When traveling to picturesque countries, it’s normally best to take a dedicated camera with you. After all, that’s what they’re for: Capturing scenes with utmost quality.

However, traveling light is another factor, and if possible, bringing as few devices as possible. I thought to myself, Why not use a single smartphone to document my entire trip? And so I did.

I brought the top-ranked camera phone with me to three European countries — namely France, Germany, and Austria — and let it take all my shots. Yes, I let the Huawei P30 Pro see what I saw, and it did not disappoint.

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The phone’s biggest strength for a traveler has to be its four rear cameras that offer different levels of zoom, from 0.6x all the way to 50x hybrid zoom if you’re feeling daring.

Its ultra-wide camera has to be the most handy, though, especially when trying to capture as much of a scene as possible. I used this everywhere I went, even for closeups and portraits needing more background.

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As you can see, the P30 Pro is fantastic at dynamic range thanks to AI optimization. All I have to do is turn on HDR+ and let the phone do all the computing. Needless to say, not once did I feel that there wasn’t enough color or brightness in my photos.

Another interesting feature is the RYYB color sensor, which draws in more light for sharper photos even in low-light environments. This allowed me to go full auto even during nighttime.

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Speaking of nighttime, Huawei’s signature night mode makes a return with even smarter illumination. It’s amazing how well the cameras can see at night, whether it’s using the regular or ultra-wide lens.

It takes only a few seconds for the app to stitch all the multiple exposure into one attractive image. Once finished, you have what looks like a long exposure shot on a tripod, but done using only your hands.

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When you need a little more control with your compositions, there’s a pro mode to help out. This gives you the chance to play around with lots of settings to achieve the perfect shot.

It might seem a little daunting at first to newbies, but the adjustments are made in real time, so you can see how each setting affects the final product. The manual focus scrolling is a personal favorite of mine.

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Of course, selfies matter too, and Huawei equipped the P30 Pro with a wide 32-megapixel selfie shooter to handle all your self portraits. This becomes especially important when there’s no one else to take your photos.

The P30 Pro’s camera app offers lots of beauty and background blurring options for selfies, so you still have control over how you look in the end. HDR comes in handy as well when the scene gets too bright.

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But what I loved most about bringing the P30 Pro as my sole camera around Europe was its auto mode. When time is of the essence and there’s no chance to make last-second adjustments, this mode does all the work for me.

I can’t count the number of times I double-pressed the volume down button to go straight to the camera app and snap a picture in front of me. It’s the feature I used most by far, making my travels that much easier.

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To be honest, going into this, I was a bit scared about relying on only one smartphone to do everything for me, from navigating places and researching about the top spots to visit, to documenting every step of the way.

Fortunately for me, the Huawei P30 Pro never faltered, and was, in fact, an incredibly reliable all-in-one camera. This is definitely going into my pocket again for my next trip.

This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei.

Flagship devices are indeed the best you can get. Yet, midrange offerings are more attractive to consumers because of their budget-friendlier price tags. You don’t always have to spend a lot of cash for a good smartphone. That’s why we’re going to take a look at two of the hottest phones in the market today: the Huawei P30 Lite and the Samsung Galaxy A50.

Both phones aren’t your average midrangers. They offer more features than before, including ultra-wide camera lenses, crazy-fast processors, and plenty of memory to spare.

Let’s get right into the comparison.

Specs and Features

Let’s start by listing the key specifications of each phone to see which one is better on paper. Here’s a quick rundown of their notable features:

Since both are specifically made for the midrange segment, the two phones are quite on par with each other. Of course, each has its own strength. Let’s talk about that next.

Design-wise, the two phones sport a tiny notch on their displays. When you flip the phone over, both also have a glossy finish. The P30 Lite has a 3D glass back for easy grip and one-handed use. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A50 uses an inferior plastic panel. If you hold both, you’ll notice the P30 Lite feels more solid and premium. The P30 Lite’s back won’t scratch easily as well.

In the display department, the Galaxy A50 has the advantage with its Super AMOLED display. It produces really punchy colors and deep blacks. It’s also supposedly more efficient, giving the battery life a boost. For outdoor visibility, the P30 Lite’s LCD panel appears to be brighter. If you use your phone a lot under the sun, the P30 Lite’s luminance will benefit you more.

People love to talk about the specs, so let’s dive into that already. The P30 Lite is powered by Huawei’s own Kirin 710 processor paired with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. On the other hand, the Galaxy A50 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9610 processor with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage as well.

The only difference here is their chipsets; but, their overall performance is pretty much the same. Also, both run Android 9 Pie out of the box with customizations on top. Being a Huawei phone, the P30 Lite has EMUI 9; meanwhile, the Galaxy A50 has One UI. Whichever you prefer, the two skins offer added features like GPU Turbo on EMUI for a smoother gaming experience.

It’s already 2019; we’re happy to share that these two midrange phones have a reversible USB-C connector for charging. Likewise, both support quick charging and fast chargers are included in the box.

Speaking of which, the Galaxy A50 has a bigger 4000mAh battery compared to the P30 Lite’s 3340mAh cell. However, when it comes to real-world performance, the difference between the two won’t be noticeable. Huawei phones have always had good battery life.

Lastly, their security features are quite similar, but differently executed. Both have fingerprint scanners as standard. However, the Galaxy A50 has its scanner built into the display, which can be a bit slow at times. Meanwhile, the P30 Lite has a tried-and-tested rear-mounted reader, which is faster and more reliable.

Cameras

Moving on to the cameras, there are three rear shooters on each phone. The P30 Lite carries a main 24-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A50 has a 25-megapixel sensor with an f/1.7 aperture. On the software side, AI scene detection is available on both devices which should help in taking the best-possible photo.

Here are a few samples taken using the main cameras:

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What set these two apart from other midrange phones in the market are their secondary cameras. The P30 Lite and Galaxy A50 both have 8-megapixel sensors with ultra wide-angle lenses that could easily fit in a lot of subjects in just one shot.

Here are the samples using the normal camera versus the ultra wide-angle shooter:

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Let’s not forget about selfies. Using the P30 Lite’s 32-megapixel front camera and the Galaxy A50’s 25-megapixel front shooter, you can take detailed and bright selfies, especially with plenty of light around you.

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Beauty mode is always available when you need it. A little touch-up wouldn’t hurt, right?

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Conclusion

Is the P30 Lite the best midrange phone today? With the essentials in check and the extra features Huawei has put in, the P30 is indeed a great phone in its segment. Additionally, it’s got a premium build which gives it an edge over the competition.

Those looking to buy one can get the P30 Lite for PhP 16,990 in the Philippines — which is PhP 1,000 cheaper than Samsung’s. The P30 Lite is available in three colors: Midnight Black, Pearl White, and Peacock Blue.

This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei Philippines.

Huawei‘s new P30 series has hit the market. The best in the series is the P30 Pro with its new quad cameras, curved OLED display, and powerful chipset. A flagship phone like the P30 Pro needs the best set of features available and be worthy of people’s hard-earned money.

Usually, people ask how it fares against an iPhone. To answer curious buyers, let’s compare the P30 Pro and the iPhone XS from Apple.

Specs and Features

Let’s start by checking the key specifications of the two devices. Here’s a quick rundown of their notable features:

Both are premium phones from their respective manufacturers. They have the best displays in their class. The P30 Pro and the iPhone XS both sport an OLED panel with vibrant colors and deep blacks. To maximize the screen’s real estate, Huawei and Apple both resort to a notch. However, the P30 Pro’s notch is a lot smaller than the iPhone’s; it doesn’t take much of the interface.

Apple iPhone XS and Huawei P30 Pro | GadgetMatch

Inside, the phones have two different processors. The P30 Pro is powered by a Kirin 980, while the iPhone XS has the A12 Bionic. Both homebaked silicons are powerful and unstoppable. Built using the same latest 7nm process, they are extremely efficient compared to other processors.

The P30 Pro has twice the memory capacity of the iPhone XS, which allows better multitasking. For storage, the P30 Pro comes with 256GB as standard. If that’s not enough, it has expandable storage as well using Huawei’s Nano-Memory cards. Meanwhile, the iPhone’s base configuration starts at 64GB; upgrading to 256GB will cost you more.

Apple iPhone XS and Huawei P30 Pro | GadgetMatch

Huawei phones usually last more than a day with heavy use; the P30 Pro will be no different. It has a long-lasting 4200mAh battery compatible with 40W SuperCharge using its bundled USB-C charger. It can also top up wirelessly and share its juice via reverse wireless charging. Meanwhile, the iPhone XS has an inferior 2658mAh cell inside; it also charges slower.

Security-wise, the P30 Pro and iPhone XS differ in approach. The P30 Pro can be unlocked in two ways: using the in-screen fingerprint scanner or AI facial recognition. The iPhone XS lacks a fingerprint reader, limiting users to Face ID.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the P30 Pro and iPhone XS is their software. Obviously, the iPhone XS runs on iOS while the P30 Pro has EMUI 9.1 based on the latest Android Pie. The Android operating system allows users to take control of their device. Meanwhile, Huawei’s custom skin makes it more productive by adding useful features and optimizations.

Cameras

In the camera department, the P30 Pro outnumbers the iPhone XS with its new Leica Quad Camera system.

Apple’s top-of-the-line phone comes with a pair of 12-megapixel sensors. The iPhone’s primary shooter has an f/1.8 aperture. The secondary camera features 2x optical zoom.

On the other hand, the P30 Pro has one of the most complex mobile camera systems. It has a main 40-megapixel RYYB f/1.6 camera, a 20-megapixel ultra wide-angle shooter, an 8-megapixel periscope-style 5x optical zoom, and a special ToF sensor.

Let’s see how the two phones perform in different scenarios starting in broad daylight. With plenty of light available, both phones are able to capture a bright image with lots of details.

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The bright sunlight can get harsh at times. This is where HDR (high dynamic range) mode comes in handy. Both phones have Auto HDR. Whenever you shoot against the light, it automatically kicks in.

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Artificial bokeh is a thing for both the P30 Pro and iPhone XS. Capturing a closeup of a flower with a smooth background blur is just an easy task for the two.

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When you need to get really close, the P30 Pro’s camera can do macro without any extra accessory needed. You can clearly see the details of this tealight candle holder.

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Most of the images uploaded on social media are about food. With the P30 Pro’s AI scene recognition, you can take tasty images of your lunch and upload to Instagram right away.

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One of the P30 Pro’s periscope-style lens module is unique. The phone can zoom in 5x optically or go up to 10x using software tricks. The iPhone XS can do only up to 2x optical zoom. Maxing it out 10x is too much for the phone to handle.

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If 10x isn’t enough, did you know the P30 Pro has a maximum digital zoom of 50x? Well, the quality is not as great compared to the 10x zoom. It just barely gets the job done.

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The P30 Pro can get really close; it can also get ultra wide. With a dedicated super wide-angle shooter, the P30 Pro can fit in a whole building complex in one frame. That’s something iPhones can’t do — at least for now.

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Huawei is proud of the P30 Pro’s capability to shoot nice portrait stills even if the lighting condition isn’t ideal. The HDR feature in Portrait Mode works like charm.

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When shooting in Portrait Mode, the iPhone XS uses its secondary camera with 2x zoom. You’ll have to step back to fit your subject.

That’s not the case with the P30 Pro. The ToF sensor helps the main 40-megapixel camera identify the subject and apply the effects without cropping.

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The main camera’s wide aperture lens is perfect when shooting in Portrait Mode in dimly lit environments. The P30 Pro can shoot brighter images with more pleasing bokeh.

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Since we’re already in the dark, it’s time to put the Night Mode to the test. The iPhone doesn’t have a proper Night Mode; the P30 Pro has. The difference is more apparent in the samples below.

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Night Mode is not just for taking photos in the dark, though. It can also help take a sharper and more detailed image whenever you want to.

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Additionally, the amazingly flexible Night Mode also works with the P30 Pro’s ultra wide-angle shooter.

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For selfies, the P30 Pro has a 32-megapixel front camera. Meanwhile, the iPhone’s front has a 7-megapixel sensor accompanied by the Face ID’s IR sensor. As you can see from the samples below, the P30 Pro’s front camera has a wider FOV than the iPhone XS.

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Conclusion

With a new set of hardware and software features, the P30 Pro has its advantages over last year’s iPhone XS. In the camera department alone, the P30 Pro’s new Leica Quad Camera can deliver the best photos using a mobile phone. Zooming in or going ultra wide is not an issue for the P30 Pro. However, the iPhone XS clearly lacks the hardware for it.

Get the Huawei P30 Pro while it’s hot for PhP 50,990. It’s available in three color options: Breathing Crystal, Aurora, and Black.

This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei Philippines.