“With Huawei P10 and P10+ we have created a smartphone that revolutionises and redefines portrait photography. Thanks to the evolution of our partnership with Leica Camera, users now have an incredible Leica front camera on their Huawei device in addition to the rear. To match this innovation inside, Huawei’s partnership with Pantone Color Institute ensures that the devices are equally as beautiful on the outside. The Huawei P10 and P10+ are smartphones that are as fashionable as they are functional” said Richard Yu, CEO of the Huawei Consumer Business Group.
That statement points out one of Huawei’s key focus areas with the P-series, especially the P10.
Technology should not only function well, but it should also look good, especially when it’s a device that has such a personal connection with the person who uses it.
Design
Huawei has made minor changes to the P10 in order to differentiate it from its predecessor, the P9, but still show that it’s part of the same P-series family.
The P10 features slightly more rounded edges and has a multi-function fingerprint scanner on the front. It also has redesigned, colour-coded antenna bands which lends the phone a very iPhone-esque design. The other major difference is the range of colours that the P10 is available in. This year, Huawei has opted for a total of 8 colours for the handset, including Pantone’s colour of the year, Greenery. The other colours are:
Dazzling Blue, Dazzling Gold, Rose Gold, Prestige Gold, Mystic Silver, Ceramic White and Graphite Black.
Camera
Huawei P10 at MWC 2017
The P9 saw Huawei partnering with Leica to create it’s now signature rear-facing dual camera setup. The P10 features the second generation Leica rear-facing dual camera setup as well as a Leica made front facing camera – a world first according to Huawei.
The rear-facing camera setup consists of a 12MP RGB lens as well as a 20MP monochrome lens with an f/2.2 aperture. The front-facing camera is an 8MP f/1.9 aperture.
Image quality is noticeably improved on the P10, which is saying something when you consider how great the camera is on the P9. The P10 camera not only provides more detail in images but also performs better in lowlight conditions.
Unlike its competitors, the images also look less saturated in terms of colour and far more realistic than it’s competitors.
You can take a look at our Huawei photo gallery here or see images taken with the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus on our Facebook page.
As for the monochrome lens, it’s an absolute dream and makes you want to shoot more images in black & white.
Upgraded image processing aside, Huawei has added a few new tricks to the camera on the P10:
- 3D Facial Detection
- Hybrid Zoom
- Studio-like Portrait Enhancements (similar to what Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus is capable of with its Portrait Mode)
- Dynamic Illumination
Overview
Huawei’s P10 is an iterative upgrade and not the major overhaul that some people were expecting, however that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The P10 takes the strengths of the P9 and builds on them while bringing in a few new features and functions that only serve to complement the well thought handset.
The P10 might not have the standout design of the Samsung Galaxy S8 but it does strike a balance between design and functionality which is rarely seen in handsets from other manufacturers. The only thing that’s missing is an IP rating.
Other than that, the P10 is a phone that will come highly recommended by many people as a smartphone that brings high-end functionality to a flagship handset that costs less than many other high-end devices currently on the market.
Verdict:
Read our P10 Plus overview, here.
