The Chinese company Huawei has earned itself a huge reputation by releasing successful and competitive flagships for many years in a row. The Ascend and Mate lines are well received by the market, but the devices of the middle and budget segment are not so successful for the manufacturer, often only the Honor subbrand contributes to success. A new device is called to correct the situation, the prospects of which will be determined by our review of Huawei Nova.
Price and main characteristics
The company is positioning its device as a mid-range solution, launching the model for sale at a price of 25,000 rubles and reducing it to 23,000 after a couple of months. In fact, Huawei Nova's pricing is completely identical to its main competitor, the Samsung Galaxy A5.
Characteristics:
- display: 5”, IPS 1920x1080 px, 441 ppi;
- processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 (8 x 1.4 GHz), Adreno 506 video accelerator;
- RAM: 3 GB;
- internal memory: 32 GB;
- camera: main - 13 MP, front - 8 MP;
- connectivity: X6 LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.1;
- battery: 3020 mAh, Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 support.
The device comes pre-installed with Emotion UI (version 4.1). The most current firmware is based on Android 6.0.1. Recently, an update to Android N became available, which also included an EUI upgrade to number 4.2.
Equipment and appearance
The package includes a traditional charger, a wired headset and a USB (Type-C) cable. Data transfer is carried out according to the relatively outdated 2.0 standard. Headphones with a microphone do not deserve the attention of audiophiles, but for unpretentious users their capabilities will be enough. However, their very presence in the delivery set cannot but rejoice - competitors in the price segment simply do not have such an option.
The body of Huawei Nova is made of aluminum, its design is a skillful borrowing (if not copying) of the Nexus 6P: plastic inserts at the top and bottom of the back cover, the location of the fingerprint scanner and camera eye. But compared to last year's flagship, the device has lost its very wide frames, which, given the 5-inch diagonal, makes it very compact.
The sensors and the front camera are placed symmetrically with respect to the earpiece. The latter is placed in a small recess, into which dust can theoretically clog - this design decision is controversial.
At the bottom of the 5-inch screen, which occupies 71% of the front panel, only the inscription "Huawei" is placed. The company remains true to itself and continues the trend: the on-screen buttons in the manufacturer's smartphones have completely replaced the touch ones.
On the top edge there is an additional microphone for noise reduction and a standard audio jack.
On the left side of the smartphone is a slot for two nanoSIM cards, one of which is also suitable for installing microSD memory cards. On the other hand, we are waiting for the power and volume buttons - tight, well work out pressing.
The camera eye is not recessed into the body, which can cause scuffs and scratches - this is a significant minus. Also, it should be noted a little easily soiled body, on which fingerprints remain. Nevertheless, the smartphone definitely deserves compliments in terms of convenience and tactile sensations.
The first device that comes to mind when using Huawei Nova is the iPhone 6, but it has a smaller screen for the same dimensions. Relatively narrow bezels, smooth curved edges on the back, and metal make for a pleasant smartphone experience. The device does not feel cheap - the assembly and design could be called flagship if we did not meet these same elements in last year's Nexus 6P.
Screen
Huawei Nova's 5-inch IPS display matrix deserves praise. First of all, it is worth noting the almost perfect white balance - compared to almost any smartphone, Nova will produce a reference color, leaving most competitors behind.
The pixel density of 441 per square inch closes the issue of detail - even small elements are perfectly drawn, there are no loose fonts here at all. There are no trails behind objects on the matrix, which indicates that it belongs to at least the middle price segment.
The screen could be called a flagship at all, if it were not for the very weak viewing angles: when the device is tilted along any of the axes, the brightness sags more than on some cheaper devices. The readability of the matrix in the sun is good, in the dark the minimum value is definitely enough for comfortable work.
The protective glass also raises questions - its manufacturer is unknown, although for devices of this price category the use of Gorilla Glass should already become a habit. For a short time of use, the screen was not covered with scratches, but it is not known how things will be in the future.
The oleophobic coating in Huawei Nova is good: fingerprints remain only in small amounts and are easily removed. Automatic adjustment is also available and behaves adequately. A little frustrating is the lack of a control mode with gloves.
Performance
The central processor of the device is a mid-budget platform from Qualcomm - MSM8953 or Snapdragon 625. The chipset is built on a 14-nanometer process, which, compared to the 28-nanometer Snapdragon 617, should provide a noticeable increase in energy efficiency and performance.
The processor turned out to be successful: on all the devices in which it was installed, the 625th was not subject to strong throttling and practically did not overheat. And Huawei Nova is no exception: the device behaves adequately under serious loads. The company acted wisely, not handing over the device to the Kirin chips - in the middle price range, they still cannot play on an equal footing with Snapdragon.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the Adreno 506 video accelerator, which is inferior in performance only to the flagship 510th. Its capabilities are enough to run almost any modern game at high graphics settings.
The RAM in the device is 3 GB, after the system boots, about half of them remain free. The device works adequately with its resources - slowdowns are possible only in third-party applications, but the shell itself works fine. As a result, it turns out that the combination of the chip and RAM allows you to perform any task without upsetting the user with heat and performance drops.
Camera
At its presentation, the company paid much attention to the front camera - it has a resolution of 8 MP and an aperture of f / 2.2. The selfie camera produces high-quality pictures, comparable even to a number of flagship smartphones. For fans, there is a file cabinet of effects and additional options.
The main matrix has the same aperture, but it has a higher resolution - 13 megapixels. In the sunny time of the day, it is able to take excellent pictures, but indoors and with a lack of light - only average. At the same time, the automation works extremely adequately, but in rare cases it can make mistakes with the exposure.
The Huawei Nova shoots very good video, one of the best in its price range (maximum resolution is 4K).
speaker, sound quality
External and conversational speakers sound good, each of them has a small margin of volume. The sound in the headphones, for many, may seem quiet - in this regard, the device resembles the same Nexus 6P. There are no complaints about the quality: the entire dynamic range is even, all frequencies are worked out well.
Battery
A non-removable 3020 mAh battery in combination with a new processor provides good autonomy: at maximum load, the device is able to produce at least four hours of active screen, which is the equivalent of a day of confident use (with a small margin). When 4G and notifications are turned off, Huawei Nova will easily conquer the two-day mark - in standby mode, the smartphone practically does not consume energy.
Communication and Internet
The device has an excellent set of communication capabilities: in addition to 4G, it supports traditional Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11n and GPS, as well as NFC and Wi-Fi Direct, which are rare in the middle segment.
A cold start of GPS takes less than five seconds - this is the merit of the new modem used in the Snapdragon 625 SoC. Support for LTE networks is also as wide as possible - here Qualcomm also knows no equal.
Huawei Nova video review
Competitors, conclusion
Among the direct competitors of Huawei Nova, Asus Zenfone 3 and Nubia Z11 Mini S stand out. The first loses in camera and practicality (glass back), the second wins a little in image quality, but offers a less optimized shell. You can also highlight the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), but this device has more compromises: it compensates for an excellent screen and a good camera with a slippery and easily soiled case (which is important, with water protection), as well as a small amount of RAM (2 GB).
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True, the newcomer, which is compact by the standards of ZenFone, still remains unreasonably wide and thick, the operating system upsets the outdated design, and the devil himself will break his leg in pre-installed applications. But the screen in ZenFone 3 is much brighter and calibrated no worse than in nova, autonomy is even slightly better (with a less capacious battery), the camera shoots rather stupidly in fully automatic mode, but is able to produce a good picture in manual mode. The choice between these two models, in fact, comes down to taste and depends on personal sympathy for Huawei or ASUS.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
Surprisingly, even a year after the release, the “glamorous” Galaxy A5 does not look outdated - it is still beautiful, reliable and boasts a now scarce, perfectly calibrated AMOLED display. Last year, this Galaxy was so good that it smashed all competitors by a huge margin.
True, years and months take their toll, therefore, in comparison with the new “classmates”, it is no longer so fast, poorly adapted to overweight applications (2 GB of RAM today is not enough for a middle-class model), takes photos worse and lags far behind in selfie quality. cameras. That is, the A5 (2016) is no longer suitable for geeks tired of the performance race, but it is still suitable for purchase as an inexpensive “etozhesamsung”.
This compact smartphone in an elegant metal case is distinguished by narrow bezels to the right and left of the screen and a capacious battery that provides good autonomy. Vesti.Hi-tech studied the entire arsenal of Huawei Nova capabilities.
The mid-range smartphone Nova, like (you can read a review of this device, for example), debuted at the IFA 2016 autumn show in Berlin. Unlike its 5.5-inch "brother", Nova received a 5-inch screen size, so it certainly turned out to be more compact, and, of course, lighter. The difference between the two "novas" is not only in size, but also in design: the 5-inch version is more convenient and more attractive than the . In addition to the same chipsets, the photo capabilities of these two smartphones are most related. The accompanying software for them is supplemented with new means of decoration, including virtual make-up and other "beautification".
Specifications
- Model: CAN-L11
- OS: Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) + EMUI 4.1 shell
- Processor: 8-core, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953), two clusters of 4 cores ARM Cortex-A53, up to 2.0 GHz, DSP Hexagon 546
- Graphics Coprocessor: Adreno 506
- RAM: 3 GB LPDDR3 (933 MHz)
- Storage: 32 GB (22 GB available), microSD/HC/XC hybrid slot (up to 128 GB)
- Screen: capacitive, LTPS IPS-matrix, 5-inch diagonal, FullHD resolution (1920x1080 pixels), pixel density per inch 443 ppi, viewing angles 80/80/80/80 degrees (top/bottom/left/right), contrast ratio 1500: 1, brightness 450 nits, protective glass with 2.5D effect, operation with gloves
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 /b/g/n (2.4GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1, USB 2.0 Type-C (Host, charge/sync), NFC, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Main camera: 12 MP, optical size 1/2.8", pixel size 1.25 µm, LED flash, hybrid (phase + contrast) autofocus, f/2.2 aperture, 4K video recording [email protected] fps;
- Front camera: 8 MP, fixed focus, video recording [email protected] fps
- Network: 2G, 3G (HSPA+, up to 42 Mbps), 4G (LTE Cat 6, up to 300 Mbps), LTE-Band: 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 38
- SIM card configuration: nanoSIM (4FF format) + nanoSIM (4FF format) / microSD
- SIM card operating mode: Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS)
- Navigation: GPS/GLONASS/BDS, A-GPS
- Radio: FM tuner
- Sensors: accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, gyroscope, Hall sensor, fingerprint scanner
- Battery: non-removable, lithium polymer, 3020 mAh (4.4 V, 13.3 Wh)
- Colors: Silver, Gold, Gray
- Dimensions: 141.2x69.1x7.1 mm
- Weight: 146 grams
Design, ergonomics
There is continuity in the original design of Nova, in particular, this new smartphone in some places resembles the "reference" one, released by Google together with Huawei. So, the author's repetition was the round platform of the fingerprint scanner and the die of radio-transparent plastic on the back panel, where the main camera and the flash were located. Unlike the top glossy insert, the non-shiny bottom one is the same as the one on. For the Nova case, an aluminum-magnesium alloy was chosen, which is subjected to sandblasting at one of the stages of production, which, as a result, owes a matte finish that is pleasant to the touch. The streamlined shape of the smartphone with diamond-cut edges is complemented by a protective glass with a 2.5D effect. At the same time, the bezels around the screen are quite narrow and are only 1.8 mm. According to the data announced at the Nova presentation, for example, for the Apple iPhone 6s, this parameter is 3.07 mm and 4.29 mm, respectively. But a comparison with "frameless" was not given there. However, the overall dimensions of these smartphones in terms of speak for themselves: 141.2x69.1 mm versus 143.6x66.8 mm. At the same time, the novelty from Huawei turned out to be slightly thinner (7.1 mm versus 7.9 mm), but slightly heavier (146 g versus 137 g). By the way, the barely rough texture of its back panel practically does not slip in your hand. At the same time, three basic colors are provided for the novelty: silver, golden and gray.
Above the display of the smartphone around a small decorative grille of the "conversational" speaker, there is a front camera lens (left) and an LED charging / event indicator, as well as proximity and light sensors (right).
The wide-angle front camera lens based on an 8-megapixel sensor, the same as the one, boasts f / 2.0 aperture. The maximum resolutions for selfies and gruffies are 3264x2448 pixels (8 MP, 4:3) and 3264x1836 pixels (6 MP, 16:9), respectively.
The main camera can shoot video in 4K resolution (3840x2160 pixels) @ 30 fps, but only Full HD quality (1920x1080 pixels) with the same frame rate is available for the front camera. All content is stored in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - sound). There is also the possibility of slow motion (up to four times, 120 fps), as well as "time lapses", all in HD (720p) quality.
The Camera app defines Photo, Video, Beautify, Time Lapse, and Light sections. In the latter case, for shooting from a tripod in low light, the presets "Light of lanterns", "Light graffiti", "Water" and "Stars" are collected. There are a total of 10 modes in the main camera settings menu, including Panorama, Night Scene, HDR, Professional, Focus, Watermark, Slow Motion, Audio Note, Delicious Food, and Text Recognition ". So, for professional shooting there is the possibility of manual selection on the "orbital" interface of such parameters as the method of measuring exposure, ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation, focusing (including manual) and white balance.
The front camera is content with only four modes: "Panorama", "Watermark", "Audio note" and "Mirror". In her settings, the “Perfect Selfie” option turned out to be in place, where, along with the usual beautification effect, you can adjust additional parameters (“Smoothing”, “Whitening”, “Big eyes”, “Bright eyes”, “Narrow face”). In addition, for the front camera, the “Light” mode was replaced with “Makeup”, which most girls should like.
One "multimedia" speaker on the bottom of the smartphone sounds, maybe not so loud, but quite high quality. After connecting any headphones in the settings ("Sound"), it is recommended to activate the "DTS Headphone:X Headset" option, which emulates 3D surround sound (7.1 system). The branded application "Music" can play sound files created by codecs for lossless audio data compression with the FLAC extension. Broadcasting radio stations through the FM tuner, which requires the connection of a wired audio headset as a shortwave antenna, can also be output to the "multimedia" speaker. The Voice Recorder application saves stereo conversations as M4A (48 kHz, AAC-LC) files.
Filling, performance
On synthetic benchmarks AnTuTu Benchmark, the new smartphone also scored more than 60 thousand "virtual parrots" (63,881 against 62,380).
Similar results are observed when evaluating the amount of "horsepower" and the efficiency of using processor cores (Geekbench 4, Vellamo).
On the first two settings of the Epic Citadel visual test (High Performance and High Quality), the frame rate changed slightly - 61.6 (60.2) fps and 61.4 (60.1) fps, respectively, and on Ultra High Quality it slightly decreased to 49.8 (50.1) fps.
On the 3DMark universal gaming benchmark, where Nova was tested on the recommended Sling Shot kit (ES 3.1), the result was recorded - 459 points (against 462).
The total number of points knocked out by Nova on the Base Mark OS II cross-platform benchmark was 1203 points (against 1256).
Immediately after switching on, out of 32 GB of internal memory, approximately 24.01 GB are available, and free, of course, even less (22.45 GB). For storage expansion, Nova has a combo slot for a second nanoSIM or microSD/HC/XC memory card up to 128GB. In addition, thanks to the support of USB-OTG technology, it is also proposed to connect a flash drive to the device. However, due to the lack of a special USB Type-C adapter cable, this possibility could not be tested.
Two nanoSIM (4FF) subscriber identification modules are connected to one radio module and operate in DSDS (Dual SIM Dual Standby) mode, that is, they are constantly active, but if one of them is busy, then at the same moment the other turns out to be inaccessible. In the SIM card settings, it is proposed to decide which subscriber identification module will work with 4G / 3G networks, while the rest will be content with only 2G. The set of 4G frequency bands includes the most popular in Russia - FDD-LTE Band 3 (1,800 MHz), Band 7 (2,600 MHz) and Band 20 (800 MHz). Among other wireless communications, it is worth noting the Wi-Fi module 802.11 b / g / n (2.4 GHz), and, in addition, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC interfaces. Just like , Wi-Fi+ algorithms provide smart switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data networks in search of a better connection. But support for only one Wi-Fi frequency band (2.4 GHz) can hardly be added to the merits of this smartphone.
Using the NFC interface, supplemented by the application "Transport Cards of Moscow", you can find out the balances of the Moscow Troika card and Strelka near Moscow.
GPS, GLONASS and BDS satellite systems are used for positioning and navigation. A-GPS mode (cellular and Wi-Fi networks) is also available.
The capacity of the non-removable battery in Nova is 3020 mAh. This is 320 mAh less than the 5.5-inch (3340 mAh), but also 720 mAh more than, for example, the 5-inch (2300 mAh).
For the Nova battery, the AnTuTu Tester test program showed an average result of 7,286 points. According to the manufacturer, the new smartphone should last up to 73 hours when listening to music, up to 48 hours with normal use, up to 13 hours when watching HD-video and up to 16 hours on the web surfing (4G).
In addition, when you start the game Pokemon Go, the battery will last for 5 hours of catching Pokemon. But the test set of videos in MP4 format and Full HD-quality at full brightness spun continuously for about 8 hours.
In the advanced settings ("Battery Manager"), where, like the one, optimization and monitoring of power consumption are provided, three modes are offered - "Productive" (online video, games), "Smart" (everyday work) and "Energy saving". The last mode, recommended when the battery is low, turns the smart device into a regular phone, when you can only make voice calls, view contacts and exchange messages.
Software Features
Like Nova, it runs on the Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) operating system, the interface of which is hidden under the proprietary EMUI 4.1 shell.
These smartphones are practically the same in their software capabilities, including screencasts, smart screenshots, control gestures, fingerprint scanner functions, etc.
Purchase, conclusions
The compact Nova smartphone in a thin, but ergonomic, metal case, which is also pleasant to the touch, is well suited for both men and women. Among the main advantages of this device, it is worth noting narrow bezels around the screen, good autonomy, support for DTS Headphone:X audio technology, a fast fingerprint scanner, and a useful NFC interface.
Among the minuses, as, indeed, with , there was a mandatory choice between installing a second SIM card and expanding memory, and, in addition, only one Wi-Fi frequency band (2.4 GHz) .
At the time of testing, the cost of pre-ordering Nova was 19,540 rubles (including a 15% discount from 22,990 rubles). For about the same money (19,990 rubles), large retail chains offered at the same time a 5-inch "frameless" one. If it is, perhaps, unrivaled in terms of the width of the case, then Nova clearly loses in some other parameters, including screen resolution and convenience (HD vs. Full HD, ineffective oleophobic coating), RAM size (2 GB vs. 3 GB) and built-in (16 GB versus 32 GB) memory, battery capacity (2300 mAh versus 3020 mAh). So even without a discount, the price of a Nova smartphone seems, given its merits, very interesting.
The results of the review of the smartphone Huawei Nova
Pros:
- Ergonomic and compact metal body
- Narrow screen bezels
- Good autonomy
- Support for DTS Headphone: X audio technology
- Fast fingerprint scanner
Minuses:
- Mandatory choice between installing a second SIM card and expanding the memory
- One Wi-Fi frequency band
Huawei nova: battery, display, processor and camera test results overview. Can the real potential of the Huawei nova smartphone justify the high price?
Welcome to review Huawei nova with passion. Why with passion? Huawei nova is not a cheap phone. If we take into account the weak battery according to the passport, the far from top-end S625 chipset and the year before last Android 6 out of the box, it’s completely expensive. Our task is to decide whether the real potential of a smartphone can justify the price tag, which is one and a half times higher than that of direct competitors from the same Middle Kingdom?
The basis of the review of Huawei nova will be the results of tests of the battery, display, processor, camera and sound quality in headphones. We will definitely pay attention to the passport characteristics of Huawei nova, but the focus will be on the real capabilities of the smartphone and their impact on user experience. There will also be a direct comparison of Huawei nova with some competitors.
Huawei nova: design, build quality, body materials
Let's start with the design, because the Huawei nova phone is very good! Not only is the phone just beautiful, but thanks to the beveled edges, it fits in your hand like a glove. The exterior of the novelty made an impression on everyone in the Five-Inches edition. The review of Huawei nova at GSMArena also notes the impeccable appearance of the smartphone.
The body is made of lightweight aviation aluminum, thanks to which the Huawei nova smartphone turned out to be light at the same time ( 146 grams), very thin ( 7.1mm) and durable. The build quality is perfect - the volume rocker and the lock / power button are also aluminum, there are not even minimal gaps between them and the frame.
Huawei nova smartphone: battery and autonomy rating
Huawei nova battery with capacity 3020 mAh it may seem weak to some, but here you need to take into account other factors that determine the autonomy of a smartphone. Huawei nova's 5-inch screen won't use too much power. The Snapdragon 625 chipset, manufactured according to the 14 nm process technology, also contributes to the increase in the phone’s operating time from a single charge.
Snapdragon 625 is one of the most economical chipsets, which is confirmed by the test results of various smartphones. beats battery life ratings for phones with a 5.5-inch display. Huawei nova shows a not so outstanding, but very good result: with the active screen, the phone is discharged in 10-11 hours.
| Huawei nova | |
|---|---|
| Battery | 3020 mAh (non-removable) |
| Autonomy rating | 84 hours |
| 3G calls | 28:03 |
| Internet | 11:05 |
| Video | 09:41 |
Autonomy rating 84 hours means that if you talk on the phone for 1 hour, watch videos for 1 hour and surf the Internet for 1 hour, Huawei nova will last more than three days. Please note that battery tests were conducted in Performance mode, which is optimized for maximum performance. By turning on the Standard mode, we get a couple more hours. In the strict power saving mode (Ultra Power Saving), the Huawei nova smartphone should work much longer.
Huawei nova phone: screen characteristics and picture quality
The characteristics of the Huawei nova screen can be found on the website of any IM, so we will not dwell on them for a long time. All the characteristics of the display are in the table, but we will focus on the real performance of the screen - brightness, contrast, black depth, color accuracy and readability in the sun.
Huawei nova screen produces deep blacks - 0.25 cd/m2. Brightness at medium level ( 385 nits), but due to the good black depth, excellent contrast is obtained - 1540:1 . Readability in the sun leaves much to be desired, due to the low brightness.
Color gamut accuracy is measured using a color accuracy factor, DeltaE, which indicates the degree of deviation from the reference. The screen of the Huawei nova renders colors well, but not perfectly. Middle DeltaE 6.7(less is better). Calibration can improve color accuracy and lower DeltaE to 4.8, reducing the blue portion of the spectrum and increasing the saturation of warm tones. Huawei nova screen test results in the table:
| Black, cd/m2 | Brightness, cd/m2 | Contrast | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huawei nova | 0.25 | 385 | 1540 |
| Huawei nova plus | 0.31 | 397 | 1281 |
| Huawei P9 | 0.46 | 500 | 1094 |
| Huawei P9 Lite | 0.42 | 497 | 1192 |
| Honor 8 | 0.37 | 460 | 1243 |
| Sony Xperia X | 0.44 | 539 | 1219 |
| Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro | 0.49 | 561 | 1145 |
| Xiaomi Mi 5s | 0.51 | 660 | 1294 |
Huawei nova: chipset specifications and comparison in benchmarks
Processor Huawei nova - Snapdragon 625, one of the coolest and most economical chipsets at the moment, and not only in the "budget" and "middle class" categories. The chipset is produced by technology 14 nm, which guarantees a modest energy consumption with an almost complete absence of heating, even under serious load. And where there is no heating, there is no throttling - a drop in clock frequency due to overheating.
The flip side of these savings is modest computing power. All eight cores of the S625 are built according to the architecture Cortex A53. The reference architecture is optimized for simple tasks with minimal battery consumption. There are no cores with maximum processing power (Cortex A72 or A73) in the chipset, and this is reflected in the results in benchmarks. ().
In tests that test the power of a single core, Snapdragon 625 consistently loses to competitors on faster chipsets, and loses a lot. We see a similar picture in complex synthetic tests that evaluate the overall performance of the phone. The Adreno 506 graphics adapter is also not the fastest.
To evaluate the performance of Huawei nova, let's compare it with competitors. For this purpose, we have selected 8 smartphones: 3 Huawei models based on HiSilicon Kirin chipsets, two Xiaomi Redmi Note models based on Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, and one each from Meizu, Sony and Galaxy, Snapdragon 650 and Exynos 7420, respectively. Technical characteristics of competitors selected for comparison with Huawei nova in the table:
| Smartphone | Chipset | Number of Cores | Architecture and Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirin 950 | 8 | 4x 2.3GHz Cortex-A72+ 4x 1.8 GHz Cortex A53 | |
| Kirin 955 | 8 | 4x 2.5GHz Cortex-A72+ 4x 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53 | |
| Helio X20 | 10 | 2x 2.3GHz Cortex-A72+ 4x 1.9GHz Cortex-A53 + 4x 1.4GHz Cortex-A53 | |
| Exynos 7420 | 8 | 4x 2.1 GHz Cortex-A57+ 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 | |
| Snapdragon 650 | 6 | 2x 1.8GHz Cortex-A72+ 4x 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 | |
| Snapdragon 650 | 6 | 2x 1.8GHz Cortex-A72+ 4x 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 | |
| Kirin 650 | 8 | 4x 2.0GHz Cortex-A53 + 4x 1.7GHz Cortex-A53 | |
| Snapdragon 625 | 8 | 8x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 | |
| Snapdragon 625 | 8 | 8x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 |
And now the test results with short comments by the Five-Inches editors. IN GeekBench 3 the processing power of the central processing unit (CPU) is estimated. Testing is carried out in two modes - Single-Core (one core is involved) and Multi-Core (multitasking mode, all cores work). In Single-Core mode, phones on Snapdragon 625 occupy the last lines - no wonder, because there are no "fast" cores in the chipset. Note. Charts do not display correctly in Samsung Internet Browser and some built-in browsers on mobile platforms. We recommend that you open the publication in Google Chrome, Opera, or Firefox.
Huawei nova comparison in GeekBench 3 (single-core)
In the GeekBench 3 Multi-Core benchmark, smartphones based on the S625, including the hero of our review Huawei nova, are ahead of phones on the 650 Dragon, since it simply has fewer cores (six versus eight), but naturally loses to devices on more powerful chipsets with the same or a large number of cores (Helio X20, Exynos 7420, Kirin 950 and Kirin 955).
Huawei nova comparison in GeekBench 3 (multi-core)
Comparison of Huawei nova in complex synthetic tests AnTuTu 6 And BaseMarkOS 2.0 gives an idea of the overall speed of the phone. We see a familiar picture - smartphones on chips with fast cores are ahead, even if there are fewer cores than Huawei nova. The number of cores does not always reflect the potential of the phone, the processor architecture is still more important.
Comparison of Huawei nova in AnTuTu 6
Comparison of Huawei nova in BaseMark OS 2.0
Comparison of the capabilities of the graphics adapter finally confirmed the alignment of forces - Huawei nova is inferior to competitors on powerful chips and is ahead (or kept equal) of phones on comparable platforms.
Compare Huawei nova in GFX 3.1 Manhattan (onscreen)
Comparison of Huawei nova in BaseMark X
As you can see, Huawei nova on S625 is not the fastest device. Nevertheless, the potential is enough for comfortable work in any mode. Games will run at medium settings, while the phone will remain cold and will not slow down due to overheating. If you need absolute leaders in speed, it is better to look for them among smartphones based on other chipsets.
Huawei nova: camera and photo quality
The Huawei nova camera is a strong point of the smartphone. Yes, there are no Leica optics, as on, and aperture is only 2.2, but a good pixel size ( 1.25 µm) in combination with the optimization of image processing software, HDR and hybrid auto focus allows you to take very high quality photos.
In good light, you can pull very cool photos from the Huawei nova camera module. With a lack of light, the detail drops and noise appears; does not save even the Super Night mode. Manual settings of shooting parameters come to the rescue. By increasing the shutter speed to 2 seconds, you can get high-quality shots at night. Examples of compressed photos are in front of you, and you can study 100% of the crop.
In the review of Huawei nova, GSMArena experts focused on the following advantages of the smartphone's camera:
- rich detail and excellent dynamic range;
- low noise level;
- good contrast, realistic and saturated colors;
- panoramic shooting - one of the best in the class;
- HDR really works and improves the quality of already decent shots.
Huawei nova video. You can record videos with resolution 4K and frequency 30 fps y. Bitrate 42 Mbps allows you to get a picture with excellent detail, natural colors and high contrast. Artifacts and fps subsidence were not found. The only drawback is the mediocre sound quality in videos.
Front-camera. Permission 8 MP and aperture 2 do their job - the pictures are clear, with good detail and rich colors. For social networks, they are ideal, and more is not required from the front camera.
Huawei nova sound quality: an audiophile review
Should fans of perfect clear sound take a closer look at the Huawei nova phone? Depends on how you listen to it. With the sound quality, we observe an atypical picture. Huawei nova produces very clear sound in headphones, with little harmonic and intermodulation distortion and uniform signal amplification at high and low frequencies.
But when you connect an external amplifier, something unimaginable starts to happen with the sound. Intermodulation distortion goes off scale (KII - 0.972), the signal-to-noise ratio drops to critical levels (-68 dB). We see a similar picture with Huawei nova plus.
| Cho | Signal/Noise | DD | OIG | KII | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huawei nova | +0.03, -0.32 | -68.9 | 84.4 | 0.0075 | 0.972 |
| Huawei nova (with headphones) | +0.22, -0.03 | -89.1 | 86.0 | 0.0077 | 0.098 |
| Huawei Nova Plus | +0.03, -0.31 | -70.7 | 83.2 | 0.0064 | 0.875 |
| Huawei Nova Plus (with headphones) | +0.05, -0.10 | -89.9 | 86.5 | 0.0057 | 0.062 |
| Redmi Note 4 S625 | +0.05, -0.04 | -90.6 | 91.9 | 0.0018 | 0.0086 |
| Redmi Note 4 S625 (with headphones) | +0.05, -0.03 | -96.3 | 90.5 | 0.0047 | 0.023 |
| Xiaomi Mi 5s | +0.01, -0.03 | -89.6 | 90.2 | 0.0029 | 0.040 |
| Xiaomi Mi 5s (with headphones) | +0.71, -0.31 | -82.9 | 84.8 | 0.229 | 0.559 |
| ZTE Axon 7 | +0.06, -0.10 | -92.4 | 92.3 | 0.0015 | 0.0093 |
| ZTE Axon 7 (in headphones) | +0.03, -0.11 | -92.3 | 92.3 | 0.0011 | 0.012 |
Many cheaper smartphones produce a cleaner signal, both when connected to an amplifier and in headphones. However, if you use your phone as a music player exclusively on the go, the sound quality of Huawei nova will not disappoint you. Especially when you connect a good headset.
Huawei nova: firmware, wireless, interfaces
Out of the box we get Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow which works perfectly with EMUI 4.1- proprietary firmware Huawei nova. The phone can be upgraded to the seventh Android. About that, read in a special material.
Responsible for wireless LTE modem category 13/7 A: It can receive data at a peak speed of 300Mbps and transmit at up to 150Mbps. Support for 5 GHz Wi-Fi, unfortunately, no, only 2.4GHz. But the interface USB Type-C, which distinguishes Huawei nova from Huawei Lite series smartphones.
Huawei nova: review results
Time to sum up the Huawei nova review. Before us is an excellent phone with a lot of advantages, from design and body materials to the camera and autonomy rating. It must be admitted that the relatively high price tag is justified, Huawei nova offers an excellent balance of qualities. There are drawbacks, but they are not critical. Some shortcomings can be compensated, and some are the reverse side of the advantages of a smartphone.
Benefits of Huawei nova
- Flagship design.
- Lightweight and durable aluminum body, excellent build quality.
- Good autonomy.
- The camera is one of the best in the class. In good light, it is not inferior to Huawei P9 and Honor 8.
- Cold processor.
- Display with excellent contrast and deep blacks.
Disadvantages of Huawei nova
- Color accuracy and screen brightness are at the lower limit of the norm.
- The sound quality deteriorates sharply when an amplifier is connected.
- The camera can hardly cope with night shooting, you need to use manual settings.
- Not the fastest processor.
- There is no protective glass on the screen.
We hope the review of Huawei nova was useful. Stay with us, we are always glad to see you on the pages of Five-Inches. Please share the link to the review on social networks, and if you find inaccuracies or errors in the material, write in the comments. Thank you in advance.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.
| Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 69.1 mm (millimeters) 6.91 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft 2.72in |
| Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 141.2 mm (millimeters) 14.12 cm (centimeters) 0.46 ft 5.56in |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 7.1 mm (millimeters) 0.71 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft 0.28in |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 146 g (grams) 0.32 lbs 5.15oz |
| Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 69.27 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.21 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Golden Gray Silver |
| Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device. | Metal |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz UMTS 850 MHz (B6) (CAN-L02; CAN-L12) UMTS 1900 MHz (CAN-L01; CAN-L11; CAN-L03; CAN-L13) UMTS 1700/2100 MHz (CAN-L03; CAN-L13) UMTS 800 MHz (B18) (CAN-L03; CAN-L13) |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 2600 MHz LTE 1800 MHz (CAN-L01; CAN-L11; CAN-L02; CAN-L12) LTE 2100 MHz (CAN-L01; CAN-L11; CAN-L02; CAN-L12) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) (CAN-L02; CAN-L12) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) (CAN-L01; CAN-L11; CAN-L02; CAN-L12) LTE 1900 MHz (CAN-L03; CAN-L13) LTE 850 MHz (CAN-L02; CAN-L12; CAN-L03; CAN-L13) LTE 1700/2100 MHz (CAN-L03; CAN-L13) LTE 900 MHz (CAN-L01; CAN-L11; CAN-L02; CAN-L12) LTE 700 MHz (B12) (CAN-L03; CAN-L13) LTE 700 MHz Class 17 (CAN-L03; CAN-L13) LTE 800 MHz (B18) (CAN-L02; CAN-L12) LTE 800 MHz (B19) (CAN-L02; CAN-L12) LTE 800 MHz (CAN-L01; CAN-L11) LTE 700 MHz (B28) (CAN-L02; CAN-L12) |
Mobile technologies and data rates
Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.
SoC (System on a Chip)
System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.
| SoC (System on a Chip) System on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor. | 14 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8 |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 8 |
| Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 2000 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | Qualcomm Adreno 506 |
| The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted. | 3 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates. | single channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data. | 933 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches. | 5 in 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate Screen Width | 2.45in 62.26 mm (millimeters) 6.23 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate Screen Height | 4.36in 110.69 mm (millimeters) 11.07 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail. | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 441ppi (pixels per inch) 173ppm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device. | 70.86% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance |
| 2.5D curved glass screen LTPS (Low Temperature PolySilicon) 1500:1 contrast ratio 450 cd/m² 85% NTSC |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Diaphragm | f/2.2 |
| Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. There is also an equivalent focal length that provides the same field of view with a full frame camera. | 4.26 mm (millimeters) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image. | 4032 x 3016 pixels 12.16 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device. | 3840 x 2160 pixels 8.29 MP (megapixels) |
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
| Phase detection Contrast autofocus |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are mainly used for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger. | f/2 |
| Image resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the secondary camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum resolution supported when shooting video with the optional camera. | 1280 x 720 pixels 0.92 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the optional camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 CSS 3 |
Audio file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support various audio file formats and codecs that store and encode/decode digital audio data, respectively.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.
| Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours. | 3020 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-polymer (Li-polymer) |
| Adapter output power Information about the electrical current (measured in amps) and electrical voltage (measured in volts) supplied by the charger (power output). Higher power output ensures faster battery charging. | 5 V (volts) / 2 A (amps) |
| Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery. | fast charging Fixed |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines. | 0.99 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards. | 0.94 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 1.42 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard. | 0.72 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
