Huawei Y6P test: What experience with this smartphone at a low price without Google's services?

Now positioned below 150 euros, the Huawei Y6P is aimed at small budgets. This highlights a big battery for a solid autonomy and a triple photo sensor. But another aspect challenges: the absence of Google and therefore the Play Store services. We tested it for a week and here are our impressions about it.

Before going to the test, remember the main characteristics of the copy acquired by our own means:

Huawei Y6P technical sheet: the characteristics

processor: octa-core up to 2.0 GHz (Helio P22 chipset)

RAM: 3 GB

screen: 6.3 inch IPS slab with an HD+ definition (1,600 x 720 pixels)

audio: its outgoing its lower edge

Storage: 64 GB Extensible by microSD card (up to 512 GB)

two nano-sim housing accessible from a left edge drawer

4G compatibility: Band support 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28

compatibility 5G: no

Triple photo sensor on the back (online organization): 13 + 5 + 2 megapixels

Photo sensor at the front: 8 megapixels in a notch notch

Helmet socket 3.5 millimeters: Yes (lower edge)

load connectors: micro-USB (lower slice)

Wi-Fi support: 802.11n version

Bluetooth connectivity: version 5.0

nfc: yes

battery: 5,000 mAh not removable

Willed recharge: load support 10 watts (5V/2A block included in the box)

wireless recharge: no

Operating system: Android 10 with the EMUI 10.1

Unlocking solutions: Facial recognition with the frontal or fingerprint reader sensor on the back

Safety patches installed during our test: December 2020

a rather correct finish for the price

Visually, the Huawei Y6P is far from ugly. Now, the thick chin in the screen, the drop of water for the front photo sensor and the presence of the micro-USB connection recall the entry-level positioning. In the same way as the perceptible vibrations in the back by placing the smartphone a little quickly on the table or by tapping with the finger.

in hand, the smartphone is pleasant with its rounded slices, its soft shell , its well-integrated photo block and its fingerprint reader naturally falling under the finger.

Finally, as much to prevent the most manic, the shell hooks enormously fingerprints and small dust.

HD+ screen and its mono

On the screen side, we have the minimum union: IPS slab, HD+ definition and water drop for the photo sensor. In use, the Huawei Y6P screen has never posed a problem in terms of views of vision and brightness. He simply does the job. Note that you can adjust the display heat in the settings.

on the audio side, no stereo, but a powerful sound with relief. A good little extra sound when the smartphone is wedged in a shelf. A good surprise for a smartphone at a low price.

We also have the mini-jack in the lower edge, not far from the listening speaker and the load port. The headphones provided are not bad or excellent. Perhaps too much in mediums, at times. At least do we not want to get rid of it as dry.

a photo part (a little) better than expected

In terms of the photo, we have a main 13 megapixel sensor associated with two 5 and 2 megapixel sensors. Seflies lovers will find an 8 megapixel module at the front.

in use, we have a little versatility, but no night fashion for the clichés in low light. The results are far from exceptional, but we could have expected worse with regard to the pricing segment.

Below, an outdoor photo at the end of the day:

other photos outdoors, in the middle of the day:

An outdoor day photo, then its ultra-wide-angle version:

two photos indoors, with a subject that moved a little:

two night photos:

a selfie:

Dual-Sim management and 4G 700 MHz

No 5G for the Huawei Y6P which is limited to 4G, with the B28 support (4G 700 MHz ) Dear to free mobile subscribers. Note also the Dual-Sim management, with a left edge drawer offering two dedicated nano-sim housing. The microSD extension has its own location.

Below, indoor flows:

then outdoor flows:

not a racing beast

With its Helio P22 chipset associated with 3 GB of RAM, the Huawei Y6P is obviously not a racing beast, as well on the paper only in fact. The navigation or the launch of applications were sometimes accompanied by waiting time. The smartphone allowed us to play, when the game worked (we will come back to it below), but not in the best conditions either (graphics that are not very detailed and lack of fluidity). However, an observation pardonable with regard to the price of the smartphone. A good thing: not the slightest heating during our test week.

A day without problem, a charge not too long

the Huawei Y6P takes on a 5,000 mAh battery, which allows him to hold the day without problem and to consider a Second day in the case of moderate use.

Below, an example of use: departure at 12:06 p.m. and arrival the next day at 6:06 pm with 16 %:

5 minutes of YouTube with the sound of the smartphone

1 hour and 10 minutes of YouTube with the wired headphones

40 minutes of play with the wired headphones

1 hour and 40 minutes of audio streaming with wired headphones

E-mail consultations and alerts

Twitter consultations

surfing on the internet

SMS

a short voice call

Photos

6 Application downloads

Continuous functioning of all anticovid

The 10 Watts charger seems very modest, especially with regard to the capacity of the battery to be filled. We must also be satisfied with a micro-USB connectivity. No USB-C, here.

Below, a load follow-up:

8:44 am: 3 %

8:49 am: 6 %

8:54 am: 10 %

8h59: 14 %

9:24 am: 33 %

9:35 am: 42 %

9:44 am: 49 %

10h34: 87 %

10:56 am: 97 %

an interface based on Android 10, but without the play store (and that's the problem)

the Huawei Y6P is supplied with a system Android 10 without Google's services and applications. Exit therefore the play store, but also gmail, youtube or maps.

Applications not available in the Gallery app, available applications finally operating badly or not at all, applications impossible to install with APK or obligation files To fall back on the web version of the service, the experience of an Android device without the play store is synonymous with recurring and frustrating error messages in the long run.

Some examples. A APHALT 9 available on the Appgallery and installed twice, but only operating (properly) during the first start, before a systematic black screen the following times.

an available NPERF, whose flow test test Works, but not the card (a Full Huawei version is also on the rails, the developer told us). A radio application France available, but not operating in the end.

of APKs installed several times from officials or alternative platforms (Apkpure and Apkmiror), before falling on the right one, or not .

Applications without installation to find in a Quick App Center or to be placed on the Home screen, which are in fact only shortcuts to not optimized web versions (we see it by tilting In landscape mode).

If the Appgallery is not completely empty, too many applications are missing. We passed the smartphone between a dozen hands (colleagues, friends and family). Each had to seek their favorite applications. Most missed the call.

cherry on the cake: advertising a few seconds in full screen with the ignore button each start of the Appgallery.

the interface From the Huawei Y6P, however, offers practical functions, such as the choice between a screen with or without application drawer, the choice between navigation by buttons or gestures, the screen split for multitasking, the dark mode for the evening, the Ebook mode for reading, hand navigation and advanced gestures management (especially TOC-TOC for screenshot).

we also had the security patches of December 2020. Not the latest, but not the oldest either.

always with the security pane, the back fingerprint reader and facial recognition worked wonderfully, with a quick landing on the home screen.

Verdict

Technically, the Huawei Y6P offers what is expected of a smartphone within 150 euros. We thus have fairly average performance, an unpretentious screen (but comfortable to use), network compatibility limited to 4G (with the B28 dear to free mobile subscribers), photos far from exceptional (but not completely throwing either) and a somewhat long load (explained partly by the big battery on board).

but there is this software part without the services and applications of Google which does not make the experience unlivable , but quickly and regularly frustrating. This makes the purchase of this smartphone without much interest in our eyes, especially since there is no shortage of alternatives on the entry -level segment. A smartphone is there to simplify life, not to complicate it unnecessarily.