Huawei P10 Memory Review

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Specifications Memory Huawei P10

The Huawei P10 offered different memory configurations for different regions and markets. Below are the memory specifications on P10:

RAM (Random Access Memory):

Most models of the Huawei P10 were equipped with 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM: 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM: This memory is adequate for multitasking, app handling, and smooth operation of the operating system as it comes with this capacity.

Internal Storage (ROM):

64 GB / 32 GB Storage: The Huawei P10 offered two major storage variants: 64 GB and 32 GB. The former was clearly the more widespread of the two, with the latter reserved mostly for specific regions and perhaps a more economical option.
UFS 2.1 / eMMC 5.1: The P10 was equipped with both UFS 2.1 and eMMC 5.1 storage technologies, which became a matter of controversy among users because several units did not get shipped with that particular model as UFS 2.1. The devices with UFS 2.1 had a significantly noticeable difference in terms of reading and writing speed compared to other types, which ultimately affected the overall performance of the phone.

MicroSD Card Slot: The Huawei P10 also expanded the internal memory offered by the device with the benefits of external memory via a microSD card, with up to 256 GB external storage support. This was a critical point for users who required additional internal memory.

RAM Performance and Multitasking

4 GB RAM LPDDR4 is quite standard among high-end smartphones in 2017, and thus able to provide the normal smooth performance in different types of tasks for the Huawei P10. LPDDR4 is Low-Power Double Data Rate 4, a type of RAM specialized in working at low voltages and therefore reduces the amount of power consumption with high performance compared to older LPDDR3.

In actual use, lag-free multitasking made it possible and ensured that apps could run side by side without causing any lag or slowdown. These are some key points to speak about RAM performance in this Huawei P10:

Application Switching: The RAM is the heart of the Huawei P10’s handling when it comes to making app switching fast and fluent; being able to keep several apps alive in the background while still capable of changing from one app to the other. This would seem most vital for power users as they jump between social media, some messaging applications, and productivity tools.

Gaming: 4 GB RAM turned out to be enough for gaming when it was launched, as is very much the case today with the majority of today’s popular games: Asphalt 8, PUBG Mobile, Clash Royale. All these work greatly on it without noticeable stuttering thanks to the RAM combo with the Kirin 960 chipset. However, this performance wasn’t directly linked to the RAM as much as it was to more graphics-intensive games since it depended more on the GPU and processor than anything else (Mali-G71).

Memory Handling: Aggressively featured by Huawei’s EMUI layered on Android, professional memory management cuts apps off, preventing them from consuming so much RAM behind. While this does good for battery life and performance for ordinary users, it may create moments of frustration for very heavy multitaskers, as it would result into a force close of some apps prematurely.

Limitations: In all respects, the P10 served good at the time of its launch, qualifying 4 GB of RAM to serve such a thing well. But new-age applications running on newer operating systems have thus increased the demand. Today, most high-end smartphones can be bought with 6 GB, 8 GB, or even 12 GB of RAM. For this reason, the P10 comes across as rather limited against more resource-hungry tasks, especially in relation to future-proofing.

Internal Storage: UFS 2.1 Versus eMMC 5.1

Internal memory differences were one of the most remarkable traits of the Huawei P10. Different units used varied storage technologies such as UFS 2.1 and eMMC 5.1. This discrepancy was quite inciting among users as UFS 2.1 storage gave relatively high read and write speed over eMMC 5.1; thus, showed an impart on the overall performance of the device.

Universal Flash Storage 2.1

UFS 2.1 is a more advanced storage technology rendering better read and write speeds compared to eMMC storage. In devices that had UFS 2.1 storage, the Huawei P10, therefore, had the following advantages:

By far, the most noticeable improvements in the performance were in the time taken to launch apps. Apps stored on UFS 2.1 opened much faster than on eMMC 5.1, and this had the most beneficial user-impact during large apps and games that would require more resources to run effectively.

UFS 2.1 is more efficient where it concerns data transfer by providing fast transfers between the device and computer or another storage device. This is a vital advantage for users who transport loads of data like videos and photos from a smartphone to another device.
DD Bootspeed Fast: Devices with UFS 2.1 are able to boot significantly quicker as opposed to those with eMMC 5.1. By improving performance at startup, the smoothness and responsiveness of the P10 were enhanced significantly.

eMMC 5.1 (Embedded MultiMediaCard)

Though eMMC 5.1 may still be regarded as fast in retrospect, comparison with UFS 2.1 reveals striking differences in terms of sequential and random read/write speed. Here’s how the eMMC 5.1 affected the user experience:

Slow Performance: Users have claimed a noticeable slowness in application loading and responsiveness between Huawei P10 versions that have eMMC 5.1 as internal storage compared to those that have the UFS 2.1 standard. This was especially noticeable when trying to run large-sized or resource-hungry applications.

Lower Sequential Read/Write Speeds: eMMC 5.1 devices had slower sequential read and write speeds as compared to UFS 2.1 models, thus affecting tasks such as application installation, file copying, and the loading of game assets. All these took an extended period on the eMMC 5.1 variants of the P10.

Fragmentation: With time, the performance of eMMC storage may become worse due to fragmentation, causing the device to become gradually slower as more and more files are added and deleted. The result is a much bitterer experience as the phone grows older. Such increases UFS 2.1 performance because it is far more robust with regard to longevity of performance.

Consumer Revolt

This bitter sweet pill of using UFS 2.1 and eMMC 5.1 storage by Huawei within the P10 device went down corkscrewing the throats of most consumers using the phone. The sudden realization that a specific unit was not even suggesting to him really which of the types it had, drew discontent from many users especially who were hoping to avail of the faster UFS 2.1 storage and were instead given the slower eMMC 5.1. Eventually, Huawei made some clarifying comments on that but without making any clear resolution for the impacted users, leaving many aggrieved.

Expandable Storage: MicroSD Card Support

Huawei P10 is the king when it comes to having a microSD card slot that expands memory as high as 256 GB. This feature is becoming increasingly less common in flagship devices today, with many manufacturers opting to discontinue expandable storage in favor of costlier devices with greater internal storage or cloud services.

MicroSD storage slot in the Huawei P10 has several advantages, which include:

Cost Efficient Storage Resolution: To those requiring more space than 32 GB or 64 GB internal storage offered by P10, adding up a microSD may turn out to be a cost-efficient solution, involving little purchases of a high capacity microSD, which will go a long way in providing space for photos, videos, music and apps.

Versatile Storage Management: This way, users can manage their files easily by transferring photos, videos and other media to the microSD card and availing more internal space for apps and the system: this is useful especially when users have too many high-resolution photos or 4K videos because such content could fill internal storage very quickly.

App Support with MicroSD Storage: Although not all applications can be installed in external storage, certain Android applications allow users to utilize microSD cards as storage for their data. All in all, this won’t shrink internal space available for more critical processes but typically, performance from an installed application on microSD will lag compared with internal UFS or eMMC memory.

Backups and Data Transfer: Easy Backup and Transfer: Rather, it enables quick data backup and transfer since one card can be pulled out and set up in other devices or a card reader without delay for quick transfer. It’s also a good feature when transitioning from one phone to an entirely new one or sharing large files without going through the cloud.

As such, Memory Affects Camera Performance

The feature of having a dual-camera system, co-engineered with Leica, was probably the most exhilarating thing in the Huawei P10. However beneficial the camera system may be in processing and storing images and videos, it would be incapable without the device’s memory (both RAM and storage).

Image Processing: The internal memory of the Huawei P10, which has 4 GB RAM, performs a significant function regarding speed in processing the images captured by the dual-camera system. There is a 12 MP RGB sensor and a 20 MP monochrome sensor that work together and improve the image quality, as they capture much sharper, more detailed photos. The RAM brings that possible speed when processing images in high resolution, adding post-processing effects with the result stored in memory without noticeable lags.

RAW Image Files: For most photographers who use it in their practices, going RAW or shooting without compression is possible with this camera, but phone memory deals with these large file sizes effectively. RAW images are uncompressed and need significant storage and RAM to process. The more RAM available, the better and quicker the processing of images, especially when resisting filters and adjustments and simplifying the export process to other apps.

4K Video Recording: At 30 fps, it can shoot 4K videos, and that is really why it consumes a lot of energy from the processing side and the memory side to get everything seamless from capture to playback. Such things would be possible, thanks to the combination of the Kirin 960 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and either UFS 2.1 or eMMC 5.1 storage (in some variants), which allow you to shoot video without dropped frames or delays. Yet, the 4K video recording suffers from the slower writing speed of eMMC 5.1 storage, leading to stuttering or reduced video quality with longer recordings.

Space-wasting Storage: Because high-resolution images and 4K videos take up so much space, the P10’s internal storage variants (32 GB or 64 GB) will be great for an ordinary user, but quickly fill up for the more serious amateur photographer and videographer. MicroSD card support is invaluable in this context, allowing users to offload media onto external storage without affecting performance.

EMUI and Android OS Performance With 4 GB RAM:

Huawei P10 comes with EMUI 5.1 on Android 7.0 Nougat and later an upgrade to Android 9.0 Pie. A sleek design, copious customization options, and aggressive memory management have been hallmarks of Huawei’s custom user interface, EMUI. Such features have been improving life in the battery as well as the efficiency of the whole system. Unfortunately, it cuts down on users in memory management, DC to some extent.

Memory Optimization: Memory optimization in Huawei, EMUI 5.1 is through memory techniques to ensure that foreground apps get priority and background processes are gradually reduced. It will still keep on saving system resource and make the phone feel snappier. This even includes releasing apps when they are not active into memory, thereby granting more RAM to the currently active app.

But this can be a two-edged sword. While the measure does prevent sluggish behavior and life improves for the battery, EMUI manages memory so aggressively that it might close background applications before they are to use by the user causing a lot of frustration especially to people who expect some apps to be run continuously in the background e.g. messaging apps or fitness trackers.

App Launch Speeds: With 4 GB of RAM and an efficient EMUI, the Huawei P10 has incredibly fast app launch speeds, especially for devices featuring UFS 2.1 storage. Thus, the user experience is very smooth in everyday usage. Users can open and switch apps like the email client, messaging, social, and browsing with little delay. In contrast, devices with eMMC 5.1 storage have slightly slower launch and lag during switching of apps since this kind of memory is wholly relied on slow read/write speeds.

Future Updates of Software and Memory Limitations: One of the most difficult times for P10 is with new upgrades of Android OS and the new version of apps that lead to the proliferation of memory. Today’s applications are more resource-hungry than the previous versions, which might not be far away from pushing the 4 GB of RAM of the P10 toward the limits. The phone still runs fine with Android 9 Pie, but going any further with future improvements will probably stretch the limits of memory on this device.

Storage Capacity of the Huawei P10: Real World Usage

Storage is one of the major considerations for almost all smartphone users, and the size of internal memory available in Huawei P10 (32 GB or 64 GB) determines how much apps, media, and other data it can accommodate.

32 GB Model:

For the avid app downloader or gamer, and also for the media consumer (photos, videos, music) the 32 GB version of the P10 will bear a little of this pretence. For all intents and purposes, the operating system is onboard, pre-installed apps, which will leave the user almost 20 to 24 GB to play with.
Heavy app users or users who download large files (such as 4K videos or high-quality games) will run out of storage quickly. For such cases, the microSD card slot is essential to offload files and have available space in internal storage.

64 GB Model:

The 64 GB variant offers users considerable breathing space. Most users will find this model a bit more comfortable for day-to-day activities as there is about 50-55 GB available for use after OS and pre-installed apps. More storage makes it easier to store higher resolutions images, 4K videos, and large apps without worrying about running out of space.

Expandable Storage

The amount expandable by up to 256 GB is with a microSD card, giving great backup to the user requiring space. This may also include people who take many pictures and videos, as well as download too much multimedia content.

However, it’s important to note that apps cannot be fully moved to the microSD card. While some app data can be stored externally, the bulk of the app and system data remains on the internal storage, limiting the microSD’s effectiveness for freeing up space for apps.

Comparative Analysis with the Modern Ones

When comparing the memory of the Huawei P10 with those of other modern smartphones, it is easily evident that this device still very much stands the test of time, though it does fall short in a few areas when paralleled with much newer flagships.

RAM: While 4 GB can be considered a standard and even comfortable memory figure in 2017, it is now being outmatched by most modern ones, which are now equipped with RAMs of 6, 8, or even 12 GB. These allow new devices to run a lot more applications simultaneously, also improving multi-tasking, and most-important making them ‘future-proof’ for heavier applications.

Internal Storage: The 32 GB and 64 GB storage options were sufficient during the times of the release of the P10, but most modern smartphones tend to have 128 GB or even 256 GB as a base standard. This is attributed to the rising demand for storage space, which is brought about by the higher resolution of media, larger sizes of applications, and a growing dependency of utilizing smartphones for productivity tasks.

Storage Technology: The P10 devices offered UFS 2.1 storage which, during its prime, was a state-of-the-art technology that enabled fast read and writing. Today’s phones have moved to either UFS 3.0 and UFS 3.1 giving faster performance that will reduce application loading time and further improved file transfer speeds.

Expandable Storage: Therefore, most contemporary smartphones have removed the option of expandable storage. This change was mainly for most of the high-end products from or developed by Apple, Samsung or Google. This, however, does not apply to the Huawei P10 as it now supports microSD. This is a highly viewed factor for people who would like to have more space without cloud storage or purchasing a higher internal storage variant.

Longevity Memory Performance

All smartphones generally face greater challenges as they become older; they do not favor the slowly changing pace of new applications and new systems. As for Huawei P10, the 4-GB RAM and the specific types of storage: UFS 2.1 or eMMC 5.1 present mixed impressions on longevity.

4 GB of RAM: 2017 was the year when most would consider 4 GB of RAM sufficient. Today though, apps and system updates require even more memory than memory single-handedly can provide, making the device slow as time goes on. Users may experience sporadic slowdowns, generally when using heavier applications or multitasking with several applications open.

Wear and tear of storage: Like any flash storage, UFS 2.1 and eMMC 5.1 storage will be degraded by time. Worn-out storage deteriorates read and write speeds due to frequent writing, deletion, and rewriting of pieces of information. eMMC 5.1 models may experience slowdowns earlier than UFS 2.1 models because they are inherently slower than UFS 2.1 models.

Expandable Storage – Could Be Life and Death: Crucial for users who utilize their P10 strictly for taking pictures or videos, the microSD card slot makes it an absolute necessity. By moving their media files to external storage and using it as supplement storage, users will still be able to wear that phone longer before giving it up in appetite.

Conclusion

Memory 4 GB RAM + 32 GB or 64 GB internal storage option are not bad by any means for the device’s performance-enhancing capabilities. While the former ensures smooth multitasking and app management, the debatable usage of UFS 2.1 and eMMC 5.1 storage divided the user experience, so the former could obtain a faster performance. Still, the good thing is that microSD was featured in the phone’s storage options.

In general, the Huawei P10’s memory specification was competitive at the time of launch, but now it appears old when compared with modern smartphones flaunting more advanced memory and storage technologies. The 4 GB of RAM peaked at a value with its application demands but is seen to begin to lag as both applications and operating systems are becoming heavier. In addition, the split between storage technologies UFS 2.1 and eMMC 5.1 meant a slower performance over time for those users with the latter, especially in memory-hungry tasks such as video recording and gaming.

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