The best HUAWEI phones you can buy right now

HUAWEI quickly climbed up the ranks to become one of the most popular smartphone brands globally. It was easy to see why, as the firm served up great budget devices and cutting-edge flagship phones.

Unfortunately, the US trade ban against the company has resulted in the firm tumbling down the list in terms of popularity. This ban means all phones released in the last few years lack Google Mobile Services, making them a lot less attractive to most consumers.

Are you still keen on HUAWEI’s phones, even if they don’t have Google support? We’ve got you covered with our list of the best HUAWEI phones. Just keep in mind that there are only a handful of phones on this list, with some of them more than a year old. Due to the trade ban, HUAWEI hasn’t released a lot of phones over the last few years.

Related: HUAWEI buyer’s guide

The pros and cons of HUAWEI devices

Every smartphone manufacturer has its strengths and weaknesses, and HUAWEI is undoubtedly known for doing well in some departments.

For starters, HUAWEI is one of the most popular smartphone makers among photography enthusiasts. They’ve been pushing standards in this industry for years. Their sensors have gotten bigger, and their tech more advanced. They surprise us with stunning camera systems every single time.

Furthermore, HUAWEI knows how to make a good-looking phone. Premium materials adorn the higher-end versions, but their budget devices still look very nice. Talking about budgets, while they make some stunning high-end devices, HUAWEI has plenty of experience in the mid-range and budget smartphone market. They have great offerings across the whole spectrum.

Now, nothing is perfect, and neither is HUAWEI. They fall behind in some areas. We’re particularly not fond of EMUI and Harmony OS. The UI can be convoluted and is mainly made for Asian markets. It’s a matter of preference, but we like cleaner interfaces that more closely emulate stock Android.

Of course, we can’t forget about the big elephant in the room: the lack of official Google Apps support. This is still an issue unless you go with an older device. This means you won’t get Google services like Gmail, Google Maps, and the Google Play Store. At least not out of the box.

Lastly, it can now be argued that HUAWEI devices are getting harder to get, especially in the USA, where the ban continues to be in effect. Of course, there are always ways to get a hold of these devices, but it won’t be through any mainstream retailers or manufacturers. There are rumors HUAWEI may be working on a workaround, though.

The best HUAWEI phones

• HUAWEI P50 series
• HUAWEI Pocket S
• HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro
• HUAWEI Mate Xs 2
• HUAWEI Nova 10 series

Editor’s note: We will update this list of the best HUAWEI phones as new devices come to market.

HUAWEI P50 series

Previously one of HUAWEI’s most famous phone line-ups, the P series went much more unnoticed in 2021, likely thanks to the inconveniences the lack of Google apps presents. But even without all of Google’s services, the HUAWEI P50 and HUAWEI P50 Pro managed to captivate plenty of those who were paying attention.

Once again, the company has put together really nicely built handsets with high-end specs and cameras that compete only with the best. The P50 Pro comes with four sensors. The standard one comes in at 50MP and has an f/1.8 aperture. Then there’s a 64MP 90mm periscope zoom, as well as a 13MP ultrawide. The company has also added a 40MP monochrome sensor for capturing more detail.

What’s more interesting is that the lower-end P50 actually gets a 12MP periscope camera with a 125mm focal length. This means it can zoom in further, optically. Both devices come with stunning performance and gorgeous builds, and their prices reflect that.

More recently, HUAWEI has entered the foldable flip-phone market with another addition to the HUAWEI P50 series. The HUAWEI P50 Pocket has similar specs and general performance, but the company has thrown in a larger foldable 6.9-inch OLED screen, which still has a 120Hz refresh rate. Other specs include the Snapdragon 888 chipset, 8GB or 12GB of RAM, and as much as 512GB of storage. The camera system and battery have been slightly downgraded, but the design has significantly improved, and many consider it a fashion-focused handset.

P50 Pro specs:

P50 specs:

P50 Pocket specs:

HUAWEI Pocket S

If you like the idea of the HUAWEI P50 Pocket but feel like that phone is a bit too much, The Huawei Pocket S might be more up your alley. It’s a bit more affordable and has slightly less premium specs. It’s still a pretty good phone, though.

The device has a Snapdragon 778G processor, 8GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. It has two rear cameras and a 10.7MP selfie shooter. The battery stays the same at 40W, but it still has no wireless charging. The 6.9-inch display also stays the same, featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and an OLED panel.

It helps that the Pocket S looks really cool, and it is even available in various fun colors. The only issue is that it’s still not widely available outside of Asia. You can get it imported, though.

Pocket S specs:

HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro

Huawei’s P series is usually more popular, but the company usually has a second high-end release every year. And, in some aspects, it’s usually a more premium option. The HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro comes with a slightly larger 6.74-inch OLED screen, also touting a 120Hz refresh rate.

Other improvements include a much newer and more powerful Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, as well as a larger 4,700mAh battery. Additional specs include 8GB of RAM and the same camera system we saw on the P50 Pro, albeit without the monochrome sensor.

The only real downside about the HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro is that it’s hard to find outside China. Of course, it also lacks Google Services. You can still find it imported elsewhere if you really want it, though.

Mate 50 Pro specs:

HUAWEI Mate Xs 2

The Mate Xs 2 is flagship-level in many ways. There’s the Snapdragon 888 SoC, 120Hz refresh rate, and a 4,500mAh battery with 55W wired charging. Photography is another strength of the foldable, packing an impressive quad-camera set-up featuring a 50MP RYYB primary camera, a 16MP ultrawide snapper, and two telephoto shooters (12MP 3X and 8MP 10X).

There are a few downsides to the foldable, though, and it starts with the lack of Google integration. But it also lacks the Z Fold 2’s wireless charging and ultra-thin glass protection. Nevertheless, foldables like this are why we hope HUAWEI’s US ban is eased.

The display comes in at 7.8 inches when unfolded and 6.5 inches when folded. It’s already available in various European countries but was not released in the US.

Mate Xs 2 specs:

HUAWEI Nova 10 series

So far, we’ve only talked about excellent HUAWEI devices with high-end phones and equally high prices. The mid-range market has been all the hype for some years, and HUAWEI sure isn’t staying behind. The Nova 10 series includes a few devices that offer great value for the price; the Nova 10, Nova 10 Pro, and Nova 10 SE.

The HUAWEI Nova 10 and 10 Pro have the most to offer. They come with Snapdragon 778G chipsets and 8GB of RAM, making for pretty good casual performance. They also feature quad-camera set-ups, a good battery, and 60MP front-facing cameras (the Pro version has a secondary 8MP selfie shooter).

The latest addition to the series is the Nova 10 SE, which offers the least overall. It features the Snapdragon 680G chipset and runs EMUI 12. However, it does have a leg up in the camera department, sporting the highest resolution primary sensor of the three phones at 108MP.

Nova 10 specs:

Nova 10 Pro specs:

Nova 10 SE specs:

FAQs

If you really can’t live without Google Play Services, and these phones don’t change your mind, then it’s time to take a look at our list of the best Android phones available. Because HUAWEI is mainly known for its camera capabilities, you might also want to look at our list of the best camera phones to find a worthy alternative.