Even with all that’s going on for Huawei, they are determined to continue their P Smart series by adding the new Huawei P Smart 2021 smartphone to the range. Like P Smart 2020, the next-generation model offers an elegant and surprisingly thin design. The USP of this phone is its excellent quad-camera module, but it also stands out in other departments. So, without going into any more detail for our opener, here is our review of the Huawei P Smart 2021.
Design & Display
The Huawei P Smart 2021 is respectably thin even with a huge Li-Po 5000mAh battery packed inside. When it comes to the front of the device, Huawei were able to include a selfie camera in a surprisingly narrow punchhole along with rather narrow bezels, given the P Smart 2021 an premium feel overall. The device also feels quite robust and comfortable, without any creaking or flimsy construction sounds, despite being made of plastic.
The phone has a fantastic 6.67″ Full HD+ IPS LCD display which is more than adequate for watching your favorite shows and movies. Another thing you should know is that, unfortunately, there is no extra protection on the screen, so no pre-applied screen protector so you might want to get one if you’re worried of scratching the display and there’s no IP water resistance rating either, just so you know.
Memory & Internal Storage
The next-generation P Smart 2021 is powered by a midrange Kirin 710A processor compared to the latest model 710. However, apps load quickly, Twitter and Facebook feeds scrolling smoothly and, most importantly, there is excellent RAM management when jumping between apps.
You can play popular games comfortably in moderate settings without worrying about dropping frames or lags. EMUI 10.1 running on Android 10 helps to manage applications, customizations, and the entire layout of the phone. However, you need to compromise a little, as you lose Google services, but you still get the App Gallery from Huawei with its Petal Search functionality as well which lets you download apps from a number of different websites.
Speaking of the memory section, Huawei provides only a single variant of memory consisting of 4GB of RAM and 128 GB UFS 2.1 storage. With this, the device can store a decent number of installed apps in memory, as well as store all your important files. External memory card support is also available if you run out of space.
Cameras
As far as optics are concerned, you will have a 48MP main camera that works in conjunction with an 8MP ultrawide sensor. In addition, there are two more sensors 2MP macro and 2MP depth camera just to increase the camera count.
The camera is capable of capturing well rounded images with rich colors and details when using the main sensor but clarity takes a hit when switching to the wide-angle lens, there’s also some noticeable lens distortion when using this lens but it’s cleared up in post procession. To be perfectly honest, the device does remarkable post-processing, producing vibrant and attractive images with excellent dynamic range. The camera other features, such as Full HD video recording, AI scene detection, HDR, etc., provide an additional bit of flare which we’ve come to expect from a Huawei device.
Initially, the 8MP punchhole selfie camera is capable of capturing decent levels of detail of your face but you will see some skin smoothing edits coming in, even if you have the setting at ‘0’. Unfortunately, the phone has difficulty talking low light selfies due to the low aperture. Leaving photography aside, the front camera facilitates facial unlock authentication for instant access to the home screen, which is a nice addition at this price point.
Battery & Other Features
The P Smart 2021 packs a massive 5000 mAh Li-Po battery with it offer consistently longer battery than its predecessor, covering endless hours of social media apps use, streaming videos, and gaming.
The device also comes with a 22.5W charger that can fill half the battery in less than an hour. When compared to the Huawei P Smart 2020, the fingerprint reader shifts from the rear to the side which offers a bit more convenience when it comes to unlocking the phone.
Conclusion
The Huawei P Smart 2021 smartphone has been drastically improved compared to its predecessor and would be an excellent purchase for anyone in the market for an entry level handset. With its impressive camera configuration and phenomenal battery life, the device stands out from the crowd.
Pricing & availability
The Huawei P Smart 2021 comes in Midnight Black colour variation and is available for purchase from Huawei’s official website, Vodafone and Three in Ireland with an RRP of €189. You can learn more about the handset here.
