Huawei P9 Plus hands-on – A bigger, more powerful version of the Huawei P9
It seems that you’re not a real phone brand in 2016 unless you have a slightly larger, more powerful phablet sitting alongside your main flagship. Apple has the iPhone 6S Plus, Samsung has the Galaxy S7 Edge and now Huawei has the P9 Plus.
It takes the regular P9 and ups the ante a bit, adding a beefier battery and larger display. There are also a few other exclusive goodies too.
This gives you a press sensitive display, allowing you to perform additional functions depending on the level of pressure you apply to the screen. Currently 18 native applications support Press Touch, but the functionality is limited.
In the gallery for example, you can hard press on an image to get a magnifying glass bubble on screen, allowing you to see an area of an image in more detail. In practice though I found the zoomed mode was pixel heavy, while Press Touch wasn't overly receptive.
The hope is third party developers will build Press Touch features into their apps and games, but in its current state it doesn't appear to match up to Apple's 3D Touch.
The display itself is a step up from its smaller brother. Both handsets pack a full HD resolution, which means the P9 Plus has a lower pixel density, but it benefits from being a Super AMOLED panel. In the standard P9 you're stuck with a less vibrant IPS offering.
On screen action is bright and clear, but it's not the same level of clarity as the QHD-toting Galaxy S7 Edge and LG G5.
Under the hood Huawei's own Kirin 955 octa-core, 64 bit processor runs the show, backed up by a sizable 4GB of RAM. That's more than enough power, and Android Marshmallow flowed nicely under finger during my time with the handset.
It's not stock Android however, with Huawei coating it in its own Emotion UI - version EMUI 4.1 to be exact. This sees the removal of the app drawer, redesigned app icons and a slightly altered notification panel.
It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and while the version on the P9 Plus is an improvement over previous iterations of the software it doesn't feel quite as polished as Google's stock platform or the interfaces by Samsung and HTC.
On top of the Huawei P9 Plus you'll find an IR blaster, allowing you to control infra-red appliances such as TVs, set top boxes and home entertainment systems.
Meanwhile 64GB of storage is joined by a microSD slot on the side of the device allowing you to build on the space with cards up to 128GB in size.
When it comes to battery life Huawei is promising big things from the 3,400mAh power pack it's managed to squeeze inside the P9 Plus' slender body. It claims with 'normal usage' you'll get two full days from a single charge, while heavy users can expect 1.35 days. I'll be putting those claims to the test in the in-depth review.
Fast charging is also present via the USB Type-C port on the base of the P9 Plus. It sits next to one of two speakers on the P9 Plus, with the other located in the earpiece location, for stereo sound.
If you fancy getting your hands on the Huawei P9 Plus it goes on sale in Europe and Asia on May 20, with a SIM-free price of €749 (around £600). It will arrive in four colors; Quartz Grey, Rose Gold, Haze Gold, Ceramic White, although it's unclear which countries will receive each color.
Early verdict
The Huawei P9 Plus is an accomplished smartphone. It's got a great feature set, impressive performance and a premium design - trouble is the competition is also excellent.
In the past Huawei's flagship handsets have had a lower price than the likes of Samsung, Apple, LG, Sony and HTC, but the P9 Plus is priced at a similar level. You then have to look to see if it offers a better experience all round than our current best phone in the world, the Galaxy S7 Edge.
The early verdict is no, it doesn't - the Samsung still seems to be the top of the pile, while iPhone users are highly unlikely to opt for a P9 Plus over the iPhone 6S Plus.
For those looking for something a bit different, and a unique camera experience though, the Huawei P9 Plus could fit the bill nicely.
Huawei wants to play with the big boys. The Chinese company wants to be taken seriously as a competitor to Apple and Samsung, but right now it's rooted firmly among the second tier of Android manufacturers, competing with the likes of Sony, LG and Motorola in western markets.
A reputation for pairing high-end specs with lower prices than some of its competitors, backed up with some solid marketing, has enabled Huawei to start standing out a little from the crowd. And now the company hopes the P9, plugged with an ad campaign starring none other than Superman (Henry Cavill) can take it to the next level.
But Huawei still needs to impress people. No one buys a phone from a manufacturer they barely know without doing a little research first. Huawei knows it, and the P9 has the specs on paper, and a focus on camera technology, that will catch the eye of even the most discerning prospective purchaser.
The promotional campaign and launch event for the Huawei P9 focus mostly on the camera, but the real question on most lips is whether it holds up as a smartphone in 2016.
The price is certainly a highlight of the Huawei P9. While it's not as cheap as flagships from competitors like OnePlus or Oppo, then handset is still cheaper than an iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy S7 or anything from Sony
Design
The Huawei P9 has taken the design of the P8 and refined it into a much better-looking device that feels comfortable to hold. It's compact compared to other Huawei devices (like the Mate 8), and that works in its favor.
The P9 is a similar size to the iPhone 6S, but Huawei makes better use of the real estate by packing in a larger screen. The Huawei P9 has dimensions of 145 x 71 x 7mm while the iPhone 6S is 138 x 67 x 7.1mm. So there's just a few millimeters in it, yet Huawei manages to include a 5.2-inch screen while the iPhone 6S only has a 4.7-inch display
The P9 is a little taller than the iPhone, but that's not a problem. The bezels along the top and bottom of the display are still slim, but allow Huawei to pack a lot of tech inside without compromising the look of the handset. Before starting this review I was using a Nexus 6P, which is a larger phone made by Huawei, and the P9 is noticeably smaller. Personally I prefer larger phones, but if you're one for a smaller handset with a large screen this is one of the best-designed phones you'll find today. The back of the handset is made with an aluminium unibody and the metal does feel premium, although sometimes I would tap the back of the phone and it echoed a little, which didn't make it feel as high-end as, say, the Nexus 6P.
The overall look of the phone is great though, and I particularly like the rounded corners and edges, with the latter making the P9 look even slimmer than its 6.95mm.
On the right hand edge of the phone is the volume rocker with the power button just below it.
I found myself rarely using the power button as the fingerprint scanner turns the phone's screen on anyway. The slight grated effect on the button made it easy to identify when in the pocket though. I regularly find myself reaching into my pocket to adjust volume controls and on some phones you can hit the wrong button, but there's no excuse for that here.
On the back of the phone at the top sits the dual-camera sensor, which I found made some onlookers perk up when they spot it, as right next to it is the Leica logo.
I personally wasn't a fan of this at first, but I've come to terms with it, and it does highlight the fact that Huawei has tapped into Leica's 100 years of photography expertise to develop the camera setup on the P9. Huawei has been pushing this feature at every turn – and with some justification, as we'll see later in this review.
It's also worth noting that Leica and Huawei have managed to make the back of the camera sit flush with the rest of the phone. Camera bumps have been a trend on a lot of flagship phones in recent years and it's good to see a company fighting against it without sacrificing camera technology.
Color choices for the Huawei P9 are aplenty with three types of gold available as well as silver and grey. Sadly, in the UK you can only buy the silver and grey versions and it isn't quite clear which will be on sale in Australia or the US yet.
There's also a ceramic white version of the phone knocking around somewhere, but no-where seems to be stocking that model yet.
We haven't managed to see it in the flesh either, but Huawei assures us it has a metal body with a ceramic coating on the back to give it a different feel.
The iPhone 6S might look the same as last year's model, but peer below the hood and there are a number of interesting upgrades.
Design and build quality
The exterior of the iPhone 6s is identical to its predecessor's - an aluminum unibody and Ion-X 2.5D glass shielding the 4.7" Retina display. The phone is 14g heavier though due to the new ForceTouch technology beneath the screen.
The good news is Apple used the new Series 7000 aluminum, which is tougher than the Series 6000 used to cast out the iPhone 6 shell and is less likely to bend in your pocket. The ion-strengthened glass with oleophobic coating is also a combo promising durability and smudge-free surface.
The bezels of the Retina screen are thick and not flagship worthy, but since Apple usually recycles the last year's design for the S series, this wasn't such a surprise. Fingers crossed for the iPhone 7 to finally improve on those.
The iPhone 6s doesn't offer dual-SIM or memory expansion, nor you can switch batteries. Those are limitations present since the iPhone inception.
Handling the iPhone 6s is nothing short of pleasure. The aluminum provides for a good grip and premium feel, but the rounded edges, while improving the looks, compromise the grip and we'd recommend to handle the 6s with care or use a thin case or bumper.
Display
While the display may hide an entirely new (force) touch technology, it's still the same display in terms of size and resolution as on the iPhone 6: a 4.7" unit with a resolution of 750 x 1334 pixels (that's 326ppi). It's an LED-backlit IPS LCD screen with RGB matrix.
The Apple iPhone 6s display offers deeper blacks than the iPhone 6 but, unfortunately, it's not as bright at its maximum setting. The maximum brightness level achieved by the screen when displaying white is 536nits, which while not award winning is plenty to go by. The offered contrast ratio, is excellent - 1481:1, beating the iPhone 6 on this one.
The color rendition of the screen is generally accurate with a pretty low average deltaE of 3.6 (for the primary colors plus black and white), and it's the white and reds that show a somewhat higher deviation. The white is slightly on the cooler bluish side, but nothing major and certainly not noticeable without a reference.
Battery life
The iPhone 6s is powered by a non-removable Li-Po 1715 mAh battery, which is about 5% smaller than the one of the iPhone 6. iOS 9 introduced a Low-Power mode, which you can enable manually and should save your phone from dying faster once the charge drops below 20%.
There is no official fast charging support, though tests suggest the iPhones do recharge faster when plugged on an iPad 2A charger. We've tested the iPhone 6s with various 2A plugs, but only the iPad's one did the trick.
The total endurance rating of the iPhone 6s is 62 hours - an hour better than the iPhone 6. The rating of 62 hours is an estimation of how long the 6s would last if you use it for an hour each of calling, browsing and video playback a day.
Audio
The Apple iPhone 6s audio output is identical to that of its predecessor. When plugged into an active external amplifier, the Apple iPhone 6s posted excellent scores with the rather mediocre stereo crosstalk reading being the solitary exception.
Rather impressively, there's virtually no degradation when you plug in a pair of headphones. The spike in stereo crosstalk is so limited that in comparison, the iPhone 6s fares way better here than in the first test. Granted, there are phones out there that do even better, but that will only matter to the most extreme audiophiles.
In both cases, volume levels were above average although Apple used to be class leading here too and now it's just matching most competitors and falling behind the elite. Still, the overall output is very good and would please the majority of users.
The speaker on Apple iPhone 6s scored a Below Average mark in terms of loudness. This is a lesser result than the iPhone 6. On a positive note the speaker's sound quality has been slightly improved for a richer and crisper sound.
Photo camera
The iPhone 6s brings the long overdue camera resolution upgrade - Apple finally updated the iPhone's main camera to a 12MP imager. The front camera has received an upgrade to 5MP as well. Both sensors retain the same F/2.2 aperture.
Live Photos is a new exclusive feature to the 6s lineup - the camera captures 1.5s video either side of the moment you hit the shutter and saves it as an animated photo. Then you can play those animations in the gallery.
The resolved detail is good, but it's not dramatically better than what the 8-megapixel iPhone 6 offered and post-processing is rather heavy-handed - as noticeable in the sharpening halos and the prominent noise. Automatic exposure is a bit too overeager, which at times results in overexposed shots.
The good news is the colors and contrast are simply great while the dynamic range is nothing short of impressive. Even with the Auto HDR turned off, the images came out great.
So, the pictures are beautiful and the iPhone 6s won't fail you, no matter the occasion, but the pixel peepers won't find those impressive at full resolution.
The images from the 5MP front selfie camera don't offer extraordinary high resolved detail, but the camera is a certain improvement over previous gen iPhones and the selfies should do just fine for the social networks.
Finally, the iPhone 6s, thanks to the bigger sensor, offers even bigger (auto HDR) panoramic images. Those still cover about 180-degrees, but now they can go up to 15,000 x 4,000 pixels or 60MP. The stitching is great, there are no artifacts, the dynamic range is amazing, and the color rendering is good, too. Those didn't turn out over exposed as the still images and generally are among the best panoramas we've seen.
Video camera
The new higher-resolution sensor on the iPhone 6s allows for recording 2160p videos at 30 frames in addition to 1080p capturing at 30 and 60 fps. There is a new mode as well - 1080p at 120 fps for slow motion purposes, in addition to the 720p at 240 fps low-mo videos. Naturally, there is a time-lapse option as well.
The 4K videos are slightly less processed than still images - there is some noise, but less over-sharpening while the detail is decent if not quite class-leading. Dynamic range is once again impressive and the frame rate is pretty steady, but the mono audio is disappointing. Apple should be focusing on adding stereo audio capturing.
Apple iPhone 6s
Pros
Cons
Compact Retina LCD display with superb colors and contrast. 3D Touch.
Great 12MP shooter with wide dynamic range
One of the fastest phones around
Clean audio output
Heavier than iPhone 6
Queit loudspeaker and audio output loudness
Average battery life
The 12MP stills has somewhat average ammount of detail
THE GOODOne of the first two Android 6.0 phones, Google's metal Nexus 6P has a sharp, high-resolution screen and a solid camera, an accurate fingerprint reader, loud speakers and works with every major carrier. Its lower cost makes it a good top-tier value buy.
THE BAD It's big, a bit boxy and top-heavy, the fingerprint reader's position isn't always convenient and the 6P ditches the wireless charging of previous models.
THE BOTTOM LINEThe Nexus 6P doesn't have the most inspiring design, but when it comes to hardware prowess, value for money and Google extras, this best-ever Nexus is hard to beat.
In my mind, there are two things that a Nexus-branded phone is supposed to do, and the Google Nexus 6P does them both very well. First, it's meant to showcase the very newest Android software. Check! (So does the cheaper, smaller LG-made Nexus 5X.) Second, it should package together very capable hardware for a lower sticker price than more familiar brand-name competitors. Yep, that it does. (See our pricing chart below.)
And then the weighty, 5.7-inch Nexus 6P goes further. It adds a metal frame (a Nexus first!) and a crisp, high-resolution display; a spot-on fingerprint reader; a capable 12-megapixel camera; and strong stereo speakers. It also introduces China-based Huawei, which made the phone, to a whole new audience of people, Google's Nexus fans. (Although I have to say, this breakthrough, while significant for Huawei, is only a passing curiosity for a buyer who's focused on finding the right handset.)
This year's Nexus phones are also compatible with most major carriers, which is terrific, and support Google's own unique Project Fi wireless service -- meaning you can switch among carrier plans without swapping your SIM card or phone. You don't actually need Fi to do that, though, you can seamlessly carrier-hop on your own without Google's specialized SIM card, too.
Here's what I'm saying: the 6P here is the most ambitious and advanced Nexus phone Google has put its stamp on, and it comes closer than previous Nexus devices at meeting and beating premium handsets, big and small -- like the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Edge+ , Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium -- with its combination of internal performance and relatively low cost.
Like all phones, this one isn't without flaws. It's still a large, heavy device. I'm not wild about the design, which is completely fine, but a little generic. The position of the fingerprint reader isn't always convenient. The native camera has fewer options and controls than many rivals. And unlike the Nexus 6and other Nexus phones, this refresh lacks wireless charging, which would be extra useful backup if you leave your new Type-C charger at home. The 6P also won't have the Note 5's stylus, the Edge+ curves or the Xperia's waterproofing. You have to decide how important those finishing touches are to you.
A little warning for those who want to buy the 6P to mine the Android 6.0 Marshmallow software for all its goodies: while the new operating system brings a few interesting and somewhat useful tools -- like contextual searching through the Now on Tap feature and battery life boosting that works quietly in the background -- the 6P's real take-home value is less about the wonders of Android 6.0 and more about your total bang for the buck.
Android 6.0's nice-but-not-astounding bag of tricks may not have been as successful as past Nexus' braggable features ( Android 5.0 Lollipop was quite the overhaul), but the 6P's Marshmallow status still nabs you certain advantages, like fewer preloaded apps ("bloatware") and being first in line to receive Google's forthcoming software updates. "Pure" Nexus phones are also free from vendors' custom take on Android, which can be good, bad or neutral depending on your stance. On the one hand, custom layers eat up storage space and delay upgrades, but on the other, they can also add handy features and snazzy design layouts.
Personally, I like the the Nexus 6P quite a lot -- it does everything right and very little wrong. While it doesn't grab me the way the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge's unique design does, it's still a phone I'd heartily recommend. As a utilitarian workhorse, the Nexus 6P does the job for less cash, and that's smart.
Pricing and availability
The Nexus 6P is available for pre-order in the US, UK, Ireland and Japan from Google's online store, and will be ship in October. Check out pricing for the US, UK, and Australia in this handy chart below:
GOOGLE NEXUS 6P PRICING
32GB
64GB
128GB
US
$499
$549
$649
UK
£449
£499
£579
Australia
AU$899
AU$999
AU$1,099
To sweeten the deal, Google tacks on a 90-day subscription to Google Play Music (plus a $50 credit for its Play Store for US buyers).
Google also wants to sell you a two-year warranty that covers breaks and water damage, which it's calling Nexus Protect. It costs $89 in the US. If something goes wrong, you can get a new device as soon as the next business day.
In the US, the Nexus 6P works on all major carriers. It'll also support Project Fi , the company's SIM card that uses Wi-Fi hotspots
SPECS COMPARISON
Google Nexus 6P
Nexus 5X
Apple iPhone 6S
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
Display
5.7-inch AMOLED with 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution
5.2-inch LCD with 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution
4.7-inch IPS with 1,334x750-pixel resolution
5.7-inch AMOLED with 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution
5.5-inch IPS with 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution
Pixel density
515ppi
423ppi
326ppi
518ppi
806ppi
Dimensions (imperial)
6.27x3.06x0.28 inches
5.78x2.86x0.31 inches
5.44x2.64x0.28 inches
6.03x2.99x0.29 inches
6.07x2.99x0.31 inches
Dimensions (metric)
159.4x77.8x7.3mm
147.0x72.6x7.9 mm
138.3x67.1x7.1mm
153.2x76.1x7.6mm
154.4x76.0x7.8 mm
Weight
6.27 ounces (178 grams)
4.80 ounces (136 grams)
5.04 ounces (143 grams)
6.03 ounces (171 grams)
6.34 ounces (180 grams)
Mobile operating system
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Apple iOS 9
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Google Android 5.1 Lollipop
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Camera, video
12.3-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video
12.3-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion
12-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 240fps slow motion video
16-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video
23-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K), 120fps slow motion video
Optical image stabilization
No
No
No (only 6S Plus)
Yes
Yes
Front-facing camera
8-megapixel
5-megapixel
5-megapixel
5-megapixel
5-megapixel
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
1.8GHz 6-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808
64-bit A9 chip with M9
Octa-core Exynos 7420
Octa-core Snapdragon 810
Storage
32GB, 64GB, 128GB
16GB, 32GB
16GB, 64GB and 128GB
32GB, 64GB
32GB
RAM
3GB
2GB
2GB
4GB
3GB
Expandable storage
No
No
No
No
Up to 200GB
Wireless charging
No
No
No
Yes, PMA and Qi
No
Battery
Nonremovable 3,450mAh
Nonremovable 2,700mAh
Nonremovable 1,715mAh
Nonremovable 3,000mAh
Nonremovable 3,430mAh
Starting price
$499, £449, AU$899
$379, £339, AU$659
$649, £539, AU$1,079
~$700 (but varies), N/A, AU$1,100
N/A, £630, AU$1,200
Google's first metal Nexus
5.7-inch screen with 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution
USB-C charging port
Fingerprint reader
Stereo forward-facing speakers
Dimensions: 6.3 by 3.0 by 0.29 inches (159.3 by 77.8 by 7.3mm)
Weight: 6.3 ounces (178 grams)
Big and aluminium with rounded edges and a fingerprint reader on the back, the Nexus 6P embraces quite a few trends of the day. The 5.7-inch display is a skosh more sizeable than the 5.5-inch iPhone 6Sand right on par with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ . Its high-resolution AMOLED display, sometimes referred to as 2K, fits in with the times as well, lending the 6P a sharp and clear screen, with high contrast. (Sony is already pushing boundaries with its world's-first 4K display , which is probably overkill in most scenarios.)
Shape-wise, the Nexus 6P is smaller and narrower than Motorola's 6-inch Nexus 6. Still, it's a two-hander. Not the easiest jumbo phone (or, phablet, if you prefer) for my smaller hands to hold. Its slim, straight sides challenged hands larger than mine when I passed the phone around. Some combination of the straight edges and smooth back made the 6P seem unwieldy, slippery, even a little top-heavy. The similarly sized Samsung Galaxy Note 5, S6 Edge+ and iPhone 6S Plus seem proportioned and contoured to fit my mitts better.
Its unibody build means you won't be able to access the battery, and there's no microSD card slot for extra storage either. This is a typical trade-off in full-metal phones. During some of my testing, the Nexus 6P's backing felt warm to the touch, but not dangerously or uncomfortably so.
I like that double-pressing the lock key launches the camera, but I'm not a fan of the haptic jiggle that confirms you've opened it, and I haven't found a way to turn it off.
You can pick up the Nexus 6P in three colors: aluminum (silver), graphite (black) and frost (white), our favorite of the trio. Japan gets it in gold, too. My all-black model looks nice in a generic way, with subtle chamfered edges around the rims, though the design isn't inspired.
Loud stereo speakers
Audio quality from the dual front speakers was pretty great for a phone. I played a lot of music videos from YouTube. The highest volume setting filled a room, and songs sounded clear. Compared to a set of good headphones or a decent Bluetooth speaker, though, the 6P's audio still sounded jangly and two-dimensional, where my over-ear In Case headphones sounded rich. But the 6P is still notably better than you'll get from the default speaker in most rival smartphones.
Type-C marginally better
I like the reversible USB Type-C charging port in theory, and once more phone-makers start using it, charging cables will be easier to come by. If you forget the Type-C to Type-C fast-charger and Type-C to USB cables that arrive in the box, you'll be hard-pressed to find one lying around -- it's not compatible with your other devices' cables. Wireless charging would be a convenient backup here, but unlike the 2013 and 2014 Nexus models, that feature is absent.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow: Now on Tap is not great
"Pure" Android software
Google Now on Tap
Android Pay support
Doze function saves battery
A Nexus phone is the first to debut Google's latest Android software. Always. In our case, that's theAndroid 6.0 build , codenamed an ooey-gooey Marshmallow. It promises, as always, to be faster and smoother than the previous generation and filled with more tricks and treats.
The most enticing of these is Google Now on Tap, which is an obscure name for an extra layer of software that lets you more deeply interact with whatever's on the screen. The classic example is asking Google simply, "Who sings this?" when listening to any given song, without having to specify the track's title.
