ET Review: Huawei Ascend P6

Specifications: 1.5Ghz quad core, 2GB RAM, 4.7-inch LCD, 8GB + microSD, 8MP rear + 5MP front cam, A-GPS, BT 3.0, FM, 2,000mAh battery, 120 grams

Price: Rs 29,990

Positive: Impressively thin & light, great design & build quality, good battery life, high quality screen

Negative: No NFC, not the best specs in this price range, non user replaceable battery
NEW DELHI: It takes an incredible amount of engineering to fit more and more features into the tiny smartphones we use today — which is why Huawei’s Ascend P6 deserves more than a second glance. At just 6.18mm, this is the thinnest smartphone in the world. What makes it more impressive is that there don’t seem to be any missing features on this 120 gram phone — it’s made with premium materials, has a quad core processor, expandable storage, dual cameras and a high quality 4.7-inch screen.

The interface is a slight departure from usual Android — there is no app drawer — instead, all apps & widgets are on the home screen. The launcher is attractive, intuitive & fast, though of course you could just get any other popular launcher and customise it.

The P6 is really nice to hold though someone pointed out what could be seen as a disadvantage — there is a striking resemblance between the P6 and iPhone 4/4S. It has the same silver metal rim and black front/back design. On the right side, it has a power button and volume rocker. The Android buttons are on the screen, taking up some of the screen space.

Despite the 6.18mm uniform thickness, Huawei has managed to squeeze in dual cameras (8MP rear and 5MP front), a regular 3.5mm audio port and dual slide out slots (micro SIM and micro SD). Aggressive power management features mean that the phone will last through the day.

Images from the camera were good outdoors but had a fair bit of noise indoors. And we did not face any problems with calls quality or cell signal. If you need the slimmest phone around at a price that won’t break the bank, this is it. Otherwise, LG’s Optimus G pro is also available in the same price with similar specifications.