Product Listing

Huawei Ascend P2 – Almost Fast and Furious

By Sidney Wong - 18 Jun 2013
Launch SRP: S$768

Overview, Design and Features

Overview

Huawei launched the Ascend P2 with much fanfare at Mobile World Congress 2013 by claiming two "firsts" with the phone - world's first HD in-cell screen technology and support for LTE Cat 4 speeds. What are they and how does it help? Let's find out in this review. Before we do, here's a quick look at the specs of the Huawei Ascend P2, and it fares against its predecessor, the Ascend P1

Huawei Ascend P2 

  Key highlights of the Huawei Ascend P2

  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
  • 4.7-inch IPS display / 1280 x 720 pixels
  • Hi-Silicon K3V2 quad-core 1.5GHz processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 16GB internal storage
  • 13-megapixel rear camera
  • 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 4G LTE (supports Cat 4 speeds up to 150Mbps)
  • micro-SIM
  • 2.420mAh battery
  • Dimensions: 136.2 x 66.7 x 8.4mm
  • Weight: 122g
  • Price and Availability: S$768 from 6 June at PC Show, mid-June in retail stores

Huawei Ascend P2 vs Huawei Ascend P1
  Huawei Ascend P2 Huawei Ascend P1
  Huawei Ascend P2 Huawei Ascend P1
Launch SRP
  • From S$768
  • From S$648
Operating system
  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Processor
  • Hi-Silicon K3V2 1.5GHz Quad-core
  • Dual-core 1.5GHz Cortext-A9 processor (TI OMAP 4460)
Built-in Memory
  • 1GB RAM
  • 1GB RAM
Display
  • 4.7-inch / 1280 x 720 pixels / IPS
  • 4.3-inch / 960 x 540 resolution / Super AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass
Camera
  • 13-megapixel / autofocus / BSI / HDR
  • Secondary: 1.3-megapixel
  • 8-megapixel / BSI sensor / Autofocus / dual LED flash / HDR / 1080p HD video capture
  • 1.3-megapixel (front-facing) / 720p HD video capture
Connectivity
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n / Bluetooth 4.0 + EDR / GPS /
  • WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth v3.0+HS
Storage Type
  • 16GB
  • 4GB internal memory with microSD support up to 32GB
Battery
  • 2420mAh
  • 1800mAh
Dimensions
  • 136.2 x 66.7 x 8.4mm
  • 7.69 x 64.8 x 129m
Weight
  • 122g
  • 130g

 

Design

Aside from the larger display, the Huawei Ascend P2 follows a similar design language as its predecessor, the Ascend P1.

The design of the Ascend P2 does not stray much from that of the Ascend P1. It is still wrapped in a plastic chassis that pales in comparison with the aluminum-clad HTC One and even the plastic-glass chassis of the LG Optimus G

With Android phones almost having the same software features, the focus is gradually shifting to the design and build quality of the product. According to Huawei Device Group Chief Marketing Officer Shao Yang, the company is focusing strongly on industrial design and aesthetics, with their research team investigating different materials and finishes. We certainly hope to see more differentiated devices from Huawei in the near future with premium designs and build. For now, let's dive in to see how the Ascend P2 competes with the existing competition:-

The Huawei Ascend P2 has a glossy plastic back which attracts fingerprints and smudges easily.

The only advantage that a plastic phone has over its better built counterparts is the weight. Weighing at 122g, the Ascend P2 is one of the lightest 4.7-inch smartphones we've reviewed. As a point of reference, the HTC One tips the scales at 143g while the LG Optimus G weighs 145g.

Having said that, the Ascend P2 feels quite comfortable in our hands. The 8.4mm chassis may not be record breaking, but it is considered slim by today's standards. The LG Optimus G is a hairline thicker at 8.45mm, while the curvy rear of the HTC One measures somewhere in the middle between 4 to 9.3mm. It is also narrower than its competitors in terms of its width. 

The Huawei Ascend P2 (left) may be longer than the LG Nexus 4 (right), but being narrower and lighter makes it as portable as other phones of its class.

4.7-inch screen size looks so measly when you put it beside the 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate.

 

Features

The Ascend P2 runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and Huawei's customized user interface (UI), Emotion. We've covered the main features of Emotion UI in our review of the Ascend Mate, so please refer to that article for expectations of the Emotion user interface.

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7.5
  • Design 7.5
  • Features 7.5
  • User-Friendliness 8
  • Performance 8
  • Value 7.5
The Good
Slim and lightweight
Excellent battery performance
Bright and sharp display
Decent imaging quality
The Bad
Slightly sluggish performance
Does not offer significant 4G speed boost
No memory card slot - only 16GB built-in
Glossy plastic back
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