Huawei Mate S

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Reviews for the Huawei Mate S

Hands on: Huawei Mate S review
Source: Techradar Archive.org version
I rather like the Huawei Mate S. I'm glad Huawei has reduced screen size here, as it makes it easier to hold and the all metal body really does look and feel like a premium handset.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 02/02/2016

60% Huawei Mate S Premium review
Source: Stuff TV Archive.org version
The Huawei Mate S Premium is out to show off what the future of phones will be all about. Ok, and it was also a way to one-up Apple as the first pressure sensitive phone, even if we’re only getting to look at this tech six months later.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/20/2016
Rating: Total score: 60%

65% Huawei Mate S Review
Source: Phone Arena Archive.org version
At €649 in Europe and about the same in green through Amazon US, the Huawei Mate S is aimed at the premium market, and it definitely looks the part. Of course, that alone hardly exhausts the list of requirements you bring to the store when you're ready to part with that much cash. Unfortunately, it's impossible for us to recommend the Mate S, and that's actually kind of frustrating — it has the bearing of a competent top-shelfer, but falters in way too many categories to pull off the needed performance. Software, in particular, along with system performance, definitely leave more than a little to be desired, and areas such as the camera and battery life are only kind of close — but not all the way there. The display, too, could use some work, though at least you can tweak the white balance to better the image. So, just a pretty face? No, that's unfair. But perhaps Huawei made a mistake pricing this as steeply — it could have been a darn good product for a hundred less.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 12/15/2015
Rating: Total score: 65%

Huawei Mate S
Source: AnandTech Archive.org version
As we're coming to the conclusion, I'm left with mixed feelings in regards to the Mate S. In terms of design, this has been by far Huawei's best device to date. The vendor has managed to update or to improve in all aspects of phablet design: aesthetics, ergonomics and build quality. In terms of aesthetics, Huawei didn't veer off too much from their design language found in past devices.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/02/2015

Huawei Mate S review
Source: GSM Arena Archive.org version
If you are keen on specs and would like to squeeze every last drop of processing power out of your handset, the Huawei Mate S, like most of its siblings, shouldn't really be your first option. Its price tag might be justified to some extent, considering the premium materials and build, but it throws it amidst a less than favorable flagship crowd. The truth is you can pick up a more versatile device for the price, but you would have to look pretty hard to find one that is nearly as stylish.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 11/18/2015

60% Huawei Mate S review
Source: Expert Reviews Archive.org version
Ultimately, though, the Huawei Mate S just doesn't do quite enough to stand out from the rest of its £400 competition. It's beautifully made and has decent performance and battery life, but it's trumped in almost every way by the Samsung Galaxy S6, which now costs just £400 SIM-free or as little as £27.50-per-month on contract. Huawei's Emotion UI is another big turn off, as for me it just makes it very fussy to use on a daily basis. The Galaxy S6, on the other hand, is faster, has a longer-lasting battery, is just as well made and has an infinitely superior camera.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/16/2015
Rating: Total score: 60%

70% Huawei Mate S Review: In Depth
Source: Recombu Archive.org version
Despite being significantly more affordable at £250 the Honor 7 doesn’t really miss out on a whole lot the Mate S brings to the table; with the same resolution screen and cameras, a metal build, fingerprint sensor, similar storage options and dual-SIM 4G. The Z5 meanwhile adds waterproofing and one of the best smartphone cameras in the business into the mix for a similar price tag.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 11/11/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%

70% The Mate S is beautifully designed but doesn't perform as well as we'd hoped, plus release date, price and specs
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
Based on our month with the Huawei Mate S, it’s a very promising phone. Its design is beautiful, it’s lightweight and it fits perfectly in our hands despite the 5.5in display. The custom Android UI takes some getting used to, but it offers something different to the standard Android experience with the inclusion of a timeline-based notification centre and knuckle touch control. The cameras are impressive, but they aren’t quite as high-end as Huawei has made them out to be. The only real let down is the graphical power, as benchmark results put the Mate S in line with smartphones around £200 cheaper, although we experienced no real lag in our use.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/23/2015
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 70% performance: 70% features: 70% workmanship: 80%

79% Huawei Mate S – Review
Source: Cool Smartphone Archive.org version
On the whole, I really like what Huawei have done with the Mate S. It is a beutifully made device, and it gives me hope as to how good the Nexus 6P will be when it drops into our laps. If you are looking for a high-end phone for a fairly reasonable price (£450 as this goes to print), then this is worth a look. It does however have some very stiff competition, with the main competitor coming from within in the form of the Honor 7. Yes, the Honor does have a smaller screen, but it has the same build quality, the same EMUI overlay and a higher megapixel camera unit. All this comes at a great price of £250.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/12/2015
Rating: Total score: 79% price: 71% performance: 64% features: 90% workmanship: 90%

70% Huawei Mate S review
Source: Trusted Reviews Archive.org version
This is a tricky one, because I’m not really sure who the Huawei Mate S is targeting and I don’t know if and when it will come to the UK. Yes, it looks really nice. It’s slim, light and powerful and has a big, accurate display. But it doesn't really do anything better than the competition. The implementation of Force Touch in the top-end version is pointless and it seems like it was only included to make a splash in the press and get a one-up on Apple. For me, it doesn’t work and it doesn’t need to be there until someone finds a good use for it.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 10/08/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Vs Huawei Mate S – Quick Look
Source: Android Authority Archive.org version
And there you have it – a quick comparison between the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Huawei Mate S. If you had to pick between the two, the decision might not just come down to specs but things like regional availability and local pricing will also be a factor. Ignoring price and availability then the Note 5 is the better of the two devices, however even though it is weaker in certain departments, the Mate S isn’t too far behind when it comes to the overall experience.
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 09/28/2015

Huawei Mate S review: Yes mate!
Source: Pocket Lint Archive.org version
But the Mate S finds itself in a slightly awkward place. It's undercut in price by the excellent OnePlus 2 and perhaps won't turn heads as readily as something like the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+. That said, it is substantially cheaper than the Samsung and the likes of the iPhone 6S Plus, which should make it attractive for those looking for a great handset in this sub-premium sector.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/23/2015

60% Huawei Mate S review
Source: V3.co.uk Archive.org version
Ultimately, our initial fears that the Mate S was just a more expensive Honor 7 didn't quite come to pass, as it manages to squeeze a little more power out of the same processor while updating the OS and introducing a slick, slimline design. That said, the performance difference isn't that great, and Huawei's handset still can't keep pace with the latest offerings from Samsung and Apple.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 09/23/2015
Rating: Total score: 60%

Huawei proves it has what it takes to build a true flagship device
Source: Android Authority Archive.org version
So there you have it for this in-depth look at the Huawei Mate S! Overall, the Mate S is a really good phone, with its beautiful display, good battery life, and great camera. Performance is smooth and snappy for the most part, and while EMUI isn’t like stock Android, the slew of shortcuts and gestures available enable a good experience. And when you include what is probably the most useful fingerprint reader in a handset, it is an easy decision to give the Huawei Mate S our Editors’ Choice Award.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/22/2015

80% Huawei Mate S review
Source: Stuff TV Archive.org version
The Huawei Mate S oozes quality. The stuff is dripping out of the thing’s microUSB port like sap. In pure hardware terms this is one of the most finger-charmingly impressive metal phones to date. The Mate S is a slim phone where the slim factor isn’t meaningless too, letting you keep its body pristine with a case without it filling your pocket. And ‘naked’ it disappears into your jeans more than and 5.5in phone of old.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 09/18/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%

Huawei Mate S review (hands-on): New handset has force-touch screen on a phone
Source: PC Pro Archive.org version
Aside from that, the Huawei Mate S looks like another solid smartphone offering from the Chinese smartphone giant. It’s good to look at, and is packed with all the features you could possibly want plus a few extras to boot. The decision not to include the force-touch screen on all models, though, is more than a little disappointing.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 09/09/2015

Huawei Mate S Review
Source: Recombu Archive.org version
In a nutshell, the Huawei Mate S looks to be a serious player in the big-phone space, but all that power doesn’t come cheap, with prices ranging from €639 to €699 depending on the skew you’re after (and that doesn’t even include the 128GB model with force touch). The other cloud waiting to rain on this new phone’s parade is the recently revealed Honor 7, which we kept drawing comparisons against throughout our hands-on, and for good reason.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 09/02/2015

Hands on: Huawei Mate S review
Source: Techradar Archive.org version
I rather like the Huawei Mate S. I'm glad Huawei has reduced screen size here, as it makes it easier to hold and the all metal body really does look and feel like a premium handset. The fingerprint scanner on the rear is impressive, the camera is stuffed full of features and it's coming in cheaper than the core flagships on the market.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/02/2015

May the Force Touch be with you
Source: T3 Archive.org version
The Huawei Mate S is a surprisingly solid smartphone with a strong feature set and attractive design making it an appealing proposition. If you can get past the questionable interface design there's a lot to love here. It may not be an iPhone or a Samsung, but it'll certainly turn a few heads down the pub.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 09/01/2015

Foreign Reviews

Schickes Phablet mit Oberklasse-Ambitionen
Source: Notebooksbilliger Blog DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 05/30/2016

80% Edel-Phablet aus China ausprobiert
Source: Netzwelt DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/12/2015
Rating: Total score: 80% features: 80% mobility: 70% workmanship: 90%

Schicke Schale, aber noch kein High-End
Source: Tom's Hardware DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/04/2015

86% Huawei Mate S
Source: MobiFlip DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 10/18/2015
Rating: Total score: 86%

Die neue S-Klasse aus China
Source: Turn On DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 10/09/2015

93% Huawei Mate S im Test: Schönling mit kleinen Macken
Source: Mobicroco DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 10/01/2015
Rating: Total score: 93% features: 90% workmanship: 100% ergonomy: 88%

Preis-Leistungs-Krone abgegeben
Source: PocketPC DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/22/2015

Huawei Mate S
Source: Allround-PC.com DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/16/2015

88% Nobel-Handy mit Pleite-Akku
Source: Chip.de DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/15/2015
Rating: Total score: 88% price: 58% performance: 97% features: 88% display: 89% mobility: 68%

95% Elegant, komfortabel und intelligent
Source: Notebookinfo DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/11/2015
Rating: Total score: 95% performance: 95% display: 95% mobility: 90% workmanship: 100% ergonomy: 100% emissions: 95%

90% Huawei Mate S
Source: Inside Handy DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/07/2015
Rating: Total score: 90%

Comment

Model: The Huawei Mate S oozes class and quality with its premium build quality. Perfectly sculpted to fit in the palms of your hand, the smartphone comes with a solid chassis and a front surface that is fully covered with glass. Edges are beautifully bevelled using a diamond cut design and the Huawei Mate S comes in three colors to choose from; luxurious gold, mystic champagne and titanium gray. The 5.5 inch AMOLED screen features a pixel density of 401 ppi pixel density, comes with smart-pressure sensitivity and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4.

The Android Lollipop 5.1.1 device is equipped with a Kirin 935 chipset with an octa-core setup utilizing two quad-core processors working in tandem at 2.2 GHz and 1.5 GHz, respectively. Other complimenting hardware comes in the form of a Mai-T628 MP4 GPU, 3 GB RAM and a selection of internal storage options ranging from 32, 64 to 128 GB. On-board are a 13 megapixel, optically stabilized rear camera and a front-facing 8 megapixel shooter. Other features on the Huawei Mate S are Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, a FM radio and microUSB 2.0. Battery life is impressive with the non-removable cell rated at 2700mAh.

ARM Mali-T628 MP4: Integrated graphics card (for ARM based SoCs) for smartphones and tablets. Features 4 cores (MP4) and supports OpenGL ES 3.0

Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

Kirin 935: ARM based octa core SoC (4x Cortex-A53e up to 2.2 GHz and 4x Cortex A53 up to 1.5 GHz). » Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

5.50":

It is a very small display format for smartphones. You should by no means be mis-sighted and you will generally see very little on the screen and only have a small resolution available. In return, the device should be very small and handy.

Huawei: Huawei Technologies Co, Ltd. is a Chinese telecommunications company and hardware manufacturer founded in 1987 and headquartered in Shenzhen. Huawei is a global leader in information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. Huawei provides end-to-end solutions for telecommunications networks, devices, and smartphones, as well as storage, servers, networking, and cloud computing enterprise solutions and products.

In 2014, Huawei established the Honor subsidiary brand under which certain smartphone lines are sold. The Huawei name is usually not listed for these products.

77.13%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU

Devices with the same GPU

Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight