Huawei P Smart (2019) review

Summing up this review in two words is easy: deja vu. 

The Huawei P Smart and Honor 10 Lite are basically the same phone. Sure, they have slightly different camera surrounds, bodies and selfie camera resolutions, but everything else, from specs to user experiences are matched like for like. 

That means it should come as little surprise that, we think the P Smart (2019) is great, just like the Honor 10 Lite. 

Not quite perfect, with only a Kirin 970 processor it lacks the oomph needed for heavy multitasking and advanced 3D gaming. There’s also no waterproofing, fast or wireless charging, and no USB-C port either. Unlike the Honor 10 Lite, the fact the phone doesn’t come with a case is a bummer.

What this phone does pack, however, is a usable camera, plenty of storage and great battery life as well as a screen and design that punch way above their weight. 

Unique? Absolutely not. Easy to recommend? Most definitely. 

Who's it for?

The Huawei P Smart (2019) is an ideal teenager’s smartphone: it won’t break the bank, it has a respectable camera and it looks great.

If anyone’s thinking about picking up a next-gen smartphone like the expected iPhone 11, Huawei P30 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S10, and wants a comparatively inexpensive mid-ranger to tide them over, the Huawei P Smart (2019) could also be an ideal stopgap.

 Should I buy it?

If you dig the way it looks, don’t mind picking up a case for it you can deal with the fact that its camera isn’t flagship quality, the Huawei P Smart (2019) is very easy to recommend. It packs a lot of features and some really nice hardware for less than we’d usually expect to pay.

Competition

Honor 10 Lite

If you’re tossing up between the P Smart (2019) and the Honor 10 Lite, our suggestion would be to go with the 10 Lite as it includes a case in the box and a slightly better selfie camera. 

If however you plan on getting a third party case and don’t care about selfies - just go with the phone available in your favourite color. 

Read our Honor 10 Lite review

Motorola Moto G6

The Moto G6 can be picked up for a little less than the P Smart (2019) – and with half the storage and inferior design, that’s little wonder. What Motorola does manage to deliver is a significantly more stock version of Android, and a case in the box. 

Read our Moto G6 review

Nokia 6 (2018)

If you’re looking for the purest Android device on a budget, it’s got to be the excellent Nokia 6. As an Android One handset, it has a clean UI and guarantees buyers three years of security updates, as well as two software updates, so it’ll get Android 9 and 10 down the line. Like the Moto G6 it packs half the storage of the Huawei P Smart (2019) – but with an SD card slot on offer, it might be a sacrifice you’re willing to make for a simpler Android interface.

Read our Nokia 6 review