P40 lite 5G review: another great mid-range smartphone from Huawei [Sponsored]

With so many devices released in the last few months, it can become easy for them to blur together. But the P40 lite stands out as an excellent mid-range device for 2020. Its newer sibling, the P40 lite 5G, brings along the quality of its predecessor with some new improvements.

But with a slightly higher price, does the P40 lite 5G still bring that competitive edge to the mid-range market?

Here’s our review…

What’s new about the P40 lite 5G?

The P40 lite 5G improves on the original P40 lite with a higher performance processor, a better camera, and support for 5G networks.

It also has a slightly different design, with a rectangular camera bump (rather than a square) and a new Space Silver colour option.

You can see a summary of the P40 lite 5G’s specs below:

• Display: 6.5-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) LTPS LCD display
• Processor: Kirin 820 5G chipset
• Battery: 4000mAh
• Main camera: 64MP high resolution lens + 8MP wide-angle lens + 2MP bokeh lens + 2MP macro lens
• Selfie camera: 16MP
• RAM: 6GB
• On-board storage: 128GB

Other features include 40W super-fast charging, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and 4K video recording.

P40 lite 5G: Improving the P40 lite recipe

The P40 lite 5G has pretty big shoes to fill — and it does this well.

It delivers the same great screen clarity, camera versatility, and premium aesthetic of its predecessor.

However, the P40 lite 5G also provides multiple improvements on the original recipe.

In terms of design, the slight change to the camera bump setup makes the smartphone look closer to its premium flagship siblings.

Meanwhile, the new Space Silver colour hits a home run with its appealing and unique two-tone fade that manages to feel both elegant and playful.

When it comes to photography, the 64MP camera lens really ups the P40 lite 5G’s game in its high-res camera mode.

This increase in resolution works well with landscape and panoramic scenes where the increased detail helps deliver the nuance of different elements in your photo.

Other appealing features

Some other major selling points of the P40 lite 5G are its great battery life and status as the most affordable 5G smartphone currently on the market in South Africa.

This 5G functionality at a price point under R10 000 is most appealing for those living in areas with more widespread 5G coverage — such as Gauteng.

However, even if you don’t plan to use 5G yet, it’s still a handy feature for those who want a future-proofed device that can make use of the networks when they roll out to their areas.

Then there’s the fact that even if you don’t plan to use 5G, the smartphone’s 5G processor has other applications. For example, the more powerful chipset improves image processing and de-noising when you use the smartphone’s camera.

When it comes to battery life, Huawei delivers on its reputation for devices that last throughout the day. With moderate use, you’ll easily make it more than a day before needing a charge. In a benchmark test, the smartphone lasted over 13 hours with constant activity.

These additional perks mean that the P40 lite 5G’s appeal is not only limited to its support for a faster network.

Rather, it’s a well-rounded device with various advantages and highlights past its 5G functionality.

This adds up to a smartphone that is not only for early adopters or 5G enthusiasts, but for anyone looking for a future-proofed device at a mid-range price.

The P40 lite 5G is available for R9 499 on Huawei’s online store and at various retailers.

This article is sponsored by Huawei.

Feature image: Memeburn