Our quick take

Huawei Mate 9: Alternatives to consider

OnePlus 3T

  • £399

Google Pixel XL

  • £719

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Huawei Mate 9 Pro

  • China only (£TBC)

Huawei Mate 9 - 4.0 / 5

  • Best smartphones 2018: The best phones available to buy today Upcoming phones: The future smartphones of 2018

How big is the Mate 9 design?

  • 5.9-inch 1920 x 1080 resolution display 156.9 x 78.9 x 7.9mm metal body, 190g Available in white or silver (black front) in UK

  • Huawei Mate 9 vs Huawei Mate 8: What’s the difference? Best Android phones: These are the Androids you’re looking for

  • Huawei Mate 9 vs Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design: What’s the difference?

  • Huawei Mate 9 Pro preview: The Mate we wanted all along

How does the Mate 9 perform?

  • Kirin 960 chipset, octa-core (4x 2.4GHz, 4x1.8GHz) Mali G71 MP8 GPU, Vulkan API 4GB RAM, 64GB on-board storage (plus microSD)

What is the Mate 9’s software like?

  • Android 7.0 with EMUI 5.0 skin App twin for dual WhatsApp / Messenger Knock Knock knuckle-based commands

  • Mate 9 Pro preview: The Mate we wanted all along

How long does the Mate 9’s battery last?

  • 4,000mAh battery USB-C charging Average 16-hours life per charge

The Mate 9 isn’t going to explode too, right?

  • 4.5V 5A SuperCharge fast-charging Dynamic current adjustment based on source

Huawei Mate 9 review: What’s this born to last stuff about?

  • Intelligent algorithm to improve device longevity Prioritises your favourite apps, based on use

Why does the Mate 9 have two cameras? What can dual cameras do?

  • Twin 27mm f/2.2 equivalent rear cameras 12MP colour and 20MP monochrome sensors Optical image stabilisation 4K video (H.265 compression)

To recap

The Mate 9 also sees a price jump, which at £549 is now knocking on the door of its Apple and Google competitors. It undercuts them slightly, plus delivers headline features such as a decent dual camera. But with that price gap now closing, the Porsche Design model casting a shadow of sorts, and few points of distinction to really set the Mate 9 apart, Huawei is largely banking on Samsung’s explosive exit from this market to succeed.