The Huawei Mate S costs as much as the Galaxy Note5; would you buy it?

We’ve all known that Huawei would tie up with Google since earlier this year and that’s probably catapulted the brand’s name worldwide; since their moniker is more widely known in Asia than Western markets. Associated mainly with affordability and decent specs, they’ve steadily moved towards manufacturing premium handsets – seen on the Ascend Mate 7 and P8. Ahead of the official launch scheduled next week, Lowyat.NET has gotten an insight at how much and which model we’ll be getting. So what makes the Huawei Mate S worth RM 2,698 (w/ GST)?

The Mate S was marketed during its launch to feature “Force Touch” on its 5.5-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) display, but sadly we aren’t getting that model locally (yet?). So what gives? Why the premium price tag that could almost have anyone easily pick up TWO 16GB honor 7s? More so when it looks almost identical despite some contrasting characteristics.

Under all that premium metal sits a Kirin 935 Octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM and if those words ring a bell, you’re right if you said that it’s the exact same combo found on the honor 7. The full line includes a 32GB and 128GB version but here we’ll get the gap between, a 64GB model that supports a hybrid dual-SIM 4G LTE/microSD slot up to 128GB.

Flipping the phone over, you’ll see a 13-megapixel RGBW rear camera with OIS and a dual-LED flash module. Move over on to the front and there will be an 8-megapixel f/2.4 sensor greeting you for all your selfie needs.

Unique to only the P8 previously, Knuckle Sense makes a return, now updated to a 2.0 version. A feature that is able to tell the difference between your finger tips and your knuckles; handing you extra gestures by double-tapping or drawing letters to give access to app functionality.

Juicing its engine is a 2,700 mAh battery that has quick charge on board. The Mate S also has a fingerprint scanner under the rear camera module if you prefer biometric security to the usual PIN/password settings. All packaged in an overall weight of 156g that runs Huawei’s own EMUI 3.1 skin over Android 5.1 Lollipop. The device will be available in two colour options – Prestige Gold and Coral Pink

To be fair to Huawei, Apple’s crème de la crème iPhone 6s has also seen a huge price difference that increases every model, so maybe you can’t put all the blame on the Chinese smartphone maker. Maybe its just the fact that once a brand is recognised for something, it’s hard to shake off and Huawei has always been relatively affordable.

Moving with the times isn’t a bad thing but they’ve thrown in some extras to get you on the Mate S team. The list below details what you’ll get together with your new phone:

2 year warranty
One-to-one exchange for the 1^st year
Free cracked screen replacement within 1^st year

If you jump onboard before the 3,000 mark, they’ll even hand you a bespoke Pewter Membership Card from Royal Selangor; allowing you to be worry free and skip any line at any Huawei Exclusive Service Centres. Too busy to head over? You can also arrange for a delivery and pick-up option for your device’s servicing. Those who want to join the party earlier, or first 1,000 to be precise, will get a complimentary Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) earphones by Huawei.

Rounding up, the brand has added some great perks if you purchase the device early but is that enough to convince you? The Huawei Mate S at RM 2,698 makes the Galaxy Note5 a value-buy or does it? Let us know in the comments below.

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