Huawei Ascend Mate7 Monarch Comprehensive Review with Specs Prices Pros & Cons

Overview of Huawei Ascend Mate7 Monarch

The Huawei Ascend Mate7 Monarch was released in March 2015 as an advanced version of the popular Ascend Mate7 model. It features a refined design with premium materials, offering users not just a smartphone, but a symbol of modern technology and luxury. The Monarch edition boasts improved specifications, making it an appealing choice for users seeking performance along with style.

Design and Build

In terms of design, the Huawei Ascend Mate7 Monarch is crafted with sophistication. It measures 157 x 81 x 7.9 mm and weighs 185 grams, giving it a substantial yet comfortable presence in hand. The phone's body is constructed with high-quality materials, housing a sturdy build that feels premium. It utilizes a hybrid dual SIM system, allowing for increased flexibility in communication needs, supporting both a Micro-SIM and a Nano-SIM.

Display

One of the device's standout features is its large 6-inch IPS LCD display. With a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 78%, the display provides vibrant colors and deep contrasts, perfect for media consumption and everyday use. The screen is protected by sapphire crystal glass accompanied by an oleophobic coating to guard against scratches and fingerprints.

Performance

At the heart of the Huawei Ascend Mate7 Monarch is the Kirin 925 chipset, built with a 28nm process. It features an octa-core CPU that consists of four 1.8 GHz Cortex-A15 cores and four 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 cores, enabling a balance between power and efficiency. Coupled with a Mali-T628 MP4 GPU, the device is capable of handling graphic-intensive applications and multitasking with ease. The 3GB of RAM ensures responsive performance and smooth operation.

Software

The device runs on Android 4.4, also known as KitKat, with Huawei’s Emotion UI 3 layered on top. EMUI provides several customizable features, an intuitive interface, and a range of innovative software enhancements that add to the overall user experience.

Storage

The Huawei Ascend Mate7 Monarch offers ample internal storage with 64GB, providing users with enough space for apps, pictures, videos, and documents. Additionally, storage can be expanded via a microSDXC card, utilizing the shared SIM slot, perfect for users who require more space.

Camera Capabilities

The Ascend Mate7 Monarch comes equipped with a 13 MP main camera featuring autofocus, LED flash, HDR, and panorama capabilities. It supports video recording at 1080p@60fps. For selfies and video calls, the phone offers a 5 MP front-facing camera that records videos in 720p, ensuring clear and crisp visual communications.

Battery Life

Battery life is one of the device's strengths, featuring a non-removable Li-Po 4100 mAh battery. This capacity ensures users can go through the day with heavy usage, such as browsing, media streaming, and connectivity, without the constant need for recharging.

Connectivity

Connectivity options for the Ascend Mate7 Monarch are robust, supporting GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks. It can reach speeds of up to 42.2/5.76 Mbps on HSPA and 300/50 Mbps on LTE Cat6. Other connectivity features include dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS with GLONASS, FM radio, and microUSB 2.0 with OTG support.

Additional Features

The device includes useful sensors such as a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, and compass, which enhance security and user interaction. The device's sound configuration includes a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm audio jack for versatile audio usage.

Aesthetics and Pricing

Available in three elegant colors: Obsidian black, Moonlight silver, and Amber gold, the Monarch variant caters to different personal aesthetics. When it was released, it was priced at approximately 500 EUR, reflecting its premium positioning in the market.

Conclusion

The Huawei Ascend Mate7 Monarch stands out as a luxury smartphone that skillfully combines elegant design, powerful performance, and practical features. Although it has been discontinued, it remains a testament to Huawei's attention to detail and innovation in mobile technology.