Huawei P10 Plus review: A worthwhile step up from the P10?

Huawei P10 Plus review: Camera

Huawei continues to work with Leica on improving its smartphone cameras. The P10 Plus features two SUMMILUX-H lenses, and the dual 12-megapixel sensors of the P9’s rear camera have been replaced with a new pair of 20- and 12-megapixel sensors. I found these produced images with impressively lifelike colours, accurate white balance and good reproduction of fine details.

The rear camera on the P10 Plus also features a wider aperture than before: where the old P9 (and the regular P10) had a maximum aperture of f/2.2, the P10 Plus can open up to f/1.8, allowing for faster, cleaner images in low-light conditions.

^Indoor shot in normal mode, f/1.8

To illustrate the effect, the image above is an indoor shot taken with the P10 Plus at f/1.8. For comparison, here’s an image from the Huawei P9, taken with an f/2.2 aperture:

^Huawei P9: Indoor shot in normal mode, f/2.2

The difference is noticeable: if you’ll be shooting in low light, the P10 Plus offers a clear advantage over the P9 series and the regular P10. Even so, it’s no match for the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, which offer ridiculously good post-processing, for sharper images in challenging conditions.

^Outdoor road shot in HDR mode, f/1.8

The P10 Plus’s camera flash performance is slightly overpowering in close-ups, with colours losing their accuracy and shadows appearing harsh. It’s better suited to filling in shadows at mid-range.

The front-facing camera has also been improved, with an 8-megapixel Leica sensor and an f/1.9 lens. I can’t say I was blown away by this: the Samsung Galaxy S7, S8 and Google Pixel all produce better selfies. Still, it’s an improvement over last year’s model, and performs better than its smaller sibling in low light.

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Huawei P10 Plus review: Verdict

The Huawei P10 Plus is beautifully built, with solid performance and a decent camera. But at £680 it’s expensive for what it offers. For a similar price you can get the LG G6 or Samsung Galaxy S8, with their distinctive 18:9 displays. Or, if you’re mostly interested in the camera, the Google Pixel or Pixel XL offer image quality that’s leagues beyond the P10 Plus.

Indeed, if you stack the P10 Plus next to Huawei’s own 5.7in Honor 8 Pro, you’re paying an extra £205 for a slightly better camera, extra storage and a more elegant design. It’s hard to see how the P10 Plus hopes to compete. It may be the most beautiful smartphone I’ve ever seen, but that’s not enough to sell me on the £680 price tag.

The P10 Plus isn’t a bad phone. Like the regular Huawei P10, it’s a great piece of hardware that’s simply overpriced. As and when the P10 Plus drops in price, I can certainly see myself recommending it. Until then, it’s a phone to admire from afar.