Advantages and disadvantages of the smartphone Huawei Nova 2i

Huawei has been manufacturing mid-range and budget gadgets for a long time. In 2017, she introduced her new model - Huawei Nova 2i. This article will describe the relevance of buying this smartphone in 2018, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.

Main technical characteristics and equipment

• Processor: 64-bit, eight cores, 2.36 GHz, Kirin 659;
• Front camera: 13 MP (f / 2.0) + 2 MP, LED flash;
• Housing material: aluminum, matte finish;
• RAM: 4 GB type LPDDR3;
• Weight: 164 grams;
• Dimensions: 156.2×75.2×7.5 mm;
• Battery: 3340 mAh, non-removable;
• Main camera: 16 MP (f / 2.2) + 2 MP;
• Main memory: 64 GB;
• Cord length (USB): 27 cm;
• Memory expansion: microSDXC, up to 128 GB;
• Cards: nanoSIM + nanoSIM or microSD;
• OS: Android 7.0 Nougat;
• Launcher: EMUI 5.1;
• GPU: ARM Mali-T830 MP2
• Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE-FDD;
• Operating time: 2 days of active use (22 days in "sleep" mode);
• Display: IPS, 5.93-inch diagonal, 2160×1080, 407 ppi;
• Complete set: USB cable, warranty card, power adapter, headphones.

Camera Overview

The presence of 4 cameras is the main feature of this device. They are divided into 2 modules, which are located on the front and back of the phone. This design allows you to take high-quality pictures, imposing a blur effect on secondary content, thereby focusing on the main details. This result is achieved by software, which allows you to adjust the degree of blur not only before, but also after shooting.

Here is an example of such a photo:

The main rear photo module has a 16-megapixel camera and f / 2.2 aperture. He is in charge of filming. The camera is capable of taking high resolution pictures (4608×3456). The auxiliary front has 2 MP and is responsible for the sharpness of the background. The main front has 13 MP with f / 2.0 aperture. The front auxiliary camera provides background blur and has only 2 MP. The maximum resolution of the front camera images is 4160 × 3120 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 4:3. Takes good pictures both at night and during the day. But in low light, a small amount of noise may appear in the picture.

And here is how it “takes pictures” at night:

Both cameras are capable of shooting in Full HD resolution, at a frame rate of 30 FPS. This is enough for everyday shooting. In addition, the cameras support both interval and slow motion recording.Slow-mo effect can slow down the video by 4 times, but the picture is lost in quality, and the video itself has a resolution of only 640x480 pixels. Interval shooting, in terms of resolution, is slightly better than slow motion, since it is able to record in HD quality (1280 × 720).

Filling

The iron component of Nova 2i is not much different from mid-range smartphones. The phone is powered by a 64-bit 8-core HiSilikon Kirin 659 processor, the maximum frequency of the first 4xCortex-A53 cluster is 2.36 GHz, and the second one is 1.7 GHz. The smartphone is equipped with 4 GB of RAM (RAM) type LPDDR3, which at the time of 2018 is the standard for mid-range smartphones.

The processor is integrated with a weak Mali-7830 MP2 graphics chip, which is unlikely to be suitable for active games like WOD. The gadget has as much as 64 GB of main memory, which is quite good for a mid-range smartphone. There is also a combo slot for nanoSIM or any other memory card up to 128 GB, which makes it possible to increase the total memory up to 192 GB.

The capacity of the built-in battery is small, only 3340 mAh. Nevertheless, a full charge is enough for 2 days of active use, and in the "sleep" mode Nova 2i can work up to 22 days. Although the phone supports Quick Charge high-speed charging technology, however, the battery can be fully charged in only 2.5 hours.

There is Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX codec that allows you to listen to music in Bluetooth headphones. There is also a built-in FM-receiver, which makes it possible to listen to the radio. True, in order for it to work, you need to connect headphones. Unfortunately, the NFC chip is missing.In addition to the NFC interface, the smartphone does not support Wi-Fi networks in the 5 GHz band.

Screen and sound

The screen has a protective glass and has a bright 6.93-inch display with an IPS matrix, and the screen resolution with an aspect ratio of 18:9 is 2160 × 1080 pixels. The number of dots per inch is 407. White balance, saturation and color rendering are at a high level, which makes you think that the phone does not have IPS, but an Oled matrix. In general, the screen shows itself well in the sun, displaying a juicy and bright picture. The display can track up to 10 simultaneous touches, which indicates the presence of multi-touch. Saturation, contrast and color temperature are adjustable in the screen settings. This allows you to choose the display options for yourself.

Nova 2i supports Huawei Histen's proprietary audio processing, which allows you to optimize audio playback for the selected device, whether on-ear, in-ear or in-ear headphones. Huawei Histen also has a built-in equalizer with which you can adjust frequencies. In addition to the equalizer, there is also a 3D audio function. With it, you can select the sound reproduction method: front, close or surround. It should be noted that this is only post-processing, so you should not expect perfect 3D sound.

Design

Externally, the case is quite large, but the 5.9 display and small bezels compensate for the large size of the case. Due to the matte finish on the back of the case, the phone fits comfortably in the hand and does not slip. The rounded edges in tandem with the bezel-less 2.5D screen give the phone the look and feel of a high-end smartphone, with the screen taking up as much as 83% of the front of the device.The body is all-metal and made of aluminum.

Also on the back side of the device, at the top and bottom, there are rounded stripes of antennas that succinctly fit into the overall design picture, while following the latest design trends. Huawei has recently fallen in love with the blue color, however, the choice of coloring is still up to the buyer. The phone can be painted in the following colors: gold, blue and black. The gadget itself is only 7.5 mm in thickness and as much as 156 mm in height, and the width of the smartphone is 75.2 mm. It does not weigh much, only 164 g, for this reason the hand does not get tired from prolonged use.

Protective 2.5D glass completely covers the front of the device, including the phone screen.

Below is the name of the manufacturing company, namely Huawei. Such a decision may seem strange, since the inscription occupies the lion's share of the screen and does not look particularly prestigious. In addition to the inscription, there are touch buttons at the bottom of the screen that are responsible for navigation. The very location and number of buttons can be changed in the phone settings.

On the left side of the phone is a hybrid slot, in one cell of which you can insert only nanoSIM, and in a second microSD memory card or a second nanoSIM.

On the right side there is a standard volume control button. A little lower is the button to turn on / off the screen. A large gap between them prevents you from accidentally turning off the phone instead of lowering the volume level.

For some reason, the developers decided to take a step back by replacing USB Type-C with a cheaper and outdated microUSB. This is strange, since the predecessor had USB Type-C installed, which significantly speeds up the process of charging the phone.To the right of the USB port is a speaker with a decorative grille. On the left is a spoken microphone and a 3.5 mm jack.

A microphone is installed on top, which is used to suppress noise.

On the back panel, in the center, there is the main photo module, the edges of which are rounded. Under the camera is a fingerprint scanner, which is very convenient, since the finger resting on the camera immediately bumps into the scanner. The scanner itself is slightly recessed into the case. Just above the photo module is an LED flash.

At the very bottom of the back of the case is the basic information: country of origin, model number and the name of the company itself.

Results and how much

Huawei Nova 2i takes a good place in the ranking of quality mid-range models. We can note the presence of 4 cameras that can take high-quality pictures. The screen is great for watching videos in high quality and displays a good picture even in daylight. There is also a “nimble” fingerprint scanner, which is why unlocking the screen takes little time. The processor and video chip are unlikely to be suitable for active games that require a high FPS. Nevertheless, the processor is more than enough for Internet surfing.

The sound in the device is single-channel, but this does not prevent the speakers from producing clear sound without noise. There is also a proprietary Huawei Histen sound setting, which allows you to optimize the sound for any selected headset. In addition to the advantages described above, the phone has a large amount of both built-in and built-in memory. Of the main disadvantages, one can single out: the lack of an NFC interface that allows you to make contactless payments using a smartphone, as well as the lack of USB Type-C, which allows you to quickly charge the device.

In general, Nova 2i performs quite well among competing phones, both in terms of price / quality ratio and in comparison of advantages. For example, the Oppo F5 phone, which has a 6-inch display. It has 2 times less built-in memory and a weaker battery (3200 mAh). Among other things, it lacks dual cameras. Considering that they have the same hardware, the Oppo F5 nevertheless costs a third more. The average price of Nova 2i is 18,000-19,000 rubles or 102,000 tenge, while Oppo F5 is priced at 25,000 rubles (138,000 tenge).

Advantages and disadvantages

• Robust aluminum case with a matte finish;
• "Frameless" widescreen display with high resolution (18:9, Full HD +);
• Good sound post-processing, which can be configured in the phone itself;
• High-speed fingerprint scanner;
• 2 photo modules;
• Sufficiently productive processor;
• A large amount of initially installed memory, both built-in and RAM.

• Lack of USB Type-C;
• Lack of NFC interface;
• There is no support for Wi-Fi operating in the 5 GHz band.

If you are thinking which smartphone is better to buy, but there are not enough funds for popular models. Then Huawei is definitely one of the best manufacturers of inexpensive phones. It has been producing budget and, most importantly, reliable smartphones for many years. Huawei Nova 2i, if it doesn’t overtake the new mid-segment of 2018, then definitely makes them a big competitor. And the reviews only confirm the quality level of Nova 2i.

Answers to basic questions

How to choose the right phone and what are the selection criteria?

When choosing a phone, you should determine the reason for the purchase. If you need a smartphone for video games, then you should pay attention to the processor, video card and RAM.For watching videos and reading, a high-quality display is important, which will not strain your eyes. Need quality photos? Then you need to carefully consider the choice of camera.

Where is it profitable to buy so as not to overpay?

It is important to understand here that few people are protected from overpayment. Since it is impossible to accurately determine the “real” price of the device. It can only be compared with other phones in this category, drawing conclusions along the way.

One of the most common ways to buy is online shopping. Few will argue with the fact that prices with this method are significantly reduced. Especially if it's a used item. But there are risks here. When purchasing a smartphone via the Internet, the opportunity to “feel” the product disappears. From this follows the main disadvantage - unreliability. Unreliability both during transportation and in the absence of a preliminary inspection. Therefore, you should carefully consider the choice of the seller, and if it is a purchase in an online store, then the reputation of the delivery company.

Which firm is better?

There is no definite answer here. It all depends on the requirements for the phone. It's foolish to expect Huawei's budget smartphone to outperform Samsung's flagships. At the time of 2018, the main manufacturers of budget phones are Huawei, Meizu and Xiaomi.