The Huawei Nova 2 Plus smartphone needs more than good looks to stand out from the crowd.
New Huawei Nova 2 Plus - Reviews
Huawei launched the Nova series at the end of 2016 and marketed it for people who want a slim smartphone with a great camera that fits in the pocket of skinny jeans.
The Nova 2 and Nova 2 Plus were unveiled in China, but no wider international launch was made. I was able to test the 2 Plus in China and compared it to the first Nova phones.
You will definitely like the design of Huawei Nova 2 Plus. The smartphone has a metal body and comes in a beautiful black, green or blue color scheme. The style of the 2 Plus is reminiscent of the Huawei P10. A housing with minimal branding and antenna stripes that merge with the body of the smartphone, with a dual camera positioned at the top. It resembles Apple's iPhone in style.
The fingerprint sensor is on the back of the phone, not the home button. The Nova 2 Plus weighs only 169 grams and is very lightweight. At just 6.9mm thin, it is one of the thinnest smartphones you can buy today.
Huawei Nova 2 Plus is a mid-range phone. It received a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1,920 × 1080 pixels, covered with 2.5D curved glass. Powered by Huawei's Kirin 659 processor with 4GB random access memory... Thus, there was a departure from Qualcomm processors Snapdragon used in the first Nova. The Nova 2 had a 5-inch screen, was lighter, weighed 143 grams, but had a smaller 2,950 mAh battery compared to the 3,340 mAh in the 2 Plus.
The Nova 2 Plus comes with 128GB of internal storage.
Phone performance and OS
The performance of the smartphone in this short period that I have used it has been excellent. As you'd expect, it glided across menus and apps without issue. I doubt anyone will be upset by the absence Snapdragon processor especially since the faster Kirin 960 has already performed well in the P10 and Mate 9.
On Android 7.0 Nougat, the Huawei EMUI 5.1 user interface is installed. I liked him, but chinese version I tried was infected with a virus. Nevertheless, the shell is stable, there are algorithms to help you work faster with the software, and it is much more convenient than previous versions.
Camera Huawei Nova 2 Plus
The dual lens camera from Huawei was the Nova 2 and is on the 2 Plus. I tried out the camera, with 12MP and 8MP lenses. The result was not surprising, but the software is easy to use, all operations are performed quickly.
There is an additional mode that was not available before, called Moving Picture, which is similar to Apple's Live Photos mode. In mode, when you press the shutter, a short video is recorded, which is saved as a GIF. When you select it in the gallery, the image comes to life. The Moving Picture feature is a fun option that opens interesting opportunities for creativity.
The 20-megapixel selfie camera installed in the Huawei Nova 2 Plus makes images of excellent quality. But, the small sensor does not cope with difficult lighting conditions, despite the many megapixels, you should not expect amazing results from the selfie camera.
Outcome
When you pick up the Huawei Nova 2 Plus, it becomes clear why the manufacturer is in no hurry to sell it internationally. This is due to the Honor brand doing great phones which are not very expensive. The 5.5-inch Nova 2 Plus costs roughly $ 425 (£ 25,700), far more than the Honor 6X, which offers similar specs. The smartphone has a visual resemblance to the Honor 8 Pro, which received a more powerful filling, but does not cost much more.
This is the same problem Huawei faced when launching the first Nova. The smartphone market from $ 300 to $ 500 is overflowing with powerful gadgets, and there is a lot of competition here. In China, it is even tougher considering a competitor such as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X, which costs half the price.
The Nova 2 Plus looks and performs well, but there is nothing about it that makes it stand out from the competition.
Advantages
- Slim, stylish design
- Dual Lens Moving Picture Camera
- Big battery
- Plenty of storage space
Flaws
- No outstanding features
- Fierce competition with Honor and other brands
- Sold only for China
Smartphone Huawei Nova 2 and Nova 2 Plus - video trailer
Trying to overtake Samsung and Apple, the Huawei Nova 2 smartphone is stepping on the heels of its older brother (with the same name, but without the number 2), which appeared in 2016. But what if the creativity of the developers is incredibly high? In the new model, the general idea is rethought and the functionality is significantly improved. If you are too lazy to study the merits of a new device, it is enough to know that you have in your hands a miniature photo-video laboratory, an ideal window into the world of the Internet and simply quality phone... Today, in our review, we will study the technical characteristics and capabilities in more detail. Huawei smartphone Nova 2.
Huawei Nova 2 smartphone package contents
The model is traditionally delivered in a sleek and sturdy cardboard container tightly sandwiched between two accessory boxes. The product kit includes:
- headphones;
- Charger;
- USB cable;
- transparent case for a smartphone;
- a clip for removing the SIM card tray;
- warranty card;
- instruction.
Design and ergonomics of the smartphone Huawei Nova 2
The new model is enclosed in a traditional aluminum case and does not look different from the P10 flagship. In the field of ergonomics, everything has been tested and debugged for a long time. The device is comfortable and solid in the palm of your hand. The metal inserts of the antennas follow the rounded corners and the convex shape of the sidewalls. The matte backrest and glossy lines create an eye-pleasing contrast. The Huawei Nova 2 smartphone is a compact model, and this distinguishes it favorably from the "shovels" of other manufacturers. Perhaps a large gadget is more convenient for watching a movie on the train, but it does not fit well with a breast pocket, and even more so with the back pocket of denim trousers. In addition, the "shovels" often slip out of the hands, resulting in a shattered screen.
Huawei's innovations have not touched the manual interface. The power key and volume rocker are traditionally located on the right, and on the left there is a tray for two nano-SIM. One of them can be replaced with a memory card up to 128 GB. The connector for USB 2.0 (Type-C) is located on the bottom, next to the audio jack (3.5 mm) and the multimedia speaker. On the top rib there is only a microphone output. The Huawei lettering is located on the lower bezel of the front part strictly symmetrically.
And now a few dry facts and figures, without which the idea of the new model will be incomplete:
- Dimensions - 142.2x68.9x6.9 mm.
- The weight of the smartphone is 143 g.
- Case type - monoblock.
- Available in black, blue and gold body colors.
Huawei Nova 2 screen review
The spacious display occupies 70.57% of the front panel and almost completely merges with the bezel plane. The sensor is set up more than friendly, responding with lightning speed to the movements of your fingers, even when wearing gloves. Choose modes and shooting parameters, open applications and flip through albums with photos without the slightest delay. Here you can edit the captured photos by adding contrast and adjusting the color rendition. Submit your creative to social networks without additional processing on the computer.
The LTPS-screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels guarantees flawless picture of photos and videos, meeting all modern standards. The number of pixels per inch reaches 443 ppi. The display is capable of reflecting the subtle nuances of color temperature and automatically adjusting the backlight level. If your eyes get tired and you like to read in the dark, this mode will turn on at a certain time without distracting your attention.
The screen has the following characteristics:
- The diagonal is 5 inches.
- The aspect ratio is 16: 9.
- Color depth 24 bit.
- Protected by 2.5D tempered glass with an oleophobic coating.
Technical characteristics of the smartphone Huawei Nova 2
The filling of the device has undergone significant changes. The performance here is provided by a 64-bit processor. own assembly HiSilicon Kirin 659. Cortex A53 cores operate at 4x2.36 GHz, 4x1.7 GHz. Chipsets of this type are installed on smartphones in the budget and mid-range segment. There are eight computational cores on the processor die, which:
- provide flexible and fast multitasking;
- make 3D games smoother;
- increase the speed of the camera, etc.
The RAM (LPDDR3) is 4 GB and runs at 993 MHz, while the built-in memory is 64 GB. This is more than enough to use the phone as a minicomputer, photo storage and home theater.
The battery has a capacity of 2950 mAh - this is the maximum optimal volume for a smartphone with a thickness of 6.9 mm. The battery lasts for a whole day of active use. Switch on Moderate Power and Ultra Power Saving Modes for emergencies. Technology fast charging Quick charge allows you to fully restore the charge in 110 minutes.
The presence of a gyroscope and an accelerometer (G-sensor) in a smartphone serves not only to improve the quality of games, but also to "feel" any turns, tilts and other movements.
Review of multimedia smartphone Huawei Nova 2
The main advantage of the gadget is the front 20 megapixel selfie camera. With it, you can click bright and realistic photos in 5120x3840 resolution, and videos in 1920x1080 at 30 fps. The photo editor menu will allow you to correct imperfections in pictures right in the camera. Self-portrait at night will look no less impressive thanks to 11 levels of color temperature, a separate LCD driver, intelligent screen backlight and F2.0 aperture.
In addition to the front one, the Huawei Nova 2 smartphone has two main cameras. One (12 megapixel) is designed for panoramic shooting and has a wide-angle lens with an aperture of f / 1.8 and a focal length of 27 mm. The second (8 megapixel) is adapted for shooting distant objects, having an aperture of f / 2.4 and a focal length of 54 mm. Rear cameras can be paired, with a telephoto lens (2x zoom capable) taking great images, and a panoramic lens for color recognition and definition / brightness.
3D face identification mode is a reliable way to remember the person you briefly met at a socialite. You no longer have to puzzle over what his name is and what he does if brief information is attached to his appearance. The "bokeh" effect (using two photo modules) gracefully blurs the contrast of secondary details, leaving your face clear when shooting portraits. You can choose the professional mode by independently setting the shooting parameters to touch screen... Turn on autofocus when you don't have time to think. Thanks to CMOS technology, it is possible to record video with a resolution of 1920x1080 (Full HD).
We draw the attention of the reader to the fact that the Nova series is an experimental line of Huawei. And if some indicators still reach and even exceed the flagship peaks, then this is just a coincidence, albeit a pleasant one. However, some attentive bloggers are already predicting a flagship future for the novelty - in the following incarnations. In the world of advanced technology, it is not like that.
Huawei Nova 2 Wireless
The Wi-Fi function works in high-speed modes b / g / n at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. Internet access for other devices is provided by Wi-Fi Hot Spot. Wi-Fi Direct allows devices to sync without routers or hotspots. Bluetooth 4.2 will significantly increase the speed of receiving and transmitting user data, as well as the amount of transmitted information. Determination of location by GPS / AGPS / GLONASS / BDS.
The standard wireless high-speed data transmission LTE will significantly expand your capabilities on the frequency bands TDD Band: 38; FDD: Band 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 20. There is no NFC standard.
Smartphone Huawei Nova 2: price and video review
In general, the smartphone turned out to be successful - stylish, fast, functional. Everything that is necessary for ultra-modern smartphones, and even more, was invested in the model of the middle-high class. The quality of the filling is more than good, and the variety functionality rolls over. What are the cameras alone? Probably wireless high frequency communication short-range NFC will appear in upcoming versions of the line.
The price of Huawei Nova 2 in Russia is 22,000 rubles. A video review of the device is presented below:
Our review: Huawei Nova 2 - stylish, dual chamber, powerful
Today I have a recent novelty on my review. Compared to its predecessor, the novelty has received a dual main and 20MP front cameras, a metal case, as well as updated hardware. So let's go.
Specifications Huawei Nova 2
- OS Android ™ 7.0 shell EMUI 5.1
- Screen LTPS 5 inches 1920x1080px (443ppi)
- CPU Kirin 659 8 cores (4 x Cortex A53 2.36 GHz + 4 x Cortex A53 1.7 GHz)
- Main camera (MP) 12MP + 8MP (Dual Camera)
- Front-camera(Mp) 20 megapixels
- Built-in memory 64 GB
- RAM 4 GB
- Memory card support microSD Up to 128 GB (slot combined with 2nd SIM card)
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, 2.4 GHz
- Bluetooth 4.2
- Connection 2G 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G HSPA + up to 42 Mbps 4G LTE Cat6 up to 300 Mbps (TDD Band: 38; FDD: Band 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 20)
- Number of SIM-cards 2 nanoSIM, alternate, the second slot is shared with MicroSD
- Geolocation GPS / AGPS / GLONASS / BDS
- Sensors Illumination, Approximation, Gyroscope, G-sensor, Compass, Fingerprint
- USB 2.0, Type C
- Battery capacity 3000 mAh
- Dimensions (WxHxD mm) 142.2 x 68.9 x 6.9 mm
- Set Smartphone, charger, headphones, transparent protective bumper, USB cable, card ejector, warranty card, manual
Appearance, completeness and assembly
All smartphones of the Nova line are united by laconicism and simplicity of design. For lovers of bright colors, the manufacturer offers several saturated shades at once. We had a white and gold representative on the test. has retained the traditional compactness of its predecessor. It has practically no bezels around the screen, is only 6.9 mm thick and weighs only 143 grams. The smartphone lies comfortably in the hand, the side edges form a single whole with the back cover of the smartphone, the material of manufacture is brushed metal.
The front side of Huawei Nova 2 is painfully similar to most other models of the manufacturer. In the upper part there is a speaker and a front camera, in the lower part there is an inconspicuous logo.
Rounded side edges make appearance Nova 2 is balanced and complete. Due to the special structure of the body material, the smartphone does not slip in the hands. On the left side there is a slot for nanosim and sd cards.
On the right side there is a power button and a volume rocker, and the power button has a corrugated surface.
Below is the USB Type C connector, to the right of it is the speaker, to the left is the audio jack.
The back surface of the smartphone, as we have already mentioned, is made of brushed metal. In the upper part on the left side there are two cameras and a flash, under them in the center is a fingerprint scanner, in the lower part there is a logo.
Also, below and above, the manufacturer placed plastic antenna inserts in the form of stripes running along the contour, which perfectly complemented the design of the device.
Despite the dullness of the back cover, it still collects fingerprints, but everything is not as noticeable as smartphones made of glass.
As a result, I can attribute the appearance of the Nova 2 to the advantages of the device.
Screen
It's already boring to talk about the screens of Huawei smartphones. Standard high-quality IPS-display with FullHD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels with high pixel density of 443 ppi, LTPS and OGS technologies, anti-glare and oleophobic coating.
Viewing angles in all directions are wide, with a large tilt of the screen, color inversion does not occur, but a loss of brightness is noticeable. At the same time, there is a fairly wide range of options for adjusting both the backlight and the color gamut.
The backlighting of the screen is quite bright, and even on a sunny day, the text on the screen is quite comfortable to read.
The capacitive touchscreen with multi-touch up to 10 simultaneous touches works very quickly, and at the same time with pleasant smoothness.
In general, an excellent representative of the IPS family, although inferior in some parameters to modern Amoled displays.
Cameras
The camera application is traditionally functional and convenient, there is a wide range of shooting modes and settings, as well as a professional mode that allows you to manually change almost all shooting settings.
I am pleased with fast and accurate focusing on both the main and front cameras.
The main dual camera is a tandem of the main 12 MP module with an aperture of f = 1.8, and an additional 8 MP module with an aperture of f = 2.4.
In the afternoon at good lighting the images are bright and clear, with good color rendition and detail. HDR works well, equalizing exposure across the frame without noticeable degradation of detail, while making the frame more contrast (right).
With an average quality of lighting, the pictures are also decent, but without outstanding results.
In low light, noise becomes very noticeable. A flash from a close distance strongly overexposes the foreground, but the auto white balance works out well.
Well, it is worth mentioning separately the main function of paired cameras - blurring the background for portrait shots. This combination allows you to use a real (within smartphones) portrait mode: minimal distortion of faces, zoom in, blurring the background (achieved by processing software, for natural bokeh, the optics are too weak here). In Nova 2, for some reason, this function is moved to the "Selfie Tools", and at the same time it turns on scaling with a zoom of 2x. On the one hand, it simulates the focal length of portrait lenses, but on the other, quality is noticeably lost.
As before, the blur effect can be adjusted after the shot.
The main camera records video in FullHD resolution and 30 frames per second. The video quality is normal for this price segment... Good color rendering.
Bottom line: a fast, functional camera with good image quality, fast focusing, and wide artistic capabilities of two photo modules.
Let's move on to the main feature - the front camera.
The 20-megapixel module shoots really well, but still the number of megapixels is more marketing ploy... There are quite a few 12-15MP analogs that shoot no worse. An automatic 3D face recognition system paired with an "enhancer" will allow you to take selfies in which the owner of the smartphone will definitely like himself. Nevertheless, excessive use of the enhancement function is only detrimental to the frame, and the background blur function often blurs the excess.
At the same time, the camera has a very wide viewing angle, and will allow you to fit the maximum of the surroundings into the frame, even for those who do not have long arms. You can take group selfies without using a monopod.
Bottom line: a good selfie camera with interesting tools, a wide viewing angle, good image quality, but expectations from it are still too high.
Sound
For this parameter, I was pleased. The AK4376a Hi-Fi DAC module in high-quality monitor headphones provides excellent detail and depth of sound, with perfectly distinguishable stereo effects. The latter become noticeable when using the built-in processing algorithm. sound Huawei Histen, but in the settings you need to select the correct type of headphones, otherwise it will only ruin everything. In general, this is the smartphone that is able to reveal, at least partially, the capabilities of FLAC.
There is only one external speaker, but the quality and volume of its sound are also at a good level.
Software
The software shell is currently based on the current version of Android 7.0 Nougat paired with the latest version branded shell EMUI 5.1... The shell from version to version receives more and more new features and is more and more optimized for the user. Nice graphics complemented by extensive features and patented technologies.
Iron and performance
Unlike its predecessor, which used a third party chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Huawei Nova 2 decided to use its own chipset HiSilicon Kirin 659: 64 bit, 8 cores (4x2.36 GHz Cortex-A53 + 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A53), graphics accelerator - Mali-T830. The amount of RAM has also increased - it is now 4GB.
At the same time, there is no noticeable increase in performance, in the benchmarks the Nova 2 is only slightly ahead of its predecessor. Nevertheless, the performance is more than enough for the perfect smoothness of the interface and 3D games.
Of the built-in 64GB of flash memory, a little more than 50 is available to the user; you can increase this volume using a microSD card, sacrificing the ability to install a second SIM.
Bottom line: more than decent filling for this price tag.
Communications and wireless
The slot for the second SIM card of Huawei Nova 2 is combined, and the owner can choose between two nano-SIM, or one SIM card and MicroSD card memory. With 64GB of internal storage, the choice won't be too painful.
The set of wireless interfaces includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. But NFC is missing, which with the advent of support Android Pay in Russia can be attributed to the obvious disadvantages. With the quality of communication and WiFi, Huawei smartphones are traditionally good, and Huawei proprietary technologies help to always be in touch. The WiFi module, however, works only in one 2.4GHz frequency range.
A trio of GPS / GLONASS / BDS sensors provide fast and accurate geolocation, with a cold start it takes no more than half a minute to find a location.
For charging and data exchange, there is a USB 2.0 Type C connector with OTG support.
Work and autonomy
The battery with a capacity of 2950mAh paired with energy-efficient hardware and software demonstrates the autonomy normal for such a smartphone. In the average mode of operation, it calmly survives until the end of the working day, but in the mode of continuous playing in tanks, the smartphone lived for 3.5 hours. Support for fast charging is declared.
The metal case, having obvious advantages, also leads to noticeable heating of the case in 3D games. Although the temperature of the case still does not reach an uncomfortable level.
Outcomes
The continuation of the Nova line turned out to be successful. - stylish, compact, modern and powerful smartphone which is a pleasure to own. The modern powerful hardware provides sufficient performance for both everyday tasks and serious games. In terms of autonomy, the smartphone can be classified as a "strong middling".
One of the advantages that is important for me is a high-quality audio module. This smartphone can really be used as a replacement for a multimedia player for listening to FLAC with good headphones.
The dual camera allows you to take high-quality pictures with a wide range of artistic possibilities. The 20-megapixel selfie camera also showed good image quality, it is undoubtedly at the level of more expensive competitors, but expectations from it are still too high.
I was disappointed by the lack of NFC, I am so used to paying in stores using my smartphone that I would not want to own a smartphone without this module.
Due to its compactness with a screen diagonal of 5.2 inches, the smartphone is suitable for both girls and guys. The smartphone will appeal to active Instagramm users, game lovers and those who appreciate style. Decent smartphone for the Russian market, which justifies the money spent on it
pros
- Powerful hardware and high performance
- High-quality audio module and good sound in headphones
- Modern, bright and clear display
- Excellent ergonomics and workmanship
- Good cameras and image quality
Minuses
- Lack of NFC
- Combined slot of the second nano-SIM and microSD
- One WiFi 2.4 MHz band
- Slight heating of the case in games
At the end of July, Huawei Consumer Business Group introduced to the Russian market new smartphones of its Nova series, which appeared just a year ago: they were the Huawei Nova 2 and Nova 2 Plus models. Smartphones received three body color options and a rich set additional opportunities including a unique front-facing camera and a new audio system. The dual main camera of both models, assembled from 12-megapixel and 8-megapixel modules, has a professional portrait mode, and the 20-megapixel front camera provides high quality self-portraits, expanding the creative possibilities of users. Today we present detailed review the simplest and at the same time the most balanced of these two models - Huawei Nova 2.
Main characteristics of Huawei Nova 2 (model PIC-LX9)
- SoC HiSilicon Kirin 659, 8 cores Cortex-A53 ( [email protected], 4 GHz + [email protected], 7 GHz)
- GPU Mali-T830 (MP2)
- Operating system Android 7.0, EMUI 5.1
- 5 ″ IPS touchscreen display, 1920 × 1080, 443 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 4 GB, internal memory 64 GB
- Nano-SIM support (2 pcs.)
- MicroSD support up to 128GB
- GSM / GPRS / EDGE networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
- WCDMA / HSPA + networks (850/900/1900/2100 MHz)
- LTE Cat.6 FDD (B1 / 3/4/7/8/20), TD (B38)
- Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n (2.4 GHz)
- Bluetooth 4.2
- GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, BDS
- USB Type-C, USB OTG
- 12MP main camera, f / 1.8 wide-angle lens, autofocus, 1080p video
- Additional camera 8 MP, f / 2.4 telephoto lens
- Front camera 20 MP, f / 2.0, fixed. focus
- Proximity sensor, lighting, magnetic field, fingerprint, accelerometer, gyroscope, step counter
- Battery 2950 mAh
- Dimensions 142 x 69 x 6.9 mm
- Weight 142 g
Appearance and usability
Design latest smartphones Huawei is not much different from each other: they all have the same iPhone-like slick style of an all-metal body streamlined on all sides with strongly rounded corners in plan. The developers do not hide the fact that the entire line of small, but technically well-equipped Nova smartphones is designed primarily for a female audience.
Huawei Nova 2 has an aluminum-magnesium body that is durable, thin and light enough. Plastic inserts in metal case No, external antennas are customarily laid in outer grooves covered with composite material. The surface of the anodized aluminum is matte, slightly rough, with practically no fingerprints left on it.
The smartphone is not large in size, it fits comfortably in the hand, does not slip out, does not pull off pockets. Such a device can be called elegant by modern standards.
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The rear panel houses a dual camera module with flash. The flash is single, consists of one LED, but it shines quite brightly.
The fingerprint sensor platform is only slightly recessed (only 0.1 mm deep). The fingerprint scanner is protected from dirt and dust and fits well with the overall look of the device. There are no complaints about the scanner's operation, you can bring your finger at any angle.
The front panel is completely covered with 2.5D glass with angled edges. In the upper part above the screen, sensors, a peephole of the front camera, and an LED event indicator are habitually located. Its small, barely perceptible point shines almost in the middle above the speaker grill.
There are no hardware control buttons under the screen, but you can customize a set of buttons in the panel on the screen.
The side keys are larger than you might expect and are quite stiff. The buttons got different surfaces in texture, but they are the same to the touch.
The side slot for cards is hybrid: a Nano-SIM card is inserted into one of the slots, a microSD memory card is inserted into the other, or, in the case of a Dual SIM modification, a second SIM-card in Nano-SIM format. The sled is not metal, but plastic, in which the cards are held and do not fall out.
The bottom end is dedicated to a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a spoken microphone hole, a main speaker output and a USB Type-C connector. Thus, there is nothing on the top but the auxiliary microphone hole. There is also no infrared transmitter familiar to smartphones from this manufacturer for emulating the remote control.
The Huawei Nova 2 is available in Black (Graphite Black), Gold (Prestige Gold) and Blue. Unlike many manufacturers, Huawei designers decided not to paint the front panel of the Nova 2 to match the overall color of the case - it can only be black or white.
Screen
Huawei Nova 2 is equipped with an IPS display with 2.5D protective glass. The dimensions of the screen are approximately 62 × 110 mm with a diagonal of 5 inches. The resolution is 1920 × 1080, and the dot density is about 443 ppi.
The brightness of the display can be manually adjusted or automatic settings can be used based on the operation of the ambient light sensor. The multitouch tests diagnose support for 6-9 simultaneous touches, but none of the tests showed all 10. The screen supports working with gloves, but this mode should be looked for not in the section about the screen, but in the button control settings.
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Detailed expertise using measuring instruments conducted the editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections Alexey Kudryavtsev... Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than that of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the turned off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Huawei Nova 2, then they can be distinguished by their size):
The screen of Huawei Nova 2 is noticeably darker (brightness in photographs is 104 versus 118 for Nexus 7). Duplication of reflected objects in screen Huawei Nova 2 is very weak, which means that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS-type screen - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (such as glass / air) with greatly different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense ambient light, but their repair in the case of cracked outer glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the screen, there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating, which is better in efficiency than that of the Nexus 7. Therefore, fingerprints are removed here much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
With manual brightness control and with the display of the white field on the whole screen, the maximum brightness value was about 500 cd / m², the minimum - 2 cd / m². The maximum brightness is high, and given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors should be at an acceptable level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable value. In the presence of automatic brightness control by the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front speaker slot). V automatic mode when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider, with which the user can try to set the desired brightness level in the current conditions. We increased the brightness to the desired level in complete darkness and found that in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 12 cd / m2, in an office illuminated with artificial light (about 550 lux) it sets to 180 cd / m2, in a very bright environment (corresponds to outdoor lighting on a clear day, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or slightly more) increases to 500 cd / m². The result was quite satisfactory for us. It turns out that the automatic brightness control function works adequately and to some extent allows the user to adjust their work to individual requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering either.
This smartphone uses an IPS-type matrix. The micrographs show the typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of photomicrographs of screens used in mobile technology.
The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large gaze deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without tint inversion. For comparison, we present photographs in which the screens of Huawei Nova 2 and Nexus 7 display the same images, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m2, and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K.
White field perpendicular to screens:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.
And the test picture:
The colors on the screen of the Huawei Nova 2 are a little oversaturated (note the bananas, tomatoes, napkin and skin tone) and the color balance is slightly different.
Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, but on the Huawei Nova 2, the contrast decreased to a large extent due to the strong black highlighting.
And white box:
The brightness at an angle at the screens has decreased (at least 5 times, based on the difference in exposure), but in the case of Huawei Nova 2, the drop in brightness is slightly greater. When deviated diagonally, the black field is strongly lightened and acquires a slight reddish tint. The photos below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same!):
And from a different angle:
When viewed from a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field is excellent:
The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1100: 1. The response time for the transition black-white-black is 24 ms (13 ms on + 11 ms off). The transition between gray tones of 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes 46 ms in total. The gamma curve, plotted using 32 points at equal intervals in terms of the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal a blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.42, which is higher than the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power dependence:
This device has some kind of dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image. As a result, the obtained dependence of brightness on the hue (gamma curve) may not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential output of gray shades almost on the entire screen. For this reason, a number of tests - determining the contrast and response time, comparing black illumination at angles - we carried out (however, as always) when displaying special templates with a constant average brightness, and not single-color fields across the entire screen. It should be noted that in this case the brightness correction is poorly expressed and does not have an obvious dependence on the image, but it would be better if it did not exist at all.
The color gamut is slightly wider than sRGB:
The spectra show that the matrix filters mix the components together to a moderate extent:
As a result, visually, the colors on this screen are somewhat different from natural ones, since almost all images are designed to be displayed on display devices with sRGB coverage. The balance of shades on the gray scale is medium, since the color temperature is significantly higher than the standard 6500 K, but the deviation from the spectrum of the absolute black body (ΔE) is below 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature changes little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of the color balance. (The darkest areas of the grayscale can be ignored, since there is no color balance. of great importance, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
This device has the ability to correct the color balance by adjusting the hue on the color wheel.
In the graphs above, the curves Without corr. correspond to the results without any color balance correction, and the curves Corr.- data obtained after shifting the point to the position indicated in the picture above. It can be seen that the change in balance corresponds to the expected result, since the color temperature approached the standard value and ΔE decreased on average. However, it doesn't make much sense to perform the correction. Note that this function is implemented in a variant rather for show, since there is no numerical reflection of the correction, there is no field for measuring the color balance and the adjustment range is insufficient, since even at the edge of the circle one has to look for a compromise between a color temperature close to 6500 K and a minimum value of ΔE ...
To summarize: the screen has a high maximum brightness and excellent anti-reflective properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. It is also acceptable to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, no air gap in the layers of the screen and no flicker, as well as high contrast and excellent uniformity of the black field. The disadvantages are low stability of black to deviation of the gaze from the perpendicular to the plane of the screen, overestimated color saturation, as well as non-switchable dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of characteristics for this particular class of devices, the screen quality can be considered high.
Camera
The front camera module is one of the main pride of the creators of Huawei Nova 2. The fact is that the smartphone has a sensor with a very high resolution for a selfie camera of 20 megapixels, as well as a lens with an f / 2.0 aperture - albeit without its own flash and autofocus. The camera is equipped with 3D technology for accurate face recognition. The quality of the pictures is not bad: the image sensor has good light sensitivity, the color rendition is normal. Photos look very good on a smartphone screen, but when viewed on a computer, the level of detail is not overwhelming.
By default, this camera has a background blur mode enabled, although selfies are probably more often taken to capture a certain background and then show it to viewers. Of course, this effect can be turned off in the settings, and by default it is turned on, apparently in order to immediately impress new users with technologies.
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As the main camera, the already familiar set of two modules is used, one of which has a wide-angle lens with an f / 1.8 aperture and a 12 megapixel sensor, and the second is equipped with a telephoto lens with an f / 2.4 aperture and an 8 megapixel sensor. This allows the camera to provide 2x optical zoom and background blur with bokeh.
The menu has manual settings for photo and video shooting: shutter speed (from 1/4000 to 30 s), light sensitivity (up to ISO 3200), exposure compensation, white balance, and focusing options. They can be reached by pulling out the panel from the bottom, that is manual mode there is always at hand. There is also an opportunity to save images in RAW. The camera offers a large number of scene modes (from HDR to shooting light or food), some of which you can download yourself.
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The camera can shoot video at the maximum Full resolution HD (1920 × 1080) at 30 fps, there are no 4K and 60 fps modes. The camera copes well with video shooting, but not perfect: sharpness and color rendition are in order, but the detail is not maximum, the greenery sometimes merges into a mess. The brightness is also not always enough. There are no complaints about sound recording: the sensitivity of the microphones is high, the sound is clear, loud, the noise reduction system adequately copes with the wind noise without adding noticeable distortions in the form of echoes.
- Movie # 1 (20 MB, 1920 × [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
- Movie # 2 (28 MB, 1920 × [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)
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Good detail in the distant shots. |
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The camera copes well with macro photography. |
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The camera also works well for macro photography in low light. |
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Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness. |
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Quite good detail in the distant shots. |
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Good sharpness across the field and across plans. |
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The camera copes well with shooting under indoor lighting. |
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The text has been worked out well. |
RAW detail will not allow increasing, but expanding dynamic range- easy.
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The camera turned out to be quite interesting. She works out the details in the field of the frame and in plans well, without noticeable flaws. The noise is almost invisible, but the noise reduction works very moderately. Shooting in RAW, of course, does not open up many possibilities, but it cannot be called useless either: if you wish, you can tighten the exposure and highlights / shadows in the photographs taken, and this will be much more effective than when working with JPEG. Eventually camera huawei The Nova 2 is great for a variety of scenarios in documentary or artistic photography.
Telephone part and communications
Communication capabilities of Huawei Nova 2 include support for data transfer at speeds up to 300 Mbps in LTE networks Cat.6. In the city limits of the Moscow region, the device behaves confidently, does not lose connection in places of poor reception, and quickly re-establishes the connection. The rest of the possibilities are not so rich: Bluetooth has version 4.2, only one Wi-Fi range (2.4 GHz) is supported, there is no NFC module at all.
The navigation module works with GPS (with A-GPS), with the domestic Glonass and with the Chinese Beidou. The first satellites during a cold start are detected within tens of seconds, the positioning accuracy is high. There is a built-in magnetic field sensor for compass operation.
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The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing phone number the search is immediately carried out by the first letters in the contacts. The methods for sorting and displaying contacts are standard for the Android interface.
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The platform does not support active waiting for both SIM cards in 3G / 4G at the same time. That is, if one card is assigned for data transmission in 3G / 4G, the other can be actively waiting in the network only in 2G. The interface in Huawei smartphones traditionally does not offer to pre-select a specific card for sending SMS, this can only be done for voice calls and data transfer. The cards work in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode, there is only one radio modem here.
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Software and multimedia
As software platform the Android OS is not the most recent version 7.0 and its own shell of the latest version EMUI 5.1 - everything is the same as in other modern devices of the manufacturer. Naturally, there is the possibility of over-the-air update (OTA).
The interface is designed in its own well-recognized corporate style. It is possible to turn on the standard Android version of the launcher, which is more familiar to Europeans, with a separate program menu. Pre-installed applications many, including Sberbank's mobile bank, new Yandex programs, and several of Huawei's own utilities. There is a comprehensive Phone Manager responsible for monitoring the system, cleaning memory, scanning and protecting against viruses, blocking spam, etc.
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To listen to music, instead of the standard Google Music player, we use our own audio player with a familiar interface. All settings become available only with headphones connected, including equalizer presets. Thanks to the dedicated AK4376A audio chip, the sound has a very high maximum volume, the sound is bright, thick and rich, even at the maximum level, the speaker does not begin to wheeze. In headphones, the quality is even better, the sound is bright, rich and also very loud. The 3D surround sound effect is available for the headphones - the proprietary functions of Huawei Histen.
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Performance
Hardware Huawei platform Nova 2 is built on the HiSilicon Kirin 659 SoC. The chip configuration includes eight ARM Cortex-A53 processor cores in two clusters with a maximum frequency of 2.36 and 1.7 GHz. In fact, this is an overclocked version of the SoC Kirin 655. The Kirin 659 is also made using a 16-nanometer process technology. Responsible for graphics processing is the ARM Mali-T830 (MP2) video accelerator with support for the OpenGL ES 3.2 graphics API. The amount of RAM is 4 GB, the built-in flash memory is 64 GB. Of these, 1.9 GB of RAM is free and about 51.4 GB of the total memory.
The HiSilicon Kirin 659 SoC is a relatively fresh solution for mid-range smartphones and tablets. The SoC is quite productive, the level of Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, in the AnTuTu test the hero of the review demonstrates quite decent 60K-plus points, this is a confident average level.
Kirin 659 provides the system with confident performance and in real-life scenarios allows the smartphone to cope with any modern tasks. There are no problems with games either, all games we tested, including Modern Combat 5 and Mortal kombat X, go without braking.
Benchmarking AnTuTu and GeekBench:
All the results obtained by us when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks, we have summarized in tables for convenience. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the resulting dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain "behind the scenes" - due to the fact that they once passed the "obstacle course" on previous versions of test programs.
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Testing the graphics subsystem in gaming tests 3DMark, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:
When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).
| Huawei Nova 2 (HiSilicon Kirin 659) |
Sony Xperia XA1 (MediaTek MT 6757) |
Htc one X10 (MediaTek MT6755) |
Asus Zenfone 3 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625) |
Nokia 5 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 430) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot ES 3.1 (more is better) | 413 | 671 | 421 | 466 | 299 |
| (Onscreen, fps) | 5,2 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen, fps) | 4,7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4,6 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex(Onscreen, fps) | 20 | 32 | 17 | 22 | 20 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen, fps) | 18 | 21 | 17 | 23 | 16 |
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Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for evaluating the speed of a javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can be truly correct only on the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
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results AndroBench test on the speed of working with memory:
Heat images
Below is a thermal image back surface obtained after 10 minutes of running the battery test in the GFXBenchmark program:
Heating is more localized in the upper part of the device, which, apparently, corresponds to the location of the SoC. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 37 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), this is not very much.
Video playback
To test the "omnivorous" video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats that make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is often impossible to process modern versions at the expense of processor cores alone. Also, do not expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are tabulated.
| Format | Container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Native video player |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p H.264 | MKV, H.264 1920 × 1080, 24 fps, AAC | reproduced normally | reproduced normally |
| 1080p H.264 | MKV, H.264 1920 × 1080, 24 fps, AC3 | reproduced normally | |
| 1080p H.265 | MKV, H.265 1920 × 1080, 24 fps, AAC | reproduced normally | reproduced normally |
| 1080p H.265 | MKV, H.265 1920 × 1080, 24 fps, AC3 | reproduced normally | plays normally, no sound |
Further video playback testing was done by Alexey Kudryavtsev.
We could not theoretically check the possible support for adapters for outputting images to an external device, due to the lack of an adapter option that connects to the USB Type C port, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see "Testing techniques for video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)"). Screenshots with an exposure of 1 s helped to determine the nature of the frame output of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and the frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In our tests, we used the MX Player video player in the "Hardware" mode. The test results are summarized in the table:
720 / 50pNote: If both columns Uniformity and Skips green ratings are set, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and skipping of frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems related to the playback of the respective files.
According to the criterion for outputting frames, the quality of video playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since in most cases frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) to be displayed with a more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without frame drops. The screen refresh rate is 59 Hz, so for files with 60 fps, one frame per second is skipped. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the edge of the screen, one to one pixel by pixel, that is, in its original resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235: all shades are displayed in shadows and highlights.
Battery life
Non-removable accumulator battery installed in Huawei Nova 2 has a capacity of 2950 mAh - this is the average figure for today. With such a battery, the hero of the review also demonstrates average results in autonomy tests. The smartphone surprisingly did not last long in game mode, but when playing YouTube videos, the result, on the contrary, is quite satisfactory.
V real life the apparatus behaves the same as most modern smartphones: confidently lives up to evening exercises, but you can't count on more.
Testing has traditionally been conducted at typical power consumption levels without using power saving features.
Continuous reading in the Moon + Reader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (the brightness was set to 100 cd / m2) with auto scrolling lasted 13 hours until the battery was fully discharged, and with continuous video playback in high quality(720p) with the same brightness level through home network The Wi-Fi device lasts about 10.5 hours. In 3D games mode, the smartphone can work no more than 4 hours.
Huawei Nova 2 supports fast charging, but the test sample arrived to us without its own charging, and from a regular mains adapter (2 A 5 V) the smartphone was charged for 2 hours with a current of 1 A at a voltage of 5 V. Wireless charging the smartphone does not support.
Outcome
The model has already entered the official sale in Russia, in the Huawei branded online store for Nova 2 they ask 24 thousand rubles. This is not the most low price for a mid-range smartphone, but it still does not cause shock, looks acceptable for a balanced solution with a neat and attractive all-metal body, good cameras, good sound and screen. As for communication capabilities, the lack of a second Wi-Fi band (5 GHz) and an NFC module can only be regretted - support for LTE Cat.6 does not seem to be an equivalent compensation. But in any case, this model has clearly more advantages than disadvantages, and the opportunity to get a well-equipped device in a small case can attract the attention of those who do not like large handheld devices - Huawei Nova 2 was created especially for them.
Huawei continues to experiment with mid-range smartphones. And, I must say, she does it very well. The latest Huawei Nova 2 has an excellent price-performance ratio. So, the model received a stylish magnesium-aluminum body a la iPhone, a main dual camera and a front one with a 20 megapixel module, a new productive HiSilicon Kirin 659 chip, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB for data storage. Whether it is worth the candle, we will figure it out in the course of our test review.
In the summer, Huawei introduced the second generation of Nova smartphones. As before, the main focus is on balance technical characteristics and an affordable price for advanced gadgets. Two versions were announced at once: Huawei Nova 2 with a 5-inch screen and Huawei Nova 2 Plus with a 5.5 screen. We had the Nova 2 model at our disposal.
The novelty received a compact magnesium-aluminum body, a 5-inch screen with FullHD resolution, a powerful processor, 4 GB of RAM, a fingerprint sensor and highly functional cameras: a main dual camera 12 megapixels and 8 megapixels, as well as a front one - 20 megapixels. Wherein Huawei price Nova 2 at the start of sales is set at 22,000 rubles, which is very interesting even against the background of competitors from Xiaomi, Meizu and Oppo.
Specifications Huawei Nova 2
id = "sub0">| Characteristic | Description |
| Body materials | magnesium-aluminum alloy, glass |
| Operating system: | Android 7.0, custom shell EMUI 5.1 |
| Screen: | LTPS touchscreen, diagonal 5 inches, resolution 1080x1920 dots (443 dpi), recognition of up to ten simultaneous touches, protective glass with 2.5D effect |
| CPU: | 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 659 (4 cores Cortex-A53 at 2.36 GHz and 4 cores Cortex-A53 at 1.7 GHz) |
| GPU: | Mali-T830 MP2 |
| RAM: | 4 GB |
| Flash memory: | 64 GB + microSD card slot |
| SIM card type: | two nanoSIMs, one of which is combined with a microSD slot |
| Mobile connection: | EDGE / GPRS / GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), WCDMA (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE Cat.6 (800/1800/2600 MHz) |
| Communications: | Single-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.2, USB Type-C (USB 2.0) for charge / sync, 3.5 mm headset |
| Navigation: | GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU |
| Sensors: | light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), fingerprint scanner |
| Main camera: | Dual: 12MP (f / 1.8) + 8MP, LED flash, autofocus, FullHD video recording |
| Front-camera: | 20 MP f / 2.0 |
| Battery: | non-removable, 3000 mAh |
| Dimensions, weight: | 142.2 x 68.9 x 6.9mm, 143g |
Package contents and first impressions
id = "sub1">Despite the fact that we have a mid-range device, they did not skimp on the packaging. Huawei Nova 2 comes in a stylish box made of hard white cardboard. The model name is printed on the front of the package. Accessories from the kit are laid out in separate boxes. In addition to the smartphone itself, the box contains a USB Type C sync and charging cable, a power adapter, a clip for opening the SIM card tray, a wired stereo headset, instructions and a warranty card.
Taking the smartphone out of the box, you notice that it looks a lot like the iPhone 6 / 6s. Same rounded side edges, design style and materials. The Huawei Nova 2 is slim and light enough. Dimensions - 142.2 x 68.9 x 6.9mm, 143 grams. The reduction in the size of the case was achieved by reducing the edges around the display. On the left and right, they reach only 2 mm.
The device is surprisingly good in the hand. It is very compact and you can feel it immediately.
Huawei Nova 2 comes on Russian market in three colors: blue, black and gold. I had at my disposal a device in black.
Design and appearance
id = "sub2">Of the 10 people I surveyed, the look of the smartphone was liked by everyone, without exception. The owners of the iPhone noted that the new product very much reminded them of the iPhone 6 / 6s and iPhone 7. This is largely due to the similarity of the body shape and finishing materials. So, in the device Huawei rear part Made from a sheet of magnesium-aluminum alloy with plastic inserts at the top and bottom. It is in these inserts that the transmit-receive antennas are located. mobile network, Wi-Fi. GPS / GLONASS, Bluetooth.
The use of sandblasting technology has created a pleasant-to-touch surface and a stylish matte finish.
Rounded edges and a 2.5D screen allow the smartphone to fit perfectly in the hand.
In the hands the device is perceived as a very expensive and solid device. Huawei Nova 2 is truly one of the most stylish phones from the manufacturer.
On the front there is a 5-inch screen. It is covered protective glass 2.5D, that is, it is slightly curved at the edges, as if hanging over the main part. Taking into account the very thin bezels on the sides, it seems as if the gadget has no bezels at all. It looks very interesting. The glass has an oleophobic coating, fingerprints remain, but they are quickly and easily erased.
There is a speaker above the screen for phone calls. Its volume is enough to communicate in a noisy room or on the road. An LED indicator is integrated into the speaker grill. It blinks for incoming messages, phone calls, or low battery. It can be disabled or reconfigured in the corresponding menu item. Here you can see proximity and lighting sensors. The front camera is on the left side.
There are no buttons or other elements under the screen. Instead, the Huawei logo. The function keys are fully integrated into the screen shell.
On the lower edge on the right there are speaker holes for external calls and music, as well as a microphone. On the left there is a headphone hole with a 3.5 mm jack. In the center you can see USB port Type C for connecting your phone to your computer and charging.
I would rate the work of the main speaker as a solid four. The sound is quite powerful and loud, although the detail is not the best quality. However, the tunes do not wheeze or hiss. Covering the speaker with your hand or finger will reduce the volume by 90%. This fact is worth knowing when you put the device in a handbag or winter clothes. Thus, you can miss an important call.
On the top edge, you can see the second microphone for noise reduction. On the right side there are volume control buttons, a power / screen lock key. They decided to highlight the latter with a textured pattern. The keys are pressed hard, but very clearly. No false positives were detected during testing.
A tray for two SIM cards of nanoSIM size is located on the left side surface. You can open it with a paper clip from the kit, or using a regular paper clip. One of the slots for SIM cards is combined with a slot for a microSD memory card. This configuration does not allow using two SIM cards and a memory card at once. You have to choose.
On the back you can see two camera lenses: 12 Mpix and 8 Mpix. Cameras take pictures with autofocus, there is an LED flash. Cameras protrude 1 mm from the body surface.
Slightly lower in the center is the fingerprint scanner, which has a round shape. With it, you can not only unlock the device, but also answer calls, turn off the alarm, view the list of open applications (to do this, you need to swipe up on the sensor), open the notification panel (swipe down) and erase notifications (double tap on the sensor). Moreover, the user can create a secure area for storing confidential information and classified applications, which will be accessed by fingerprint.
The fingerprint sensor works fast enough and, most importantly, accurately. The official website of Huawei says about 0.5 seconds for recognition, and this seems to be true. During testing, he accurately recognized my prints and did not react to strangers. In total, you can store up to five prints in the device's memory.
Screen. Graphics capabilities
id = "sub3">Huawei Nova 2 has a 5-inch screen. The display is manufactured using LTPS technology with anti-reflective coating and no air gap. Resolution - 1080x1920, pixel density - 443 ppi, aspect ratio 16: 9. Due to the high resolution, the picture on the display looks great. The viewing angles are maximum. In direct sunlight, the image remains readable, the screen does not glare.
The brightness of the backlight is comfortable in most scenarios of use, plus automatic adjustment works correctly. The gadget is equipped with a light sensor, thanks to which it can independently adjust the brightness level that is comfortable for working in these conditions.
The picture on the display looks good, clean and believable. The bezel around the screen is rather narrow: about 2 mm at the sides and 14 mm at the top and bottom.
If we talk about the sensitivity of the screen, then it reacts quickly to touch and recognizes gestures without any problems. In total, the device supports up to ten simultaneous touches. Also, the gadget easily understands touching with loose gloves.
The Huawei Nova 2 has a proximity sensor that locks the display when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Also, the user can configure the control of individual functions of the smartphone using gestures on the screen.
The device has an eye protection mode that reduces the level of ultraviolet radiation from the screen. This mode prevents eye fatigue when using your smartphone for a long time.
Hardware platform: processor, memory, speed
id = "sub4">The Huawei Nova 2 smartphone is powered by an 8-core HiSilicon Kirin 659 chip (4 Cortex-A53 cores at 2.36 GHz and 4 Cortex-A53 cores at 1.7 GHz), as well as a Mali-T830 MP2 graphics coprocessor. Under load, the body of the smartphone practically does not heat up. The exception in this sense is productivity games. In this case, after 10-15 minutes, the case nevertheless warmed up slightly.
The RAM in the smartphone is 4 GB, and the built-in memory is 64 GB, of which about 56 GB are available to the user. Supports memory cards up to 128 GB, although the slot for them is combined with a slot for a SIM card. This means that you have to use either a card or nanoSIM.
If we talk about the operation of the interface, then during the test I did not notice any glitches or brakes at all. Plus, the custom shell EMUI is perfectly optimized, so lags and slowdowns were not observed.
All games from the standard test suite ran without problems. More productive ones also worked, but not without restrictions, although all this was not critical in most cases. FullHD video is played without slowdowns, the browser is also stable. Summing up the performance, I note that it is very, very sufficient.
Also worth noting is the use of the AKM4376A DAC. Thanks to this fact, the smartphone can sometimes please even the most discerning music lovers. With a high-quality headset, listening to music from Huawei Nova 2 is pleasant.
Communication capabilities
id = "sub5">As I noted above, Huawei Nova 2 received a slot for two nano-sized SIM cards. The smartphone has one radio module. This means that when any activity occurs on one of the cards, for example, an incoming call, the second goes offline. Working with SIM cards is implemented in the simplest way: after installing both SIM cards in the device, the smartphone will offer to designate which of them to call, send messages and access the Internet.
A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G / 4G networks, however, only one of them can function at the same time in this mode. To change the assignments of the card slots, you do not need to change places - this can be done directly from the phone menu.
The smartphone supports all modern communication networks: 2G / 3G and 4G Cat. 6 on Russian frequencies (4G TDD LTE: Band 38/40 and 4G FDD LTE: Band 1/3/7/8/20), confidently receives the signal and does not lose it for no apparent reason. It is noteworthy that Huawei Nova 2 has a software option that allows you to improve the quality of signal reception, it is called "Signal +". Huawei says that in their next smartphone they used not a double, but a "triple Signal + 2.0 virtual antenna."
MegaFon 4G network testing. Speeds on Speedtest.Net are about 45 Mbps.
Talking on the phone is comfortable. The speaker has a good volume reserve, and the interlocutors did not complain about poor audibility during testing.
The device can work with wireless networks Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n (2.5 GHz only), Bluetooth version 4.2. The modules work quickly and smoothly.
The smartphone supports Wi-Fi Direct, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. "Clever" wifi function+ allows you to automatically switch between Wi-Fi network and the network mobile transmission data. USB 2.0 Type C connector supports connecting external devices to USB mode OTG. But the device does not have NFC, for the same reason Android Pay does not work.
Additional communication means include GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou (standard Google Maps is built into the smartphone). The radius of navigation error during testing is about 3 meters, which is very small. The gadget does an excellent job of being a navigator.
Duration of work
id = "sub6">The smartphone has a 3000mAh Li-ion battery. In testing conditions with the number of calls 30 minutes a day, browsing the Internet for about 2 hours via 4G, listening to an mp3 player through a headset for about 2 hours a day, the device worked for 26 hours. When watching a video, the gadget worked for 7 hours 25 minutes, in navigator mode - 3 hours 45 minutes. As a result, the device has to be charged every 1.5 days. If you use a smartphone in a less intensive mode, then it will work for 2-2.5 days.
In terms of autonomy, the device is slightly better than most models of the same class. Nevertheless, Huawei has provided three profiles of battery use with quite self-explanatory names: productive, "smart" (automatic adjustment of processor power depending on the task being performed) and energy-saving.
The battery is charged for about two hours. The device does not support wireless charging, but the “fast charging” mode is present. Fast charging technology provides a 45% charge within 30 minutes. And if you charge Huawei Nova 2 for only 10 minutes, the charge will last for 2 hours of talk time or 6 hours of listening to music.
User interface and operating system
id = "sub7">Huawei Nova 2 running operating system Android 7.0 Nougat and user interface EMUI 5.1.
For those familiar with this shell, it will not be difficult to figure it out. Work with gestures is supported, there is an additional virtual button control, which is expanded on the screen into a radial menu. The navigation panel has been modified, divided into several tabs, the first of them has a convenient timeline of events, on the next one you can find a quick access menu to the main settings, and a swipe up from the bottom brings up another menu where you can find a flashlight, a voice recorder and some others useful functions and settings.
Among other things, the user can choose the effect when unlocking or moving between desktops, choose the style of icons, fonts, and also the response to incoming call when you hold the phone to your ear. There is a function of switching to silent mode when turning the screen down, as well as tilting the phone to arrange widgets. In general, there are a lot of little things that especially impressionable people should like.
There are also several built-in themes with the possibility of free and paid download of new ones, as well as very cute pictures for the lock screen. This is one of the rare cases when acquiring new smartphone, you don't have to change the built-in backgrounds and themes to new ones. There is a mode of automatic wallpaper change, when pictures are displayed in a chaotic order; to do this, you just need to shake the smartphone.
If you do not like this view, then with one tap in the menu you can return to the standard one for Android solution with a separate application menu.
Among the preinstalled applications are standard for the manufacturer: free programs Yandex, Opera browser, Clean master, Booking.com booking service, Sberbank online application, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram.
Lovers of a healthy lifestyle can use the "Health" application, which includes an analyzer of your activity, sports loads, nutrition, etc.
Camera. Photo and video capabilities
id = "sub8">Perhaps the main feature of the Huawei Nona 2 is the use of a dual main camera. In general, the main camera includes a 12 megapixel module with an aperture of f = 1.8, as well as an additional 8 megapixel module with an aperture of f = 2.4, it also has a 2x zoom. This combination allows for true portrait mode. That is, the distortion of faces will be minimal. You can also zoom in and focus on objects after shooting, as well as blur the background (achieved by processing images with a special algorithm).
At low light levels, the zoom turns on the main camera, that is, the image is cropped and stretched up to 12 megapixels. However, special algorithms are used that try to stretch the image vertically. In this regard, there is minimal picture distortion.
All in all, the Huawei Nova 2 camera captures high-quality images in almost any lighting conditions with minimal artifacts.
The camera control menu is generally familiar from previous models. A gesture on the left brings up a menu with various modes, on the right - the camera settings menu (image resolution, button control, etc.), and a menu is called up from below manual settings shooting. In it, as usual, you can independently control focus, shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation and white balance. Under difficult lighting conditions it comes in handy HDR mode... Works adequately, noticeably improving the elaboration of details.
The Huawei Nona 2 camera can shoot video with a maximum resolution of 1920 × 1080 at 30 or 60 fps with stereo sound. There is also the possibility of slow-motion slo-mo recording in 720p resolution at 120 frames per second.
The 20 megapixel front camera with f = 2.0 aperture shoots well, but it is picky about the quality of lighting. Even in the light twilight, light starts to appear. Nevertheless, the camera can be successfully used for selfies, live broadcasts on social networks, etc.
Outcomes
id = "sub9">Two weeks of intensive testing have shown the stability of the Huawei Nova 2. Although this smartphone does not have the most productive hardware, it does an excellent job of its duties. The device has an attractive appearance, excellent assembly, bright and clear screen with high resolution, an excellent camera, supports 4G, has a slot for two SIM cards, a fingerprint sensor. Time autonomous work also in line with the market average.
The disadvantages include a combined slot for a memory card and a second SIM card, the absence of NFC and, as a consequence, the impossibility of using Android Pay contactless payments. It is also incomprehensible the lack of support for the upper 5 GHz Wi-Fi range.
By the way, Huawei Nova can really compete with smartphones Chinese brands... The choice here is quite large. The main competitors of the model are Xiaomi Mi6, Motorola and Asus ZenFone 4. You can also write to competitors Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), although in terms of characteristics it is slightly inferior to the new items from Huawei.
Advantages
Metal case
Great looks and good build quality
The fingerprint scanner
Good screen
Quality cameras
LTE cat support. 6
Flaws
Not NFC support, and therefore Android Pay does not work
No support for 5GHz Wi-Fi band
The slot for a memory card is combined with a second SIM-card (nanoSIM type)
Widget from SocialMartOn the day of publication, Huawei Nova 2 could be bought at a price of 22,000 rubles.
