32 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 44
REVIEW
and it’s no overstatement to say this is one of the
best-looking phones around. It’s also one of the most
powerful and longest-lasting, attributes which should
ensure its place on your upgrade shortlist alongside
the Galaxy S8, Note8 and – maybe – iPhone 8 Plus.Design
The Mate 10 Pro – the only model from the range
that will be sold in the UK later in November – is a
gorgeous-looking phone that’s taller and slimmer
than its predecessors thanks to the switch to an 18:9
screen and smaller top and bottom bezels than on
the Mate 9. It’s a bit smaller than the iPhone 8 Plus,
but has a 6in screen rather than 5.5in.
A glass back is the main change from previous
Mate designs. Unlike the iPhone 8 which also adopts
the glass sandwich, the Mate 10 Pro doesn’t support
allow wireless charging. Instead, the Gorilla Glass 5
is there purely for aesthetics.
And it looks stunning. The glass curves on all
four edges and reflects the light beautifully (see
opposite). It joins the alloy frame almost invisibly
and feels silky smooth in the hand.
The problem with this is that – hardened or not
– glass is still glass. Huawei provides a plastic case
in the box, and a screen protector is fitted at the
factory, but the case hides that glorious finish so it’ll
always be tempting to go case-less and run the risk
of the drop-smash.
At least it will continue to work if it falls in the bath:
the Mate 10 is Huawei’s first phone to have proper
waterproofing. And since the cameras protrude by a