Huawei Nova 2i review: Plans | Pricing | Specs
-
- Battery Score
3.5
- Camera Score
3.5
- Design Score
3
- Performance Score
3
- Battery Score
3.5
Summary
The Huawei Nova 2i offers an interesting mid-range mix of features, including a full-screen 18:9 display and four cameras for photography, although they're not as flexible as you might expect.
Details
Pricing & Availability
RRP | $499 |
Launch date | 2017-10 |
The good
- Large 18:9 display
- Four onboard cameras
- Fast fingerprint sensor
The bad
- No NFC on board
- Display isn't great in direct sunlight
- Ordinary battery life for such a large handset
- Not as flexible as other dual camera phones, even at this price point
The Huawei Nova 2i is a phone of many names. I've honestly no idea why it's the "2i" here in Australia, what with the last member of that family being the Huawei Nova Plus. Beyond that, if you buy the exact same hardware elsewhere on the planet, it may be the Maimang 6, the Honor 9i or indeed the Huawei Mate 10 Lite – same phone, many names.
I'm not entirely sure why Huawei didn't decide to co-opt the better known branding of its Mate series for its mid-range phablet device. Still, whatever it's called, it's a phone that sells itself on a few key features, although its headline act isn't actually its best feature in use.
Design
- The 18:9 5.9-inch display is an impressive inclusion at this price point
- Light and easy to hold despite its large screen
Camera
- Secondary lenses are for adjusting focus only, limiting their utility
- Nevertheless, camera quality is solid for a mid-range smartphone
Performance
- Delivers nothing more or less than your average mid-range smartphone
- Completely adequate for most standard phone activities
Battery life
- Capable of surviving a full day of typical use
- Still, we expected more out of a 3,340mAh battery
Verdict
- Forget the four cameras; it's the Nova 2i's massive 5.9-inch 18:9 screen that sets it apart from the competition
Pricing and availability
Compare SIM-only plans for the Huawei Nova 2i
Huawei Nova 2i specs
Display
Camera
Physical Dimensions
Connectivity
Power, storage and battery
Device features
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