Huawei nova 8 review: Upgraded cameras for an upgraded experience

There is a reason why I have always chosen a Huawei nova series phone over any other brands for almost four years now.

Having very specific criteria, the nova series always ticked the right boxes for me. It was affordable, reliable, and the functionality (the cameras in particular) was exactly what I needed.

It had features that no other brand offered at the time. I have owned several nova phones and stuck with the nova 5T for two years now since I did not see significant changes for me to upgrade to the newer models.  Will the nova 8 be able to change my mind?

Design

Personally, I see Huawei as one of the trendsetters in terms of having flashy designs and was always a step ahead among the segment in terms of style and functionality.

One glance at the nova 8 and you would immediately be drawn to its captivating curved OLED display giving it a premium and unique look like that of the P series. It also features a single punch-hole front camera on the top-center of that vibrant and crisp display.

The back panel is covered in an iridescent bluish gold matte finish making it eye-catching from every angle. Its rear cameras are well organized in a pill-shaped panel alongside its chrome and metallic accents for the frame. At just 7.64mm, it comes with a slim body making this phone look refined and high-end.

The bottom is equipped with a single speaker grille, a USB-C charging port, and a microphone, while on the right you will find the volume rocker and power button.

The dual sim tray is positioned at the top along with another microphone.

The overall design is clean, ergonomic, and feels great to the touch giving you a comfortable and secure grip. It now also comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor that makes unlocking your phone feel more natural.

Cameras

The nova 8 carries a 64-megapixel quad-camera setup. This includes an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel depth camera for bokeh, another 2-megapixel macro lens, and of course the imaging system is headlined by the 64-megapixel main sensor at f/1.9 aperture.

This phone has a 1/1.56-inch sensor so on paper alone, it’s bigger and should output better quality as compared to its competitors. And speaking from a professional photographer’s point of view, sensor size is everything and will make all the difference.

It’s very noticeable how crisp and vibrant the details are from the main camera even in poor lighting conditions. Noise levels were minimal compared to a few other phones I’ve so far tried, colors were accurate and very natural, plus the depth of field from the main lens is one of the most natural looks I have seen on any mid-range phone.

This is all thanks to its larger sensor and a fixed aperture of f/1.9 that adds to that distinct “prime lens look” even without having to use its Aperture Mode.

The nova 8 was able to produce stunning landscape photos thanks to its AI enhancement, HDR, and Pro Mode RAW format. The details in shadows and highlights are well balanced bringing out details in vivid colors even when shot against the light.

AI programming is refined & noticeably mild, not over the top compared to some phones whose AI algorithm tends to make photos look a bit cartoonish.

You get 30fps 4K video resolution for the rear and 1080p front camera recording. This phone supposedly has a 4K resolution front camera but our demo unit didn’t seem to have this setting. It also introduces a new feature called Dual-view video adding a creative flair to your videos. Videos produced are smooth with its digital stabilizing doing a good job.

For a more comprehensive camera review, hit this link.

RELATED: Photos you can capture using Huawei nova 8

Performance

Running on the latest EMUI 12 platform with Kirin 829E processor, this phone is smarter and easier to use. The nova 8 also boasts a “Seamless AI LIFE” through Huawei’s ecosystem, giving you the ability to control a number of smart devices at the tip of your fingers.

In terms of memory and storage, this phone comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB ROM.

Performance is smooth and multi-tasking, a breeze. Though I’m not a heavy phone user, I haven’t experienced lags or hiccups during my time with it. I also found it reliable for heavier apps like Lightroom and other photo editing apps which I do a lot.

In addition, the gesture controls make navigating through menus and apps much more convenient. It was quite confusing in the beginning but after getting used to it, my fingers would automatically do the gestures even when I’m already using a different phone.

Watching your favorite shows on Netflix is immersive thanks to its OLED display producing deep blacks and vibrant colors.

Playing light games is smooth and definitely still enjoyable due to its 90Hz refresh rate and 10-bit color depth. The 240 Hz touch sampling rate gives you instant response allowing you to enjoy a smooth gaming and browsing experience.

Battery

Battery life pretty much lasts the whole day on regular use. But even if you forget to charge your phone, you wouldn’t have to worry.

The nova  8 claims to be the first smartphone that supports 66W of fast charging making it really fast to fill up the device from 0-60% in just 15 minutes and a full charge in just around 35 minutes.

However, in my test, the numbers came out differently. 15 minutes of charging yielded 46% of battery life, and 30 minutes gave me 78%. Finally, fully charging the device took around 43 minutes which is not bad and is still relatively fast in my opinion.

The nova  8 is powered with a 3800 mAh which seems just right for a phone of this size. And thanks to several power-saving modes, the phone can theoretically last for up to 49 hours in Power Save Mode, 37h 46mins in normal mode, and nearly 36 hours in performance mode.

Conclusion

As a nova user of four years, I haven’t really seen a significant reason for me to upgrade my nova 5T – until now.

The most significant upgrade for me would definitely be that large sensor, the 4K front camera, and that 66W charger. And let’s not beat around the bush — the biggest downside for me is still the lack of Google services.

But having used this phone for nearly a month now, I just learned to live without it and, surprisingly, it’s not a big adjustment. It’s something I can easily overlook and is actually not a huge loss for me, to be honest. All of your favorite apps are still available on Huawei’s App Gallery and Petal Search.

At its price point, the nova 8 is definitely worth it, it’s like a flagship phone at the price of a midrange phone, in my opinion. It looks and feels premium, is loaded with features, and really, I couldn’t ask for anything more and it got me wanting one as my daily driver.

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HONOR X9b 5G No charge challenge: Tougher than ever but what else can you expect?

01/12/2024

If you’ve been on any form of social media, you’ve most likely seen the HONOR X9b. And you’ve most likely seen it being thrown about, smashed, run over – and still surviving.

So we’ve established it’s tough and durable – a great direction to making it life-proof – but a tough exterior can only get you so far. The HONOR X9b 5G does have other interesting features to highlight but since I’m on the case of making it life-proof, I decided to see how long I could last without charging

It’s simple but think about it – less time hugged to the wall means more time for what matters: work, play, or simply basking in an unburdened day.

Throw in an extra dose of toughness, mix it up with solid performance, a snappy camera, and a touch of leather flair, and you’ve got a dream mix of what HONOR X9b 5G aspires to be: the ultimate daily companion

The challenge rules

What’s a challenge without some rules? Though let’s be real, I won’t be too strict on imposing these on myself, and could probably be classified more as guidelines than rules.

We’re kicking off at a solid 100%, giving our HONOR X9b 5G a power smoothie boost. I’ve set the screen’s refresh rate to dynamic refresh mode and the brightness at a cool 30% for the majority of my use.

I’ll be using both Wi-Fi and data, depending on where I am, and have also set Dark Mode to Auto so that it switches come nighttime.

And of course, no charging until I hit 0%.

Day 1: Camera tests, gaming sessions, and then some

The first day of the No-Charge challenge started with a slow roll out of bed at a breezy 10 am. The HONOR X9b 5G was way ready to roll before I even woke up with a full 100% charge. 

Being a weekend, the morning was a chill affair – some social media scrolling and the usual doom-scrolling routine. This was extra enjoyable thanks to that smooth 120Hz refresh rate on a large 6.78-inch AMOLED display.

We’ve got blue light protection too so eye health’s covered.

It’s curved, too, and very lightweight.  I found it fit rather naturally in my hand and didn’t feel any fatigue from holding it too long or even when lying down.

About an hour later, I checked to see and there was barely a dent in the battery, and remained a comfortable 98%. 

Lunch was a phone-free zone more often than not, but come 1 pm, I headed out for some errands. Music on Spotify, directions with Google Maps, random searches – these are reasons the HONOR X9b stayed mostly in my hand rather than in my pocket.

And all performed smoothly with no lags even when all opened together at the same time.

Now, I don’t know if it’s because of all the ruckus HONOR made when it teased this phone or because of its eye-catching orange leather design, but this phone got a lot of looks and glances.

One person even approached me to ask if it was the HONOR X9b 5G I was holding since he recognized it. I think that speaks to how well this device is designed and how much people like it.

On my way to a nearby shopping area, I stopped every so often to take some street snaps. It’s times like these that I’m thankful for that all-angle toughness because, unsurprisingly, I ended up dropping it…several times.

But that didn’t stop me from trying out its 108-megapixel main camera. Unfortunately, this will be the only lens worth using, at least in my opinion, because the ultra-wide and macro pale in comparison to the main shooter.

Here are some snaps from that short walk

I’ve got to say, the HONOR X9b 5G can take rather impressive photos but as with any smartphone, light is your best friend to get those pristine shots.

The problem I’ve had with HONOR phones before is that the automatic post-processing can be a bit too sharp – a completely personal opinion, it should be noted. And though still a bit too much for my taste, in bright and balanced environments, you can get detailed and punchy photos from this device that are undoubtedly social-media ready.

And since telephoto lenses are all the rage these days, the X9b tries to keep up by offering a respectable 3x zoom. Again, bright light is your best friend to get good shots.

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After doing what I needed to do outside the house, the HONOR X9b’s battery was still holding strong at about 96%. 

Being the weekend and having most of my chores done the previous days, I didn’t have much to do. Kevin was off playing TOTK on the Switch so I booted up the HONOR X9b 5G for a few matches of Pokémon Unite.

What I thought would be an hour or two of gameplay turned into 4 hours. Wi-Fi connected, Game Mode on, and audio muted, the HONOR X9b 5G exited the gaming session with a respectable 54%. (We’ll talk about its performance later on)

Things quieted down after that.  About an hour or so of unwinding and catching up on social media and both the HONOR X9b and I rested. At 54% battery (me at 0%), I wondered how much longer it could last.

An interesting Day 1 for the HONOR X9b.

Day 2: The work and play routine

The second day was a challenge to see how the HONOR X9b 5G would navigate the ebb and flow of a regular workday.

The day kicked off with the gentle chime of an alarm from the HONOR X9b 5G at 10 am. I checked to see if any battery was consumed overnight. Leaving it at 52% the phone mostly stayed idle except for an update it had around 2 am or so. Still, no effect on the battery.

As I started my routine, I tapped into Spotify on the HONOR X9b 5G for some morning tunes. Though not too loud, the single speaker provides a pretty great personal experience. Just enough for me to enjoy within my own bubble.

When the work buzz picked up, the multi-tasking features of this device came into play. The large display made it ideal to use features like split screen or floating windows.

Again that 120Hz made for smooth transitions between checking emails, scrolling through socials, and staying on top of notifications and tasks were a breeze with productivity features from its Android 13-based Magic OS 7.2

Its Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor does well with the average person’s workload, I’d have to say.  With 12GB of built-in RAM (virtual expansion available, too), the HONOR X9b 5G has enough power to go through the usuals like Messenger, Instagram, Canva, and then some.

When things start slowing down, usually when apps start piling up in the background, a quick reboot gets things back up to speed.

Lunchtime, I took a hiatus from both work and the phone, opting for a technology detox. Coming back from my break, the phone’s battery clocked in at 47%.

After a quick hour-long YouTube sesh while drafting documents, I noticed a modest dip –  that’s 45% and counting.

Now, I said I wouldn’t but the evening unfolded with a gaming session from 4 to 9 pm.

The HONOR X9b 5G, even with its already depleted battery, was still working hard. Gaming was a pleasant experience despite some lags here and there.

I was still able to run full graphics for Pokémon Unite and take advantage of that ultra-smooth refresh rate. There was a tiny difference from playing with a full battery – fewer frame drops, faster loading – but you don’t really notice a big enough effect on performance until later on.

A noticeable slowdown crept in, especially when the battery hit around 12%.

Since this is a No-Charge challenge, I kept my match going though in real life, I wouldn’t recommend this while playing – especially when playing an online team game.

Anyway, the critically low battery warning made its entrance around 8:45 pm, sending a gentle reminder that it’s time to let the HONOR X9b get that well-deserved top-up.

Final thoughts

The result? I was able to use the HONOR X9b 5G, both for work and play, for about two days without charging. And that’s with about 8 hours of gaming in between.

While the claim of a 3-day battery life might have been out of my reach, my two-day stint, including substantial gaming hours, speaks volumes about its battery endurance.

The HONOR X9b, with its subtle flair and durability, undoubtedly caters to the everyday user, compensating for its shortcomings with practicality in both features and price.

Availability and pricing

The HONOR X9b is now available for pre-order from January 12 to 19 in the Philippines for PhP 16,999. Pre-orders are available through HONOR’s official channels at Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok and at any HONOR Experience store and partners. Freebies include an HONOR Gift Box and HONOR Choice X5.

This post is sponsored by OPPO Philippines. Views and opinions are the author’s own.

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