Huawei P30 Lite Review

Although many may assume that Huawei's lite handsets are lacking as they're more affordable iterations of the brand's flagship devices, the P30 Lite remains a colourful and beautifully designed handset that boasts a genuinely stylish display. There's also an excellent camera app (as with all Huawei handsets), so a refurbished Huawei P30 Lite is definitely worth a glance if you're after a new smartphone.

One of the main challenges when reviewing the P30 Lite is that it's specification is undeniably hit and miss, as while its design and camera excel it boasts only middling power and average battery power. Still, the standout features of this handset bear comparison with many of the market leaders, while the integration of 128GB storage capacity with up to 8GB of RAM should also appeal to those of you who regularly use your smartphone as a laptop!

A plastic body with a premium feel

You'll now find more plastic on Love Island than in the mid to higher end smartphone market, but the P30 Lite bucks this trend as part of its snappy and colourful design. Incredibly, it's cheaper and less sturdy plastic frame still manages to feel solid in the hand, while its minimal bezel, elegantly curved rear and a flat glass front create a premium look at a mid-range price point. The 6.15-inch display also feels much smaller and more compact in the hand (especially in comparison to most modern handsets), which is ideal if you want to give your fingers a hard-earned break.

A superb screen and competitive display

The handset's relatively small and attractive display also boasts an excellent technical spec, which balances immersion and manageability like a premium smartphone. The combination of an almost bezel-less design and a 19:5:9 aspect ratio also optimise the visual performance of the screen, while a resolution of 1080x2312 allows for the Full HD+ capability found in the flagship P30 Pro. The only difference here is the use of an LCD screen rather than an AMOLED alternative, but this is barely perceivable during everyday use.

A power pack that's built to last

At 3,340mAh, the Huawei P30 Lite will typically make its way through the average day with moderate usage, including occasional selfie-snapping, hot-spotting and streaming a 90-minute video. This handset also offers a huge range of optimisation tools within its settings tab, with options such as turning off unused connectivity features and background processes helping to optimise the performance of your power pack.

Triple-camera setup with a primary 48MP lens

Like all Huawei handsets, the P30 Lite boasts an exceptional camera app that features multiple lenses and more megapixels than you can shake a stick at. In truth, there's an impressive triple camera setup featured here, including wide, ultra-wide and depth sensor lenses for capturing various perspectives. This includes a superb, 48MP main camera at the rear, which can snap portraits at a higher resolution even in low light.

The only slight disappointment here is the lack of optical image stabilisation and 4K video support, but these features should not be missed during everyday use and when snapping those all-important selfies.

Enjoy compatibility with the EMUI Interface

One area in which Huawei has looked to save money is through the P30 Lite's interface, which features version 9 of the Chinese brand's EMUI software. While this is more than adequate and allows for quick and reliable performance (in conjunction with the Hisilicon Kirin 710 chipset), this is a version behind the core software featured in the P30 Pro. As a result, the 'Lite' handset doesn't feature EMUI Desktop, meaning that you'll enjoy a slightly less seamless experience in instances where your device is hooked up to a TV monitor.

Some have argued against the viability of the P30 Lite, particularly as there's very little difference between this and the standard P30 handset. Make no mistake; these models compete against one another in the marketplace, although the 'Lite' handset is at least available at a cheaper price and is the most affordable in the range. To see which P30 comes out on top, take a look at our refurbished Huawei deals.

5 real-life highlights

1. The P30 Lite is relatively small with a display of 6.15-inches and minimal thickness that makes the handset easy to hold
2. Watch video content at optimal brightness and Full HD playback
3. Charge your handset from 0% to 100% in a little over one hour and 15 minutes
4. The triple-camera captures shots at a fair and impressive level of contrast, creating impactful images that really pack a punch
5. The P30 Lite's display comes equipped with Full HD-resolution, creating an immersive and fun viewing experience