Explore the comprehensive review of the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G, highlighting its design, performance, camera features, and specifications. A premium phone that offers more than just 4G connectivity.
Introduction
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G, released in July 2021, brings all the premium features of the flagship Mate series with the slight exception of 5G connectivity. While most high-end smartphones have embraced 5G, this model is aimed at users who are still content with the robust capabilities of 4G networks and are more focused on other aspects of a phone’s functionality, like performance, display, camera quality, and battery life.
Running on Huawei’s HarmonyOS 2.0, the Mate 40 Pro 4G offers a high-end experience backed by the powerful Kirin 9000 chipset, a stunning 6.76-inch OLED display, a versatile triple-camera system co-engineered with Leica, and ultra-fast charging. This review will dive deep into what makes the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G a premium device and whether it’s a worthy investment in today’s market.
Design and Build Quality
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G is a visually stunning device with its sleek design and excellent build quality. It features a curved display that seamlessly blends into the aluminum frame, giving it a futuristic look. The back panel comes in either glass or eco-leather, depending on the variant, and feels premium in hand.
With dimensions of 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm for the glass version and 9.5 mm for the eco-leather version, the phone is relatively slim, though it is slightly heavier at 212g. However, this weight is well-distributed, making the phone comfortable to hold despite its large size. The IP68 rating for dust and water resistance ensures the Mate 40 Pro 4G can survive accidental splashes and brief submersion in water.
The device is available in five colors: Mystic Silver, White, Black, Green, and Yellow, catering to users who prefer vibrant or more subdued tones.
Display
One of the standout features of the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G is its 6.76-inch OLED display. With a resolution of 1344 x 2772 pixels and a high pixel density of ~456 ppi, the screen offers sharp and vibrant visuals. Whether you’re streaming videos, playing games, or browsing social media, the display delivers rich colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast.
The 90Hz refresh rate adds fluidity to the user experience, making animations and scrolling much smoother compared to standard 60Hz displays. Although some competitors offer 120Hz or higher refresh rates, 90Hz strikes a good balance between performance and battery life.
The display also supports HDR10, making it ideal for consuming high-definition content. The 94.1% screen-to-body ratio provides an immersive experience, with minimal bezels around the screen.
Performance
Under the hood, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G is powered by the Kirin 9000 chipset, which is built on a 5nm process. It features an octa-core CPU with a mix of high-performance and power-efficient cores: 1×3.13 GHz Cortex-A77, 3×2.54 GHz Cortex-A77, and 4×2.05 GHz Cortex-A55. The Mali-G78 MP24 GPU ensures smooth graphics performance, making the device more than capable of handling intensive tasks like gaming, video editing, and multitasking.
The phone is available in three storage configurations: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, all paired with 8GB of RAM. This should be more than enough for most users, though the lack of higher RAM options might disappoint power users. The phone supports UFS 3.1 storage, ensuring fast read and write speeds, which contribute to a snappy overall experience.
For storage expansion, the Mate 40 Pro 4G uses Nano Memory (NM) cards, which share the SIM slot and allow up to 256GB of additional storage.
Software
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G runs on HarmonyOS 2.0, Huawei’s in-house operating system that serves as a replacement for Android after the company faced restrictions from using Google services. HarmonyOS 2.0 is smooth, highly customizable, and comes with a range of Huawei’s own services and app store alternatives, such as the AppGallery.
While the absence of Google Play Services may be a drawback for users heavily integrated into Google’s ecosystem, Huawei’s ecosystem is growing. Users can sideload apps or find alternatives through the AppGallery. The overall experience remains fast and fluid, with features like multi-window multitasking and smooth animations making it enjoyable to use.
Camera
Huawei’s collaboration with Leica continues to shine with the Mate 40 Pro 4G’s triple-camera system. The camera setup includes:
- 50 MP primary sensor (f/1.9, 23mm, 1/1.28″, multi-directional PDAF): This sensor captures stunningly detailed images with excellent color accuracy and dynamic range. Low-light performance is also top-notch thanks to Huawei’s AI-powered night mode.
- 12 MP periscope telephoto lens (f/3.4, 125mm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom): The telephoto lens offers incredible zoom capabilities with optical image stabilization, making it easy to capture distant subjects without losing detail.
- 20 MP ultrawide lens (f/1.8, 18mm): The ultrawide camera is great for landscape photography, offering a wider field of view while maintaining good detail and color consistency.
The camera features Laser autofocus, Leica optics, LED flash, panorama, and HDR, making it one of the most versatile camera systems on the market.
For video, the Mate 40 Pro 4G supports 4K recording at 30/60fps, as well as slow-motion options at 1080p (up to 480fps) and 720p (up to 3840fps), providing a wide range of creative options for videographers.
The 13 MP front camera is paired with a TOF 3D sensor, which enhances depth sensing for selfies and enables 3D facial recognition for secure unlocking. The front camera also supports 4K video recording, which is a rare feature among smartphones and a plus for vloggers.
Battery and Charging
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G is equipped with a 4400mAh battery, which provides ample power for a full day of usage. Despite its powerful hardware and large display, the phone’s battery optimization ensures that it lasts through the day with moderate use.
One of the standout features is the 66W wired charging, which can charge the phone from 0 to 100% in just 38 minutes. The device also supports 50W wireless charging, which is one of the fastest wireless charging solutions available, making it convenient for users who prefer wireless options. Additionally, the phone supports 5W reverse wireless charging, allowing it to charge other Qi-enabled devices.
Connectivity and Other Features
The Mate 40 Pro 4G offers a comprehensive suite of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and USB Type-C 3.1. It also features dual stereo speakers, offering immersive audio for media consumption.
Positioning is top-notch, with support for multiple satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, and NavIC, ensuring accurate and reliable location tracking.
For security, the phone has an in-display fingerprint sensor and 3D facial recognition for fast and secure unlocking.
Price and Availability
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G is priced at around 800 EUR, positioning it firmly in the premium category. While it lacks 5G connectivity, its other features more than make up for this, offering excellent value for users who don’t prioritize 5G but want a top-tier smartphone experience.
Specifications Table
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Network | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm (glass) / 9.5 mm (leather) |
| Weight | 212 g (7.48 oz) |
| SIM | Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Display | 6.76-inch OLED, 1344 x 2772 pixels, 90Hz, HDR10 |
| OS | HarmonyOS 2.0 |
| Chipset | Kirin 9000 (5nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×3.13 GHz Cortex-A77, 3×2.54 GHz Cortex-A77, 4×2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP24 |
| Internal Storage | 128GB/256GB/512GB, 8GB RAM, NM Card slot (up to 256GB) |
| Main Camera | 50 MP wide, 12 MP telephoto, 20 MP ultrawide |
| Selfie Camera | 13 MP ultrawide + TOF 3D sensor |
| Battery | 4400 mAh, 66W wired, 50W wireless, 5W reverse wireless |
| Colors | Mystic Silver, White, Black, Green, Yellow |
| Price | Around 800 EUR |
Conclusion
The Huawei Mate 40 Pro 4G is a premium smartphone that delivers exceptional performance, a beautiful OLED display, top-notch camera capabilities, and fast charging technology. While the lack of 5G connectivity may deter some buyers, the phone compensates with powerful hardware, great battery life, and Huawei’s growing ecosystem with HarmonyOS. At around 800 EUR, it provides excellent value for users who prioritize overall performance over the latest connectivity options.
Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
