▷Huawei P Smart Z review: the first pop-up camera of the Chinese giant 🥇

Huawei P Smart Z it is the first device of the Chinese giant to adopt the pop-up camera and, consequently, to propose a totally full screen display. In short, a device capable of distinguishing itself from the other mid-range, but still imperfect. I tell you about it in this review.

Huawei P Smart Z: the technical sheet

Before finding out what I liked and what didn't impress me about Huawei P Smart Z, let's see its technical characteristics.

Dimensions: 163,5 x 77,3 x 8,8 mm
Weight: 196,8 g
Display: 6,59″ LCD TFT – 2340 x 1080 pixel
CPU: Hisilicon Kirin 710F
GPU: Mali-G51 MP4
RAM: 4 GB
Memory: 64 GB - expandable via microSD
Network: 4G LTE – Dual SIM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, USB Type-C, GPS, NFC
Battery: 4000 mAh
Rear camera: 16 + 2 MP
Front Camera: 16 MP
Videos: Full HD @60 fps
Operating system: Android 9.0 Pie with EMUI 9.0.1

Heavy and bulky but with a truly immersive display

The first seconds in the company of Huawei P Smart Z were not particularly positive. There are two main reasons: weight and size. The manufacturer declares 196,8 grams, I measured 203. Many, many considering the hardware equipment of the device - absolutely average - and the materials used (mainly polycarbonate). The dimensions of this elegant tile are also generous: managing it with one hand is particularly complex.

Of course, not all first impressions are negative. The shell is solid and the double color - almost imperceptible - makes the device original. On the back we also find the dual camera module and the very fast fingerprint reader, on the right the usual on / off key and the volume rocker, while the lower profile houses the 3,5 mm jack, the USB-C connector and the mono speaker.

What makes the difference, however, is the upper side: here we not only find the trolley for the two SIMs or the microSD, but also Huawei's first pop-up camera. The mechanism is not the fastest, but it is very solid and capable of hosting a 16 megapixel sensor. All this leaving the posterior surface completely untouched. At your disposal then you will have a huge (6,59 inches) full screen display which will make the user experience truly immersive. Obviously we are not dealing with an OLED or an AMOLED, so the blacks are not very deep, but the colors are quite natural.

Little surprising performance

On board Huawei P Smart Z we find the Kirin 710 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. A configuration that is not too surprising, especially considering that this is certainly not the first smartphone of the company to mount this processor.

But be careful: "not surprising" does not mean poor. On the contrary, the device allows you to carry out all daily activities without problems, but loses a few strokes in the face of the most demanding games.

Connectivity is also promoted, with 4G +, NFC and dual band WiFi, and the audio sector is convincing, which offers a really high volume, while the battery did not impress me. With 4000 mAh you could do something more, but don't panic: you will arrive in the evening without problems with intense use while the least geeks among you could even cover us a couple of days.

Little to say instead about the software given that we are faced with an already tested combination: Android 9.0 Pie and EMUI 9.0.1. As always, the aesthetics of the Huawei interface leaves me a little perplexed, but the EMUI still offers a series of additional features that are appreciated such as Themes, gestures, twin apps and the safe.

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A convincing photographic sector

Huawei P Smart Z comes with a dual rear camera with a 16 megapixel sensor, with opening f / 1.8, and a 2 megapixel one. The first is obviously the main one, while the second deals only with the depth and consequently the bokeh effect. But how is the result? Definitely good. In optimal conditions P Smart Z gives you detailed photographs and bright, natural colors. To help you will also find the inevitable artificial intelligence, which you can activate or deactivate at will.

There are many modes present: Aperture, Portrait, Pro, Panorama, HDR and even Night. The latter manages to give convincing shots even in the dark, actually surpassing the devices of the same range. Of course, don't expect the same result as the top of the range, but know that you will hardly be disappointed by the Huawei P Smart Z.

Rather standard the front camera and the videos that, I remind you, cannot count on any kind of stabilization.

Huawei P Smart Z: buy it or not?

At 279 euros, the Huawei P Smart Z is certainly a great deal, provided of course that you are not looking for a super compact device. The generous dimensions and the important weight are perhaps not suitable for everyone, but in exchange you will have an excellent display, convincing performance and a definitely superior camera compared to devices in the same range.