Overview of the smartphone Huawei Y6s (2019) with key features

When choosing a smartphone, each user wants to get the most features at the lowest price. That is why in the niche of budget mobile devices there are always the most serious "battles" for the attention of users, and the competition is extremely high. For Huawei, 2019 was a difficult year and required a lot of new developments and cardinal decisions, but the result is obvious - the company managed to stay on the smartphone market, and in all price segments. And although the most interesting lines of the Chinese electronics manufacturer are the flagships Mate and the "middle peasants" P Smart, engineers are paying attention to the modest Y-series. Interestingly, Huawei decided not to come up with something new, but simply to update the model that had already taken place in financial terms - Y6 Prime (2018), which gained good popularity due to its low price, good features and mandatory features like a drop camera. A review of the Huawei Y6s (2019) smartphone with the main characteristics will allow not only to understand how the novelty differs from its predecessor, but also to identify the main advantages and disadvantages of the model.

You can quickly get acquainted with the characteristics of the model by viewing the table below:

Appearance

The release of the novelty will take place in January 2020, and much about the phone is already known for certain. So it’s worth saying right away that Huawei didn’t create any revolution, but the device looks no worse than its direct competitors. A large elongated screen, rounded corners and a drop-shaped cutout for the front camera, automatically outwardly take it to a higher level, and only small details remind of belonging to state employees. However, the company has always followed trends and tried to implement as many popular features as possible. As a result, Y6s does not create a feeling of cheapness, but it is not much different from its predecessors.

One of the little things that gives out an entry-level device in the phone is thick edges. And although they are quite a bit wider than the flagship models, it is noticeable. The protruding chin should also be included here, on which the inscription “Huawei” also flaunts, which additionally focuses attention on it.By the way, in official photos, the model looks much better than in amateur and insider shots. There is nothing unusual here - the company just successfully chose the angle and desktop wallpaper for the novelty, and therefore this should be taken into account when buying online.

On the front side, there is a drop-camera, a speaker and an LED indicator on top. The case itself is completely made of plastic. An interesting feature is that in black the model has a glossy cover and matte edges, in blue it is completely matte. The previous model also had a brown leather-look variant (which looked good), but the Y6s will only be available in Orchid Blue and Starry Black.

All controls are placed on the right side - these are the volume rockers and the power button. The left side is completely free from buttons, but has a slot for a memory card. On the top side there is a 3.5 mm mini-jack connector, on the bottom there is a USB port, a speaker and a microphone.

On the back of the smartphone in the upper left corner is a single camera. Below it is a vertical inscription "13 Mp" and an LED flash. It looks good in general, but earlier, due to the location of the sensor and the inscription on the protruding hill, there was an imitation of the vertical camera popular in 2020, and the overall look was more expensive. The fingerprint sensor, which is expected for a budget class model, is located on the rear panel, in its upper part, slightly below and to the right of the main camera. As with many low-cost Huawei smartphones, the company has placed a horizontal brand name inscription in the lower left corner.Previously, tips on disposing of the device and a crossed-out bin icon were applied opposite it, which the owners did not particularly like - now there are no markings on the right.

Taking a quick look at the phone's design, it's easy to see that it's pretty much the same as previous versions, with the exception of a couple of details, but the device still looks attractive and more expensive than it's worth.

cameras

Of course, you should not expect too much from a budget smartphone in terms of image quality, because good optics are quite expensive. However, in 2020, even inexpensive smartphones are equipped with sensors that allow you to take bright and vivid photos. Not the last role is played by the camera software and optimization, which makes it possible for even relatively simple sensors to show good results.

As for Huawei Y6s, the smartphone received a single main camera with a resolution of 13 MP module, as well as f / 1.8 aperture. The camera does not have any interesting features and chips, in addition to the standard photo modes (manual mode), video shooting, “beauty”, panorama and HDR. The interface itself is standard for Huawei smartphones. Videos can be shot in 1080p at 30fps.

The quality of photos in good light is quite decent, but as soon as you start shooting at night or in poor light, it will immediately become clear that the owner has a simple matrix with a lot of noise in front of him. By the way, a good aperture with f / 1.8 aperture is not capable of performing a miracle and pulling out the overall image quality at least to an average level.

The front camera is also not far from the main camera - its 8 MP sensor has a good f / 2.0 aperture, but this also did not save the smartphone from noise (all the problems listed above are also relevant here).You can record videos in 1080p resolution at 30 frames.

Summing up, it is difficult to say something good about the new cameras. It will be possible to take good photos or selfies only in ideal conditions, at the slightest glare or at dusk the camera starts to “make noise” and blur. However, the quality of the sensors is fully justified by the price of a smartphone, but I would like something better. It may be a phone suitable for active gaming or watching movies by undemanding users, but all fans of selfies and just photos are likely to be disappointed.

Modest but up-to-date

Speaking of modern mobile devices, it is impossible not to highlight how powerful and productive they have become - today's outsiders in the ratings, a few years ago would have been top flagships. Unfortunately, the Y6s also falls into this category with its 85,000 points in popular benchmarks. However, despite the very low performance for a 2020 device, this Huawei model is able to run almost all modern games, including PUBG at low graphics settings (of course, FPS will gradually sag during the game). Also useful information for everyone who is looking at an inexpensive phone for games will be the fact that the processor of the device often heats up and starts to lose performance, so the comfort of playing in demanding applications is in question.

Performance

It's no secret that the budget segment today is the most competitive market among mobile devices. Modern technologies allow you to create very productive gadgets at affordable prices. True, in the case of this niche, lower price tags usually mean that the manufacturer saves on some of the parts of the device.However, low-cost smartphones usually rely on power, because games develop and require more and more resources, and this must be taken into account for those who are looking for an inexpensive phone for entertainment.

The new product is equipped with a 12-nanometer chipset of the middle (still closer to the initial) level Mediatek MT6765 Helio P35. Among the features of this SoC, one can single out good performance in benchmarks and superiority over the popular Qualcomm single-chip counterparts - Snapdragon 450 and 625. An eight-core bundle of productive and economical Cortex-A53 with a frequency of 4 × 2.3 GHz and 4 × 1.8 GHz.

Y6s also has a PowerVR GE8320 graphics processor belonging to the Series8XE (GE8xx0) series on board, which means it supports OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 1.2, Android NN HAL API and Vulkan 1.0. This platform does not show anything interesting, since it was officially introduced back in 2014.

As far as gaming performance is concerned, PUBG Mobile can be appreciated at around 25fps on low settings. For comparison, the popular fighting game Shadow Fight 3 will show a more comfortable 50 frames, even at high graphics settings.

By the way, technologically the smartphone is also not too surprising - Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.2, HSPA 42.2 / 5.76 Mbps, LTE-A. NFC is present at all in only one version - JAT-LX1 (the lineup includes versions of JAT-LX3, JAT-L29, JAT-LX1, JAT-L41).

storage

The models will also differ in the amount of memory. In 2020, it’s quite difficult to surprise someone with the size of the drive, and therefore Huawei doesn’t even try, rolling out smartphones with 32 GB of ROM and 3 GB of RAM, as well as 64 GB of ROM and 3 GB of RAM, to the market.The company's decision to diversify the series with internal storage is commendable, however, the lack of variation with 128 GB of ROM and the same RAM values ​​in all models does not look too attractive. On the good side, there is a MicroSD tray that can accommodate both a flash card and two SIM cards at the same time, so the problem of lack of space in the internal storage is quite solvable (support for external cards up to 256 GB).

Operating system

Everything is quite expected here - the smartphone from the box runs Android 9 Pie. EMUI 9.1 is used as the shell, which is well known to fans of the brand's technology. The system works without errors, there are many unique applications, the interface of many components has been changed, there are own settings. The OS works stably, to the best of the capabilities of the processor and RAM.

The navigation system, which can be customized, as well as gesture control, looks interesting.

Screen

Large and elongated screens have already become not just fashionable, but essentially necessary for normal sales of mobile devices. Huawei does not invent anything and simply implements the achievements of past models, equipping the Y6s with a 6.09-inch display. The resolution of the IPS LCD display is 1560x720 pixels with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, which makes the picture clear and bright, but it is still clear that the device lacks a modest 282 ppi and gives it a representative of the budget segment.

However, despite the low resolution, it is quite possible to perceive information from the smartphone screen even in the sun, thanks to a wide range of brightness. Also, using the settings, you can adjust the temperature of the light, which allows you to configure your smartphone for comfortable work (there are 3 standard modes and the ability to manually adjust).A little about the modes: the standard mode shows good performance, especially contrast, but the images look "cold". But the “warm” mode pleases with good color reproduction, close to natural.

The usable screen area turned out to be a little unexpected, which amounted to only 79.2%, which is quite small in 2020, although this is not very noticeable “by eye”.

Summing up, we can state that the device has a good screen, convenient for everyday use, but clearly not enough for those who like to watch movies in high quality.

autonomy

Probably, one of the most common reasons why users change old smartphones lies precisely in the battery - a short battery life in the modern world is not just inconvenient, but may well cause real trouble. As for the novelty, everything here is sadly predictable - a 3020 mAh Li-Po battery. However, modest figures are skillfully covered by the features of the phone and Huawei technologies. So, low screen resolution, budget hardware (with energy-efficient cores available) and proprietary power saving modes help the phone stay “alive” for up to two days, subject to normal use. When playing, watching movies, and talking on social networks, the charge will begin to melt much faster, but it should still be enough for a day.

And another feature that potential buyers are unlikely to like is the use of outdated Micro USB 2.0.

Technologies, communication standards, dimensions

This section is sometimes able to surprise because, despite the budget of many devices, manufacturers often complete their devices with interesting technologies and popular features.However, this list is also useful for those who do not want to accidentally purchase a phone with outdated or completely absent standards.

• Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2;
• Network and Internet: GSM, HSPA, LTE;
• Navigation: A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS;
• Sensors: Fingerprint (rear), accelerometer, proximity;
• Dimensions: 5 x 156.3 x 8 mm;
• Optional: microUSB, Jack5.

In technological terms, the model cannot boast of modern Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac / n or Bluetooth 5.0, and the use of microUSB does not add to its popularity. Of the pluses, we can single out the presence of a 3.5 mm mini-jack and, oddly enough, NFC (although it is only in one JAT-LX1 model).

Summing up

Huawei is one of the most famous companies in today's mobile market, and although the company is experiencing some difficulties, their products are still one of the most affordable and popular. However, Huawei Y6s (2019) can hardly be called a product worthy of the brand. Despite its price tag, the device comes with rather mediocre components. In addition, the updated version of Y6 received not too noticeable advantages, and even external differences from its predecessor. Perhaps the decision to "not reinvent the wheel" and looks justified in an attempt to update the lineup of the budget segment as quickly as possible against the backdrop of updating the flagships, but if this trend takes hold, the company risks losing its positions.

Despite the advantages that the model certainly has, including pleasant colors and the presence of NFC, there is nothing to distinguish the device from its competitors - this is an ordinary budget smartphone with little pretensions for the middle price niche.As netizens and experts point out, the smartphone is quite competitive, but does not have any zest that could elevate it.

• Big screen;
• Good contrast;
• Design;
• Tray for two SIM and MicroSD;
• Attractive cost ($160);
• Good operating time in economy mode;
• Suitable for games at low and medium graphics settings;
• The presence of a mini jack 3.5 mm;
• Available version with NFC.

• Frame thickness;
• Lack of USB Type C;
• Usable screen area;
• Outdated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2;
• Low screen resolution;
• Camera quality;
• Low performance.

As a result, Y6s is an interesting option as an inexpensive work phone, a smartphone for children and those who want to purchase an inexpensive device with a stylish appearance, and do not rely on performance and cameras. However, it is already clear that the $160 novelty is clearly not destined to become an uncompromising market leader.