
Huawei Ascend P2 Android phone (preview)
The Huawei Ascend P2, dubbed the "world's fastest 4G LTE smartphone", supports download speeds of up to 150Mbps
Pros
- Cat 4 LTE speeds
- Slim and lightweight design
- Physical camera button
Cons
- Display isn’t Full HD
- No expandable memory
- Ships with older version of Android
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a reasonably cheap Android smartphone with a 4G data connection, Huawei wants your attention. The Ascend P2 is designed to compete with high-end smartphones without breaking the bank.
-
Price
$ 504.00 (AUD)
Huawei claims its latest Android smartphone offers the fastest download speeds in the world. The Ascend P2, dubbed the "world's fastest 4G LTE smartphone", supports download speeds of up to 150Mbps but requires your mobile network to come to the party.
Huawei is certainly crowing about the Ascend P2's potential data speeds. While its notable as the highest speed LTE connection we've seen in a smartphone, the LTE Cat 4 specification on the Ascend P2 requires mobile networks to come to the party. In Australia, Telstra is rolling out Category 4 upgrades around the nation, but at the moment it’s only Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane that have access to this fastest speed tier.
The Huawei Ascend P2 is just 8.4mm slim and weighs a very light 122g, which is quite notable for a phone with a large 4.7in screen. The light weight is achieved by an all-plastic design and a case that's fully sealed. Unfortunately, that slimness has resulted in a non-removable battery and no microSD card slot, so the on-board 32GB of storage can't be expanded.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the Ascend P2 is its screen. The 4.7in IPS display has a 720p resolution of 1280x720 rather than a full HD resolution that is quickly becoming a regular feature of flagship Android smartphones. The pixel density of 312ppi isn't a sour point by any means but can't quite match newer rivals like the HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z.
Aside from being a Cat 4 rated LTE device, the specification sheet of the Ascend P2 reads like many other mid to high-end Android phones. The device is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, has 1GB of RAM and comes with a 13-megapixel camera that doubles as a full HD video recorder. There's also a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video calls and a dedicated, physical camera button.

Huawei will initially ship the Ascend P2 with the Android 4.1 operating system but the phone comes with the company's own Emotion UI 1.5 overlay on top. Features include a new customisable 'Me Widget', and a housekeeper app that will track data usage, exit idle programs and offer energy saving functions. Telstra has included a home screen widget to keep track of data usage.
Other features of the Huawei Ascend P2 include a 2420 mAh battery that promises up to 310 hours of standby time and built-in NFC connectivity.

The Ascend P2 is a Telstra exclusive handset, and will be available in stores from Wednesday, 31 July. Telstra will be selling the phone for $0 on a $60 per month contract, but commitment-shy buyers can pick up the phone alone for an outright price of $504.
A promotional video of the Huawei Ascend P2 can be viewed below.
Brand Post

Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 Netgear Nighthawk M5 mobile router review: Probably too expensive, but nice
- 3 Dell P2723QE review: A solid 4K USB-C hub monitor for home offices
- 4 MSI Katana GF76 review: Decent gaming performance for a reasonable price
- 5 Asus ROG Flow Z13 review: A full-fledged gaming PC disguised as a tablet
Latest News Articles
- Bizarre iOS bug swaps out Spotify for Apple Music in the iPhone dock
- Fortnite returns to the iPhone (sort of) courtesy Xbox Cloud Gaming
- Want to go watch the WWDC keynote at Apple Park? Here’s how to apply
- iPad buying guide 2022
- Apple to support ‘passwordless’ iPhone logins on Android phones and PCs
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks

Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers

Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world

Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles

PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D

The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G

Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65

This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76

It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Best Click Frenzy mobile and Internet plan deals
- Microsoft’s iconic browser Internet Explorer is being killed off in June
- What laptop should I get? Top 12 things to consider
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?