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Huawei Nova Plus review

7.1/10 AVG.
RATING
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Huawei Nova Plus
Huawei Nova Plus
Huawei Nova Plus
Huawei Nova Plus
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7.1/10
Informr score
The Huawei Nova Plus currently has an Informr score of 7.1 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 11 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Premium feel and design
  • MicroSD support
  • Fast fingerprint scanner
  • Dual SIM support
  • 24 hour+ battery life

What's bad

  • Expensive compared to competition
  • EMUI is aggressive in styling Android
  • Limited regional availability

Closing in on phablet sizing and packing a huge battery, the Huawei Nova Plus is this lesser-known manufacturers attempt at capturing the mid-to-high end phone market. While the specs look good on paper, this doesn’t always result in a great experience.

Reviews are rolling in for the phone and we’ve scoured them all so you don’t need to!

Let’s see what everyone is saying!

Reviews all agreed that the build quality on the phone is stellar. Brighthand declared, “Combined with 2.5D glass in the front, the Huawei Nova Plus is convincingly one of the most attractive smartphones Huawei has ever produced, and one of the most elegant 5.5-inch phones on the market.” They also loved the speed of the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor--along with extra features it offers. However, some reviewers did mention that the phone is a bit slippery.

Heading around front, you’re greeted with thin bezels and a 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display. Recombu tested the phone for a week and said, “That 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen is a stunner, even if it’s not a Quad HD panel.” Color accuracy and detail were widely praised, though some reviewers mentioned issues with reflections in direct sunlight.

Performance reviews are equally positive. The eight-core, 2GHz Snapdragon 625 received high marks for everyday tasks while the 3GB of RAM on the phone added extra oomph to multitasking. Alphr ran the phone through their benchmarks and said, “The speed at which it pops up the homescreen when it detects a fingerprint is particularly impressive. Multitasking is fine and most games run smoothly.” AbsoluteGeeks agreed, saying, “I didn’t have any lagging issues and the system was quite reactive.”

While the phone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, Huawei’s EMUI interface makes some major changes. Reviewers have criticized EMUI since its launch with its lack of app drawer and bold colors. Many noted the latest version is more refined, but the only ones who truly loved the interface were regular iOS users.

You’ll find 32GB of internal storage for your media and apps. Should you need more space, the phone supports microSD cards up to 256GB. However, using a microSD card requires one of the two SIM slots. This means you must pick between expanded storage or dual-SIM functionality.

One area hyped by Huawei is the phone’s 3350mAh battery. Reviews show that the phone delivers stellar battery life. Brighthand noted, “It is possible to watch Full HD videos with the display brightness set to the max for nearly 8 hours, while the phone should be recharged every other night with average usage.” In typical daily usage, ChipChick found, “The phone reaches well into two days of use. Once, I left it on standby for a day and a half, and only about 15 percent of the battery life had drained.”

Combined with fast charging through USB Type-C, most users won’t need to worry about ever running out of power. However, until Type-C is more common, you might need to pick up a few spare cables.

While the phone won’t replace a dSLR, its 16MP front-facing camera with optical image stabilization was a hit with reviewers. Alphr noted, “Image quality is excellent, with photographs that appear sharp and detailed.”

Lighting posed an issue with most reviewers. Low-light photos show a fair amount of noise and lack detail. Recombu also had a few issues in bright lighting, saying, “High contrast situations are usually well handled, although we did see a fair few cases of oversaturation when the sun was shining.”

Overall, reviews on the phone are positive. The biggest issue cited by most reviews had nothing to do with the phone’s features or functionality. Ultimately, many reviewers found the price wasn’t competitive with similar performing phones costing less.

Pocket Lint summed up concerns well, saying, “The price largely dictates how we feel about the Nova Plus. There's nothing wrong with it, per se, as it's nicely made, has a nice display and a decent camera. But apart from its great battery life, there's nothing here that'll blow you away.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2 GHz
Processor
Processor
2 GHz
5.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.5"
16+ MP
Camera
Camera
16+ MP
3340 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Ausdroid
Ausdroid

Huawei's Nova Plus is a solid, affordable mid-range phone which delivers performance and battery life in a device under $500. With USB C, decent software and good connectivity, you could do worse for yourself or to recommend for others.

- Phil Tann, Ausdroid
Mobile Syrup
Mobile Syrup

The Huawei Nova Plus may not be the best mid-range Android on the block — it’s far outdone, in my opinion, by the Moto Z Play and the Asus Zenfone 3 — but it is one of the best value options, considering it comes in at a reasonable $400 while the Moto Z Play costs around $650 outri...

- Rose Behar, Mobile Syrup
Good Gear Guide
Good Gear Guide

Huawei’s Nova Plus is something of a jack of all trades. There’s little it can’t do and it uses the latest, second-tier components. The problem is that it’s still competing with many of the best last-gen phones which are still better and have reduced prices.

- Nick Ross, Good Gear Guide
AndroidPIT
AndroidPIT

I believe Huawei has done a great job with the Nova Plus. Its strengths are undoubtedly its premium design, the overall user experience and battery performance. The camera, for a mid-range smartphone, offers good photos when lighting conditions are good but defective in low light. The display does n...

- Jessica Murgia, AndroidPIT
Brighthand
Brighthand

The Huawei nova plus has an excellent design and fantastic finish.

- Dragan Petric, Brighthand


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Huawei Nova Plus user manual here.


Huawei backs up the Nova Plus with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Nova Plus has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Huawei support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Huawei's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
5.5"

The Huawei Nova Plus's screen size is 5.5 inches with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

Processor
2 GHz

There is a Qualcomm 8953 Snapdragon 625 Octa core 2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system (OS).

Camera
16+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 16+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 8+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
32 GB

Internal memory is 32 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3340mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 3340 mAh battery. Huawei's performance ratings are 1452 minutes, 691 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Nova Plus Specs

Overview
Release Date October 18, 2016
Regions Available Canada
Operating System Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm 8953 Snapdragon 625 Octa core 2 GHz
Internal Storage 32 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.41 W/kg
Body: 1.47 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Headset, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
16+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Image stabilization, ISO, Multi-shot, Night mode, Panorama, HDR, Voice activation, Exposure compensation
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Panorama
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density 401 pixels
Size 5.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 3340 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 633 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 691 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1452 minutes
Standby Time Unknown
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Titanium Gray, Mystic Silver, Prestige Gold
Dimensions [H x W x D] 15.2 x 7.6 x 0.7 cm (6 x 3 x 0.3 in)
Weight 160 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):

Additional Sensors: Fingerprint sensor
Related Links Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Manual (PDF)
Huawei Nova Plus Reviews
Where to buy Huawei Nova Plus
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