LOOK: Test Shots from the Best Smartphone from the Budget Category, the HUAWEI Y7a

Over the years, HUAWEI has proven time and time again its superiority when it comes to smartphone cameras and mobile technology innovations. For me, it’s very safe to say that HUAWEI is indeed #1 when it comes to smartphone cameras especially with their P and Mate Series line. Just take a look at their yearly DXO Mark ratings.

If I remember right, it was in 2018 or 2019 when HUAWEI started to integrate their flagship features into their entry-level (Y Series) and Mid-range (nova series) category. In my opinion, this bold move was a game-changer in the industry because they made it possible for even people on a budget to capture awesome photos, experience cutting-edge AI technology and enjoy better over-all smartphone user experience.

This year, HUAWEI decided to rebrand their entry-level Y series with a more youthful image packed with flagship features, better camera performance and sophisticated design. And the best part about this is that it’s priced at only P8,999! Yep, a Y for Youth, Y for You! They call it the HUAWEI Y7a and this week, I’m going to tell you Y it’s super worth your every hard-earned peso and Y it’s made for You and Me.

 

Reason #1: The Camera is Amazing AF

For the price of ONLY P8,999, you get a smartphone with a 48MP AI Quad Camera system like what a flagship phone would usually have. The camera system includes a 48MP High-Resolution Main Camera, an 8MP 120° UltraWide Angle Camera, a 2MP Macro Camera and a 2MP Depth Camera. With this, you’ll get to capture memories in sharp vivid detail. With the help of HUAWEI’s advanced AI capabilities, you can capture selfies, food shots, landscapes, portraits, animals, concerts, sports, nature, blue sky and so much more effortlessly.

Personally, I love HUAWEI’s fast autofocus when selecting my subjects. This is something which I struggle on other brands. With HUAWEI, I rarely get blurred shots or have issues with composition. The Y7a may not carry the Leica technology found in their flagship line, yet HUAWEI’s standard camera alone is of superior performance.

Let me discuss the camera features further by showing you some side by side shots using the Y7a along with my current favourite Lightroom filter. I like adding colour filters on my photos these days to add more personality, charm and mood to my visual story-telling.

8MP selfie camera

Here’s a sample selfie which I took outdoors using the Y7a’s 8MP selfie camera. The Y7a’s 8MP selfie camera lets you create ready-to-share selfies no matter what light scenario you may have. Best, of course, to use natural light and a good light source when taking photos but in case of really low light environments, a Circular Flash will be automatically enabled to provide you with soft lighting. You may also use its built-in AI Beauty feature to make sure you take mesmerizingly clear selfies with ease. For this photo, I set my AI Beauty level to 3.

 

Capture Landscapes with its 8MP Ultra-Wide-Angle Camera

The 8MP Ultra-Wide-Angle Camera provides a 120° field of view that lets you capture stunning landscapes. Another cool thing about this ultra-wide-angle camera is that, it can now also take videos with it. If you like to vlog your travels, this is a nice feature to use.

 

Here’s a photo of the towers where I live. With the Y7a’s 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera feature, I can fully capture buildings and architecture with ease. I also didn’t notice much distortion here which is great!

Here’s another ultra-wide-angle shot with SUNSET AI scenario mode. Notice the details of the leaves on the foreground and also the buildings in the horizon which are super clear. The sunset photo also isn’t over exposed. Aside from the retro filter, I didn’t make any adjustments with the exposure. The AI does an amazing job!

Here’s a wide angle landscape photo shot during night time. This shot isn’t edited at all, yet it still looks vibrant and detailed. I love the details of the clouds. No sign of over-exposure and distortion too.

 

The 48MP Camera

Believe it or not,  this P8,999 budget smartphone has a legit 48MP high resolution main camera fitted with a 1/2-inch sensor and f/1.8 aperture. This feature is something which I usually find in flagships categories.

I love the colors and the details which this 48MP camera gives me with each photo. I love taking food photos and as you know, food looks more enticing on picture when you see sharp crisp details and natural colors. The 48MP combined with HUAWEI’s AI makes my photos so alive. Simply choose the Pro Camera option to access the 48MP camera.

Its large sensor and wide aperture allows the increase of light intake for lower noise and better image quality. The photos can be printed as high-quality posters with a size of up to 2.1m x 2.8m if you wish to have them framed.

 

2MP Macro Camera

Its 2MP Macro Camera can capture small subjects for up to 4cm from the lens. Check this out… I found this little hole by the pool so I thought I should check out what’s inside and test out my Y7a’s macro camera.

 

2MP Depth Camera

For more dramatic/artsy shots, HUAWEI included a 2MP Depth Camera that works with the main camera to create big aperture effects. It also makes subjects look sharper and stand out from the background. Here are some samples with flowers as my subjects taken outdoors. Notice that the big flowers are more defined and the ones on the background are blurred.

 

Night Shot Mode

Another camera feature with I love with the HUAWEI Y7a is its AI Night mode. Capturing stunning night shots are so easy with the Y7a. All you have to do is frame/compose your shot, select the Night Mode option, click it and keep still for 4-6 seconds and you’ll get photos like these….

 

Reason #2: Gaming Experience is Satisfying!

During my free time, I make sure to play mobile games in order to refresh my brain and distract myself from stressful work from home situations. I love playing Mobile Legends and recently became fond of FREE FIRE as well. With my Y7a, I enjoy smooth gaming experience with every use. The screen size is just right for me and I can comfortably grip my hands to it. The graphics may not be as advanced as the ones you experience with flagship phones, but I think the overall experience was highly satisfying. Sound quality is also nice. It may be a budget phone, but it doesn’t feel “cheap” at all.

Reason #3: Has a Hefty 5000mAh Battery Capacity

HUAWEI is no doubt the leader in battery endurance. The Y7a is loaded with 5000mAh battery and 22.5W HUAWEI SuperCharging- the highest super charging feature in the entry level smartphone segment. HUAWEI knows that Gen Zs need a lot of juice to keep up with social media life in 2020. It charges so fast that you get to enjoy two hours of video playback with just 10 minutes charging.

With HUAWEI’s AI Power Saving technology, you will get to enjoy power all day long with its eight optimization solutions that can also automatically address abnormal battery consumption.

 

Reason #4: Has a HUGE Screen! Great for Binge watching

HUAWEI Y7a is equipped with a big 6.67”, 2400 x 1080, FHD+ screen which makes it a great device for binge-watching, browsing, reading etc.

For me, the screen isn’t too big, nor small as I can still comfortably grip it with my hands and it still perfectly fits my pocket. I love how detailed and clear the screen is. My eyes don’t get stressed too much because of its blue light filtering through a low blue light TÜV Rheinland certified Eye Comfort mode.

 

Reason #5: Fast with a Lot of Storage

For only P8,999 you get a smartphone with a hefty built-in 128GB storage and 4GB RAM to back up countless selfies, groufies, vlogs, music, games, apps and all other entertainment downloads. You can also expand storage of up to 512GB with an external memory card, so the fun really never stops.

 

Reason #6: Dazzling Design + HUAWEI Exclusive Features

The Y7a colour variants look so rad that it passes as a fashion accessory. It has three eye-catching colour variants: Crush Green, Blush Gold and Midnight Black.  I have the Blush Gold and I super love it! I’m not really a “girly” type of girl, but I adore how feminine it looks. I’d even get random inquiries from people asking me what phone do I have because the color is so pretty.

Aside from its dazzling design, I also get to enjoy my favorite HUAWEI exclusive features like their FULL-HD Video calling app called MEETime. With this, I get to see my friends and loved ones clearly in real time. No pixelated videos or choppy voices. This is one of my all-time favorite HUAWEI features and I’m so happy to enjoy it on my Y7a.

Also, HUAWEI’s Knuckable feature rocks! No more need to press buttons when taking a screenshot. All you have to do is lightly tap the screen twice with your knuckles and voila!

 

Oh, before I forget, the HUAWEI Y7a is powered with a Kirin 710A with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, which allows multiple apps to run smoothly at the same time, perfect for those who are highly active on social media.

 

Moreover, HUAWEI Y7a features a side-mounted fingerprint button for security. Simply tap on it to wake up and unlock the device securely in the blink of an eye. You can also use the fingerprint button to wake up the voice assistant quickly.

 

Reason #7: The AppGallery and Petal Search Widget

All HUAWEI devices are pre-installed with AppGallery, which offers a wealth of global and localized apps that enrich the Huawei device user experience. You can search, download, manage and share mobile apps on it, as well as enjoy exclusive local activities and special offers, with new content from top providers being added on a continuous basis.

 

No need to worry because several Google apps can work on Huawei devices. Take for example Gmail- there’s no more need to have the Gmail app because has a pre-installed HUAWEI EMAIL app where you can log in both Gmail and Yahoo Mail. YouTube, Google Drive, Google Search can be accessed via Huawei browser and can be placed on Huawei devices homescreen too.

For the Y7a, social savvy Gen Zs may download their favorite apps like FreeFire, Mobile Legends, TikTok and many more!  

 

Here’s a list of leading apps which users can download at the AppGallery:

Social and Entertainment: ZOOM Cloud Meetings, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, Line, Viu, iFlix, WeSing, Kumu, Wattpad, Real Drum, iWant, Musixmatch, SoundHound, Midifun Karaoke, MX Player, 9GAG, Cashalo, Pinterest, Platinum Digital Songbook,  SM Cinema, WeChat,  Snapchat, iFlix, WISH 107.5, Kumu, Twitch, VLC, imo, Weibo

Shopping: Shopee, Lazada, Booky, Metrodeal, Watsons, Beauty MNL, Zaful , OLX Buy and Sell, Atome,  My Home Credit, Shopback, Carousell, Viu, Viber, Akulaku, Oshopping, Ali Express, Alibaba, MetroDeal

Business and Finance: SSS, PayMaya, Gcash, Cliqq, Metro Bank App, BDO Mobile, BPI Mobile, SSS, Union Bank, Globe At Home, Fast Cash, LANDBank, Pesoloan, Pondo Peso, Robinsons Rewards, GlobeOne, Eastwest Mobile, PNB Mobile Banking, Security Bank, My SMAC

Food and Delivery: LBC Connect, foodpanda, McDo, Shakey’s Super App, Eatigo, Cliqq by 7-eleven, Booky, Lalamove, Zomato,

Games: FreeFire, Mobile Legends, Asphalt9, Lords Mobile, Candy Crush, Plants Vs. Zombies

Work and Education:  Meriam-Webster Documents, Swift Keyboard, SHAREit, Microsoft Office Mobile Suite

News: GMA News, ABS-CBN News, Flipboard, ClickTheCity

GPS and Maps, and other tools: HERE WeGo, AccuWeather, DU Recorder, QR & Barcode Scanner, Speedtest by Ookla, ES File Explorer File Manager,  Clean Manager, CamScanner, CM Launcher 3D, Parallel Space

Travel: Traveloka, Trivago, Uber, Skyscanner, Klook, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, Booking.com,

Editing: Canva, Cam 360, VidMate, WPS Office, PicsArt, Beauty Plus, Filmora Go, VLC, Youcut, Viva Video

Meanwhile, HUAWEI’s Petal Search Widget is a new search tool that allows Huawei smartphone owners to search and find everything they need like apps, news, images, and more

Petal Search allows you to install apps not only from AppGallery but also from official and third-party websites. It also provides suggestions and trending apps information. The search tool does not limit the results to news, images, and entertainment only. It lists apps from a number of sources and always lists the origin of the source alongside. The Huawei AppGallery is completely integrated into the widget and any apps already available in the AppGallery will appear at the top of any search in the new tool. Hundreds of new apps continue to be added to the AppGallery every week.

With all these amazing features mentioned above, believe it or not, it’s only priced at P8,999! It’s a steal right? No wonder people especially Gen Zs are going crazy about it!

Check out these links to purchase the HUAWEI Y7a:

Click HERE to directly purchase from their HUAWEI Store

You may also purchase from these online stores

• Lazada: https://tinyurl.com/y3ysornu 

• Shopee: https://tinyurl.com/yxeu98kn 

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