Huawei P10: A Comprehensive Review of its Display Refresh Rate

Understanding Refresh Rate: What Is It?

The refresh rate of a display refers to the number of times per second that the screen is updated or refreshed. It is measured in hertz (Hz). For example, a display with a refresh rate of 60 Hz refreshes the screen 60 times per second, while a 90 Hz or 120 Hz display refreshes 90 or 120 times per second, respectively.

A higher refresh rate leads to smoother motion on the screen, providing a more fluid and responsive experience, especially during fast-moving content such as gaming, scrolling, and video playback.

The Huawei P10’s Refresh Rate: Standard for Its Time

The Huawei P10 comes equipped with a 60 Hz refresh rate, which was the industry standard in 2017. At the time, 60 Hz was sufficient for most tasks, and very few smartphones offered anything higher. This refresh rate allowed for relatively smooth performance in general day-to-day use, such as scrolling through social media, web browsing, and using apps.

Why Was 60 Hz Acceptable in 2017?

1. App Design: In 2017, most applications and operating systems were designed with a 60 Hz refresh rate in mind. Very few apps or games were optimized for higher refresh rates, making 60 Hz a good balance between performance and battery life.
2. Battery Life Considerations: A higher refresh rate requires more power to refresh the screen more frequently. In an era when battery technology was not as advanced as it is today, manufacturers were conscious of the need to balance performance with battery life. A 60 Hz refresh rate was seen as the optimal choice for a flagship phone like the P10, providing smooth enough visuals without draining the battery too quickly.
3. Hardware Capabilities: The Huawei P10’s display, a 5.1-inch IPS LCD panel, was designed for color accuracy and brightness rather than pushing boundaries in terms of refresh rate. In combination with the Kirin 960 chipset, the phone could handle this refresh rate smoothly without overtaxing the processor or impacting overall system performance.

Comparing the Huawei P10’s Refresh Rate to Modern Smartphones

Fast forward to 2024, and the smartphone industry has shifted significantly when it comes to refresh rates. Many flagship and even mid-range phones now offer refresh rates of 90 Hz, 120 Hz, or even 144 Hz. These higher refresh rates provide a visibly smoother and more fluid experience, particularly when scrolling through web pages, navigating the user interface, or gaming.

Advantages of Higher Refresh Rates

1. Fluidity: Higher refresh rates, such as 90 Hz or 120 Hz, deliver smoother transitions when scrolling through apps, menus, and webpages. This smoothness makes the user experience feel more responsive and modern.
2. Improved Gaming Performance: Many mobile games now take advantage of higher refresh rates, allowing for more responsive controls and smoother gameplay. Games that support refresh rates of 90 Hz or higher provide an edge to players who value precision and responsiveness, particularly in fast-paced titles like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty Mobile.
3. Enhanced Visual Experience: Watching videos or animations on a higher refresh rate screen can be a more enjoyable experience. The smooth transitions make content feel more immersive, and the screen’s ability to refresh more times per second allows for more accurate rendering of movement.

The 60 Hz Limitation of the Huawei P10

1. Scrolling Performance: When compared to modern smartphones with higher refresh rates, the P10’s 60 Hz display may feel sluggish or jittery during fast scrolling or transitions. While the performance was perfectly acceptable at the time of release, users accustomed to 90 Hz or 120 Hz displays will notice a clear difference in how fluid the P10 feels.
2. Gaming Experience: The P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate puts it at a disadvantage for gaming in 2024. While casual games that don’t require fast reflexes are still playable, fast-paced or action-heavy games will feel less responsive compared to modern devices with higher refresh rates. Players who switch to or from a higher refresh rate phone will notice the difference in frame smoothness and how the game responds to inputs.
3. Battery Life: While a 60 Hz refresh rate may seem like a limitation today, it does offer one key benefit: improved battery life. Higher refresh rates consume more power, as the display must refresh more frequently. By sticking to a 60 Hz refresh rate, the Huawei P10 manages power more conservatively, extending battery life, particularly during video playback or intensive tasks like gaming or video recording.

User Experience and Display Smoothness

A smartphone’s refresh rate plays a critical role in determining how smooth the overall experience feels. The Huawei P10 with its 60 Hz refresh rate delivers an experience that, while acceptable in its time, feels dated by modern standards.

Navigating the User Interface

The P10’s EMUI interface, which runs on Android 7.0 Nougat (upgradable to EMUI 9.1 based on Android 9.0 Pie), is designed for smooth transitions and fluid animations. At 60 Hz, most users will find that the interface is still usable and relatively fluid, though it may not feel as snappy as more modern devices with higher refresh rates.

In particular, tasks like switching between apps, opening the notification shade, or pulling up menus still feel responsive enough, but they lack the extra polish and smoothness that higher refresh rates bring.

Scrolling Through Social Media and Web Pages

One of the areas where refresh rates become most noticeable is in scrolling. On the Huawei P10, scrolling through social media feeds or web pages feels fine at 60 Hz, but it does not offer the buttery-smooth experience that devices with 90 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rates can provide. Users who have used phones with higher refresh rates may notice some stuttering or choppiness when scrolling quickly, especially through long pages or content-heavy apps like Instagram, Facebook, or Chrome.

Video Playback

The refresh rate of a display also affects video playback, though to a lesser extent than other tasks. Since most videos are capped at 30 frames per second (fps) or 60 fps, the P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate is well-suited for consuming media content. The experience is smooth, and most users will not notice any issues related to refresh rate when watching videos on platforms like YouTube or Netflix.

That said, the industry is moving towards higher frame rate content (such as 120 fps videos), which would benefit from higher refresh rate screens. The Huawei P10, with its 60 Hz refresh rate, would not be able to fully take advantage of these developments, meaning users might miss out on the smoother video experiences available on newer devices.

Display Technology and Its Impact on Refresh Rate

The Huawei P10 features a 5.1-inch IPS LCD display with a 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution, which delivers crisp visuals and accurate colors. However, the choice of an IPS LCD panel over an OLED or AMOLED display has implications for refresh rate and overall visual performance.

IPS LCD vs. AMOLED: How It Affects Refresh Rate and Responsiveness

1. Response Time: AMOLED displays typically have faster response times than IPS LCDs, which contributes to the perception of smoother animations and transitions, especially when paired with higher refresh rates. The P10’s IPS LCD panel, while still capable, does not offer the same responsiveness as modern AMOLED displays, which could be a contributing factor to why the device feels slower by today’s standards.
2. Color Reproduction and Black Levels: AMOLED displays also offer better contrast and deeper black levels, which can enhance the perceived smoothness of content. While the P10’s display is known for its accurate color reproduction, it lacks the deep blacks and vibrant colors that make content look more immersive on modern AMOLED panels with higher refresh rates.
3. Refresh Rate Capabilities: IPS LCD panels are typically limited in terms of how high their refresh rates can go. While modern LCD displays can reach 120 Hz or higher, OLED displays are generally more efficient at delivering higher refresh rates without compromising too much on battery life. The P10’s IPS LCD panel was likely a limiting factor in Huawei’s decision to stick with a 60 Hz refresh rate.

Battery Life and Refresh Rate Trade-offs

One of the key trade-offs when increasing a smartphone’s refresh rate is battery life. The Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate, while not as smooth as more modern devices, helps conserve battery life by refreshing the screen less frequently. This is particularly important for users who prioritize battery longevity over display fluidity.

Impact of Higher Refresh Rates on Battery Life

1. Power Consumption: As the refresh rate increases, so does the power consumption, because the display needs to refresh more times per second. For instance, devices with 90 Hz or 120 Hz displays require significantly more energy to maintain these higher rates, which can have a notable impact on overall battery life. The Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate ensures that it does not consume excessive power for display performance, which is particularly important in scenarios where battery efficiency is a priority. Users who engage in activities like streaming videos, browsing the web, or running applications for extended periods can benefit from the lower refresh rate in terms of battery longevity.
2. Balancing Battery Life and Performance: The P10 features a 3,200 mAh battery, which was sufficient for a flagship smartphone in 2017. Given the moderate refresh rate of 60 Hz, the P10 can last a full day under typical use without needing a charge. Higher refresh rates, as seen in more modern devices, tend to deplete the battery faster. This often leads manufacturers to implement adaptive or dynamic refresh rates, where the phone automatically adjusts between higher and lower refresh rates based on the content being displayed. The P10, however, sticks to a consistent 60 Hz refresh rate, which simplifies power management at the cost of potential smoothness in certain scenarios.
3. Potential for Higher Refresh Rates and Battery Optimizations: While the Huawei P10’s hardware and battery were not designed to support higher refresh rates, modern devices have seen advancements in battery technology and software optimizations that mitigate the impact of high refresh rates. Power-efficient OLED displays, adaptive refresh rates, and larger batteries all allow phones to enjoy smoother displays without sacrificing battery life. In contrast, the P10’s fixed 60 Hz refresh rate strikes a more conservative balance, ensuring that the device remains functional and efficient even after several years of use.

Gaming on the Huawei P10 with a 60 Hz Refresh Rate

The gaming experience on the Huawei P10 is influenced significantly by its 60 Hz refresh rate, especially when compared to modern devices that offer much higher refresh rates. While mobile gaming has evolved dramatically since the launch of the P10, it’s important to analyze how this device performs in typical gaming scenarios and the limitations presented by its display refresh rate.

Casual Games and Performance

For casual games like Candy Crush, Angry Birds, or Monument Valley, the Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate offers a smooth and adequate experience. These games do not rely heavily on high frame rates or fast-moving visuals, so the limitations of the P10’s refresh rate are not particularly noticeable in these types of games.

1. Graphical Quality: The P10’s Kirin 960 processor and Mali-G71 MP8 GPU are capable of rendering graphics for most casual games at acceptable quality levels. Even though the refresh rate is capped at 60 Hz, the games still look sharp and responsive enough for most users.
2. Battery Efficiency: When playing casual games, the 60 Hz refresh rate works in the device’s favor. Since these games are typically less demanding on the system, the P10 maintains good battery life without the power-hungry demands of higher refresh rate displays.

Fast-Paced or Competitive Gaming

For more fast-paced, competitive games such as PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, or Asphalt 9, the limitations of the P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate become more apparent. Many of these games support higher frame rates, and modern phones with 90 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rates can display smoother, more responsive animations that give players an edge in competitive environments.

1. Frame Rate Limitations: While the P10 can handle many of these games from a performance standpoint, the experience is somewhat hindered by its 60 Hz refresh rate. Players used to higher refresh rates may feel that the game lacks fluidity, especially in fast-action scenarios where quick reflexes and precise control are necessary.
2. Input Lag and Responsiveness: A higher refresh rate not only makes animations smoother but can also reduce input lag. This is especially important in competitive gaming, where even a small delay can mean the difference between winning and losing. The Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate means there is a slightly higher input lag compared to modern gaming-centric smartphones, which could be a disadvantage for serious mobile gamers.
3. Potential for Frame Drops: On certain graphically intensive games, the P10 might struggle to maintain a steady 60 fps, resulting in noticeable frame drops. This is compounded by the fact that newer games are optimized for higher refresh rates, making the 60 Hz experience on the P10 feel somewhat outdated.

Overall Gaming Experience

For casual gamers or users who don’t prioritize ultra-smooth performance, the Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate is sufficient. However, for competitive gaming or users who are accustomed to higher refresh rates, the device might feel limited. The P10 remains a functional device for gaming, but it simply cannot match the fluidity or responsiveness offered by modern gaming smartphones with higher refresh rates.

Display Smoothness in Everyday Use: Is 60 Hz Still Good Enough?

Even though 60 Hz was the standard refresh rate for smartphones when the Huawei P10 was released, the smartphone industry has rapidly evolved. In 2024, many consumers have experienced the benefits of higher refresh rates, and this shift has redefined expectations around display fluidity. The question arises: Is 60 Hz still good enough for everyday use in 2024, or does it feel outdated compared to today’s standards?

For Basic Tasks

For basic tasks such as texting, making phone calls, checking emails, and using messaging apps, the Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate remains perfectly adequate. These activities do not involve fast screen transitions or graphics-heavy tasks, so the difference between 60 Hz and higher refresh rates is minimal. Most users would likely find the P10’s display performance perfectly acceptable for these types of everyday activities.

Web Browsing and Scrolling

The difference between 60 Hz and higher refresh rates becomes more apparent when scrolling through web pages or social media feeds. On a modern device with a 90 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rate, scrolling feels much smoother and more responsive, with fewer visible stutters or frame drops. On the P10, while scrolling is still functional, it may feel less fluid, particularly when dealing with long pages or content-heavy apps.

For users who have never experienced higher refresh rates, the 60 Hz performance of the P10 may not be a major issue. However, for those who have grown accustomed to smoother scrolling on modern smartphones, the P10 may feel sluggish or less responsive in comparison.

UI Transitions and Animations

The overall smoothness of a smartphone’s user interface (UI) is influenced by the refresh rate. Devices with higher refresh rates typically feel more responsive when opening apps, navigating between menus, and interacting with animations. The Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate, while perfectly acceptable in 2017, feels slower when compared to the snappier UI transitions seen on modern devices with higher refresh rates.

For example, swiping between home screens, pulling down the notification shade, or opening the app drawer on the P10 feels less smooth than on devices like the OnePlus 8 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S21, both of which feature 120 Hz displays. While the performance on the P10 is still functional, users who are used to faster transitions might find it somewhat outdated.

The Future of Refresh Rates: Where Does the Huawei P10 Stand?

The Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate was standard for its time, and it still provides a functional and usable experience in 2024. However, the smartphone industry has moved towards higher refresh rates as the new norm. Devices with 90 Hz, 120 Hz, and even 144 Hz displays have become increasingly common, and the advantages they offer in terms of smoothness and responsiveness are hard to ignore.

Adaptive and Variable Refresh Rates

Modern smartphones are now adopting adaptive or variable refresh rate technologies, which allow the display to dynamically adjust the refresh rate based on the content being displayed. For example, when watching a static image, the phone might lower the refresh rate to save battery, but when scrolling or gaming, the refresh rate increases to provide a smoother experience.

The Huawei P10 does not have adaptive refresh rate capabilities, meaning its refresh rate remains fixed at 60 Hz regardless of the content. While this helps to preserve battery life, it also means that the device misses out on the benefits of smoother performance during tasks that could benefit from higher refresh rates.

Longevity and Use in 2024

For users who are considering the Huawei P10 in 2024, it’s important to recognize that the 60 Hz refresh rate is still usable but may feel outdated compared to the standards of today’s flagship devices. If you’re upgrading from an older phone or are new to smartphones, the P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate will likely be sufficient for most everyday tasks. However, for tech enthusiasts or users who prioritize fluidity and smoothness, a device with a higher refresh rate may be a better option.

Conclusion: Is the Huawei P10’s 60 Hz Refresh Rate Enough?

The Huawei P10 was a flagship device in its time, and its 60 Hz refresh rate offered smooth and responsive performance for a wide range of tasks. However, the smartphone industry has evolved significantly since its launch, with higher refresh rates becoming the new standard for premium devices.

In 2024, the Huawei P10’s 60 Hz refresh rate is still functional and adequate for basic tasks, media consumption, and casual gaming. For most users, especially those who have not experienced higher refresh rates, the performance will feel satisfactory for everyday use. However, for power users, tech enthusiasts, or those who have used devices with 90 Hz, 120 Hz, or even 144 Hz displays, the 60 Hz refresh rate of the Huawei P10 may feel limiting and outdated.