUSB 2.0 (OTG), audio jack
- lithium polymer battery (non-removable) 4100 mAh
- OS Android 4.4.2
- shell version EMUI 3.0
- 2G, 3G, 4G LTE (cat6, FDD bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28 and TDD 40)
- Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, no infrared sensor
- aGPS / GLONASS
Any flagship needs the very best processor. Here this is the HiSilicon Kirin 925, which is based on 4 CortexA15 cores operating at 1.8 GHz, as well as four less productive CortexA7 cores clocked at 1.3 GHz.
In addition, this system on the chip also has:
- Sensor Management Unit i3 coprocessor, responsible for processing data from various sensors devices,
- graphics based on Mali T628
- additional HiFi3 core working with audio stream
- network modem supporting LTE (Cat 6)
- RAM LPDDR3
- separate camera and display controllers
- as well as an area that supports hardware-level encryption
It is reported that big.LITTLLE 8 technology provides the HiSilicon solution with a 15% performance increase compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 and 20% greater energy efficiency. By the way, our hero’s brains are built using 28-nanometer technology.
On the back side there is a fingerprint sensor that recognizes fingerprints (up to 5 pieces) in any orientation. You can place your finger upside down, on the side, or in some other way - recognition will occur correctly and very quickly. The sensor works great. Engineers have worked hard on this.
But what else can be said about the configurations. The gold model of the smartphone, in addition to a slightly higher price (we'll come back to this later) and the corresponding color, can offer the owner 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal storage and support for two SIM cards (Nano SIM is responsible for LTE networks). Personally, I liked the dark variation the most, and I would like to have the specifications as in the Premium model. What a dilemma!
Performance
Yes, the figures are very high - at the level of flagships in the second half of 2014, unless, of course, you count OnePlus One, which was announced in the spring. However also Samsung Galaxy Alpha or even Lenovo Vibe X2 score approximately the same number of points, although they cost an order of magnitude cheaper.
In general, everything is very relative and only one thing is clear: Mate 7 is still a high-performance, modern smartphone.
When it comes to gaming, there are no surprises here. All modern toys run at maximum settings without any problems.
No, there are no brakes, lags or other troubles, but the picture is still not 100% smooth. About 85-90%, let's say.
System optimization plays an important role. Considering that programmers have this problem Huawei problems are missing, here the updated EMUI 3.0 shell is debugged perfectly. I didn't notice anything criminal. Everything flies and flutters as it should. However, one day the device turned off the moment I logged into Google Play. Anything can happen.
The front photo sensor is capable of taking pictures with a resolution of 5 megapixels or 2592 x 1952 pixels, and can record video in Full HD format. By the way, there is an F 2.4 lens installed here.
Additional shooting modes include the ability to create photos with sound, attach information about the current weather and date to the frame, and also take panoramic selfies. It's fashionable, there's no escape.
There are a lot of ways to photograph your loved one: shooting by tapping on the screen, releasing the shutter on a timer, when a smile is detected, voice control, and so on. It is worth mentioning separately that the fingerprint scanner can serve as a touch key for taking pictures. We have already encountered this in the review of Samsung GALAXY Note 4. This is a handy feature that is worth adopting.
Ascend 7 main camera
Photos are obtained with a resolution of 4160 x 3120 pixels, in other words 13 megapixels. The lens aperture value is F 2.0.
I liked the quality of the output photos. The camera may not be the best in existence, but it’s definitely one of the best. He won't fall flat on his face.
An archive with photographs for detailed study can be downloaded.
This is what a 100% crop looks like:
The pictures come out very decent even in low light conditions. Especially for this, I conducted a test at various ISO values in a dark room with the device mounted on a tripod. Let's look at an example...
From preset modes There is retouching of portraits, creating panoramas, applying ready-made filters, etc. There are few scenarios, but everything is compensated by the settings.
For better frame saturation, you should use the HDR setting; in addition, the parameters set ISO, white balance and adjust the brightness, saturation or contrast of the picture. In conditions of cloudy winter weather in Russia, this opportunity will not be superfluous.
The device is capable of recording video in 1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. And there is a functionality failure here. Firstly, the smartphone is not capable of shooting 4K video, and secondly, there is no recording of videos from increased frequency at 60 or 120 fps.
Among the additional parameters, there are only tracking autofocus and image stabilization function. By the way, the last one was not useful to me. The videos are already smooth and look pretty decent. Let's look at an example.
Multimedia
The sound quality of the headphones is quite comparable to that of competitors. However, due to the improvement of DTS (Digital Theater System), the sound stream is somewhat expanded. You can only notice the difference by comparing the quality directly with one of the competitors. In my case it was the iPhone 5S, which, by the way, lost in this regard to the Mate 7.
The music player is very ascetic in terms of functionality. There is support for playlists, sorting tracks by various criteria, and auto-switching off playback after a specified period of time. That's probably all.
The video player is even simpler. Pause, rewind, next track - nothing more interesting.
Audiophiles will be interested in the list of supported formats:
- MP3, MIDI, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, PCM, WMA
As for video, the smartphone can play the following right out of the box:
- Video codecs: MPEG-4, H.264, H.263, VP8, RV7-10, Xvid, WMV9
- Video file formats: *.3gp, *.mp4, *.m4a, *.rm, *.rmvb, *.wmv
Ascend Mate 7 battery life
The device has a very capacious lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 4100 mAh. Not bad, right? With moderate use, namely: two hours of Internet via Wi-Fi, constant notifications via 4G, taking a couple of dozen photos per day, the device will definitely last one and a half to two days. Daily charging is only needed if you are an avid gamer or a fan of watching a couple of episodes of some TV series on your phone screen.
Behind capacious battery and good optimization of energy consumption, the smartphone can be ranked among the longest-lasting mobile phones at the moment.
For the user, information on battery life consumption is presented in a convenient form. The system can independently analyze energy-intensive software and offer to stop something in the name of saving energy.
Of course, there are energy saving modes: normal, smart and economical. The latter involves switching the device to only calls and SMS mode.
Software features
Used as OS Android version 4.4.2 with pre-installed proprietary shell EMUI 3.0. The latter has recently been updated and has become very stylish. Minimalism, good customization appearance(themes, icons, fonts), perfect animation smoothness - all this is about the latest version of the software add-on.
The appearance of the system is a bit like that of the LG G3. True, the Koreans have everything flatter, while Huawei, on the contrary, is lively and focuses on animation.
Support for a branded case has now appeared in the menu. When the accessory cover is closed, only part of the display is active. And the case itself looks like this:
Considering that the smartphone turned out to be very impressive in size, the manufacturer has provided for the possibility of using it with one hand. To do this, you must activate the corresponding script from the parameters. The device can be tilted in the desired direction, and the keyboard will jump to the edge of the display.
Huawei programmers decided to equip the device with a small step counting utility. The functionality is minimal: tracking movement and displaying status in the notification panel. There is no need to download anything, the pedometer is already installed.
I will not consider the system in detail here, since this has already been thoroughly described by me in the review. Almost all the settings are identical to the flagship Mate 7, so I highly recommend reading this section in more detail. The shell is really very interesting and the Chinese have something to be proud of.
Bottom line
The CEO of Huawei in Russia has already reported that the first batch of the smartphone was sold out in less than 24 hours. Users most preferred the golden variation. There was a slight difference in cost and slightly more interesting specifications.
Let's talk about the main thing. Initially, it was planned that the device would be sold in Russia for 25 thousand, but the fall of the ruble made its own adjustments. Thus price for Huawei Ascend Mate 7 settled at 29,990 rubles per regular version and 31,990 rubles for the “gold” model. The company's management stated that this moment There are no plans to increase the price, but it is now difficult to buy the device at the indicated price. It's simply not available.
Is this too much? In the current currency conditions, I think not. All competitors such as Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or iPhone 6 Plus are several orders of magnitude more expensive. I would not compare the Mate 7 with smartphones such as and others. The product from Huawei is a shovel and the only more or less close competitor is . True, the latter is made entirely of plastic and does not have a fingerprint scanner.
To make it more interesting, I will give prices in rubles for the device in China. Thus, the usual configuration will cost the buyer 36,000 rubles, which corresponds to 3,699 yuan. But the Gold model already costs about 42,000 rubles, which is 4,298 yuan. It’s great that you and I live in Russia.
Should I consider buying the Huawei Ascend Mate 7?
I think yes. The smartphone is suitable for those who choose gadgets carefully and with a cool head. For people who are free from the influence of brands.
I remember the time when the first Galaxy Note with a display of just over 5 inches was called a mini-tablet by many, then it really seemed like a real “shovel” from some completely different “opera”. Much water has passed under the bridge since then, and now the trend is for devices with much larger screens—up to 6 inches. One of the flagships in this segment is Huawei Mate 7, demonstrating what a truly convenient phablet should be.
Design and ergonomics
Top Huawei smartphones have never been particularly sophisticated in design. Many people believe that almost every new product from the company is recreated on the basis of an already known device, and the Mate 7 is no exception. Even before the official announcement, the device was dubbed a clone of the HTC One Max, but now, after getting acquainted with the device, we can safely say that the analogy is far-fetched. These two models are similar only in the shape of the case and the fingerprint scanner located on the rear surface.
Compared to the HTC phablet, the Chinese company's device has a much more compact, thin and light body (157x81x7.9 mm with a weight of 185 grams versus 164.5x82.5x10.3 mm with 217 grams), which is partly due to truly narrow frames - the screen is here takes up as much 83% of the entire front surface area. For comparison, the iPhone 6 Plus has only 73%. True, despite all its compactness, you still won’t be able to use the Mate 7 with one hand; at most you can use swipes to change desktops or scroll through.
In general, the flagship body is designed in a trendy minimalist style and at the same time has a rather presentable and solid appearance. The assembly is not bad, there are no creaks or backlashes. It fits in the hand like an ordinary “shovel” (even the complete absence of frames will not save you from such a favorite analogy), but compared to its colleagues in the workshop, this is one of the most convenient devices - it has a pleasant tactile sensation and does not tend to slip out.
The entire front surface is covered with a layer of protective glass, and the back, which extends into the side edges, is made of metal. Plastic is present only in the upper and lower parts of the lid (this is where the communication modules are located) as well as the screen frame. The last one, by the way, is quite chips easily, it is with her that you need to be more careful. In general, the external differences between the materials of the rear panel are absolutely invisible, so the case at first glance seems to be completely aluminum.
Under the massive camera eye is a fingerprint scanner, made in the shape of a square with rounded edges and slightly recessed into the body. It is very easy to use, easy to feel with your finger and just fits perfectly into the overall design, especially compared to the previously mentioned HTC One Max.
On the left side there are slots for a SIM card and a microSD memory card ( in the dual-SIM version, called Mate 7 Premium, you can also install a nano-SIM in the memory card slot). On the right is the volume rocker and power button. The latter in our specimen was recessed a little deeper, and sometimes even sunk. Fortunately, it didn’t affect work in any way, it was felt only by the absence feedback, which is extremely inconvenient. Judging by the comments of other Mate 7 owners, this is rather a special case.
Describing the placement of various elements on the case, one cannot fail to note the location of the USB connector - it is located slightly to the left of the central part of the bottom end. This solution looks like “neither two, nor one and a half.” Of course, this cannot be called a drawback, but perfectionists are unlikely to like it.
Screen
Mate 7 is equipped with an IPS matrix from Japan Display Inc. With a 6" diagonal, the resolution is 1920x1080 pixels. The pixel density per inch is about 368, which is generally more than enough. If there were QHD here, hardly anyone would be able to notice an improvement in picture quality. Moreover, more a high resolution would have a negative impact on autonomy, one of the main advantages of the device.
The viewing angles are all fine. In terms of contrast, the image is quite calm, without any emphasis on certain shades. If necessary, you can adjust the settings color temperature, making the picture warmer or colder. The brightness reserve is average, but in most usage scenarios it will be enough.
It is also worth highlighting the good anti-glare coating - the screen remains readable even in strong sunlight. The display is protected by scratch- and chip-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3, as befits a flagship.
Filling
The phablet is equipped with a powerful eight-core HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor with big.LITTLE architecture. It is based on 4 Cortex-A15 cores with a clock frequency of 1.8 GHz and 4 less productive Cortex-A7 with a frequency of 1.3 GHz. For graphics processing, a fairly modern Mali-T624 MP4 accelerator with support for OpenGL ES 3.0 is used. This “baggage” allows the phablet to demonstrate good, but still not top results in benchmarks.
In addition to the main “motor,” there is a coprocessor responsible for processing data from sensors and a fingerprint scanner, as well as a separate module for audio streaming and dedicated camera and display controllers. With such a division of the hardware load, there is no question of any lags; the device runs demanding games like Asphalt 8, Modern Combat 5 and Darkness Reborn with a bang, and in general, practically no lags were noticed during use.
The amount of RAM was 2 GB, built-in - 16 GB (free 12 GB) with expandability microSD cards up to 64 GB. The dual-SIM version of the device has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory.
The phablet works in LTE networks, including high-speed LTE Cat 6(which can try it with a MegaFon SIM card in Moscow, St. Petersburg and some other cities), supports Wi-Fi b/g/n (dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot), Bluetooth 4.0 (A2DP, EDR, LE) and NFC. There are also GPS and GLONASS modules. There were no problems with the stability of their work. Here it is worth mentioning the ability to connect data storage devices (OTG support), which is also a plus.
Cameras
The main camera of the Mate 7 has an Exmor RS matrix with a resolution of 13 megapixels and an f/2.0 aperture. The peephole itself is slightly forward, and when the smartphone is positioned with the screen facing up, the glass of the photomodule is quite easy to scratch.
The quality of shooting on the automatic is not bad, although, of course, it does not reach the level of top-end models from Samsung and Sony, which is especially noticeable in low-light conditions - color rendition begins to lie a little. This can be partially corrected using manual settings.
In general, on a five-point scale, the main camera can be rated “4+”, since in most cases you don’t have to bother with adjustments - noise and distortion are rarely visible in the pictures, and focusing is high, fast and accurate. Let us immediately note a special program mode in which you can switch focus between objects in the finished photo. Fans of “bokehs” (blurring the background of a photo with focus at a certain point) will definitely appreciate this ( example below).
(post focusing example)
Video recording is possible at a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second, which is sufficient in most cases. After decent photography, the quality of the videos will hardly please you. The stabilization is weak, the image becomes blurry and occasionally sags.
For selfie fans, the phablet will offer a 5-megapixel front wide-angle camera. In the presence of uniform lighting, the pictures are quite acceptable, at night or without a more or less decent light source in the room - the expected abundance of noise and ripples.
Among the software features there is the ability to take photos with sound (audio notes), record information about the weather in the frame (I wonder why?), date and location (watermarks), and, of course, there is a traditional panoramic selfie. The camera shutter can be released by touching the fingerprint scanner (selected in the settings), that is, even on such a huge 6-inch shovel “Selfies” can be done with one hand- it is very comfortable.
System
Out of the box, Mate 7 runs on the already outdated Android 4.4.2 without the ability to select the ART engine. The system is complemented by the EMUI 3.0 shell, which has become easier to use and flatter in design. Compared to the previous version 2.0, installed, for example, on, the progress is really noticeable.
The absence of colorful and sloppy elements with a lot of animation and shadows is quite in keeping with modern trends. I would especially like to highlight the navigation bar, which by default is designed to match Android 5.0 (triangle, circle and square), which I personally, as a fan of Google’s pure OS, really liked.
The general concept of EMUI assumes that there is no list of applications as such - all icons installed games and programs automatically appear on desktops. All you have to do is organize them or simply stuff them into folders so that your eyes are not an eyesore.
A long press on an empty space opens the table settings menu, which allows you to quickly change the wallpaper, display widgets, select a flipping animation and set the size of the thumbnails (grid of icons: 4x4, 5x4 and 5x5). In the same setup mode, when you shake the smartphone, all the shortcuts scattered in different places on the table will be organized - an interesting solution.
The curtain from the top bar is divided into two areas: notifications, which are displayed in chronological order, and icons, otherwise known as quick settings. To immediately open a specific section, you need to open the curtain from the desired half of the bar: the left one is notifications, the right one is settings (similar to tablets). Also, by swiping down on the main screen, you can call up the universal search by applications, contacts and messages.
Running processes on the multitasking screen are displayed in a grid of 4 thumbnails, so if you have more active applications, be prepared to often scroll through the screens and look for what you need. Well, they are unloaded from memory by simply swiping up, and this applies both to a separate process and to all of them at once (by clicking on the thumbnail or just above the circle in the navigation bar).
Huawei branded apps compared to previous version the shells have changed for the better. A more advanced one has appeared file manager with visual statistics on the types of files in memory, a convenient “dialer” with swipe movement between sections, a very beautiful weather informer, music player and other tools.
In most applications, designers took as a basis a design style familiar to many with background blur and a circular scale, with the help of which various parameters are adjusted.
The general appearance of the interface, widgets and shortcuts is traditionally set by branded themes. The choice is not rich - only six, and all are of the same type, there is nowhere to go wild with customization. Fortunately, there are always third-party launchers that appear in a completely different form on a 6-inch screen.
Fingerprint scanner
The fingerprint scanner is the indisputable advantage of this phablet. It has a very convenient location, allowing you to forget about any swipes or other additional actions. Mate 7 makes it easy— just take it in your hand, and your index finger will be on the scanner; one touch is enough to read and unlock. That is, you don’t even have to press the power button to activate the screen.
The accuracy of the sensor is excellent, problems with identification are solved in one or two minutes by simply moving your finger to the left or right, it all depends on how you scanned it. In total, the system is capable of remembering up to 5 fingers, although two are usually enough, the index fingers on each hand.
As already noted, fingerprints can be equipped with the function of unlocking or providing access to the section of personal data and blocked applications. Also, when the camera is running, by placing your finger on the sensor, you can take a photo (applicable to both selfies and regular photos). In practice, this feature is really convenient; the scanner allows you to cope with any shooting with one hand, and this is at 6"!
In order to delete/replace fingerprints stored in memory or simply switch some options related to the sensor, you must enter the password you specified during the initial scan. If you forget or lose it, nothing short of a general reset will help.
Sound
Huawei Ascend Mate 7 has a separate TenSilica music chip with support DTS technology(Digital Theater System - Digital theater system). Sound in high-quality headphones (testing was carried out in pairs with Creative Aurvana Live!) is quite loud, bassy and truly clean.
The standard music player here is quite primitive. It does not have an equalizer or any other settings that allow you to adapt the sound style to your own preferences. The only thing available is DTS on/off. Among other things, there is an FM radio, which traditionally only works in conjunction with headphones, and a voice recorder.
Autonomy
Autonomy is one of the main advantages of the device, since Huawei managed to fit a 4,100 mAh lithium-polymer battery into a fairly thin body. Even many 7-inch tablets cannot boast of such a capacity, let alone similar phablets. In practice, this is really noticeable - the Mate 7 did not survive until evening charging, only if it was used mobile games. Otherwise, with average intensity of use, it will be enough for two days.
I was especially pleased with the fact that in standby mode the charge is practically not consumed - on average, during a night of inactivity only 2-3% battery. And this is taking into account the presence of Android 4.4 KitKat; with Lollipop, this figure should improve noticeably.
Practical system reminders about running applications in the background and the “Energy Saving” mode, which allows access only to calls, messages and contacts, will also contribute to extending the work on a single charge. The latter will help out in situations where you need to wait for an important call, but the battery is already running low.
Summary
As a result of the overall impression during use, the device can be praised. Huawei has come up with a solid, long-lasting phablet capable of attracting attention with its hardware, design, and features typical of top flagships, such as a sensitive fingerprint scanner and a dedicated DAC. Among its 6-inch counterparts, it is one of the most compact and light, which is noticeable not only on paper - the Mate 7 is really convenient and will be an excellent choice for fans of large gadgets. The main thing is to understand that this is still big smartphone, not a small tablet. There is clearly no point in confusing such concepts and equating them.
Advantages:
- metal body with narrow frames;
- high-quality screen;
- convenient fingerprint scanner;
- high-capacity battery;
- LTE Cat 6 support.
Flaws:
- Android 4.4.2 (without ART selection);
- the plastic frame of the screen is prone to chipping;
- scratched camera lens.
Competitors
The main competitor of Mate 7 on Russian market- dual-SIM Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro, which, with similar dimensions and a 6-inch screen, has a QHD matrix and is more modern Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 801.
Among the shortcomings are the lack of a slot for a memory card (with 32 GB of its own), a more “clumsy” design and a price of about 40,000 rubles versus 35,000 for the Mate 7. You can also note Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it has a less capacious battery, a 0.3" smaller display (5.7"), but again a QHD matrix, a stylus and 3 GB of RAM.
However, with a price starting at 45,000 rubles, it can hardly be called a direct competitor, and this also applies to the Nexus 6 from Motorola. Other gadgets in this “shovel” category, as a rule, are significantly inferior to the Mate 7 in terms of technical equipment.
Technical characteristics of Huawei Ascend Mate 7:
| Operating system: | Android 4.4 with Emotion UI 3 shell |
| Chipset: | HiSilicon Kirin 925, 8 ARM big.LITTLE cores (4 ARM Cortex-A15 cores @1.7 GHz + 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores) + Smartl3 coprocessor for processing sensor data |
| Video processor: | Mali-T628 MP4 |
| RAM: | 2 GB |
| Permanent memory: | 16 GB + support for microSD memory cards up to 64 GB |
| Display: | 6 inches, IPS matrix, resolution 1920×1080, 367 ppi; |
| Main camera: | 13 MP, 1080p, Sony sensor, BSI, f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, LED flash; |
| Front-camera: | 5 MP, 720p |
| Connection: | LTE Cat.6, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, GLONASS, NFC |
| Additionally: | Fingerprint scanner, USB OTG support, DTS audio and TenSilica DAC |
| Battery: | 4,100 mAh |
| Dimensions: | 157x81x7.9 mm |
| Weight: | 185 grams |
| Price: | 35,000 rubles |
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