Huawei P9 Review and Features

The Huawei P9 is a powerful smartphone that's packed with impressive features. It has a 5.2-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.

This phone is designed to deliver a seamless user experience, with a Kirin 955 chipset and 3GB of RAM. The P9 also comes with a 12-megapixel primary camera, which is a significant upgrade from its predecessor.

In terms of storage, the Huawei P9 offers 32GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card.

The Huawei P9's camera system is a standout feature, thanks to its dual camera module co-engineered with Leica. The cameras use the same Summarit lenses, each with a maximum aperture of f/2.2, which combine to gather more light and result in a light gathering equivalent to approximately f/1.8.

This design allows for excellent low-light performance, making it ideal for capturing high-quality images in a variety of conditions. The dual camera setup also enables features like refocusing after a shot is taken and changing the depth of field, all thanks to Huawei's IMAGEsmart 5.0 technology.

Additional reading: Samsung Galaxy A6 / A6+

The cameras are paired with a new Sony sensor, which has a slightly larger size than the one in the iPhone 6s, ensuring that more light is captured and resulting in cleaner images at higher ISOs in low light. This means you can take great photos even in challenging lighting conditions.

The P9's design is a masterclass in balance, with a solid metal unibody that's just 6.18mm thin.

The phone's diamond-cut edges give it a premium feel in the hand, although it's not too sharp or too rounded.

It's similar to combining the iPhone 5 and 6, with a secure but not grippy fit.

The LCD display is one of the standout features, with a 5.2inch full HD display and a pixel density of 443 ppi.

This results in a crisp and accurate image, viewable at any angle, even in bright daylight.

The colours are accurate, even matching those on my Apple Macbook Pro.

The fingerprint reader is another impressive feature, with 4 levels of security technology for fast and accurate access.

It's at least 5 times faster than my previous phones, and works with sweaty hands too.

The dual camera system on the P9 is a game-changer. It's co-engineered by Leica, which is a big deal for photography enthusiasts.

The system features two cameras using the same Summarit lenses, each with its own dedicated sensors. This allows for a much higher level of detail and a pure recording of tonal range in black and white/monochrome format.

The left camera is for Monochrome recording only, meaning that the color filter that usually sits on the sensor has been withdrawn. This results in a more accurate and detailed monochrome image.

The second camera works together with the monochrome camera/sensor to combine images and capture more detail and information. This is especially useful for changing the look of the depth of field and moving the focus point after the shot is taken.

The new Sony sensor in the P9 has a slightly larger size than the one in the iPhone 6s, which ensures that more light is being captured. This results in cleaner images at higher ISOs in lower light conditions.

A larger sensor is more important to the quality of the image than the amount of megapixels the sensor records. This means that the P9's dual camera system can produce high-quality images even in challenging lighting conditions.

The Huawei P9 was a game-changer in the smartphone world, and its features and performance were a key part of that. It was the first Huawei smartphone with a camera co-engineered with Leica, which made for some incredible imaging capabilities.

The P9's camera system integrated images from dual rear camera sensors, one monochrome and the other three-colour, allowing for greater contrast, better low-light images, and shallow depth of field effects. This was a major upgrade from previous models.

The P9 also featured a fingerprint sensor, which added an extra layer of security to the device. This was a great feature for users who wanted to keep their phone secure.

Here are some key performance metrics for the Huawei P9:

The P9's performance was also impressive, with high scores in various benchmarks. Its Geekbench 3 single-core score was 1756, and its multi-core score was 6475.

The Huawei P9 Plus boasts a pressure-sensitive screen, a feature that sets it apart from other smartphones. This innovative technology allows for a more intuitive user experience.

The P9 Plus has 4 GB of RAM, which is a significant amount of memory that enables smooth performance and efficient multitasking. This makes it ideal for users who need to run multiple apps simultaneously.

A fingerprint sensor is also a notable feature of the P9, making it easier to secure your device with a touch of your finger. This adds an extra layer of security and convenience.

The camera system on the P9 is co-engineered with Leica, resulting in high-quality images with greater contrast and better low-light performance. This is made possible by the dual rear camera sensors, one monochrome and the other three-colour.

The P9 also features a microSD slot, allowing users to expand their storage capacity and store more photos, videos, and files. This is especially useful for users who need to store a large number of files on their device.

If this caught your attention, see: Sony Xperia X Performance

System performance is a crucial aspect of any smartphone, and the Huawei P9 is no exception. It boasts impressive scores in various benchmarking tests.

The AnTuTu benchmark test is a popular measure of a phone's overall performance. In this test, the Huawei P9 scored 185, outperforming the Apple iPhone 6s with a score of 59.

The Vellamo Metal test measures a phone's JavaScript performance. Here, the Huawei P9 scored 940.33, while the Samsung Galaxy S7 scored 632.

The Vellamo Browser test evaluates a phone's web browsing performance. In this test, the Huawei P9 scored 679.66, outperforming the Samsung Galaxy S7 with a score of 339.

The JetStream test is another measure of a phone's JavaScript performance. The Huawei P9 scored 67.93, while the Apple iPhone 6s scored 118.91.

Here's a comparison of the phones' performance in various benchmarking tests:

The Geekbench 3 test measures a phone's CPU performance. In this test, the Huawei P9 scored 1756 in the single-core test, while the Apple iPhone 6s scored 2539.

In the multi-core test, the Huawei P9 scored 6475, outperforming the Apple iPhone 6s with a score of 4421.

Discover more: IPhone 16 Pro

The Huawei P9 made its debut in April 2016 in London.

It was also released in India in August 2016, marking its entry into the Indian market.

The P9 received a generally positive response from the public, with many regarding it as a well-designed phone.

The P9 was released in April 2016 in London. The exact date isn't specified, but it's clear that it was a significant event.

The phone made its way to India in August 2016, marking its expansion into a new market.

The P9 received a lot of attention from critics and fans alike. It was globally well received.

Some people felt that the P9's design was a bit too similar to the iPhone 6, which also used pentalobe screws.

The Huawei P9 delivers impressive multimedia capabilities, making it a great choice for music and video enthusiasts.

With a headphones output power of 0.32 volts, the Huawei P9 provides decent sound quality, although it falls short of its competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S7, which boasts a significantly higher output power of 0.704 volts.

The phone's loudspeaker loudness is another area where it shines, producing a respectable 97.6 decibels of sound, making it easy to enjoy music and videos without needing external speakers.

Here's a quick comparison of the phone's multimedia capabilities with its competitors:

The Huawei P9 has received its fair share of criticism, with some users finding it to be unusable due to app compatibility issues.

Many apps, including YouTube and Olx, don't work properly on the device, which can be frustrating for users.

The phone's age is also a concern, with some apps refusing to install due to the device's outdated status.

Battery life is another issue, with some users reporting that it only lasts 1.5 hours with a full charge, which is not ideal for everyday use.

I approached Huawei after being intrigued by their partnership with Leica, a top-tier camera and optics manufacturer. Leica's involvement and the P9's ability to re-create the Leica signature look caught my attention.

Huawei is a huge player in telecommunications and technology, ranking no.3 globally and no.1 nationally in China in smartphone sales. They also manufacture networks and technologies that work with and run them.

My interest in the P9 was further sparked by a friend in Thailand who was given the phone before release and told me it was "really amazing". I got to try it out and was sold on the idea of getting my hands on one.

I arranged a meeting with Huawei through a friendly referral by my friends at Leica Australia, which led to partnering up.

User Reviews can be a treasure trove of information, but they can also be misleading. Many users have expressed dissatisfaction with their phones' performance, citing issues with app compatibility and battery life.

Some phones, like the Huawei P9, have been found to be unusable due to outdated software, with many apps no longer functioning properly.

Users have also reported issues with app installation, with some apps refusing to install due to the phone's age.

Battery life has also been a major concern, with some phones lasting only 1.5 hours with a full charge.

It's essential to take user reviews with a grain of salt, as they can be influenced by personal preferences and expectations.