Review of a phablet, expensive, but very competent
20.03.2015
I am the only shoemaker in the world without boots, a smartphone reviewer without my smartphone. You watch your professional colleagues - they are always thinking about whether to buy another Samsung/iPhone or not.
It's easier for me. My SIM card is always in one of the test devices. Constantly moving from smartphone to smartphone, of course, takes a little time, but it allows you to compare devices with each other based on your own experience and keep track of the bumps you’ve got on your own forehead.
Today you read the news on a classic five-inch flagship, tomorrow you move to a four-inch and very slow baby, in a week - to some strange phablet without Google Play. And so on ad infinitum. The eyes are already dazzled by the constant change in screen sizes and resolutions, hardware power, and battery capacity. But the experience, don’t even argue, is extremely educational and useful.
Interesting fact. Perhaps, for me, the most important parameter of any smartphone recently has been the screen diagonal. Not the power of the hardware (there is almost always enough), not the amount of memory (there is always little), not the battery capacity, not the quality of the camera and not the number of glitches. Oh, of course, they are all important too. But the diagonal... it's more important.
Nightmare. I recently realized with horror that I was uncomfortable at five inches. Moving from five to six inches is easy and painless - it’s like returning to your own cozy home. And the move from six to five is difficult. Everything seems small and uncomfortable - as if you are trying to fit into last year’s summer trousers in the spring and suddenly discover that they have significantly decreased in size over the winter.
So from the very beginning it was obvious to me that if Huawei didn’t screw up anywhere majorly, then I would have to like the Ascend Mate7. After all, it’s a “shovel”, and a fancy one at that.
I'm reporting. They didn't mess up.
Brief conclusion
Even the Haier W970, with all its budget, got 8 out of 10.
The most annoying exception is Alcatel POP S9, and even that one was not highly rated only because of obvious chronic defects and reluctance to be friends with memory cards.
| Chipset | Memory | Screen | Battery | Cameras | Price | |
| Huawei Ascend Mate7 | Kirin 925 | 2+16+SD | IPS 1080x1920 | 4100 | 13+5 | 30-35 thousand |
| Haier W970 | MTK6582 | 1+16+SD | IPS 720x1280 | 3000 | 13+5 | 8 thousand |
| Alcatel POP S9 | Snapdragon 400 | 1+8+SD | 5/9" IPS 720x1280 | 3400 | 8+2 | 9-10 thousand |
| ASUS Fonepad Note 6 | Intel Z2580 | 2+16+SD | IPS 1080x1920 | 3200 | 8+1.2 | 12-15 thousand |
| ASUS ZenFone 6 A600CG | Intel Z2580 | 2+16+SD | IPS 720x1280 | 3300 | 13+2 | 15-20 thousand |
| Sony Xperia T2 Ultra | Snapdragon 400 | 1+8+SD | TFT 720x1280 | 3000 | 13+1.1 | 16-19 thousand |
| Alcatel One Touch Hero 2 | MTK6592 | 2+16+SD | IPS 1080x1920 | 3100 | 13+5 | 17-20 thousand |
| Lenovo K920 Vibe Z2 Pro | Snapdragon 801 | 3+32 | IPS 1440x2560 | 4000 | 16+5 | 35-40 thousand |
| Google Nexus 6 | Snapdragon 805 | 3+32 | AMLD 1440x2560 | 3220 | 13+2 | 43-46 thousand |
| Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 | Exynos 4415 | 1.5+16+SD | S.LCD 720x1280 | 2800 | 8+2.1 | 20 thousand |
| LG G Pro 2 | Snapdragon 800 | 3+16+SD | 5.9" IPS 1080x1920 | 3200 | 13+2 | 21-24 thousand |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | Exynos 5420 | 3+32+SD | 5.7" AMLD 1080x1920 | 3200 | 13+2 | 25-30 thousand |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 4 | Exynos 5433 | 3+32+SD | 5.7" AMLD 1440x2560 | 3220 | 16+3.7 | 35-50 thousand |
Equipment
Only the smartphone itself came to me, so I personally am not familiar with its full package.
Judging by the description on the official website, everything is standard there. Headphones, Micro-USB cord, charger, papers. I suspect that there is also a nail clip for removing the trays in which the SIM card and memory card are placed.
Appearance
| Weight | 185 gr. |
| Size | 157 x 81 x 7.9 mm |
The smartphone is big, naturally. And quite heavy.
Metal, non-separable. Looks nice, weighty.
To understand the scale of the disaster. Here it is next to a 5" Lenovo P70 and a 2.3" ear:
And next to the modest volume of Pushkin:
If I'm not mistaken, it's almost the narrowest of all six-inch devices. The side frames are tiny, you can’t really squeeze it in, there’s simply nowhere to go. So it’s not a tablet, holding it in one hand is not a problem. But, of course, it is extremely difficult to work with it with the same hand in which you hold it.
Holding it is not a problem, the problem is what to wear. Doesn't fit in every pocket.
Colors. The "premium" version of the smartphone is golden. “Regular” devices are black (on both sides) or silver-white (white on the front, silver on the back).
Boring details about appearance with photographs
The front is traditionally glass. Most of it is occupied, as you might guess, by the screen.
Below the screen is the Huawei logo. Android buttons are on-screen, drawn as needed.
Above the screen there is a speaker, sensors, and a front camera. There is also an LED (though very weak).
On the back there is a camera, flash, fingerprint sensor, external speaker. Most of the back is metal, but there are plastic strips on the top and bottom.
The camera protrudes slightly, the fingerprint sensor, on the contrary, is slightly concave.
Top. 3.5 mm audio output and noise canceling microphone.
Bottom. Micro-USB and main microphone.
Right. Buttons. Volume rocker and power-lock button.
Left. Trays for SIM cards (Micro-SIM, 1 pc.) and memory cards (Micro-USB). How to take out the trays and place the cards - watch the unpacking video.
Internals (iron)
| AnTuTu | 43777 (v5.6.1) |
| Chipset | HiSilicon Kirin 925 |
| Cores | 4 x Cortex-A15, 1.8 GHz |
| Cores | 4 x Cortex-A7, 1.3 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-T628 MP6 |
| RAM (free) | 2 GB (1.2 GB) |
| ROM (free) | 16 GB (11 GB) |
| Micro-SD | + |
Huawei's own chip, Kirin 925, is somewhat reminiscent of the Exynos 5422 that Samsung uses in its Samsung Galaxy S5. The same cores and the same quantity, the same video accelerator.
As usual, I suggest you admire the plate with the results of my tests for elementary actions. As is easy to see, everything is more than good. Kirin 925 is faster than Snapdragon 801, not to mention cheaper hardware.
| Chipset | Pi | Brake Birds |
Big Page2 |
Heavy Book2 |
|
| Huawei Ascend Mate7 | Kirin 925 | 3.34 | 6.96 | 4.34 | 3.32 |
| Sony Xperia Z3 | Snapdragon 801 | 6.39 | 6.52 | 5.75 | 3.70 |
| Huawei Ascend G7 | Snapdragon 410 | 11.50 | 7.81 | 6.63 | 5.33 |
| Alcatel One Touch POP S9 | Snapdragon 400 | 14.01 | 8.34 | 7.66 | 6.18 |
| Fly IQ4514 Quad EVO Tech 4 | MTK6582 | 17.82 | 8.31 | 7.65 | 6.15 |
| Alcatel One Touch Hero 2 | MTK6592 | 11.04 | 7.54 | 5.92 | 4.54 |
| Sony Xperia Z3 | Snapdragon 801 | 6.39 | 6.52 | 5.75 | 3.70 |
Personal feelings confirm the test results: everything is more than good, fast, smooth and smooth.
It is possible to connect a Micro-SD memory card as internal memory smartphone (i.e. it becomes /sdcard/), which can be useful for those who want to install a lot of heavy toys at the same time.
Personally, I didn’t have such a need, fortunately I already have 11 GB free.
Sensors Of the sensors, the only interesting one is the fingerprint one, which I have already mentioned. Everything else is standard. Gyroscope, accelerometer, compass. Lighting and proximity, naturally. There are no useful extras such as a pressure sensor or thermometer.
Communication with the outside world
Everything is there, everything works as it should. And LTE, and Wi-Fi and everything else. I didn't notice any problems.
iXBT in its review writes about the not very correct operation of MHL (the image is scaled and distorted). I didn't find this in myself. Everything was displayed clearly on my TV, as it should, and without distortion.
Screen
Nice screen. Classic high-quality IPS matrix, more than sufficient resolution, decent behavior in the sun, Gorilla Glass.
And there is nothing more to say about him.
Perhaps the oleophobic coating could be a little better. But I suspect it’s just a little worn out. Still, the smartphone is a test one and has clearly gone through many hands.
Operating system and other software
operating room Android system 4.4.2 KitKat plus proprietary shell Emotion UI 3.0.
Everything is quite ordinary, familiar and convenient. Traditionally, Huawei does not have a single list of applications, so you have to make at least minimal efforts to put order on your desktops.
Preinstalled third party applications not very much - Opera, VKontakte, ivi.ru, Polaris Office, Yandex search. Everything is quietly deleted except (surprise!) Opera.
A few words about the pedometer. There is such a pre-installed software there. More precisely, not even pre-installed, but “sewn” into the proprietary shell. You turn it on and the smartphone starts counting your steps. Convenient, funny, really liked it. The only thing is that it’s a pity that it doesn’t keep history, only for yesterday and today.
Battery
The average result of battery tests is 159% of the standard. Excellent result!
Huawei Mate 7 was announced in September 2014 at the IFA exhibition. This is a flagship smartphone with a giant screen, which is designed to compete with such recognized “monsters” as Galaxy Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus. I received a tablet from a Chinese manufacturer excellent characteristics, as well as a remarkable design.
Appearance and ergonomics
When any user sees the Mate 7, they will immediately notice the truly huge display with minimal bezels. The body is almost entirely made of aluminum. At the same time, the screen occupies 83% of the total area of the front part. The smartphone is very well assembled, it feels solid. There are simply no crunches or rattles here. Thanks to the glossy edging, unique edges are formed to protect the display from external contact with the table surface. Despite its serious dimensions, the device fits perfectly in the hand. True, it is not always possible to reach the desired area with one hand. On the back there is a fingerprint scanner, which is designed in the form of a stylish square. Dimensions Mate 7: height - 157 mm, width - 81 mm, thickness - 7.9 mm, weight - 185 g. Colors: gold, silver and black.
Display
The Huawei Mate 7 has a large 6-inch screen with an advanced IPS matrix in every sense. Using InCell technology, the display is completely free of air gap, so the picture impresses with its plausibility and realism. Full HD resolution also has a positive effect on detail. A special anti-glare coating effectively filters light, and Gorilla Glass 3 protects the screen from possible physical damage. This display has increased brightness and excellent contrast, as well as increased viewing angles.
Hardware and performance
Huawei Mate 7 uses an eight-core processor (four Cortex-A15 cores and four Cortex-A7 cores) Kirin 925, the maximum frequency of which is 1800 MHz. The built-in Mali-T628 MP4 GPU runs at 600 MHz, supporting DirectX 11 and OpenGL ES 3.0. The device has 2 GB of RAM and only 16 GB of internal storage, which is expandable with MicroSD cards up to 128 GB.
The Chinese smartphone demonstrates good performance not only in applications and games, but also in the interface. Smoothness is felt literally in everything. Moreover, the gadget practically does not heat up. In AnTuTu, the Mate 7 device scores almost 42,000 points. In Epic Citadel at the highest possible graphics settings and in Full HD, the device shows a result of 42 frames per second. It houses the Android 4.4.2 operating system with the EMUI 3.0 shell already pre-installed.
Communication and sound
The sound in the headphones is very high quality. Low frequencies with well-developed bass especially stand out. The external speaker boasts increased volume without obvious wheezing. There are no problems with communication, because the interlocutor can be heard perfectly. Mate 7 supports LTE, as well as UMTS and GSM standards. Wireless interfaces— Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/, Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth 4.0.
Camera
The high-quality 13-megapixel camera in the Huawei Mate 7 is unlikely to leave anyone disappointed. It takes excellent pictures during the day and performs well at night. Auto mode behaves intelligently, choosing the right settings. If you want to choose the parameters yourself, you can do this using manual mode. Autofocus is quite fast, and there is very little noise even in the evening. The front 5-megapixel camera can boast wide-angle photos. The quality of Full HD video shot at 30 frames per second with the main camera cannot be called outstanding, but there is stereo sound.
conclusions
The flagship smartphone Huawei Mate 7 will be an excellent option as a hybrid device that combines the functions of a tablet and a phone. If the display size doesn’t scare you, then this model recommended for purchase. At the start of sales, the device cost 600 euros, but now its price has halved, so it’s time to take a closer look at Mate 7.
Pros:
- Screen.
- Frame.
- Camera.
- Sound.
- Performance.
Minuses:
- Dimensions.
- Cost at start.
Technical characteristics of Huawei Mate 7
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Model | Huawei Mate 7, Huawei Ascend Mate 7, MT7-CL00, MT7-TL00, MT7-TL10 |
| Date of announcement/start of sales | September 2014 / October 2014 |
| Dimensions | 157 x 81 x 7.9 mm. |
| Weight | 185 |
| Case color range | Black, Grey, Gold |
| Number and type of SIM cards | Micro-SIM Dual SIM(Micro-SIM/Nano-SIM) - MT7-TL102 |
| operating system | Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat), upgradable to v5.1.1 (Lollipop), planned upgrade to v6.0 (Marshmallow) |
| Communication standard in 2G networks | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 CDMA 800 |
| Communication standard in 3G networks | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO/TD-SCDMA |
| Communication standard in 4G networks | LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 7(2600), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500) |
| Display | |
| Screen type | IPS LCD, 16 million colors |
| Screen size | 6.0 inches |
| Screen resolution | 1080 x 1920 @368 ppi |
| Multitouch | yes, up to 10 simultaneous touches |
| Screen protection | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Sound | |
| 3.5mm jack | There is |
| FM radio | There is |
| Additionally | DTS sound enhancement |
| Data transfer | |
| USB | microUSB v2.0, USB Host |
| Satellite navigation | GPS (A-GPS), GLONASS |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | v4.0, A2DP, EDR, LE |
| Internet connection | LTE, Cat4; HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, EDGE, GPRS |
| NFC | Yes |
| Platform | |
| CPU | HiSilicon Kirin 925 Octa-core (4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A15 & 4×1.3 GHz Cortex-A7) |
| GPU | Mali-T628MP4 |
| RAM | 2 GB RAM/ 3 GB RAM |
| Inner memory | 16/32 GB |
| Supported memory cards | microSD up to 256GB |
| Camera | |
| Camera | 13 MP, f/2.0, 28mm, autofocus, LED flash |
| Camera functions | Geo-tagging, face detection, HDR, panorama |
| Video recording | 1080p@30fps |
| Front-camera | 5 MP, f/2.4, 22mm, 720p |
| Battery | |
| Battery type and capacity | Li-Po 4100 mAh non-removable |
| Additionally | |
| Sensors | Illumination, proximity, gyroscope, compass, accelerometer |
| Browser | HTML5 |
| IMAP, POP3, SMTP | |
| Other | — Google Search, Maps, Gmail, Talk — MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player — MP4/H.263/H.264 player — Organizer — Document viewer — Voice dialing, voice commands |
| Equipment | |
| Standard equipment | Huawei Mate 7: 1 USB cable: 1 User manual: 1 Warranty card: 1 Charger 5V/2A: 1 |
Prices
Video reviews
Technology has come a long way since the first Mate. Therefore, it is not surprising that after two years and two generations of its 6-inch “assistants”, the company introduced a new smartpad with even more powerful filling, modern design and cool functionality, which includes the updated EMUI 3.0 shell and a fingerprint sensor that works like a clock. All these features, as well as the recognized lucky number in the name, can make Mate7 a leader in the smartped segment.
Equipment
I was pleasantly surprised by the package included with the smartphone. The Mate7 itself, a set of documentation with a paper clip, a power supply with a current of 2A, a microUSB cable and a wired headset are neatly packed in a strict, presentable box.
Design and ergonomics
The manufacturer has radically reworked the appearance of the new smartpad. The design of previous generations of Mates cannot be compared to the metallic, monolithic and modern Mate7. The smartphone is a little strict, thin, only 7.9 mm, smooth, well assembled.
In contrast to the glass front panel with a thin black border, most of the back and sides are made of aluminum with a smooth matte finish. At the same time, the slightly cut ribs look cool, and the plastic inserts at the top and bottom do not spoil the appearance at all.
On the back panel, in addition to the main camera and flash noticeably protruding above the body, the fingerprint sensor, framed in gloss, stands out. Thanks to its thoughtful placement, the sensor is easily located blindly.
Despite the huge screen, Mate7 turned out to be ergonomic. Thanks to the flat edges, the smartphone fits well in the hand, and the matte texture prevents it from slipping. And software add-ons minimize the inconvenience associated with a large display.
Let me add that the new product weighs 185 g.
Display
The 6-inch screen is made according to IPS technology with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, while the density is 368 ppi. This display has no weak points - viewing angles are maximum, color rendition is natural and bright, the picture is clear and rich. In addition, the screen is covered with protective glass with an oleophobic coating, which copes well with fingerprints.
The matrix brightness reserve is enough for normal text reading incoming message on a sunny day. In addition, the touch layer is responsive and accurate, it supports up to 10 simultaneous touches.
Keyboard, gestures, one-handed control
Mate7 received a simply huge on-screen keyboard, regardless of the position of the screen. The keys are large and the layout accurately recognizes touches. In addition, Swype is built right into the system.
It's hard to imagine a modern smartpad without gesture support and one-handed control. Mate7 doesn't lag behind the competition. In the settings menu there is a separate sub-item “Management”, which contains all the software tricks for ease of use of such a large smartphone.
You can enable gestures to lower the volume or mute the sound, quickly answer a call, and easily move icons between desktops.
In addition, one-handed control is implemented - you just need to tilt the device to the right or left to zoom out and move the keyboard or navigation panel in the desired direction. In this case, there will be no problems with typing with your thumb.
You can immediately increase the sensitivity of the touch layer to operate the smartphone with gloves, enable support for a branded case, and use a special control button, which also greatly facilitates navigation in the system.
I note that you can even customize the appearance of the navigation bar by changing the combination of buttons, and even use a convenient touch key to open the notification panel, or a small button to hide this panel.
Fingerprint's scanner
Of course, the Mate7 is far from the first smartphone with a fingerprint scanner. But here is one of the best implementations of the sensor. You get used to it in a matter of minutes.
First, you need to save at least one fingerprint in a special sub-item of the settings menu. The system will prompt you to choose how to lock your smartphone with a PIN code or password, and then the sensor settings will appear. It is useful for unlocking Mate7, accessing hidden files and blocked applications. In addition, you can take a quick photo by holding your finger on the sensor.
Now, to unlock your smartphone, you just need to place your registered finger on the scanner, even with the screen turned off.
The sensor works really quickly and accurately, without swiping and long trying on the position of the finger.
Sound
A relatively small speaker located on the back panel of the smartpad provides incredibly loud, clear and rich sound, with elastic bass and ringing high frequencies. The user does not need a Bluetooth speaker to watch movies or play favorite tracks.
By the way, the smartphone also supports active noise cancellation, though only when using a special headset, which is sold separately.
Interface and software
Smartpad works under Android control 4.4.2 KitKat with updated EMUI 3.0 graphical shell. At first glance, it seems that the innovations are insignificant. But in fact, many settings have appeared and additional features customization. One of the pleasant innovations is an improved OS update system that supports installation new version operating systems via USB from a computer or using a local file.
Traditionally, all applications are located on desktops. There are themes that change not only the wallpaper, but also the appearance of icons, you can change the animation of turning tables and much more.
The notification shade distributes events over time, and on the right, in the “Icons” tab, there are many quick settings switches.
In addition, the user has two interface styles available - normal and simplified with large icons, larger fonts and slightly lighter functionality.
A good set of applications is pre-installed. It's cute and comfortable file manager, “Phone Manager” for keeping your smartphone clean and tidy, as well as Polaris Office.
In the settings menu, you can use the built-in pedometer, which background counts the number of steps taken. By the way, quite accurately.
Performance
The manufacturer equipped the new product with a system on a chip of its own production, HiSilicon Kirin 925. It includes 4 Cortex-A15 cores with a frequency of 1.8 GHz, another 4 Cortex-A7 cores with a frequency of 1.3 GHz and another energy-efficient companion core with a frequency of 230 MHz for sensor management. Also installed graphics adapter Mali-T628MP4, 2 GB random access memory And internal storage 16 GB capacity, expandable via memory card. By the way, a configuration with 32 GB of memory, 3 GB of RAM and support for Dual SIM will appear soon.
Mate7 shows some of the best results in synthetic tests, consistently placing in the top three. The smartpad works perfectly smoothly, the device instantly responds to any user action. In addition, the smartphone can easily cope with even the most resource-intensive tasks, games, movies in Full HD resolution and many open tabs browser.
Camera
The main photo module has a 13 megapixel matrix, autofocus, flash and F2.0 aperture. In addition, the smartphone is equipped with a front 5 MP camera for video calls and selfies. The main photo module takes photos with a resolution of 4128 x 3096 pixels and Full HD video.
The application interface is minimalistic and simple. But the camera has excellent functionality. There are color filters and effects, panoramic shooting, HDR, continuous shooting. You can also take a photo with a watermark or audio note. There are many settings available to the user, including manual adjustment of ISO, white balance, exposure, saturation, contrast and brightness.
There is a 3.5 mm audio slot on the top edge of the device, and microUSB on the bottom.
Memory card and micro SIM slots are installed on the left side.
Working hours
It's hard to believe, but this thin body fits a 4100 mAh lithium-polymer battery. Mate7 shows simply outstanding autonomy - even if you fully load it, it will last several times longer than other smartphones. And all thanks to an optimized system and energy-efficient hardware.
So, in active use mode, the smartpad will easily last two days. Moreover, even without special optimizations you can get 4.5-5 hours of screen operation. In a more gentle mode, the battery charge will last for 3-4 days.
There are several power saving modes that actually work. The first optimizes the operation of network modules, the second limits the functionality of the smartpad to the maximum, includes the simplest interface that will only allow you to make calls and send text messages. Maximum energy savings can increase time battery life more than doubled!
Impression
With Mate7, Huawei is entering a completely new level of smartphone manufacturing. For me this smartpad is the best device, which the manufacturer has ever produced. It's stylish, sleek and thin, with a bright 6-inch screen, top-notch performance, a high-quality fingerprint sensor that really makes life easier, impressive battery life, a 13 MP camera, and a beautiful and functional EMUI 3.0 graphical shell. I didn’t find a single disadvantage of the smartphone, even big screen did not greatly affect the ergonomics of the device, everything is thought out to the smallest detail. From now on, the Huawei logo will evoke associations with the Mate7.
PECULIARITIES
Stylish metal body.
6-inch Full HD screen.
Fingerprint sensor.
High level of productivity.
EMUI 3.0.
13 MP camera.
Long battery life.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Model Huawei Mate7 MT7-L09 (51091966)
- Standard GSM 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS 850/900/1900/2100/AWS, LTE FDD Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28(Aphase), LTE TDD Band 40
- Dimensions 15.7 x 8.1 x 0.79 cm
- Weight 185 g
- CPU HiSilicon Kirin 925, 8-core, 4 cores 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A15) + 4 cores 1.3 GHz (Cortex-A7) + companion core
I remember the time when the first Galaxy Note with a display of just over 5 inches was called a mini-tablet by many, then it really seemed like a real “shovel” from some completely different “opera”. Much water has passed under the bridge since then, and now the trend is for devices with much larger screens—up to 6 inches. One of the flagships in this segment is Huawei Mate 7, demonstrating what a truly convenient phablet should be.
Design and ergonomics
Top Huawei smartphones have never been particularly sophisticated in design. Many people believe that almost every new product from the company is recreated on the basis of an already known device, and the Mate 7 is no exception. Even before the official announcement, the device was dubbed a clone HTC One Max, but now, after getting acquainted with the device, we can safely say that the analogy is far-fetched. These two models are similar only in the shape of the case and the fingerprint scanner located on the rear surface.
Compared to the HTC phablet, the Chinese company's device has a much more compact, thin and light body (157x81x7.9 mm with a weight of 185 grams versus 164.5x82.5x10.3 mm with 217 grams), which is partly due to truly narrow frames - the screen is here takes up as much 83% of the entire front surface area. For comparison, the iPhone 6 Plus has only 73%. True, despite all its compactness, you still won’t be able to use the Mate 7 with one hand; at most you can use swipes to change desktops or scroll through.
In general, the flagship body is designed in a trendy minimalist style and at the same time has a rather presentable and solid appearance. The assembly is not bad, there are no creaks or backlashes. It fits in the hand like an ordinary “shovel” (even the complete absence of frames will not save you from such a favorite analogy), but compared to its colleagues in the workshop, this is one of the most convenient devices - it has a pleasant tactile sensation and does not tend to slip out.
The entire frontal surface is covered with a layer protective glass, and the back, which goes into the side edges, is made of metal. Plastic is present only in the upper and lower parts of the lid (this is where the communication modules are located) as well as the screen frame. The last one, by the way, is quite chips easily, it is with her that you need to be more careful. In general, the external differences between the materials of the rear panel are absolutely invisible, so the case at first glance seems to be completely aluminum.
Under the massive camera eye is a fingerprint scanner, made in the shape of a square with rounded edges and slightly recessed into the body. It is very easy to use, easy to feel with your finger and just fits perfectly into the overall design, especially compared to the previously mentioned HTC One Max.
On the left side there are slots for a SIM card and a microSD memory card ( in the dual-SIM version, called Mate 7 Premium, you can also install a nano-SIM in the memory card slot). On the right is the volume rocker and power button. The latter in our specimen was recessed a little deeper, and sometimes even sunk. Fortunately, it didn’t affect work in any way, it was felt only by the absence feedback, which is extremely inconvenient. Judging by the comments of other Mate 7 owners, this is rather a special case.
Describing the placement of various elements on the case, one cannot fail to note the location of the USB connector - it is located slightly to the left of the central part of the bottom end. This solution looks like “neither two, nor one and a half.” Of course, this cannot be called a drawback, but perfectionists are unlikely to like it.
Screen
Mate 7 is equipped with an IPS matrix from Japan Display Inc. With a 6" diagonal, the resolution is 1920x1080 pixels. The pixel density per inch is about 368, which is generally more than enough. If there were QHD here, hardly anyone would be able to notice an improvement in picture quality. Moreover, more a high resolution would have a negative impact on autonomy, one of the main advantages of the device.
The viewing angles are all fine. In terms of contrast, the image is quite calm, without any emphasis on certain shades. If necessary, you can adjust the color temperature in the settings, making the picture warmer or colder. The brightness reserve is average, but in most usage scenarios it will be enough.
It is also worth highlighting the good anti-glare coating - the screen remains readable even in strong sunlight. The display is protected by scratch- and chip-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3, as befits a flagship.
Filling
The phablet is equipped with a powerful eight-core HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor with big.LITTLE architecture. It is based on 4 Cortex-A15 cores with clock frequency 1.8 GHz and 4 less powerful Cortex-A7s with a frequency of 1.3 GHz. For graphics processing, a fairly modern Mali-T624 MP4 accelerator with support for OpenGL ES 3.0 is used. This “baggage” allows the phablet to demonstrate good, but still not top results in benchmarks.
In addition to the main “motor,” there is a coprocessor responsible for processing data from sensors and a fingerprint scanner, as well as a separate module for audio streaming and dedicated camera and display controllers. With such a division of the hardware load, there is no question of any lags; the device runs demanding games like Asphalt 8, Modern Combat 5 and Darkness Reborn with a bang, and in general, practically no lags were noticed during use.
The amount of RAM was 2 GB, built-in - 16 GB (free 12 GB) with expandability microSD cards up to 64 GB. The dual-SIM version of the device has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory.
The phablet works in LTE networks, including high-speed LTE Cat 6(which can try it with a MegaFon SIM card in Moscow, St. Petersburg and some other cities), supports Wi-Fi b/g/n (dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot), Bluetooth 4.0 (A2DP, EDR, LE) and NFC. There are also GPS and GLONASS modules. There were no problems with the stability of their work. Here it is worth mentioning the ability to connect data storage devices (OTG support), which is also a plus.
Cameras
The main camera of the Mate 7 has an Exmor RS matrix with a resolution of 13 megapixels and an f/2.0 aperture. The peephole itself is slightly forward, and when the smartphone is positioned with the screen facing up, the glass of the photomodule is quite easy to scratch.
The quality of shooting on automatic is not bad, although not up to the level of top-end ones Samsung models and Sony, of course, falls short, which is especially noticeable in low-light conditions - color rendition begins to lie a little. This can be partially corrected using manual settings.
In general, on a five-point scale, the main camera can be rated “4+”, since in most cases you don’t have to bother with adjustments - noise and distortion are rarely visible in the pictures, and focusing is high, fast and accurate. Let us immediately note a special program mode in which you can switch focus between objects in the finished photo. Fans of “bokehs” (blurring the background of a photo with focus at a certain point) will definitely appreciate this ( example below).
(post focusing example)
Video recording is possible at a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second, which is sufficient in most cases. After decent photography, the quality of the videos will hardly please you. The stabilization is weak, the image becomes blurry and occasionally sags.
For selfie fans, the phablet will offer a 5-megapixel front wide-angle camera. In the presence of uniform lighting, the pictures are quite acceptable, at night or without a more or less decent light source in the room - the expected abundance of noise and ripples.
Among the software features there is the ability to take photos with sound (audio notes), record information about the weather in the frame (I wonder why?), date and location (watermarks), and, of course, there is a traditional panoramic selfie. The camera shutter can be released by touching the fingerprint scanner (selected in the settings), that is, even on such a huge 6-inch shovel “Selfies” can be done with one hand- it is very comfortable.
System
Out of the box, Mate 7 runs on the already outdated Android 4.4.2 without the ability to select the ART engine. The system is complemented by the EMUI 3.0 shell, which has become easier to use and flatter in design. Compared to the previous version 2.0, installed, for example, on, the progress is really noticeable.
The absence of colorful and sloppy elements with a lot of animation and shadows is quite in keeping with modern trends. I would especially like to highlight the navigation bar, which by default is designed to match Android 5.0 (triangle, circle and square), which I personally, as a fan of Google’s pure OS, really liked.
The general concept of EMUI assumes that there is no list of applications as such - all icons installed games and programs automatically appear on desktops. All you have to do is organize them or simply stuff them into folders so that your eyes are not an eyesore.
Long press on free place opens the table settings menu, which allows you to quickly change the wallpaper, display widgets, select a flipping animation and set the size of the thumbnails (grid of icons: 4x4, 5x4 and 5x5). In the same setup mode, when you shake the smartphone, all the shortcuts scattered in different places on the table will be organized - an interesting solution.
The curtain from the top bar is divided into two areas: notifications, which are displayed in chronological order, and icons, otherwise known as quick settings. To immediately open a specific section, you need to open the curtain from the desired half of the bar: the left one is notifications, the right one is settings (similar to tablets). Also, by swiping down on the main screen, you can call up the universal search by applications, contacts and messages.
Running processes on the multitasking screen are displayed in a grid of 4 thumbnails, so if you have more active applications, be prepared to often scroll through the screens and look for what you need. Well, they are unloaded from memory by simply swiping up, and this applies to both separate process, and to all of them at once (by clicking on the thumbnail or just above the circle in the navigation bar).
Huawei branded apps compared to previous version the shells have changed for the better. A more advanced file manager has appeared with visual statistics on the types of files in memory, a convenient “dialer” with swipe movement between sections, a very beautiful weather informer, a music player and other tools.
In most applications, designers took as a basis a design style familiar to many with background blur and a circular scale, with the help of which various parameters are adjusted.
The general appearance of the interface, widgets and shortcuts is traditionally set by branded themes. The choice is not rich - only six, and all are of the same type, there is nowhere to go wild with customization. Fortunately, there are always third-party launchers that appear in a completely different form on a 6-inch screen.
Fingerprint scanner
The fingerprint scanner is the indisputable advantage of this phablet. It has a very convenient location, allowing you to forget about any swipes or other additional actions. Mate 7 makes it easy— just take it in your hand, and your index finger will be on the scanner; one touch is enough to read and unlock. That is, you don’t even have to press the power button to activate the screen.
The accuracy of the sensor is excellent, problems with identification are solved in one or two minutes by simply moving your finger to the left or right, it all depends on how you scanned it. In total, the system is capable of remembering up to 5 fingers, although two are usually enough, the index fingers on each hand.
As already noted, fingerprints can be equipped with the function of unlocking or providing access to the section of personal data and blocked applications. Also, when the camera is running, by placing your finger on the sensor, you can take a photo (applicable to both selfies and regular photos). In practice, this feature is really convenient; the scanner allows you to cope with any shooting with one hand, and this is at 6"!
In order to delete/replace fingerprints stored in memory or simply switch some options related to the sensor, you must enter the password you specified during the initial scan. If you forget or lose it, nothing short of a general reset will help.
Sound
Huawei Ascend Mate 7 has a separate TenSilica music chip with support DTS technology(Digital Theater System - Digital theater system). The sound in high-quality headphones (tested in conjunction with Creative Aurvana Live!) is quite loud, bassy and truly clear.
The standard music player here is quite primitive. It does not have an equalizer or any other settings that allow you to adapt the sound style to your own preferences. The only thing available is DTS on/off. Among other things, there is an FM radio, which traditionally only works in conjunction with headphones, and a voice recorder.
Autonomy
Autonomy is one of the main advantages of the device, since Huawei managed to fit a 4,100 mAh lithium-polymer battery into a fairly thin body. Even many 7-inch tablets cannot boast of such a capacity, let alone similar phablets. In practice, this is really noticeable - the Mate 7 did not survive until evening charging, only if it was used mobile games. Otherwise, with average intensity of use, it will be enough for two days.
I was especially pleased with the fact that in standby mode the charge is practically not consumed - on average, during a night of inactivity only 2-3% battery. And this is taking into account the presence of Android 4.4 KitKat; with Lollipop, this figure should improve noticeably.
Practical system reminders will also help extend the battery life on a single charge. running applications in the background and the “Energy Saving” mode, which leaves access only to calls, messages and contacts. The latter will help out in situations where you need to wait for an important call, but the battery is already running low.
Summary
As a result of the overall impression during use, the device can be praised. Huawei has come up with a solid, long-lasting phablet capable of attracting attention with its hardware, design, and features typical of top flagships, such as a sensitive fingerprint scanner and a dedicated DAC. Among its 6-inch analogues, it is one of the most compact and light, which is noticeable not only on paper - Mate 7 is really convenient and will become excellent choice for fans of big gadgets. The main thing is to understand that this is still big smartphone, not a small tablet. There is clearly no point in confusing such concepts and equating them.
Advantages:
- metal body with narrow frames;
- high-quality screen;
- convenient fingerprint scanner;
- high-capacity battery;
- LTE Cat 6 support.
Flaws:
- Android 4.4.2 (without ART selection);
- the plastic frame of the screen is prone to chipping;
- scratched camera lens.
Competitors
The main competitor of Mate 7 in the Russian market is dual-SIM Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro, which with similar dimensions and a 6-inch screen has a QHD matrix and more modern processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 801.
Among the disadvantages are the lack of a slot for a memory card (with 32 GB of its own), a more “clumsy” design and a price of about 40,000 rubles versus 35,000 for the Mate 7. You can also note the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it has a less capacious battery, the display is 0 .3" smaller (5.7"), but again a QHD matrix, a stylus and 3 GB of RAM.
However, with a price starting at 45,000 rubles, it can hardly be called a direct competitor, and this also applies to the Nexus 6 from Motorola. Other gadgets in this “shovel” category, as a rule, are significantly inferior to the Mate 7 in terms of technical equipment.
Technical characteristics of Huawei Ascend Mate 7:
| Operating system: | Android 4.4 with Emotion UI 3 shell |
| Chipset: | HiSilicon Kirin 925, 8 ARM big.LITTLE cores (4 ARM Cortex-A15 cores @1.7 GHz + 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores) + Smartl3 coprocessor for processing sensor data |
| Video processor: | Mali-T628 MP4 |
| RAM: | 2 GB |
| Permanent memory: | 16 GB + support for microSD memory cards up to 64 GB |
| Display: | 6 inches, IPS matrix, resolution 1920×1080, 367 ppi; |
| Main camera: | 13 MP, 1080p, Sony sensor, BSI, f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, LED flash; |
| Front-camera: | 5 MP, 720p |
| Connection: | LTE Cat.6, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, GLONASS, NFC |
| Additionally: | Fingerprint scanner, USB OTG support, DTS audio and TenSilica DAC |
| Battery: | 4,100 mAh |
| Dimensions: | 157x81x7.9 mm |
| Weight: | 185 grams |
| Price: | 35,000 rubles |
Noticed a mistake? Select it and press Ctrl+Enter or report it.