I was expecting the Huawei P40 Pro to blow away competition by miles ahead, but based on my test results, the P40 Pro’s strength is mostly on the super telephoto end as well as extreme dark scenes.

The P40 Pro may have a game-changing camera, but is that enough to draw in customers who are sceptical about the absence of Google apps?

The Huawei P40 Pro is a beauty with a fantastically impressive set of imaging credentials. Price-wise it undercuts the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus despite offering more zoom, more pixels and a better selfie-camera.

Stunning design; Fantastic optical zoom; Great low light performance

No Google services; Premium pricing; Huge punch hole camera

For many users, Huawei phones have created such a niche in mobile photography that it is hard to use another phone even with the lack of Google apps in new Huawei models like the recently launched P40 Pro .

Huawei relentlessly pushes design and performance with the P40 series – and the P40 Pro is the pick of the bunch, but as the Chinese company is still troubled by a trade war with the US, a lack of Google services continues to blight things.

The way I see it, Huawei’s P40 Pro (and, of course the P40 Pro+) have one standout feature that they absolutely must nail . One thing that they must do better above all else otherwise—at least, at this moment—I don’t really see a reason to pick any of the P40s over its competition.

The Huawei P40 Pro 5G is an impressive smartphone with a fantastic screen, but you won't find it in the US anytime soon.

Gorgeous screen; Impressive camera night mode

Not available in North America; Light on storage and memory for a flagship phone; Some camera exposure and color balance quirks; No Google apps or Play Store

We can’t get enough of excellent hardware. Tangible, measurable advances in technology are applauded by consumers and reviewers alike. But the smartphone is more than just a fancy puzzle of pricey parts.

Yet again Huawei has squeezed oodles of clever tech into a classy, glassy deisgn. A new sensor along with all the additional camera tech, including some astounding neural processing, really takes things to the next level. However, for those not willing to go through the rigmarole of sideloading services – the P40 Pro is not going to be an option right now.

Trumpled to death? In our review, the Huawei P40 Pro presents itself as a great piece of hardware not least due to the fact that it is equipped with the best smartphone camera out there. We expected nothing less. Unfortunately, the ban from Google services makes a clear recommendation difficult. Read on to find out which users should still consider the Huawei phone and what drawbacks need to be taken into account.

With the P40 Pro, Huawei has once again released an excellent camera smartphone and most likely even...

spectacular camera setup; color-accurate 90-Hz OLED display; fast Wi-Fi 6 and 5G; expandable storage; supports hybrid SIM and eSIM; very good call quality; USB 3.1 with HDMI/dP; IP68-certified;

no DRM certification; no aptX or aptX HD; display could have offered more brightness reserves; no Google services; weak speakers; no barometer;