Discover the Huawei Mate 40, featuring a 6.5″ OLED display, Kirin 9000E 5G chipset, a 50MP triple-camera system, and 40W fast charging. Explore the full review for more insights.
Introduction
The Huawei Mate 40, released in December 2020, is a well-balanced flagship smartphone that combines premium design, powerful hardware, and advanced camera technology. As part of Huawei’s Mate 40 series, it comes with a 6.5-inch OLED display, the Kirin 9000E 5G chipset, and a 50MP triple-camera system engineered by Leica. This device is aimed at users who want top-tier performance without the need for over-the-top features, making it a well-rounded choice for daily use.
Like other Huawei devices, the Mate 40 does not include Google Play Services, but Huawei’s AppGallery continues to grow, offering a wide range of apps. This review will explore the design, performance, camera, and other features that make the Mate 40 stand out.
Design and Build Quality
The Huawei Mate 40 is designed with premium materials, featuring a glass front, a glass back (or eco-leather for some models), and an aluminum frame. The phone feels sturdy and well-built, with an IP53 rating for dust and splash resistance. At 188g (glass model) or 184g (leather model), the Mate 40 feels light for a flagship device, making it comfortable for everyday use.
With dimensions of 158.6 x 72.5 x 8.8 mm, the phone is slightly smaller than the Mate 40 Pro, making it more compact and easier to handle. The device is available in various colors, including Silver, White, Black, Green, and Yellow, giving users a variety of style options.
Display
The Huawei Mate 40 features a 6.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2376 pixels and a pixel density of 402 ppi. The screen supports HDR10 and has a 90Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth visuals when scrolling, gaming, or watching videos. The display offers rich colors, deep blacks, and excellent brightness, making it ideal for media consumption.
The 89.3% screen-to-body ratio ensures an immersive viewing experience, and the curved edges add to the premium feel of the device. Whether you’re gaming, streaming videos, or multitasking, the Mate 40’s display delivers sharp, vibrant visuals.
Performance
Under the hood, the Mate 40 is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 9000E 5G chipset, which is based on a 5nm process. The octa-core CPU (1×3.13 GHz Cortex-A77, 3×2.54 GHz Cortex-A77, 4×2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks, gaming, and multitasking. The Mali-G78 MP22 GPU provides excellent graphics performance, making the phone suitable for high-end gaming and media consumption.
The Mate 40 comes with 8GB of RAM and storage options of 128GB or 256GB, which can be expanded using Huawei’s NM cards (up to 256GB). The device runs on EMUI 11, based on Android 10, but lacks Google Play Services. However, Huawei’s AppGallery continues to expand, offering an increasing number of apps for users.
Camera
Huawei’s collaboration with Leica brings a powerful triple-camera system to the Mate 40:
- 50 MP wide camera (f/1.9, 23mm): This primary sensor captures highly detailed and sharp photos, even in low light, thanks to the large sensor size and multi-directional PDAF.
- 8 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4, 85mm): With OIS and PDAF, this camera offers 3x optical zoom, allowing users to capture clear shots of distant objects.
- 16 MP ultrawide camera (f/2.2, 17mm): Ideal for landscape shots and group photos, the ultrawide sensor ensures sharp and vivid images.
The camera system supports 4K video recording at 30/60fps and 1080p video at up to 240fps, with the option for 1080p at 960fps for slow-motion footage. The gyro-EIS ensures stable video recording, even during movement.
For selfies, the 13 MP front camera (f/2.4) offers ultrawide capabilities, allowing users to capture more in their selfies. The front camera also supports 4K video recording, making it a great option for vloggers and video calls.
Battery and Charging
The Huawei Mate 40 is powered by a 4200mAh battery, which provides reliable all-day performance for moderate to heavy users. The phone supports 40W fast wired charging and 40W wireless charging, ensuring that the device can be charged quickly. In addition, 5W reverse wired charging allows users to charge other devices, such as wireless earbuds, directly from the phone.
While the battery size is slightly smaller than the Mate 40 Pro, it still delivers impressive performance, lasting through a full day of use without needing frequent charging.
Connectivity and Other Features
The Huawei Mate 40 supports 5G, offering fast data speeds and reliable connectivity for users in areas with 5G networks. The phone also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and USB Type-C 3.1, ensuring fast wireless connections and data transfers.
Navigation is supported by a comprehensive suite of positioning systems, including GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, and NavIC, ensuring accurate location tracking. The device also features NFC for contactless payments and an infrared port for controlling home appliances.
For security, the Mate 40 includes an under-display fingerprint sensor and Face ID, providing users with secure biometric authentication options.
Price and Availability
The Huawei Mate 40 is priced at around 630 EUR, making it a competitively priced flagship device, considering its high-end features and performance. The phone is available in several colors, including Silver, White, Black, Green, and Yellow, giving users plenty of options to match their personal style.
Specifications Table
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 72.5 x 8.8 mm (Glass) / 9.2mm (Leather) |
| Weight | 188 g (Glass), 184 g (Leather) |
| Build | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Display | 6.5 inches OLED, 1080 x 2376 pixels, HDR10, 90Hz |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11 (No Google Play Services) |
| Chipset | Kirin 9000E 5G (5 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×3.13 GHz Cortex-A77, 3×2.54 GHz Cortex-A77, 4×2.05 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP22 |
| Internal Storage | 128GB/256GB, 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | Triple: 50 MP (wide), 8 MP (telephoto), 16 MP (ultrawide) |
| Selfie Camera | 13 MP (ultrawide) |
| Battery | 4200 mAh, 40W wired fast charging, 40W wireless charging |
| Colors | Silver, White, Black, Green, Yellow |
| Price | About 630 EUR |
Conclusion
The Huawei Mate 40 offers a balanced flagship experience with excellent performance, a stunning display, and a versatile camera system. While it lacks Google Play Services, Huawei’s AppGallery is rapidly expanding, providing alternatives for users who need access to apps.
The Kirin 9000E chipset delivers smooth performance for gaming, multitasking, and daily use, while the 50MP camera system ensures high-quality photos and videos. Whether you’re a photography enthusiast, gamer, or general user, the Mate 40 offers premium features at a competitive price.
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