Impressions coming from a Nexus 6P to the Mate 9

[PaulQ]

I thought some you might be interested in the some of the differences coming from a Nexus 6P, especially if you are checking out this forum and have a 6P in your hands. I posted this on the 6P forum:

http://forums.androidcentral.com/ne...-what-i-ve-noticed-coming-6p.html#post5650500

 

[Dconn1975]

I thought some you might be interested in the some of the differences coming from a Nexus 6P, especially if you are checking out this forum and have a 6P in your hands. I posted this on the 6P forum:

http://forums.androidcentral.com/ne...-what-i-ve-noticed-coming-6p.html#post5650500

Well written mini review. I too owned a 6p and I personally loved it but ultimately it was returned for the Honor 8. I use two phones, one with a smaller to average size screen like the honor 8 and then I have become to like my second number phone or back up to be a large screen phone. I am looking at the Mate 9 very hard myself and at the moment if it weren't for my other expensive hobby with are high end automatic Swiss Dive Watches, I'd already have gotten the Mate 9. I'm trying to figure out a way to fit the current watch I want in with the current phone I want which is the Mate 9. I'm glad to read your review as I believe you chose a very good comparable device to give lots of 6p owners real world Mate 9 feedback. Excellent decision man. I know it helped me to only validate what my research and thoughts were of the Mate 9 already. Now I just need to talk myself out of this expensive watch to free up funds for the Mate 9. It's tough when you have two passions that get in the way of each other. I am always buying new phones and tablets trying them out but that has slowed down tremendously since I fell for the Honor 8. Now I have the Media Pad 3 from Huawei Honor that is every bit as good as the iPad pro 9.7 and lastly I recently as of this week won a Honor 5X from here on the forums without even knowing I was competing to win it! Lol. I was honored to be honored lol!! I just want that 5.9 inch screen so eventually whether it's tomorrow or a few weeks off, I will end up with the mate 9. Ironically before I saw or read your review or knew about the mate 9, I had planned on picking up a 64g 6p as instead of the 32g I used to own. Now I'm 100 percent sure I'm getting the mate 9. I strongly believe if Huawei stays their course, stays to their roots and loyal customers that within two more US based years of strong precense here that they will in fact surpass Samsung as the leading Android device amongst the ever growing tech crowd that has become widely aware of specs and who now have a better general understanding knowledge of what they are spec wise buying rather then solely buying the device name. Times, they are changing!!

 

[cortezi]

....I am looking at the Mate 9 very hard myself and at the moment if it weren't for my other expensive hobby with are high end automatic Swiss Dive Watches, I'd already have gotten the Mate 9. I'm trying to figure out a way to fit the current watch I want in with the current phone I want which is the Mate 9....!

very similar situation to yours with one exception: my affection for Grand Seiko & Prospex Master spring drive diver watches. nonetheless, i postponed my next watch purchase to get the Mate 9 and, for my needs, it's an excellent fit. i've been using a S7 Edge for 8 months now (primarily due to Note 7 fiasco) and while it's met my needs during that time, i've suffered from big screen withdrawals, stylus and preference for less curved screen. enter the Mate 9... been using for a week now and this will likely become my daily driver barring any unforseen, show-stopping issues. big screen withdrawals have been 85% addressed, purchased an Adonit 2 stylus, i have a flat screen and the battery life is simply stellar. i've been very pleasantly surprised

 

[Gdwheel]

I have been using the Mate 9 for about 10 days and wanted to post my thoughts. I tried to wait a few days because I often like a phone a lot while setting it up, only to find faults after using the phone a few days. I have used about every one of the top phones on the market (iPhone 7+, Pixel XL, S7 Edge, 6P, LG G5 and V20, HTC 10, Moto Z, One+3, Axon 7, etc.) and this is the best phone on the market right now, in my opinion. It has the best combination of size, screen, software, battery life and camera.

Screen quality is always very important to me and I returned a number of phones because I could not stand the screen (LG I am looking at you). I was concerned about the 1080p, relatively low pixel density LCD screen, particularly considering the big 5.9 inch screen. In fact, I initially dismissed the thought of getting the Mate 9 for that reason. However, the screen is great. I can put it up next to the Pixel XL and look at the exact same things (pictures on 500 px, games, various apps) and rarely do I notice the difference between it and the AMOLED screen. It is much better than the smaller 1080p screens on the 7+, One+3, etc. I don't know how Huawei did it, but the screen is impressive considering the specs.

The battery is awesome. The software with Nougat flies. It has a much larger screen in the same size body as the iPhone 7+ and the Pixel XL. Connectivity has been good (bluetooth works better than the Pixel). It works well on AT&T -- of course HD Voice is not available. I have not taken many pictures yet, so I cannot really comment on the camera.

I have a hard time finding fault with this phone. Hopefully, Huawei will support it and issue quick security and other (7.1.1) updates.

 

[Wildo6882]

I'd really like to see more picture samples from this phone. It looks like I'd really like it, but that is a huge thing for me. I have a OP3T right now and the camera in non-perfect light definitely leaves something to be desired. It's otherwise a great phone.

 

[uw]

watches and phones will be the cause of my divorce.. hahaha.. found a craigslist ad for a mate 9 for $500.. debating if i should jump on that..

good taste on the grand seiko and the prospex.. re-issue of the prospex samurai is looking really good..

 

[dpham00]

watches and phones will be the cause of my divorce.. hahaha.. found a craigslist ad for a mate 9 for $500.. debating if i should jump on that..

good taste on the grand seiko and the prospex.. re-issue of the prospex samurai is looking really good..

Just make sure it isn't fake.

 

[Gayle Lynn]

For a phone it seemed excellent, if you want perfection I'd say get a camera.

 

[Gdwheel]

I wanted to add a couple things to my comments above. First, this phone flies! It is the fastest phone I have used. I put it next to my Pixel XL and the Mate 9 is faster at everything it does. The UI is fast, but even the amount of time it takes from boot-up to syncing and downloading emails is amazingly fast. I use BB Hub and on every other phone it takes quite a while to download emails after the phone first starts up, but on the M 9 it is instantaneous. Email notifications are immediate. The quickness in downloading and installing updates from the Google Store is also amazing. There will be an occasional hiccup, just like I have experienced with every other Android phone, but it generally just flies.

I like to switch between my 4 phones because I get bored (and i have the grass is greener syndrome), but I have a hard time using any of the others since I got the M9. I popped the SIM back in my S7 Edge and even with Nougat sideloaded on it, it is a serious dog compared to the M9. I cannot stand how slow it is at everything. It is hard to justify using the 7+ and XL with their smaller screens on bodies that are essentially the same size (only slightly narrower). The M9 screen blows away the iPhone screen and I really tried to compare the screens of the XL and M9 and had a hard time finding instances where the XL was noticeably better.

Considering that the M9 is significantly less expensive than those other phones, it is impressive. I still have the reservations I mentioned above (security and updates), but it is a very good phone.

 

[Wildo6882]

I wanted to add a couple things to my comments above. First, this phone flies! It is the fastest phone I have used. I put it next to my Pixel XL and the Mate 9 is faster at everything it does. The UI is fast, but even the amount of time it takes from boot-up to syncing and downloading emails is amazingly fast. I use BB Hub and on every other phone it takes quite a while to download emails after the phone first starts up, but on the M 9 it is instantaneous. Email notifications are immediate. The quickness in downloading and installing updates from the Google Store is also amazing. There will be an occasional hiccup, just like I have experienced with every other Android phone, but it generally just flies.

I like to switch between my 4 phones because I get bored (and i have the grass is greener syndrome), but I have a hard time using any of the others since I got the M9. I popped the SIM back in my S7 Edge and even with Nougat sideloaded on it, it is a serious dog compared to the M9. I cannot stand how slow it is at everything. It is hard to justify using the 7+ and XL with their smaller screens on bodies that are essentially the same size (only slightly narrower). The M9 screen blows away the iPhone screen and I really tried to compare the screens of the XL and M9 and had a hard time finding instances where the XL was noticeably better.

Considering that the M9 is significantly less expensive than those other phones, it is impressive. I still have the reservations I mentioned above (security and updates), but it is a very good phone.

What are your thoughts on the camera? Have you taken any pics of moving objects? I'm really interested in this phone. I have a OP3T right now and the camera lets me down - it's far worse than my over year old 6s Plus - and the screen is just "meh". I'm looking at ditching the OP3T for this, since it really isn't that much more, but I'd like to see some more picture samples.

 

[Gdwheel]

I have not taken any pictures yet that test the camera. I will try to take some and report back. I like good photography, but am not much of a photographer myself. I leave that to my wife. The reviews I have seen are pretty good for the M9 camera, but I really can't comment. Sorry.

 

[DamianP]

I have not taken any pictures yet that test the camera. I will try to take some and report back. I like good photography, but am not much of a photographer myself. I leave that to my wife. The reviews I have seen are pretty good for the M9 camera, but I really can't comment. Sorry.

I find the camera(after a day of initial testing ) to be adequate but not great. The shutter is fast, the experience is fast, but comparing to my V20 it's not quite as good, especially in low light.

 

[Fred98TJ]

I find the camera(after a day of initial testing ) to be adequate but not great. The shutter is fast, the experience is fast, but comparing to my V20 it's not quite as good, especially in low light.

What version of sw are you on ? Posting about camera performance without the sw version isn't helpful. Mine just upgraded to B138 and i can say that the camera is one of the best that I've ever used, including samsung phones.


Fred

 

[DamianP]

What version of sw are you on ? Posting about camera performance without the sw version isn't helpful. Mine just upgraded to B138 and i can say that the camera is one of the best that I've ever used, including samsung phones.


Fred

I'm running B138 as well. I'm not saying it's a bad camera, it's just not the best, especially at lowlight conditions from my comparisons to the V20. I also have a OP3 and Nexus up for comparison.

 

[Ev C]

I'm running B138 as well. I'm not saying it's a bad camera, it's just not the best, especially at lowlight conditions from my comparisons to the V20. I also have a OP3 and Nexus up for comparison.

I love this phone to death and cameras on phones are very important to me. So I have to admit that the lowlight performance in the Mate 9 is subpar compared to the 6P. I have decided to keep it because that is the only thing wrong with the phone other than the headphone jack in the top. I have other phones for low light so I'm not as concerned. The camera otherwise is great.

Tips that I have found to improve the camera. Because I am a Samsung and 6P user and like the more saturated photos that they take. I found that you can dial up the standard saturation in the Mate camera in the camera settings under image adjustment settings. Move the saturation from default to up to +1 and things get better. If you like more muted colors leave it alone.

Lastly, view your mate 9 photos on a super AMOLED display and you will also notice a difference in how they look. Not for lowlight though.

 

[Fred98TJ]

This is just playing around some and even before the B138 update. To the right of the gate is so dark I could hardly see anything with naked eye.

Fred

 

[Fred98TJ]

View attachment 251075 This is just playing around some and even before the B138 update. To the right of the gate is so dark I could hardly see anything with naked eye.

Fred

Even can see some stars in the sky.

 

[Fred98TJ]

Couple more photos, before the B138 update.

 

[Ev C]

I've only ever been on B138 from day one.

 

[Fred98TJ]

I've only ever been on B138 from day one.

Mine came with B110 and only after I installed my sim did it update to B126, then later another update (I forgot) and just recently another update to B138.

Fred