Huawei P8 Lite (2017) vs Moto G4 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) vs Lenovo P2 comparison review: We compare the new cut-price Huawei P8 Lite mobile with some of the best value phones available in 2017, to see which is best for you.
Huawei has just launched a new version of the P8 Lite budget phone for 2017, which seems a little strange given the original P8 and P8 Lite are two years old now. Even stranger, Huawei only just released a P9 Lite handset, and the P10 is just about to be revealed.
Still, this P8 Lite 2017 is actually a big step up from the original P8 Lite handset and could even prove more impressive than the P9 Lite thanks to its solid specs. At £185 it could prove one of the best value Android phones of the year too. But how does it compare to the best sub-£200 mobiles out there, namely the Lenovo P2, Samsung’s Galaxy J5 2016 and the Moto G4 Plus?
Here’s our full comparison to see what the difference is and which could be best for you.
Read next: P8 Lite 2017 vs P9 Lite vs Honor 6X
Huawei P8 Lite (2017) vs Moto G4 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy J5 vs Lenovo P2: Specs
| Phone | P8 Lite 2017 | Lenovo P2 | Moto G4 Plus | Galaxy J5 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 5.2-inch | 5.5-inch | 5.5-inch | 5-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1920×1080 | 1920×1080 | 1920×1080 | 1280×720 |
| Water resistant? | No | No | No | No |
| Fingerprint sensor? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Processor | Kirin 655 | Snapdragon 625 | Snapdragon 617 | Snapdragon 410 |
| Memory | 3GB | 4GB | From 2GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB | 32GB | From 16GB | 8GB |
| MicroSD? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 5100mAh | 3000mAh | 3100mAh |
| Rear camera | 12MP | 13MP | 16MP | 13MP |
| Front camera | 8MP | 5MP | 5MP | 5MP |
Huawei P8 Lite (2017) vs Moto G4 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy J5 vs Lenovo P2: Design
The Huawei P8 Lite is the only phone here to sport a glossy design. The Galaxy J5 2016 and Moto G4 Plus rock a matt plastic finish, while the Lenovo P2 opts for a solid and shiny metallic finish. They’re all different designs, to suit different tastes.
However, the P8 Lite and Samsung’s Galaxy J5 are best suited to one-handed use, compared with the 5.5-inch G4 Plus and Lenovo P2. The G4 Plus in particular is quite girthy, demanding that you hold with one mitt and swipe with another.
None of these mobiles are water resistant, so don’t go dunking them in your tea or fiddling with them in your shower. However, they’re all pretty sturdy, so can take a few knocks no problem.
Huawei P8 Lite (2017) vs Moto G4 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy J5 vs Lenovo P2: Screen and media
The Huawei, Lenovo and Moto phones here boast a Full HD screen, which really makes the most of your high-def movies. However, while the Galaxy J5 offers a more basic 720p resolution, visuals are still pleasingly crisp.
And in all four cases you can expect solid brightness levels, wide viewing angles and respectable colour reproduction. The Lenovo P2 boasts a Vibrant mode which makes colours more punchy, while the others offer more realistic visuals.
You can expand the storage of all four phone using microSD memory cards. Just as well in the Samsung Galaxy J5’s case, as it packs a meagre 8GB of space.
Huawei P8 Lite (2017) vs Moto G4 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy J5 vs Lenovo P2: Features
For security-conscious users (which should be all of you), all of these phones except for Samsung’s Galaxy J5 pack a fingerprint sensor. This can be used to unlock the handsets, replacing the need to tap in some kind of PIN every time.
All four of these phones run Google’s Android OS, in various guises. Moto’s G4 Plus sports a very clean, vanilla version of Android, while the others sport some bonus features courtesy of their manufacturers.
For instance, the Lenovo P2 has plenty of built-in gesture support, which even uses the fingerprint sensor. You get a nifty one-handed mode and plenty of bonus customisation, for configuring the look and feel of the phone.
The P8 Lite 2017 comes packing Huawei’s excellent EMUI 5.0 overlay, which again changes up the design of the phone’s UX. Resource management is a definite strong point and we really like the new aesthetics. Check out our full EMUI 5.0 review for more info.
Huawei P8 Lite (2017) vs Moto G4 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy J5 vs Lenovo P2: Performance and battery life
Lenovo’s P2 and the Huawei P8 Lite 2017 both offer strong performance for the price, with their Kirin 655 and Snapdragon 625 chipsets respectively. With more memory than the others as standard, we find everyday usability to be nice and smooth. You can also play the latest games with a pleasing frame rate.
These days we see the odd stutter with the Galaxy J5 2016 and Moto G4 Plus, although nothing too jarring. In fact, the G4 Plus’ vanilla Android experience helps to cut the strain on the Snapdragon 617 processor, so you can again blast through games with quite a smooth, stumble-free playback.
When it comes to battery life, the Lenovo P2 is the clear winner. This phone packs a massive 5100mAh battery, which gives a full three days of use between charges. Even if you’re quite a demanding user.
Samsung’s Galaxy J5 2016 comes second with two days of life per charge. Meanwhile the Moto G4 Plus offers a day and a half, and the P8 Lite 2017 offers at least a day and a half of use per charge also. Check out our full P8 Lite review, coming soon.
Huawei P8 Lite (2017) vs Moto G4 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy J5 vs Lenovo P2: Cameras
As for camera tech, these four phones offer a solid user experience and respectable results considering their budget asking prices.
The Huawei P8 Lite 2017’s 12-megapixel camera sports Phase Detection Autofocus, which allows the lens to snap onto your subject in double-quick time. You’ll find the same tech in the Lenovo P2, while the G4 Plus boasts PDAF and laser autofocus for a seriously fast shutter speed.
In good lighting conditions, all four cameras can produce sharp, reliable results, with a fair bit of detail packed into each photo. However, the Moto G4 Plus offers the best low-light performance without resorting to the flash. You get less grainy snaps and a better looking result.
Check out our full Huawei P8 Lite 2017 camera review, for samples and analysis.
When it comes to shooting video, the Lenovo P2 blows away the competition with its ability to record 4K footage. All of the others top off at Full HD 1080p. However, results are still good with any of these phones.