Huawei has always made good smartphones. Especially in its most advanced series, the Chinese brand has always known how to combine good hardware with efficient software in models that exude style and beauty. The Mate 50 Pro is one of the best and latest examples of this brand’s talent.
But… all that talent, in recent years, has been held back by the absence of Google services and 5G communications. I am well aware that we always come back to this point and that the subject has already been discussed to exhaustion. However, every time we are “drawn” to a Huawei smartphone, our thoughts turn to this exact topic. Will this Mate 50 Pro be able to make us forget about Google and make us use all the alternatives of the Chinese brand?
I spent the last few weeks enjoying the company and all the features of the Mate 50 Pro to answer that very question: is this Huawei smartphone good enough to live in an alternative world to Google?
Premium design nothing seductive and elegant
Still inside the box, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro gives the sensation of being in front of a premium model. The completely black box with the name and logo in gold leaves no doubt about its elegance and seductive design.
When we take it off, that feeling is heightened by the simple touch of a glossy black chassis, throughout. pleasant to the touch, but also a bit too slippery. This small problem is easily solved by placing a protective cover that prevents accidental slipping, either from a surface or from the user’s hands.
The eye is immediately captured by the curved edges of the screen that give it elegance and are also very effective in terms of display area. But we will be there soon.
The rear panel highlights one of the strengths of this model, placing a discreet golden ring surrounding rear camera setup. Although this module sticks out, which is unavoidable given its specifications, the model sits well on surfaces, which is very welcome for various uses such as gaming and viewing content.
Here, the Mate 50 Pro has the Top Score and win at first sight.
Screen with curved edges is another strong point
The front area is occupied almost entirely by the OLED screen of 6.74 inches. The size is quite good, and the curved edges make the viewing area feel even larger.
With these attributes, viewing content on the Mate 50 Pro is a joy. the resolution of 2616×1212 pixels it is enough to watch the series of choice or enjoy a game. Viewing full screen photos on this smartphone is equally enjoyable as we can clearly see all the details captured by the excellent camera. But once again, here we go.
In short, the screen of the Mate 50 Pro is surprisingly another of its strong points. In this feature we can see Huawei’s mastery in providing good equipment and, personally, I even felt a certain nostalgia for the success achieved by the brand in other times, in the smartphone segment.
A small note for the sound quality of this Huawei smartphone. The speakers, located at the bottom of the phone, provide capable audio that’s good enough for playing videos and podcasts. When it comes to music with deeper bass or series and movies that need more powerful sound, the Mate 50 Pro offers average quality. It offers good audio, but it’s not fantastic.
Good performance that stagnates on the first hit
The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is equipped with the processor Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. As expected and for well-known reasons, the chip is limited to the 4G communications. In my specific case, since I don’t make much use of 5G communications, this was not a problem.
However, it must not be forgotten that this model costs more than 1,000 euros and for a user to make this investment it is preferable to have a smartphone prepared for the future, that is, with integrated 5G communications.
And this is the first big “but” of the Mate 50 Pro. The second, of course, is the absence of the services Google. Nothing like having an icon on the main screen that gives us immediate access to our Gmail account and having a Play Store, with all its immense variety, just one click away.
Of course, there are options, and the App Gallery currently has a pretty decent range of content. But, can we really live without the convenience provided by Google services and at a cost (remember) of more than a thousand euros? I confess that this alternative world poses difficulties and requires a slow and dedicated effort on the part of the user.
But when it comes to performance, the Huawei Mate 50 Pro doesn’t disappoint. He is capable of coping with all the tasks that are requested of him, responding quickly and fluently. The credit, in part, is the Qualcomm processor. However, Huawei, throughout its existence, has proven itself capable of building good and efficient smartphones and this one is no exception.
A single charge provides a full day of battery life
The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is equipped with a battery of 4,700mAh and it brings a cable and an adapter in its sales box 66 watts for fast wireless charging.
in little more than 40 minutes, it is possible to fully charge this smartphone when its battery is already “on its last legs”. The model also provides autonomy for a whole day of normal and routine use, with applications running, Internet browsing, active 4G communications, etc.
Thanks to the good size battery and the energy efficiency of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, the Mate 50 Pro does not let us down in those crucial moments when we depend on our smartphone for any immediate and urgent task.
DXoMark is right, the Mate 50 Pro really is a photography giant
And here we come to the strongest argument of the Huawei Mate 50 Pro: its triple rear camera setup. For context, remember that the terminal has a primary sensor of 50 megapixelsan ultra wide angle 13 megapixels and even a telephoto lens 64 megapixels of resolution and 3.5x optical zoom.
One of its main characteristics in the optical part is the variable aperture of the main sensor that varies between f/1.4 and f/4. The rule applies here that the smaller the aperture, the more light enters the sensor.
The Huawei Mate 50 Pro allows the user to select one of the aperture options when capturing the photo. It is an option that the most demanding amateur photographers with more knowledge in the area will greatly like.
For the rest, the group in which I include myself, involves many experiences, most of which turn out well, due to the extraordinary capabilities of this model. It’s hard work and it’s always easier to get out of the mode automatic take control of the situation to assess which option is best to capture the perfect moment.
As for the quality of the images, the photographs captured by the Mate 50 Pro speak for themselves. they are full of details, even with difficult-to-capture details. The best example is in the captured image of the gray lipped ball shown above. Considering color, with a less photo-proficient smartphone, it would be difficult to retain all the details of the lips for posterity. But the Mate 50 Pro got it right on the first try.
Another good example of the detail that this terminal offers is the photo taken from the floor plan. Each leaf is quite well defined and even the dirt bottom is quite noticeable.
It’s more than fair that, at one point, the Mate 50 Pro was ranked number one on the specialized DXoMark platform. The rear camera is up to the biggest challenges and, even if the user is inexperienced, the Mate 50 Pro will turn the casual photographer into an image professional.
And once again, I feel nostalgic for Huawei’s heyday. The photographic capabilities of the Mate 50 Pro place it at the level of the king of photography and it is unfortunate that some issues prevent it from positioning itself in the ranking of the best smartphones of the moment.
The “but” of the price
The Huawei Mate 50 Pro in Portugal has a price of 1,249.99 euros. The high cost is justified by the fact that it is a top smartphone with premium components. Some of its features do justify the value.
But… it is a high investment for a model that is limited to 4G communications. In other words, whoever opts for this almighty of photography is also choosing to ignore the next generation of mobile communications. They are 1,249.99 euros that have a limited term, if we believe that in the near future, in Portugal, 5G communications will become widespread.
final notes
I start the final notes by answering the question that led me to this test: will the Mate 50 Pro be able to make us forget about Google and make us use all the alternatives of the Chinese brand? Unfortunately not. You can almost do it, but Google services are too “embedded” in our daily routine to be able to do without them.
It is true that Petal Search and App Gallery are substantially better and offer good alternatives; but they still cannot transport us, definitively, to that other alternative world.
It is undeniable that the Mate 50 Pro is an excellent smartphone, especially in terms of photography. It manages to respond to the expectations and needs of all amateur photographers, with the variable aperture for the most demanding and with the automatic mode for the “tourists” of the photographic activity.
On the other hand, good performance and good autonomy are also quite strong arguments. It has battery life for a full day of serious use and responds to all tasks quickly and smoothly. The premium display and design also literally win at first glance.
But there is no beauty without flaw and this Huawei Mate 50 Pro has three difficult points to overcome: the absence of Google, the lack of support for 5G communications and a high price.
And it is unfortunate that this is the case because this is a smartphone that will undoubtedly be rated as one of the best ever by Huawei.
| Design | 5 |
| Construction | 4 |
| Screen | 4.5 |
| Performance | 4.5 |
| Audio | 4 |
| Interface | 4 |
| Camera | 5 |
| Battery | 4 |
| Price quality | 3.5 |
| Punctuation | 4.2 – Good |
advantages
- fantastic screen
- Outstanding rear camera
- premium design
- good autonomy
- Efficient, fast and smooth performance
cons
- Absence of Google services
- No support for 5G communications
- high price
Technical specifications
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
- RAM memory: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Screen: 6.74 inches, OLED, 120 Hz, 2616×1212 pixels
- Rear cameras: 50 MP f/1.4-f.4.0 (main), 64 MP f/3 with 3.5x optical zoom (telephoto) and 13 MP f/2.2 (ultra-wide angle); 4K video
- Front camera: 13MP f/2.4; 4K video
- Battery: 4,700 mAh
- Charging: 66W wired
- Size: 162.1 x 75.5 x 8.5mm
- Weight: 209 grams