Huawei P9 Lite

The Huawei P9 Lite was introduced as a more affordable variant of the flagship Huawei P9 in 2016. While it didn’t carry the Leica branding for its camera like the P9, the P9 Lite was still a compelling mid-range offering with a balanced set of features. Here’s an in-depth review of the Huawei P9 Lite:

Overview:

The Huawei P9 Lite was designed to capture some of the premium appeal of the P9 while being more budget-friendly. It retained a sleek design and offered a decent set of specifications for its price point.

Features:

Operating System: Initially shipped with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with Huawei’s EMUI 4.1 skin, later upgradable.
Display: 5.2-inch Full HD IPS LCD with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Processor: HiSilicon Kirin 650 Octa-core.
Memory: Options of 2 GB or 3 GB RAM with 16 GB internal storage, expandable via microSD.
Camera: 13 MP rear sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and an 8 MP front camera.
Battery: A 3000 mAh non-removable battery.
Other Features: Fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a sleek design.

Pros:

Design: The P9 Lite featured a slim and stylish design, making it look more premium than its price would suggest.
Display: The Full HD display was sharp and offered good color reproduction for its class.
Performance: The Kirin 650 chipset, combined with 2 GB or 3 GB of RAM, provided a smooth user experience for everyday tasks.
Battery Life: The 3000 mAh battery ensured a full day of moderate use.

Cons:

EMUI Skin: Huawei’s EMUI skin, while feature-rich, was often criticized for its departure from stock Android, which not everyone appreciated.
Camera: While decent for its price, the camera didn’t stand out particularly in low-light conditions.
No USB Type-C: The device still used a micro USB port, while many were transitioning to USB Type-C.

Comparisons to Other Technologies:

In its segment, the Huawei P9 Lite faced competition from:

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016): Offering a 5.2-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, Exynos 7580 Octa-core processor, and a premium design.
Moto G4: With its 5.5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 617, and a near-stock Android experience.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: Featuring a 5.5-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 650, and a larger 4000 mAh battery.

Launch Date:

The Huawei P9 Lite was announced in April 2016 and released in various markets shortly after.

Common Issues/Problems:

Software Updates: Some users reported delays in receiving software updates.
EMUI Quirks: The software experience was a common point of contention, with some users disliking certain EMUI-specific changes and bloatware.
Speaker Quality: The single bottom-firing speaker was considered average by many, lacking in depth and richness.

Conclusion:

The Huawei P9 Lite was a solid mid-range offering in 2016. It combined a stylish design with a decent set of specifications, making it a good value proposition for those who wanted a premium-looking device without breaking the bank. While it had its strengths, especially in terms of design and display, it also had its challenges, particularly in terms of software experience. For users who wanted a balance of design, performance, and price, the P9 Lite was a worthy contender in the mid-range segment.