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Huawei / $299.99 / GSM Unlocked – No Contract
The Good : 2.5 day battery life, 6.1″ screen and a custom Android OS with unique features make this phone not only powerful, but also convenient and fun. The low price tag puts it within reach without compromising too many of the features you want.
The Bad : The 13-megapixel camera struggles in low light.
When it comes to smart phones, we all crave some of the same basic features. We want a screen that we can actually work on, features that help us get that work done, and a battery that will last long enough the see the work completed. Unfortunately, what you want vs what you can afford are constantly in competition – until now.
For the past 30 days I’ve been using the exception to that rule: The Ascend Mate2 sent to me by Huawei. This new contender boasts the largest screen of any smart phone, 6.1” HD, and longest battery life, 2.5 days (60 hours) on a single charge. Add in 4G LTE and a 13MP camera and you’ve got a lot of power in an affordable package – coming in under $300. The best part? With the Ascend Mate2, you choose the cellular network, no 2-year contract, or fees for changing carriers. Pick any GSM carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile) or GSM prepaid SIM service.
DESIGN
At 6.1 inches, the Huawei Ascend Mate2 blows other cell phones out of the water. To state the obvious: this is a big phone. Yet, it’s surprisingly light and slim. The screen itself is 80% of the front face so you don’t have a lot of bulk adding to the width or weight. It measures 6.3 x 3.3 x 0.37 inches, but weighs only 7.1 ounces.
No matter how lightweight the Huawei Ascend Mate2 is, there is no mistaking that this is a two handed phone. The custom UI does come with a left or right hand feature which shifts elements like the dial pad to either side, making single hand use less difficult, but you won’t be jogging down the sidewalk and texting (if you do try it, luckily the screen is Gorilla Glass 3). However, if you struggle with the need to carry both a tablet and a phone with you – like I do – this is a great way to merge the two.
CAMERA
The Huawei Ascend Mate2 has a 13 megapixel rear camera and a 5 megapixel front-facing camera. The main camera performs very well in natural or brightly lit situations. It’s also clear and sharp in well lit indoor scenes. You can see below from shots taken at a cafe and at my desk indoors.
Unfortunately, the performance takes a significant hit when you attempt photos in low light, struggling with true color, becoming more grainy, and losing some sharpness on edges. If you have a shaky hand, you may get a bit annoyed with the constant refocusing. Using Smart Mode is an absolute so that the camera will automatically sharpen the image before saving if shake is detected. It’s not a magic wand in terms of correction, but it does help.
On the upside, the minimal controls for the camera mean you can use your time taking more photos quickly rather than fussing with setting just to get one shot.
Smart mode indoors with natural light from overhead skylight
Smart mode indoors with artificial light
BATTERY LIFE = AMAZING
Even if you don’t care about screen size or fancy UI tricks – one thing everyone finds complaint about is battery life. With large screen phones, the battery typically takes a dive. When you’re powering that much real estate, you’re bound to need a recharge more often. Not so with the Ascend Mate2 which produces 2.5 days worth of power (60 hours). I ran GSam Battery Monitor along side the built in Power app and did find a small difference in times. But, according to my actual experience, the 2 days 12 hours per charge reported by GSam was closer to the truth. What blew me away is that even if I left the screen on constantly I’d still get 15 solid hours. I can’t say that for my current phone even with the screen set to time out after 15 seconds.
PERFORMANCE
One recurring question about Huawei Ascend Mate2 has been “Why Jelly Bean 4.3 and no upgrade to KitKit 4.4?” But there is good news — According to the most recent update from Huawei, the Ascend Mate2 will be skipping Kit Kat 4.4 and upgrading directly to Lollipop 5 in the first half of 2015, bringing it even closer to being the perfect mid-tier phablet.
Memory is no problem — The phone comes standard with 16 GB of internal memory and the ability to add up to an additional 32 GB via micro SD.
Custom Android UI — Some of the coolest tricks of the Ascend Mate2 are courtesy of Huawei’s custom Android UI: Emotion UI 2.0 Lite. The interface is unique, not following traditional Android function (there is no app drawer, for example) instead offering what feels like a blend between Android and iOS. It’s a plus for many users like myself who have owned (and love) elements of both.
NOTABLE FUNCTIONS
W.O.W. The Windows on Windows feature allows you to open several applications at once and switch between them, seeing them on floating screens.
Smart Window - When you place the Ascend Mate2 in a windowed case, it automatically switches to the Smart Window mode, showing you time, weather, notifications, calls and more without opening the case itself.
Take photos by voice, touch or smile - With several different camera modes, you can trigger a photo with built in voice recognition or by detecting a smile. You also have options to ‘beautify’ a photo automatically when taking portraits, smart mode to automatically enhance your image, or the GROUFIE – a wide angle selfie shot that captures entire groups of people instead of just one or two.
Power Bank - The powerful battery also allows you to charge any other USB gadget directly from your Ascend Mate2 using a MicroUSB.
THE BOTTOM LINE
At $299 and no contract required, you’d be hard pressed to find a better phablet with as many features. The 2.5 day battery life already sets it above any other phone on the market. Add in the 6.1-inch HD screen and lightweight design and you’ve got a reliable powerhorse on a flip-phone budget.
You can get more info and purchase the Ascend Mate2 through the official Huawei website
Unlock the possibilities with Huawei. With the largest screen, and longest battery life, where will you go with Huawei. Visit GetHuawei.com to learn more and unlock your possibilities!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Huawei Device USA. The opinions and text are all mine.
