Specifications

Reviews

Introduction, design, display

The Huawei Ascend Y550 is the Chinese firm's latest assault on the budget end of the mobile market, and this time it has a handset rocking 4G and a low price tag.

Based heavily on the EE Kestrel - a handset Huawei built specifically for the UK carrier - the Ascend Y550 opens up the low-cost 4G offering to other networks and markets.

I was lucky enough to get hands on with the Y550 ahead of its big reveal at IFA 2014, and while it wasn't running final software I was able to get a feel for the handset.

The Y550 release is pegged for October 2014, and it's expected to gain more traction in western markets over the Ascend G620S, which launches alongside this device.

There's currently no official price for the Ascend Y550, but considering it's based on the £99 (around $155, $175AU) EE Kestrel in the UK you can expect a similarly reasonable price tag.

It means the Ascend Y550 will go head to head with the recently announced HTC Desire 510, another handset which is offering 4G at a low price.

In terms of specs there's not much to choose between the Ascend Y550 and the EE Kestrel, although the design has been changed and the front facing camera gets a bump to 2MP.

Round the back you'll find a 5MP snapper, while under the hood sits a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and Android 4.4 KitKat.

That 4GB of internal storage is pretty disappointing, but there is a microSD slot hidden under the removable rear cover, along with a microSIM port and a removable 2000mAh battery. The microSD slot supports cards up to 32GB in size.

Back to the front of the Ascend Y550 and you'll find a 4.5-inch display is taking up most of the space, but a resolution of 854 x 480 isn't quite as impressive.

That's the same resolution as the display on the Desire 510, but the HTC is bigger at 4.7 inches so pixel density is a shade better on this Huawei.

The low cost Motorola Moto G 4G boasts an HD, 720p 4.5-inch screen, making the Huawei look a little sub-par in comparison.

On screen this means app icons and text can look a little pixellated, and the Y550 won't be a smartphone which is flaunting its movie playback capabilities. That's not to say you can't watch a movie on it, it's perfectly capable, but your eyes might hate you.

The distinctly plastic finish of the Ascend Y550 follows in the footsteps of previous low cost Huawei devices, with a stock candybar shape and a slightly volcanic protrusion on the rear where the camera is.

It looks and feels cheap, but that's not really an issue, and the Ascend Y550 is solidly made - I reckon it's capable of taking a few knocks in day to day usage.

You'll find the power/lock and volume rocker buttons on the right side of the handset and both are easy to reach and manipulate thanks to the modest size of the Y550.

Up top there's a headphone jack, while down below the obligatory microUSB port is present. It is, at least, functional in its design.

Interface, power, camera and early verdict

The Hauwei Ascend Y550 comes running Android 4.4 KitKat, but it's been given the Chinese firm's heavy overlay in the form of the Emotion UI.

It's a slightly upgraded version of the software we saw on handsets at MWC earlier this year, with the Y550 officially rocking Emotion UI 2.3 - but that's already been superseded by version 3.0 on the Ascend G7 and Ascend Mate 7.

The main feature of the Emoition UI, aside from its questionable icon design and colour scheme, is the total lack of an app tray, with all your applications kept on homescreens.

That does make things a little easier for first time users who may be a little confused when an app appears in two locations, but for the Android purists out there Emotion UI can be a jarring experience.

Huawei is really aiming the Ascend Y550 at new smartphone users, allowing the late adopters to jump direct to a 4G capable handset - although it'll still work on a cheaper 3G contract if you're looking to save some money for now.

Another way new users may be enticed by the Ascend Y550 is with the 'Simple UI' theme, which does away with the standard Android theme in favour of a much more locked-down, large button design.

Only key apps are available in this mode, and the tiled layout is reminiscent of Windows Phone - although you won't get any live data on these tiles.

This isn't a new function, Huawei has included Simple UI on a number of handsets, but it's something which may tempt the older generation to pick up a mobile device.

Performance wise the Ascend Y550 is quite intriguing. The 1.2GHz quad-core processor is pretty standard at the bottom end of the mobile market now, but this is actually a 64-bit Snapdragon chip.

While 64-bit processors are still relatively unnecessary, applications are expected to get a lot more complex in the near future and thus these chips provide a certain level of future proofing.

That said, a low end Huawei handset is likely to struggle with the more complex apps anyway, so there's little appeal of the Ascend Y550 sporting 64-bit.

It's 4G functionality is more interesting, as the Huawei Ascend Y550 has CAT 4 LTE, allowing you to garner data speeds of up to 150Mbps (if your network allows).

The 5MP camera on the rear of the Ascend Y550 is a middle of the road effort and the kind of snapper that's been slapped on a number of budget smartphones.

You won't be taking any stunning shots with the Y550, but a quick snap for social media it's perfectly acceptable.

The 2MP camera on the front of the handset is a decent grade for an entry-level device, and it will be perfect for anyone who is a little selfie-obsessed.

The Huawei Ascend Y550 will be available in white, grey, red and blue - although the latter two colours will arrive at a later date.

Early verdict

The Huawei Ascend Y550 is more of the same from the Chinese firm. It's a well built, low cost Android handset which allows you to do all the basics without really standing out.

It could well be an attractive option on contract, and the Simple UI makes it a decent offering for those looking to enter the smartphone market for the first time.

The Ascend Y550 will probably make its way into the hands of school children via their parents' wallet, but anyone looking for the best value for money at this price point may want to check out the Moto G and Nokia Lumia 630.