What once started as a no-name company to being the 2^nd largest phone manufacturer in the world, Huawei is taking big leap from its previous Mate 9 phones for their newer iterations. This year, the company is revolutionizing what it means to make your phone personal. With machine learning and AI being the defining features of flagships nowadays, the Mate 10 is on the frontlines of innovation. The phone is going to set you back roughly 60,000 PKR, however, for that price, what you’re getting is a steal!

Build Quality

Being the middle phone of the series doesn’t mean the design is being compromised on. Whilst Apple is the only phone to have a “true bezel-less” display and the Mate 10 Pro reserving that feature for itself, the Mate 10 gets to don the flagship display design of this year’s flagships such as the Galaxy S8 and LG V30, i.e. minimal bezels while not being exactly bezel-less.

The back of the phone is flat as compared to the rounded design of previous Mate series phones. Expectedly, the Mate 10 sports a vertical dual camera setup, similar to the iPhone X. Instead of a rear placed fingerprint scanner, the home button will dual function as one. A metal unibody cladding keeps the phone intact and ensures you have that premium feel in your hands.

Tall Displays > Fat Displays

The flagship bubble has moved on from the days of 16:9 screens and adopted the sexier looking 18:9 ratio ones, giving the phone a sleeker and taller display and build. For the Mate 10, we’re looking at a lower resolution than its bigger brother the Mate 10 Pro, that is a resolution of 2160*1080 pixels across a 6.2-inch display. The results are in and the pixel density accumulates to 386ppi which is more than sufficient for the average eye.

The panel type is an IPS LCD display, which means color representation and viewing angles are all top notch so you can consume all the media you want in all its perfect glory.

Picture Perfect Dual Cameras, what more can you ask for?

Moving out of the “trend” phase, dual cameras are now the norm for flagships. Besides the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, any phone without one would probably be committing marketing suicide. The main camera sensors are a LEICA branded 20MP and 23MP sensors both having f/1.6 aperture. OIS with up to 2x lossless zoom, phase detection + laser autofocus and a dual led flash are all on board ensuring that all you photography enthusiasts out there will definitely be drooling over the awesomeness of the picture quality.

4k video recording is also on board, as expected. The main camera is an 8MP one, making sure all your selfies come out crisp and clear.

Better not pick a fight with this Mate

Coming in different variants, each one is packing more power than you can handle. The chipset powering the whole show is Huawei’s own custom processor: the mighty Kirin 970. According to Huawei, the Kirin 970 doesn’t make the phone a phone, it makes it an “intelligent machine”. The Kirin 970 is the first processor which utilizes machine learning to actually “learn” how you use your phone, using power accordingly and in the most efficient manner.

The phone comes in 4GB RAM with 64GB ROM, 6GB RAM with 128GB ROM; and 6GB RAM with 256GB ROM versions. The battery has a whopping capacity of 4000mAh, allowing you to leisurely enjoy your phone for close to 2 days without worry of dying out.

Huawei Mate 10 pros:

Kirin 970 AI capable processor
Plenty of RAM and processing power promises to keep lag at bay
Lots of Storage
Cameras, as always, are loaded with power and features
Big Battery

Huawei Mate 10 cons:

Relatively low resolution screen for a 6.2 inch phablet