The Nova 2i was released in 2017, yet it’s built better than most mid-rangers around. It also comes with considerable specs. Let’s talk about it.
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*Since the phone was released in 2017, finding a new Nova 2i would be highly unlikely. However, for the above price, you should be able to find a second-hand phone from one of the local ecommerce sites.
The phone is made completely of metal. We love how the aluminum on its back feels, it’s very rich. It has the metal on its frame too, so it is well built. We have to say, it’s kind of heavy. It comes in at 164 grams. This isn’t a bad thing. The cheaper devices that are hefty feel more expensive.
Huawei did a good job with its design – it is ergonomic. It’s curved well and fits perfectly in your hand. But you’ll have trouble if your hands are small. Its screen stretches 5.9 inches across.
The handset comes in a few colour choices. We’re fans of the blue as it looks the most elegant. You can get the Nova 2i in a gold and black as well.
As you look across its rear, you’ll notice that there’s a large fingerprint sensor. It’s easy to reach and pretty responsive. The device has buttons that are easy to reach too. We also love how tactile they are.
You are getting a 3.5 mm headphone jack. You are also getting a MicroSD slot. That being said, a USB-C port is not present. You will be utilizing its micro USB entry.
The Nova 2i doesn’t have a small screen, so you get an immersive viewing experience. In terms of how powerful its screen is, you’re not getting anything vibrant. It is an IPS LCD. Although it doesn’t produce the best colour, the panel is known to be sharp. Speaking of sharpness, you’re met with a good screen-resolution – it is 1080 x 2160 pixels.
You’re getting a bit of bezel action. It has a 76.5% screen-to-body ratio.
Huawei’s mid-rangers are known for their blue-ish displays. Sadly, the 2i is no different. You can adjust it through its temperature settings, but it’s not a complete fix.
Its display is quite bright. 500 nits is the gold standard, which it offers.
Don’t get too rough with it. Its front rocks regular strengthened glass. You’ll appreciate that Huawei includes a screen protector in the box.
If you’re looking for a phone with a large battery, the Nova is not for you. It hosts a 3340 mAh unit. It will last a bit over a day. Thankfully, it has a range of power-saving modes.
When it comes to charging it, prepare to sit around for a while. It uses a regular 10 W charger. It takes over 2 hours to go from 0-100%.
You are getting a Kirin 659 chip. It’s snappy, but it’s not super-fast. It will handle everyday tasks with ease, and you can game with it. Many compare the processor to the Snapdragon 625, saying they’re equals.
It runs Android 7 out of the box and you can upgrade the device to Android 9. It runs EMUI, Huawei’s proprietary UI. It’s extremely customizable. That being said, it doesn’t come with an app drawer. Many are apprehensive about the manufacturer’s devices because of this.
You’re getting only one storage variant. It comes with 64 gigs of space and 4 GB of RAM. We have to say, it’s really good. The 4 gigs of RAM makes the handset a breeze to work with. 64 GB of space is a lot, which is why we’re glad that you can still upgrade it with a microSD card.
Camera-wise, we’re not mad. There is a dual set-up on its rear. Its primary sensor is a 16 MP wide lens. Its secondary sensor is a 2 MP depth sensor. The phone takes sharp shots. But they lack saturation.
Some Huawei phones get aggressive with saturation, so we’re happy it isn’t like them. Thankfully, you can play with its camera settings. The “image adjustment” will help you boost vibrancy.
Low light shots are not good. They are very underexposed and blurry.
When it comes to its front camera, you’re met with a dual set-up again. It rocks a 13 MP wide lens and a 2 MP depth sensor. We have to say, they leave you Instagram ready.
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Now that you know everything about it, let’s see how it compares against alternatives.
Unlike its counterpart, it is not made from aluminum. You’re looking at a plastic device. The phone has a glossy plastic rear, though. This makes it look more expensive, like glass. It is as hefty as the Nova 2i.
Size-wise, it is bigger. You’re looking at a 6.4-inch handset. This is one of the reasons it provides a more immersive viewing experience. Another is it hosting a Super AMOLED screen. The colours pop much more. It also offers a better screen-to-body ratio; 84.9%. Its notch isn’t big. You’re met with a water-drop. You can disable it through its settings if you want.
The phone has a sharp display. Its screen resolution is 1080 x 2340 pixels. It is also durable; you’re getting a Gorilla 3 front.
The A30’s processor is the Exynos 7904. It is more powerful than the Kirin 659. But it is still a mid-range chipset. The device uses Android 9 out of the box. You can upgrade it to Android 10 if you want.
It provides 2 storage variants. You can pick it up with 32 or 64 GB of space, and 3 or 4 GB of RAM. Yes, you can expand its storage.
Its battery is much larger than the 2i’s. It is 4000 mAh. It will easily last a day and a half. When charging it, you will be using a 15 W fast charger. It will take around 2 hours to go from 0-100%.
There is a dual set-up on its rear. Its primary sensor is a 16 MP wide lens. Its secondary sensor is a 5 MP ultrawide lens. Its front camera is not a dual set-up like its counterpart. You’re met with a single 16 MP shooter. It is a wide sensor.
The A7 is a plastic phone. However, it’s glossy, making it look like glass. The device is a bit heavier than its metal counterpart. It’s also bigger than it. You’re looking at a 6.2-inch device.
Its screen is IPS LCD. As you know, this means it doesn’t produce the most vibrant colours. Its screen is not as sharp as its alternatives. The A7’s screen resolution is 720 x 1520 pixels. Although it’s not as sharp, you’re getting a better screen-to-body ratio. It is 81.6%. Its notch is smaller too. It’s teardrop-shaped.
You don’t have to be as careful with its display as it is Gorilla Glass 3. It can handle more of a beating.
The battery inside is considerable. It is 4230 mAh. The A7 can last around 2 days. To charge it, you will be using a regular 10 w charger. Unfortunately, this means that it takes over 2 hours to go from 0-100%.
Out of the box, you are met with Android 8. The Android 10 update is in the works.
Its processor is better than the Huawei. It has the Snapdragon 450 inside of it. What’s more, it comes with better storage options. You can pick it up in 32 and 64 GB of space. RAM-wise, you get 3 and 4 gigs. You’ll be happy to know that you can expand its memory.
The phone’s rear camera hosts a dual set-up. Its primary sensor is a 13 MP lens while its secondary sensor is a 2 MP depth sensor. Meanwhile, its front camera is a 16 MP wide lens.
You’re looking at a glass device. It has an aluminum frame, though. It’s a tad heavier than its Huawei counterpart. It’s bigger than it too. It is 6.26 inches.
It also has an IPS LCD screen. But its screen-to-body ratio is better. It is 82.5%. The device has a superior screen resolution as well. It’s 1080 x 2280 pixels.
When it comes to its processor, a Snapdragon 660 chip is in place. It’s much better than the Kirin processor on the 2i. Its storage variants are really good. It offers 64 and 128 GB of space, along with 4 and 6 GB of RAM. Although it offers impressive storage variants, you can still expand its memory.
If you’re wondering about the version of Android it rocks, you are getting Android 8.1 out of the box. You can upgrade it Android 10 if you want.
Its battery is a bit larger than its alternative. You are met with a 3350 mAh unit. It will last longer than the Nova, due to its more powerful processor. You’ll be using an 18 W fast charger on it. The Mi 8 Lite takes around an hour and a half to go from 0-100%.
There is a dual set-up on its rear. Its primary sensor is a 12 MP lens. Meanwhile, its secondary sensor is a 5 MP depth sensor. Front camera wise, you’re met with a massive shooter. It is a 24 MP wide lens.
So, what do you think about the Huawei Nova 2i? We think it’s a mid-ranger that looks good and feels expensive. It doesn’t come with the best specs, but that’s only because it was released 3 years ago. It still holds its own against alternatives, though. This is great as they’re newer than it.
If you’d like to find more Huawei devices, we’ve talked about them quite a bit on our Facebook page, so give it a look.
