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Huawei P9 Lite
Huawei P9 Lite
Huawei P9 Lite
Huawei P9 Lite
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8.2/10
Informr score
The Huawei P9 Lite currently has an Informr score of 8.2 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 5 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Long battery life
  • Bright and vibrant display
  • Good performance

What's bad

  • Camera struggles in low light situations
  • Some stuttering on graphics intensive games
  • Plastic body slippery to hold

Launched alongside their flagship P9 smartphone, Huawei also released the P9 Lite. As the name suggests, it is an affordable version of the original that sacrifices some features for the sake of lowering the cost. For example, instead of an aluminum unibody it comes with a polycarbonate back with an aluminum frame. Despite having mostly a plastic body, the P9 Lite weights 147 grams, which is 4 grams heavier than the P9. The rounded edges and corners provided reviewers with a nice hand feel, but the slippery back made it difficult to grip.

The 5.2-inch screen offers a resolution of 1080p for full HD clarity. Critics found it to be vibrant, saturated and bright with excellent viewing angles thanks to the use of IPS technology. Huawei also uses InCell technology for almost zero gap between the glass and display. Speaking of glass, unlike many other smartphones, the P9 Lite glass is regular glass and not Gorilla Glass.

Keeping the P9 Lite running is an octa-core processor clocked at 2GHz and 3 GB of RAM. Although the processor isn’t top-of-the-line, combined with the RAM critics found it relatively quick during everyday usage. They didn’t notice any lag when opening or switching between apps.

The only time it suffered was when they played graphics intensive games on max settings. Even then, they point to the graphics card as the cause for the stutters and not the processor. Android Pit states, “With the P9 Lite, Huawei has built a very well balanced package of performance, power consumption and heat output…Only gamers should think twice before picking one up.” Even more impressive than its performance was its battery life. Critics were able to get over 10 hours with moderate use.

The most notable aspect missing from the P9 Lite is the lack of dual lens found on the P9. Instead, there’s a single 13MP rear camera with no optical image stabilization. This didn’t present too much of a problem when reviewers tested out the camera in bright light situations. Most of the images were quite sharp in good lighting conditions. However, the quality quickly dipped once light decreased leading to distortions. It does come with a Pro mode so users can adjust the ISO, exposure time, white balance and focus for better image quality.

For the price, reviewers have no problem recommending the P9 Lite to non-power users. Notebook Check states, “Huawei has a strong mid-range smartphone in its lineup that does many things…” Pocket Lint adds, “Fair price, fair performance and more than fair design lead the way here…”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2 GHz
Processor
Processor
2 GHz
5.2"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.2"
13+ MP
Camera
Camera
13+ MP
3000 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Expert Reviews
Expert Reviews

It all started so well. The Huawei P9 Lite’s look and feel, performance and display all promised great things when I began to write this review, especially given the phone’s sub-£200 price tag. I even thought it might challenge the Moto G4 for the honour of best budget smartphone.&...

- Nathan Spendelow, Expert Reviews
GSM Dome
GSM Dome

Huawei P9 Lite is a great follow up to a great P8 Lite and it will surely sell well. The main upgrades are the battery, display, camera, but still this is not exactly on par with the Galaxy A 2016, for example. It can fight it in the camera area, but the battery and screen are better on the Samsung...

- Alexandru Stănescu, GSM Dome
GSMArena
GSMArena

The Huawei P9 Lite is great as more affordable version of the flagship.

- GSMArena team, GSMArena
Notebookcheck
Notebookcheck

With the P9 Lite, Huawei has a strong mid-range smartphone in its lineup.

- Manuel Masiero, Notebookcheck
AndroidPIT
AndroidPIT

The Huawei P9 lite is a well-conceived package without serious weaknesses. The 5.2-inch smartphone is sufficiently compact and comfortable, with its 147 gram weight delivering the feel of a solidly crafted phone. The Huawei P9 lite must be looked at with a magnifying glass to identify serious c...

- Shu On Kwok, AndroidPIT


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Huawei P9 Lite user manual here.


Huawei backs up the P9 Lite with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your P9 Lite has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Huawei support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Huawei's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
5.2"

The Huawei P9 Lite's screen size is 5.2 inches with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

Processor
2 GHz

There is a HiSilicon Kirin 650 Octa core 2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system (OS).

Camera
13+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 13+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 8+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
16 GB

Internal memory is 16 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3000mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 3000 mAh battery. Huawei's performance ratings are 1890 minutes, 711 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

P9 Lite Specs

Overview
Release Date May 1, 2016
Regions Available United Kingdom
Operating System Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor HiSilicon Kirin 650 Octa core 2 GHz
Internal Storage 16 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.38 W/kg
Body: 1.59 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Headset, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
13+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Geotagging, ISO, Multi-shot, Panorama, Self-timer, HDR, Time lapse, Slow motion recording, Voice activation
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density 424 pixels
Size 5.2 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 3000 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 658 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 711 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1890 minutes
Standby Time Up to 26.3 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors White, Gold, Black
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.7 x 7.3 x 0.8 cm (5.8 x 2.9 x 0.3 in)
Weight 147 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Manual (PDF)
Huawei P9 Lite Reviews
Where to buy Huawei P9 Lite
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