Huawei P60 Pro Review:
Tech Writers Rating: 8.310 (Legacy rating)
Pros:
- Impressive camera system tailored for photography enthusiasts
- Smooth software performance enhances user experience
- Supports both fast wired and wireless charging
- Vibrant and highly luminous display
Cons:
- Lack of essential Google apps detracts from overall functionality
- Subpar video recording quality may disappoint some users
- Relatively high price tag compared to competitors
- White color variant may appear overly flashy; opt for black for a more understated aesthetic
Huawei P60 Pro Intro
Four years after the United States imposed severe sanctions on Huawei, barring its use of Google apps, the company has indeed suffered significant loss of global market share. However, what nobody could have foreseen is its remarkable resilience and survival. Despite the challenges, Huawei has continued to manufacture phones. While the absence of Google software remains a glaring issue, the hardware aspect of its devices stands out for its impressive quality.
Presenting the Huawei P60 Pro, Huawei’s flagship camera-centric device of 2023. Despite facing numerous challenges, Huawei has succeeded in creating an exceptionally compelling camera phone. Furthermore, the company demonstrates a willingness to explore bold and extravagant design choices. However, the crucial question remains: Does the Huawei P60 Pro possess the capabilities to outshine established camera phones and capture the spotlight? Moreover, can users realistically adapt to a smartphone lacking 5G connectivity and Google services?
What’s different with the Huawei P60 Pro?
- Fresh pearl design finish
- Powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, albeit lacking 5G support
- Stellar camera system performance
- Seamless operation with familiar Huawei software
- Includes fast charging capability
Unboxing the Huawei P60 Pro
The P60 Pro arrives in a larger box compared to many other phones, and the reason is quite apparent: it includes a charger right in the box! Unlike Samsung’s and iPhones which often omit this accessory, the P60 Pro comes with a robust 88W charger. Additionally, users receive a complimentary basic silicone case along with their purchase.
The included charger features a clever design, boasting both a standard large USB-A port and the newer, more common USB-C port positioned right below it. This thoughtful design offers convenience and versatility. Additionally, the phone comes equipped with a pre-applied thin film screen protector, adding another layer of protection right out of the box.
Huawei P60 Pro Specs
Below, you’ll find the key specifications highlights of the P60 Pro:
| Specs | Huawei P60 Pro |
|---|---|
| Size, Weight and Colors | 161 x 74.5 x 8.3 mm 200 g Black or Rococo Pearl |
| Display | 6.7″ OLED 1220 x 2700 px 120Hz |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| RAM, Storage and Price | 8/256GB 12/512GB |
| Software | EMUI 13.1 |
| Cameras | 48MP main camera, 25mm with f/1.4-f/4.0 aperture 13MP ultra-wide, f/2.2 48MP 3.5X zoom (90mm), f/2.113MP front cam |
| Battery Size | 4,815 mAh |
| Charging Speeds | 88W wired charging 50W wireless charging |
While the fast charging speeds are impressive, they’re also quite common among phones originating from China. However, what truly sets the P60 Pro apart are its exceptional camera system and the absence of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a feature found in most Android flagship phones in 2023.
Huawei P60 Pro Design & Colors
Ornamental, decorative, artistic… or simply kitschy.
Opinions were divided at the office upon the arrival of the Huawei P60 Pro, but one thing was undeniable: it certainly grabs attention.
Huawei claims that the clever, pearl-like finish on the back showcases a unique pattern on each phone due to a manual element in its creation. It’s mesmerizing how this finish beautifully reflects light when the phone is tilted.
However, to many, it appeared decidedly old-fashioned and… rather gaudy. Fortunately, there’s also a more traditional black version available, which avoids such controversy. Where do you stand on that pearl finish?
Beyond the bold color choice, this is a fairly typical large Android phone: curved screen, weighing 200g (which happens to be nearly 15% lighter than the iPhone Pro Max, by the way), with power and volume buttons located on the right-hand side. It’s well-crafted and exudes a premium feel.
Huawei also promotes the “KunLun” glass as exceptionally durable and even encourages users to drop the phone from heights of 3 to 5 feet onto a wooden or marble floor face down to test its strength. However, we opted not to perform this test as we still had a review to complete. Nevertheless, it’s reassuring to see a company so confident in the quality of its toughened glass.
Additionally, the Huawei P60 Pro boasts IP68 water and dust protection, which is not only impressive but also increasingly standard in smartphones today.
Huawei P60 Pro Display
The 6.7-inch OLED screen on the P60 Pro has a slight taper at the edges, making it a bit tricky to apply a screen protector. However, we were pleased to find that the phone came with one included.
The display quality is excellent, with vibrant colors and impressive brightness, reaching well over 1,000 nits in bright sunlight, ensuring easy readability. This is a significant improvement over last year’s P50 Pro, which struggled in bright outdoor conditions.
Additionally, the P60 Pro features a dynamic refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz, resulting in a smooth scrolling experience. This has become quite common in smartphones today.
The fingerprint scanner is embedded within the screen and positioned at the bottom, requiring a bit of adjustment. However, it proves to be quick and reliable, with no notable issues during our use. Face recognition is also available as an alternative, though it lacks the advanced security of 3D face scans like Face ID, instead relying on basic 2D image-based recognition.
Huawei P60 Pro Camera
Despite handicaps in hardware and software, Huawei directs its primary focus towards the camera system to persuade buyers that the P60 Pro remains a worthy investment.
Here’s the camera hardware lineup:
- 48MP main camera with variable aperture ranging from f/1.4 to f/4.0 and OIS
- 13MP ultra-wide shooter with an aperture of f/2.2
- 48MP 3.5X zoom periscope camera featuring an f/2.1 aperture and OIS
The standout feature is the variable aperture on the main camera. With an f/1.4 aperture, it’s the widest we’ve seen on a phone camera, offering a significant advantage in low-light conditions. Additionally, it automatically adjusts based on the subject being captured, selecting the appropriate focal length as necessary. For instance, when photographing a group of people in multiple rows, the f/1.4 aperture may result in some rows being blurred. In such cases, the phone will switch to a faster aperture for optimal results.
Main Camera – Day
When using the auto camera mode, the P60 Pro itself determines the appropriate aperture value. Unfortunately, if you desire manual control over the aperture, you’re out of luck. While technically you can adjust the aperture via the Pro mode, the resulting image quality is surprisingly poor, with visible noise even in bright daylight. Realistically, it’s better to stick with the auto mode, which provides cleaner detail.
During daytime, most shots defaulted to an f/2.0 aperture, offering a pleasing field of view, while night shots typically utilized an f/1.4 aperture to maximize light input. Is this variable aperture a game-changing feature? Not particularly, but it’s a nice option for enthusiasts seeking more control over their smartphone photos.
Overall, daytime image quality is certainly comparable to other flagship devices, but we cannot claim it to be extraordinary in a truly significant manner.
Low-light
Pictures taken in low light conditions also excel with the main camera. Huawei pioneered Night Mode, and it’s evident that this phone still excels in this aspect, capturing ample light resulting in clean and sharp images with abundant detail.
However, we encountered a peculiar issue with the ultra-wide camera. Occasionally, it would capture blurry pictures at night, which was unexpected. We hope this issue will be addressed with a software update.
Portrait Mode
Portrait mode photos look exceptional on the Huawei P60 Pro.
The colors are balanced, avoiding excessive exaggeration, while detail is abundant. The phone excels at effectively separating the subject from the background.
Furthermore, having different focal lengths is crucial for achieving a good portrait mode shot, and the P60 Pro offers 1X, 2X, and 3X portrait options, providing more variety than most flagship devices.
Video Quality
Despite delivering solid photo performance, we were disappointed by the video recording quality of the P60 Pro.
Even in 4K resolution, our P60 Pro captures videos with noticeably grainy detail. Whether it’s due to excessive software sharpening or some peculiarity of the sensor (our guess is the former), it’s a frustrating issue.
Another notable aspect is that in low light and nighttime conditions, the overall quality remains good, but brighter lights have a tendency to cause burnout, resulting in less impressive dynamic range.
Furthermore, the camera app lacks quick toggles to switch between the native lenses while recording video, which adds unnecessary inconvenience.
On a positive note, video stabilization is notably solid, providing no cause for complaints in that regard.
Huawei P60 Pro Performance & Benchmarks
While most Android flagships in 2023 are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip by Qualcomm, Huawei has opted for the older generation Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in a special version of the chipset, albeit without 5G connectivity. The absence of 5G is due to the sanctioned component, which Huawei is prohibited from using, leading to this particular chip configuration.
Nevertheless, we encountered no issues with the speed of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 onboard. Huawei has consistently delivered smooth, stutter-free performance, and the latest P60 Pro is no exception. Everything operates seamlessly without any hiccups.
Performance Benchmarks:
Geekbench 6 SingleHIGHER IS BETTER | 1561 1412 |
Geekbench 6 MultiHIGHER IS BETTER | 4485 3303 |
3DMark Extreme(High)HIGHER IS BETTER | 2746 1836 1543 |
3DMark Extreme(Low)HIGHER IS BETTER | 1617 1292 919 |
Huawei P60 Pro: The 5G Connectivity problem
Due to US trade sanctions, Huawei is unable to utilize 5G chips, leading to the phone being equipped with a specialized version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip with only 4G connectivity.
The absence of 5G connectivity may not be a significant concern, as most metrics indicate that 5G connectivity is only marginally faster than 4G LTE. However, if you reside in an area with excellent 5G coverage and experience great 5G speeds, the P60 Pro may appear lacking.
There is a peculiar workaround available: Huawei sub-brand Soyealink offers a case with 5G connectivity. This case, albeit thick at 3.2mm, can be attached to the device, enabling 5G connectivity. While this offers a solution, it involves additional steps and inconvenience for users.
Huawei P60 Pro Software
The most debated aspect of the Huawei P60 Pro is undoubtedly its software.
Officially, the phone operates on Huawei’s EMUI 13.1. Huawei excels in optimizing this interface for smooth operation, and gestures feel remarkably satisfying on the device. However, there are some quirks, such as the widget-like app icons. Swiping on an icon expands it into a widget with shortcuts, a feature that some may find excessive, though others may appreciate it.
However, the main issue here lies in the absence of Google apps and the abundance of unfamiliar apps developed by Huawei to substitute popular Google alternatives.
This endeavor has often felt futile. Instead of Google Maps, users are presented with “Petal Maps,” which may suffice for basic navigation but falls short compared to Google Maps in terms of completeness. Similarly, the Google Play Store is replaced by Huawei’s App Gallery, which lacks the extensive app selection of the original.
So, is it possible to run Google apps on the Huawei P60 Pro?
Android does support sideloading, making it technically feasible. On the internet, you can find the GBox app, which facilitates the quick installation of missing Google apps on your Huawei device. However, the legality of such apps is questionable. Alternatively, users can visit sites like APK Mirror to manually download APK files for popular apps, but this poses significant security risks associated with downloading files from unverified sources.
Ultimately, while there are workarounds for the Google services issue, they come with safety concerns and legal ambiguity. Therefore, for most users, the limitations imposed by the software remain a major drawback. Until this dispute is resolved, we cannot recommend a Huawei phone to the average user.
Huawei P60 Pro Battery
Featuring a 4,815mAh battery, the P60 Pro falls slightly short compared to most Android flagships of similar size, typically equipped with a 5,000mAh battery.
Nevertheless, our real-world usage suggests that this discrepancy isn’t much of a concern, as you should comfortably last through a full day without significant trouble.
However, we never quite experienced the sensation of using a battery powerhouse either.
PhoneArena Battery Test Results:
Web Browsing(hours)HIGHER IS BETTER | 10h 53 min 14h 19 min |
We were only able to conduct our web browsing test, which involves running a script with a set of web pages to simulate a typical browsing session. In this test, the Huawei P60 Pro performed well below the average.
Unfortunately, the software on the phone prevented us from conducting our YouTube video streaming test, limiting our ability to provide a comprehensive assessment.
Huawei P60 Pro Charging Speeds
The dual-port charger included in the box with the P60 Pro is truly remarkable.
Featuring both a standard USB-A port and the increasingly common USB-C port, it boasts a clever design that we wish more chargers would adopt.
The charger’s speed reaches up to 88W for fast charging, allowing the phone to fully charge in just about half an hour, eliminating the need for overnight charging for most users.
Additionally, the phone supports wireless charging at an impressive speed of 50W, surpassing the wired charging speeds of Galaxy phones and iPhones.
Huawei P60 Pro Audio Quality and Haptics
Featuring a dual speaker system, with the main speaker firing from the bottom and a secondary speaker firing from the top, the P60 Pro delivers decent audio quality for a smartphone, but it doesn’t set any new benchmarks.
Devices like the iPhone 14 series or our current audio champion, the Asus ROG Phone 7, outperform it in the audio department.
Unfortunately, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack on the P60 Pro.
On the bright side, the haptics feel refined on this phone, providing a nice and tight vibration feedback for notifications, so no complaints there.
Huawei P60 Pro Competitors
For those considering the Huawei P60 Pro, the primary draw is undoubtedly its camera.
If you prioritize video quality, the P60 Pro may not be the best option, and you’d likely be better served by an iPhone 14 Pro.
For excellent low-light performance, alternatives like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro are worth considering.
And if you’re seeking cutting-edge camera hardware, our personal favorite for night-time photos and portraits is the new Vivo X90 Pro Plus, while the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is another excellent choice for overall photography, especially in terms of zoom capabilities.
Huawei P60 Pro Summary, Prices and Final Verdict
So, what’s the final verdict on the Huawei P60 Pro?
If you admire bold design and desire to stand out, this phone certainly delivers. The main camera is exceptional and impressively capable, particularly in portrait mode photography. However, it falls short of being the ultimate camera champion due to issues with video recording quality. On the positive side, smooth performance, fast charging, and a brilliant display are among its notable strengths.
Nevertheless, without native Google services, it remains challenging to recommend a Huawei phone to the average user. However, if you’re tech-savvy and comfortable with sideloading apps and customizing your Android device, you can potentially make it work.
But brace yourself: the Huawei P60 Pro comes with a hefty price tag of £1,200 in the UK and €1,200 in Europe! Considering the significant hurdle posed by the absence of Google services, justifying such a price becomes exceedingly difficult.
Huawei faces a daunting challenge in creating a premium phone with numerous limitations, but it’s making efforts to overcome them. The question remains: Are you willing to take the plunge and explore various Google workarounds for the sake of using a Huawei phone.
