Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 was launched in India on Thursday, August 1, bringing a sound choice for budget shoppers in the country. The handset packs a unique design that is well complemented by its accompanying cameras and other features. The handset makes a compelling statement despite stiff competition from the likes of Xiaomi, Realme and others.
Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 is priced at Rs 15,990 in India. At this price point, Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 will be seen as a direct competition to the Redmi Note 7 Pro, Realme X, Redmi K20 and others. It remains to be seen how this new Huawei phone will be received by consumers, but here are our first impressions of the latest Y9 Prime after getting our hands on the device at the event.
Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 boasts a familiar design, something we assumed was inspired by Google Pixel phones, but that didn't turn out to be the case. The rear panel has dual-tone finish, the upper quarter with a slightly matte finish and the lower part with shiny glass look. At first glance, you won't be able to tell apart the dual-tone finish due to the same plastic material used at the back. The fingerprint scanner and the three camera sensors are seen on the top portion of the matte back and the curved sides (3D arc design) give a solid grip.
The high-quality plastic on the back almost feels like glass. The best part about it is that it won't be prone to damage, but the smudge issue is still not obsolete. The rear design compliments the display extremely well. The full-view display without visible bezels and a notch- courtesy of a pop-up selfie camera - works best for watching videos and playing games and it remains the highlight of the phone. The touch responds really well on the Y9 Prime 2019.
Although the LCD panel feels like a bit of a downgrade, the Full HD+ resolution makes up for the shortcoming and it seems like it can be used under direct sunlight without much strain to the eyes. The colours appear warm and vibrant on the Y9 Prime 2019 smartphone. The handset also ensures seamless single-hand use, but reaching out to the top is not an easy task in almost all full-screen displays. After all, the handset features a 6.59-inch display, but it doesn't feel too big for hands.
In our view, the Emerald Green looks elegant while the Sapphire Blue is flamboyant. But both have a single colour with a shiny finish.
Moving beyond the design and display, the first thing anyone will notice is the camera setup. There are three cameras at the back, combining a 16MP primary sensor with an 8MP wide-angle sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. Together, these sensors work to deliver detailed shots in landscape and portrait modes, although we are yet to test them thoroughly before drawing a final verdict.
We are betting on the front sensor, which also has a 16MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture. The pop-up mechanism in the Huawei Y9 Prime seemed to work just as smoothly, but the pace is not impressive. It works well for face unlock, but we would still rely on the fingerprint sensor for quick unlocking. In case you are doubting its durability, try opening a cold drink bottle with the Y9 Prime's notch.
Although it is not a surprise, it is nice to have a USB Type-C port for charging, and there's a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack for those who still use those. The handset runs EMUI 9.0 based on Android Pie, which looks clean but not as great as stock OS or OxygenOS.
It's worth pointing out that Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 is powered by a Kirin 710F octa-core processor, paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB expandable storage. There's a 4,000mAh battery, but there's no fast charging support, which means it has a 10W charger. This is a major disappointment.
We will be testing how Huawei Y9 Prime 2019 performs in real-world and how well the battery life tends to last. The final verdict on the Huawei smartphone will be shared in our final review, but so far things look promising for a budget premium smartphone.
