The main representatives of the Nova series are half a step behind the flagships and stand out for their distinctive design, thin cases and generally balanced ergonomics. But there are simpler devices in the line, for example, Huawei Nova 8i for 22 thousand rubles. Are the listed features relevant for him? I propose to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the novelty.
Specifications
- Screen: 6.67 inches, 20: 9 aspect ratio, LTPS, 2376 × 1080, 391 PPI, 60Hz.
- Operating System: EMUI 11 based on Android 10.
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, 11nm.
- CPU: Cortex-A73 (4 × 2.0 GHz) + Cortex-A53 (4 × 1.8 GHz).
- GPU: Adreno 610.
- Memory: operational 6 GB, built-in 128 GB without a memory card.
- Main camera: 64 MP (f / 1.9) + 8 MP (wide-angle, f2.4) + 2 MP (macro, f / 2.4) + 2 MP (depth sensor, f / 2.4), autofocus on the main module only, LED flash …
- Front camera: 16 MP (f / 2.0).
- Battery: 4300mAh, 66W fast charge.
- Dimensions: 161.85 x 74.7 x 8.58 mm.
- Weight: 190 grams.
- Slots: 2 × nanoSIM.
- Communication: 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n / ac, GPS (A-GPS), GLONASS, BeiDou, GALILEO, NFC, USB OTG.
- Sensors: illumination, proximity, accelerometer, gyroscope, electronic compass.
Appearance and ergonomics
The design of the back cover is not like other representatives of Nova, but refers to the flagship Mate 30 Pro. Round camera module with four lenses, the location of a large flash, rounded sides and pointed transitions at the top and bottom. I got a blue device with uniform overflows without third-party shades. In the shade, the back cover remains dark blue.
In fact, the back cover willingly collects small dust particles that stick to the glossy plastic. Matte plastic frame with a beautiful chrome bevel. In the hands of Huawei Nova 8i, it feels monolithic and lies well due to the rounded shape without sharp transitions. The weight of 190 grams is fully consistent with the dimensions. You can protect the device by putting it in a regular case – transparent silicone. The screen is protected by a film without an oleophobic coating.
The fingerprint scanner is located in the power button and is recessed to avoid accidental touches. As befits such an ultrasonic sensor, recognition is instant and error-free.
Display
Our hero belongs to an endangered class of smartphones with IPS. The 6.67-inch 2376 x 1080-pixel matrix features natural color reproduction and PWM flicker-free performance. On the other hand, black has a gray tint and permanent display of AOD information is not available. The refresh rate is standard 60 Hz, while 90 Hz or 120 Hz are already common in this class.
The brightness range falls short of the modern standard – my Spyder4Elite colorimeter showed 410 cd / m² without additional overclocking in automatic mode. This is not enough on sunny days. In the design of the front, I was pleased with the thin bezel of the display. Yes, the strip at the bottom is wider than the rest, but does not pull on the chin title, unlike most competitors with IPS. The front camera looks like a double, but in fact, sensors are located next to the lens. There is no halo around the cutout.
To preserve vision, a mode for reducing the intensity of blue is provided. The filtering level is adjustable, activation is configured according to a schedule. There are also two display profiles and automatic color temperature adjustment for ambient lighting. There is also a dark theme, which is not particularly relevant for IPS.
Camera
There are already four eyes in the main camera block, but this is a trick. Three modules are involved: the main 64 megapixel with an aperture of f / 1.9 and autofocus, a wide-angle 8 megapixel with an aperture of f / 2.4 with a fixed focus and a 2 megapixel macro with f / 2.4 for shooting at a distance of 4 cm. good dynamic range due to automatic HDR. This is due to the advanced software from Huawei.
In the evening and at night, the software almost immediately lifts up not only the ISO, but also the shutter speed. As a result, you can’t get a smartphone and take a photo of something on the fly – you get blurry pictures. It is also impossible to make a series of several frames with a small interval. To get the result, you need to lock in, press the shutter release and wait a few seconds.
There is no lossless hybrid zoom in the Nova 8i’s arsenal, despite the high resolution of the main sensor. You can increase the camera’s “field of view” with a wide-angle lens. It makes sharp and detailed shots in good conditions, but it differs in color rendition from the main one and quickly gives up with a deterioration in illumination. I also noticed a slight rotation of the horizon relative to the main sensor.
A macro lens is very picky about the amount of light, readily catches reflections and needs autofocus. Catching a sharp picture at a strict distance of 4 cm is not easy.
In place of the front camera, there are standard 16 megapixels with f / 2.0 optics. Portrait mode is to apply a filter to the skin without blurring the background. Among the useful chips are display backlighting.
Software
Now Huawei is actively promoting HarmonyOS 2.0, but the Nova 8i runs on Android 10 with the proprietary EMUI 11 shell. It’s a nicely designed and fully user-friendly system. Customization is minimal and mainly concerns the launcher: themes, style and desktop grid. However, a mediocre chip and a standard 60Hz screen did not have the best effect on the smoothness of the system.
A package of Russian applications is preinstalled out of the box. Each of them can be removed without leaving a trace. Many other programs are displayed on the main screen as shortcuts for self-loading. They need to be removed from the screen not in whole folders, but one by one, and this takes a lot of time.
Own HMS services instead of the usual Google GMS are still a controversial point when choosing Huawei. I have been using a smartphone without Google Play for more than six months, so I can confidently say: there is nothing wrong with that. Most of the everyday applications are in AppGallery, the rest can be downloaded as apk files. For example, Instagram, WhatsApp and Viber are installed manually. For some programs tied to Google services, you have to look for alternatives. My favorite Google Keep notes and BelkaCar carsharing come to mind. Also, Telegram still does not work with the location broadcast due to the lack of Google maps. Although the app is officially provided by the AppGallery.
To be fair, new apps are regularly added to the Huawei store. And users are prepared for pleasant bonuses: discounts, exclusive play sets and free subscriptions.
Iron and communication
Not only Huawei’s parent company is in a tough spot, but also Kirin chip maker HiSilicon. Therefore, smartphones are gradually switching to third-party solutions, in this case, Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 is used. The chip is currently slightly above the entry level: 4 Cortex-A73 cores, 4 Cortex-A53 cores and Adreno 610. The speed indicators of the 128 GB drive are at the minimum comfortable level.
In a stress test, performance is reduced by 20% and is fixed at all times. The case temperature does not go beyond the comfort limits. To summarize, the hardware for a smartphone for 22 thousand rubles is weak.
All LTE bands, dual-band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC – we have a complete set of modern network interfaces. Two-level tray for two nanoSIMs without the ability to install a memory card.
Connectors, USB-C and audio jacks are spaced at the ends. The single multimedia speaker is the most common – loud but spineless. But there are a couple of microphones, noise cancellation during calls is.
Autonomy and charging
The 4300 mAh battery gives the potential for good autonomy, however in the Treshbox test the Nova 8i only lasted 12.5 hours. In real life, you can only count on daylight hours, when you leave the house in the morning with a full battery, and in the evening, the first thing you do is put the device on charge.
Trashbox.ru battery test results:
27:47
24:54
23:29
23:10
19:30
19:10
19:07
17:07
15:25
14:18
13:03
13:00
12:39
11:31
11:28
11:21
10:18
9:32
All battery test results and test method description
Super fast charging helps. Our hero supports Huawei SuperCharge technology with a 66W adapter. A full charge takes 45 minutes, no excessive heating is noticed. Qualcomm’s Power Delivery and Quick Charge are also supported – enviable versatility.
Recall after two weeks of use
At the beginning of the review, I asked myself about the strengths and weaknesses of the new product. And in reality there are simply no such people. Stylish design and cool ergonomics are combined with simple materials. The thin bezels around the IPS are shattered by the lack of an increased refresh rate. The cameras are underwhelming and the performance falls within the minimum comfort bar. Of course, it is impossible to fit the full range of high-end options into a smartphone of the mid-price segment, so manufacturers usually focus on a specific parameter. But with the Nova 8i, nothing of the kind happened, the new product is full of compromises from all sides and will hardly remain in my memory as a reviewer. Without a grain of doubt, I can praise fast charging: a full battery in 45 minutes and support for popular standards is convenient.
Regarding Huawei services and the AppGallery store, I propose a small interactive. Write in the comments the names of the applications you are interested in, and I will clarify their compatibility.
Pros:
- current design in the style of the flagship Mate;
- lightweight and ergonomic body;
- IPS with thin symmetrical bezels;
- very fast charging in 45 minutes;
- slight decrease in performance over long distances;
- full set of interfaces and sensors;
- successfully built into the power button fingerprint.
Minuses:
- the interface is far from the modern understanding of smoothness;
- an unused 2 megapixel module in the main camera;
- unreasonably high price.
May not like:
- standard refresh rate 60 Hz;
- 128 GB without memory card.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
