First impressions of HUAWEI’s latest foldable smartphone, the HUAWEI P50 Pocket.
The last year has been huge for foldable smartphones, with HUAWEI and Samsung pushing new releases, as well as Xiaomi and LG joining the fray with their own solid offerings. HUAWEI’s latest addition to the foldable department is the HUAWEI P50 Pocket, which unlike its first three large book-shaped foldables takes on a clamshell form, meaning it’s a full-sized phone. considerably “normal” with a horizontal point in the center that folds into a small square-shaped device.
When I received the HUAWEI P50 Pocket for review, I was really excited. For millennials like me, the current wave of foldable smartphones evokes a touch of nostalgia for the bygone days of flip phones – the thrill and dramatic flair of closing my phone after a call is always hard to resist.
One of the selling points of the HUAWEI P50 Pocket is its innovative dual-ring front design, with one ring housing the camera module and the other the smart cover screen. With its Ultra Spectrum camera array, the HUAWEI P50 Pocket is able to capture more detail and produce clearer images day and night, making it a photographic expert in light and shadow. The HUAWEI P50 Pocket comes in three colors: white, black, plus a special premium-edition gold trim – that’s what I chose to review.
Is the HUAWEI P50 Pocket worth its weight in gold? Here are my thoughts after spending two weeks with HUAWEI’s latest foldable smartphone.
Design
Right off the bat, the beautifully modeled design of the HUAWEI P50 Pocket caught my eye. I received the Premium Edition of the foldable smartphone and first noticed its outer cover adorned with flowing organic patterns in a stunning golden tone, giving it an elegant and luxurious feel. Designed in collaboration with haute couture designer Iris van Herpen, the Premium Gold color is inspired by the concept of “symbiosis”.
Despite its richly decorated shape, I was surprised to find it very light. In its “full” form, it measures 6.9 inches with a 21:9 display, but when folded the phone fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.
The screen also looks great when unfolded and doesn’t really produce a crease in its folding point, which seems to be a common factor with most foldable smartphones. Plus, there’s almost no gap when you fold it closed. With a small teardrop-shaped cavity inside the hinge, the crease is barely noticeable and allows for smooth screen viewing.
One little “fussy” thing I noticed is that the phone makes a little creaking noise when you fold it up. In addition to this, remember that an IPX rating is not provided so you need to take care of your phone with the right protective accessories that would help in maintaining the phone for a long time.
Put in place
Setting up the HUAWEI P50 Pocket is a snap. Once you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, all you need to do is sign in with your existing HUAWEI ID, sync all your necessary files and contacts – and you’re good to go!
With a wide 21:9 aspect ratio, the device is designed for cinematic content – perfect for watching your favorite shows on Netflix and playing games. The phone’s 1440Hz PWM dimming support also ensures that your eyes are always protected when using the phone. Overall, the HUAWEI P50 Pocket is nice to look at and suitable for long-term use.
The experience
Of course, knowing what I already knew about the camera quality of the device, I didn’t hesitate to try it before checking anything else. Everyone knows that the quality of the rear camera of any phone is much better than the front camera.
I took my first selfie with the phone and was very pleased with the result. Thanks to the foldable form factor and the device’s unique cover screen feature, you can now take your selfies with the “main” rear camera. It also means great nighttime selfies – so if that’s any reassurance, the HUAWEI P50 Pocket certainly doesn’t compromise on quality when it comes to selfies.
The P50 Pocket also offers a True-Chroma shooting experience, embodying the saying “Life imitates art”. This feature allows you to easily capture colors exactly as they are in real life with just one touch. Say goodbye to color distortion! Now what you see is exactly what you’re going to get, as the Ultra Spectrum Camera manages to capture true-to-life color visual images – an important feature of HUAWEI’s P50 Series, also present in the P50 Pro.
Plus, you can rest assured that no image is too big or too small for the Ultra Spectrum camera. With a wide 120-degree field of view, the camera’s 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens is ideal for capturing the widest views as well as the smallest objects ranging from flowers to insects.
Functionality
Ultimately, what sets the HUAWEI P50 Pocket apart from its foldable smartphone peers is its cover screen feature. This is a unique and handy feature that acts like the face of a smartwatch, giving easy at-a-glance access to the most important information I need, such as my notifications, my daily schedule, my calendar, my music, the weather and, of course, the camera. Making up half of the iconic double-ring design when the device is closed, the cover screen also interacts with the main screen, giving it a seamless flow so that when I unfold the phone it brings me straight to the screen. application displayed on the cover screen.
Another interesting feature of the cover screen is its customization. Since the cover screen is my first interaction with the phone, I appreciate that the HUAWEI P50 Pocket has a range of smart themes to choose from to give it a more personal touch. I can change the theme depending on my mood that day, from “Authentic Nature”, “Cartoon” and “Fun” – each offering different interactions. There’s also the ability to play an animation on the cover screen when I press it while the phone is folded.
What’s equally impressive with the HUAWEI P50 Pocket’s photography feature and cover screen is its battery life. I was really impressed with the battery life and how quickly it recovers, taking only an hour to fully charge. The smartphone really packs a punch with its 4,000mAh battery and supports 40W HUAWEI SuperCharge for fast and effortless charging. During my two weeks of familiarization with the HUAWEI P50 Pocket, I only charged it three times in total.
The final verdict
Priced at RM5,999 for the HUAWEI P50 Pocket and RM7,999 for the Premium Edition, the device is worth the investment. It’s clear that this latest addition to HUAWEI’s foldable department is paving the way for a more innovative future for foldable smartphones. While there’s certainly room for continued development, the HUAWEI P50 Pocket delivers pretty much exactly what it sets out to do. It’s complete in terms of functionality, excels in photography, and provides convenience where it’s needed.
The HUAWEI P50 Pocket and HUAWEI P50 Pocket Premium Edition will be available on HUAWEI official website, HUAWEI Experience Storesauthorized platforms and retail stores from February 22, 2022.
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