Huawei P30 Review

At the time of its launch, the P20 was simply the best Huawei handset on the market, and one that stood comparison with the leading smartphones. It's a handset that has truly stood the test of time, with a refurbished Huawei P30 serving as a decent and good value mid-range phone, while its ground-breaking camera app is also well worth the money.

The P30 was launched to an expectant crowd at an event in Paris on March 26th, 2019, alongside its bigger brother the P30 Pro. Although it was obviously overshadowed by its sibling, it still earned considerable praise for its exceptional design and a revolutionary camera app that elevates mobile photography onto an entirely new level.

A true nehemoth of a camera!

Let's get started with the camera app on the P30, which continues to build upon and arguably improve Huawei's reputation for producing ground-breaking camera phones. This centres on the main rear camera, which is a 40MP wide-angle beast that Huawei modestly calls its Super Spectrum shooter. This sees RYYB (red, yellow, yellow, blue) light instead of the usual RGB (red, green, blue), allowing it to capture a wider range of colours for uniquely detailed and crystal-clear imagery even in low-light conditions.

A stunning selfie camera

We decided to review the P30's camera app in two parts, as the device also comes with a stunning 32MP selfie snapper that captures impossibly high quality images! We'd argue that this is an unnecessary feature if you look anything like us, but if you're blessed with a Love Island body and a bustling Instagram profile then this will really float your boat! We're not saying that you have to be beautiful to buy the Huawei P30, of course, but it probably helps if you're going to make the most of its incredible camera features.

A mid-range handset with a premium look

Despite its standing as a mid-range smartphone, there's no doubt that the P30 boasts a premium look and feel. Not only is its front and back covered in Corning Gorilla Glass, for example, but it also boasts sleek and rounded edges for a curvy aesthetic that's comfortable in the hand. This design is also brought to life by the wide range of colours that the P30 can be procured in, including eye-catching shades such as Amber Sunrise (orange), Breathing Crystal (pale blue, apparently) and Aurora (a more vivid blue).

An almost bezel-less design

The display of the P30 also adds to the handset's premium feel, as it's part of an almost bezel-less design that's only broken by a teardrop-shaped notch at the top in which the selfie camera is embodied. This enables users to leverage the full capacity of the handset's screen real estate, which is also underpinned by a 2340x1080 resolution that supports full HD+ technology, superior brightness and an incredibly vivid range of colours. The display's maximum level of brightness certainly sets the P30 apart from its rivals, especially when watching a dark horror film with minimal backlight.

A power pack that's built to last

The P30 also packs a sizeable, 3,650mAh battery unit, which provides a day's moderate to heavy usage from a single charge. The handset needs this, of course, as you'll probably spend most of your time experimenting with rear camera or taking a host of selfie shots for your Instagram page. This will place drain on the battery, but the P30's power pack is more than up for the challenge.

Let's face facts; there's plenty to get excited about with the Huawei P30, particularly when you consider it's incredible rear camera and a front-facing selfie lens that delivers practically flawless images.

Our refurbished P30 smartphones are now available for less too, so you snap away to your heart's content without worrying about your remaining bank balance or monthly bills.

5 real-life highlights

1. The front-facing 32MP sensor will capture selfies that retain their level of detail even when blown up
2. When taking shots at a distance, you can use the camera's 30x zoom to capture intricate details
3. This handset also bucks a modern trend by reintroducing the popular 3.5mm headphone jack
4. You can stamp your own unique identity on the P30 by selecting from a wide range of vivid body colours
5. Huawei's trademark EMUI interface is highly intuitive and capable of organising your favourite apps while presenting incredibly vivid icons