Huawei Ascend W1 Pro Reviews

Huawei's Ascend W1 is a well-crafted device that'll impress anyone making their first tentative steps into the world of smartphones. If you're only motivated by price, aren't fussed about the limited storage options and won't be taking a lot of pictures, then this is an eminently sensible purchase. It's only when you consider the unit in a broader context that its flaws begin to show, and we do feel obligated to tell you if there's a better option available. For instance, if you stack it up against the Lumia 520, the W1's superior looks, better build quality, forward-facing camera, bigger battery and overall performance make it stand out. But, the 520 boasts twice the internal storage (8GB) and twice the microSD card capacity (up to 64GB), which may tempt those who take their music collection with them. Both units have weak primary cameras, and as such, we still think that if you've got the extra cash lying around, your best bet is still to stick with the Lumia 620.

An excellent Windows phone with a good camera and stunning battery life, all for a great price

Huawei wants to mingle in the still new Windows Phone 8 market with its brand new Ascend W1. The manufacturer's debut is successful. The bright IPS screen is seldom seen in the 200 Euros (~$259) price range and contributes largely to the Ascend’s good impression. The above-average, long battery runtime and decent equipment wrapped up in an elegant design are also compelling. The power-duo from Qualcomm is strong enough for all applications and ensures swift routine use. The small working memory of only 512 MB is a minor bottleneck that may prevent running a few apps. Consequently, we cannot give Huawei's Ascend W1 an unlimited purchase recommendation because this debut was not completely impeccable. Like almost all low-budget Windows phones, the test device suffers from the ridiculously small internal net storage capacity of only 2 GB. The well-meant micro SD interface only expands the storage capacity for multimedia files, but not for apps due to system-related reasons. Buyers who can accept the cons and are looking for a decently equipped Windows Phone 8 smartphone for a good price of currently 185 Euros (~$239) can take this device. However, it should be carefully compared with Nokia's Lumia 620 and HTC's Windows Phone 8S beforehand.