Huawei P30 Lite review

Introduction

What looks like a Huawei P30, feels like a P30, snaps photos like a P30, and yet it's cheaper and lighter? Well, Huawei would have you believe it's the Huawei P30 Lite. At first glance, it's got an equally stunning design, promising gaming capabilities, but above all - it comes with one skilled triple-camera on the back.

Huawei's Lite models have often been left out of the spotlight in favor of the P and Mate headliners. But when the cogs of the well-oiled PR machine no longer need to spin for the big guns, they are put to good use in the marketing of the Lite model, previously mentioned just briefly by the maker.

And now, it's the Huawei P30 Lite's turn to take center stage - and it's our chance to complete the review series for the Huawei P30 family.

The Huawei P30 Lite has the captivating looks of the more expensive P30 models with all the bells and whistles - curves, glossy frame, gradient back. And speaking of the back, there is a triple-camera on the back as well, though not as advanced as on the regular P30 - it can snap regular and ultra-wide photos and Night Mode is available, but optical zoom is missing.

Ed. note. We are reviewing the EU version of this model, which has a 48MP main camera on the back instead of the 24MP one found in other regions.

Finally, the Kirin 710 chipset designed and manufactured by Huawei has already proven as a gaming-friendly handler and we can't wait to try it once more. But before all that, a quick specs inspection follows.

Huawei P30 Lite specs

• Body: Dual-glass with plastic frame; Peacock Blue, Midnight Black, Pearl White color schemes; 159g.
• Screen: 6.15" LTPS IPS LCD, 1,080x2,312px resolution (415ppi); waterdrop notch.
• Chipset: Kirin 710 chipset, octa-core processor (4x2.2GHz Cortex-A73 + 4x1.7GHz Cortex-A53), Mali-G51 MP14 GPU.
• Memory: 4/6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable via a microSD - hybrid slot).
• OS: Android 9 Pie with EMUI 9.0.
• Camera: Main: 48MP, f/1.8, 27mm, PDAF; ultra wide: 8MP, f/2.4, 17mm, fixed-focus; depth sensor: 2MP, f/2.4; Video: 1080p@30/60fps capture, EIS.
• Selfie cam: 24MP, f/2.0, Portrait Mode with live bokeh effects.
• Battery: 3,340mAh; Fast Charge 18W.
• Connectivity: Dual SIM, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; GPS; Bluetooth 4.2 + LE, NFC, USB Type-C, 3.5mm jack.
• Misc: Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, single bottom-firing loudspeaker.

So, the Lite isn't as powerful as the P30, but is no feeble either. And while it can do lossless zoom, it should still ace the night shots. There is a lot to explore and so far the only caveat coming to mind is the lack of waterproofing.

Unboxing the Huawei P30 Lite

The P30 Lite retail bundle contains the usual - a USB-C cable, an 18W charger, and one cheap-looking headset.

The phone should be packed with a transparent case in some markets, but you have to confirm this with your local Huawei website.

Finally, the P30 Lite has a factory-applied screen protector, which isn't of top quality, but we are glad it's there anyway.