Kicking things off in 2019, Huawei today launched a new smartphone in India. Dubbed Huawei Y9 (2019), the smartphone marks the debut of the company s Y-series in the country. Given its price tag of Rs 15,990, the Y9 (2019) will compete in the fiercely-contested mid-range segment, rubbing shoulders with smartphones like Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, Realme 2 Pro, and Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro. While it s too early to comment about real-world performance, does Huawei s new mid-ranger stack up well against the competition on paper? Let s find out. Also Read - Lenovo Tab P11 listed on Google Play Console, expected to launch soon
Design & Display
Also Read - Xiaomi Mi A2 gets September 2020 security patch and moreHuawei Y9 (2019) features a glossy rear panel, a design characteristic that s been a highlight of many of the company s recent smartphones. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 has a similar design as well. As for the Realme 2 Pro, it does have a glossy (albeit plastic) back panel, but it s not that reflective. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, on the other hand, features a metallic rear that s more resistant to fingerprints and smudges. Also Read - Nokia 7 Plus update brings September 2020 security patch
Coming to display, all four smartphones feature IPS LCD panels with notches. Huawei Y9 (2019) has the biggest screen of them all a 6.5-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1080×2340 pixels and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 feature 6.26-inch displays with a resolution of 1080×2280 pixels, while Realme 2 Pro sports a slightly-bigger 6.3-inch screen having a resolution of 1080×2340 pixels. It s also worth mentioning that while Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, Huawei Y9 (2019), and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 all have regular notches (albeit of differing widths), the Realme 2 Pro is the only one to come with a funky waterdrop style notch.
Hardware & Software
Huawei s new Y9 (2019) has the company s homegrown HiSilicon Kirin 710 SoC under-the-hood, paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. In comparison, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro uses the tried and tested Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 silicon, complemented by 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.
Both Realme 2 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, on the other hand, are powered by Qualcomm s Snapdragon 660 SoC. The former comes with a choice of 4GB/6GB/8GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of internal storage, while the latter lets you choose between 3GB/4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal storage.
Even when it comes to software, all four smartphones are largely similar, as they all run Android Oreo out-of-the-box. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, Huawei Y9 (2019) and Realme 2 Pro have their own custom UI overlays baked on top, but Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 features a near-stock user experience.
Cameras
Huawei Y9 (2019) features a dual-lens camera system at the back, comprised of a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor. It also has two lenses up front one 13-megapixel sensor and one 2-megapixel sensor. Both camera setups feature a host of AI-based image enhancement features. Talking about Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, it also has a dual-lens rear camera system, comprised of a 12-megapixel sensor and a 5-megapixel sensor. The smartphone has two lenses on the front as well one 20-megapixel sensor and one 2-megapixel sensor.
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 features a dual-lens camera system on the back, made up of a 12-megapixel sensor and a 5-megapixel sensor, but only one 13-megapixel sensor up front for selfies and video calls. Lastly, Realme 2 Pro s dual-lens rear camera system is made up of a 16-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor, while the front-facing camera setup is a single 16-megapixel sensor.
Watch: Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro First Look
Battery
Despite being the smallest among all smartphones, Realme 2 Pro s 3,500mAh battery should be more than enough for all but the most heavy users. On the other hand, Huawei Y9 (2019) and Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro feature 4,00mAh cells. However, it s Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 that wins with its massive 5,000mAh powerpack.
Price
Huawei Y9 (2019) is priced at Rs 15,990. In comparison, Realme 2 Pro starts at Rs 13,990, and goes up to Rs 17,990. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 has a starting price of Rs 12,999 that goes up to Rs 14,999. Lastly, Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro starts off at Rs 13,999 and goes up to Rs 15,999.
Huawei Y9 (2019) vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro vs Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Realme 2 Pro: Comparison table
Features | Huawei Y9 (2019) | Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro | Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 | Realme 2 Pro |
Display | 6.5-inch Full-HD+ | 6.26-inch Full-HD+ | 6.26-inch Full-HD+ | 6.3-inch Full-HD+ |
Processor | HiSilicon Kirin 710 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 |
RAM | 4GB | 4GB/6GB | 3GB/4GB | 4GB/6GB/64GB |
Storage | 64GB (expandable) | 64GB (expandable) | 32GB/64GB (expandable) | 64GB/128GB (expandable) |
Rear Camera | 16-megapixel +
2-megapixel |
12-megapixel +
5-megapixel |
12-megapixel +
5-megapixel |
16-megapixel +
2-megapixel |
Front Camera | 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel | 20-megapixel + 2-megapixel | 13-megapixel | 16-megapixel |
Battery | 4,000mAh | 4,000mAh | 5,000mAh | 3,500mAh |
Connectivity | 4G LTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 4G LTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 4G LTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 4G LTE, Dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Android OS | Android Oreo | Android Oreo | Android Oreo | Android Oreo |
Prices | Rs 15,990 | Starts at Rs 13,999 | Starts at Rs 12,999 | Starts at Rs 13,990 |