Huawei Ascend G7 review

By this point, you probably have a decent idea of what I'm going to say here. The Huawei Ascent G7 is a very capable phone that neither disappoints nor excels in any particular area. This means that it might not be a particularly exciting smartphone, but considering the excellent price of this handset it does exactly what it needs to do.

The fact that it has a very attractive design and excellent battery life means if you're looking for a large, affordable handset that you can depend on, which boasts a number of features you'd often find in more expensive phones, then the Huawei Ascent G7 is definitely worth considering. If you're after something a bit fancier – especially in the screen department – then you'll want something a bit more pricey.

We liked

There's no denying that the Huawei Ascent G7 represents excellent value for money, and you'll be hard pushed to find a handset for a similar amount of money that comes with better specs and a larger screen.

The design of the Ascent G7 is also a clear step up from Huawei's previous models, helping the handset to look and feel a lot more expensive than it actually is.

Finally, the battery life is fantastic, allowing you to use and abuse the handset for two days without having to frantically search for a power adaptor.

We disliked

The fact that the Huawei Ascent G7 comes with Android 4.4, rather than Android 5.0, is a disappointment, and makes the handset already feel a bit dated. The Emotion 3.0 user interface also takes a bit of getting used to, and won't be to everyone's taste.

The low resolution of the screen also reminds you that this is a budget smartphone, and the large 5.5-inch screen is less forgiving than a smaller display would be; however, for the price you can't really expect a screen that would trouble Apple's Retina displays.

Speaking of Apple, the Huawei Ascent G7's design might come off as influenced a little too much by the iPhone, which might put off people who would rather their phones had a more distinctive look.

Verdict

If you want a good all-round smartphone that offers future-proof features such as 4G LTE connectivity and NFC, along with excellent battery life, decent camera and a big screen, all for an impressively low price, then the Huawei Ascent G7 is definitely worth buying.

It's clear that Huawei is serious about improving its image in the West, and with this competitively priced handset and attractive design, it certainly has a chance of doing this.

It's not perfect, however, and there are a few design choices that remind you that this is a budget phone, such as the lower-resolution screen and choice of Android 4.4 as the operating system. If these seem like a few too many compromises, then you'd be better off looking at the OnePlus One.

However, if this is a sign of things to come from Huawei, then we could be in for some very impressive handsets in the future.

First reviewed: March 2015