Huawei is back, folks. Not that the Google-less conglomerate ever left, but you know what we mean. It’s back in the spotlight, vying for a chunk of your April salary. Meet the company’s Nova 12 series, a follow-up to last year’s 11 range, of which the 11 Pro passed through Stuff’s offices with… mixed results.
We’re hopeful Huawei’s got its head back on straight for the Nova 12 line-up, consisting of the Nova 12i, Nova 12 SE, and the “soon-to-be-released” Nova 12s. No ‘Pro’ model has been mentioned just yet, but don’t expect that to be the case forever. Until then, we’re stuck with Huawei’s batch of mid-rangers, which brings with them a massively improved camera array and a fresh coat of paint. That’s about it.
Mid-range Nova glory
That doesn’t mean the specs and prices aren’t worth your attention, especially if you’re hanging onto older hardware. Only those users who are still rocking something from the Nova 11 catalogue won’t find much value in an upgrade, considering the recycled Snapdragon 680 processor, 5,000mAh battery, 40W charging, and a somehow even smaller display, clocking in at 6.7in.
If you are new to the Nova series, that’s not a shabby bunch of specs. Throw in the gargantuan 108MP sensor affixed to both the 12i and 12 SE, and you’ve got yourself a decent little smartphone.
Let’s talk specifics. The cheaper of the two, the Nova 12i, will set you back R7,000 in Huawei’s store, while the SE will cost an extra R1,500. Going the cheaper route will net you a 6.7in IPS LCD display capable of a 90Hz refresh rate, while the more expensive model comes kitted with a 6.67in OLED display, also hitting that 90Hz spec.
Read More: Huawei Matebook D16 (2024) review – One step forward, one step back
There’s no disparity between the two when it comes to hardware, however. Both feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680 processor in their innards, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage to accompany it. It’s the same processor you’d find in last year’s Nova 11i, and as such, means that 5G is once again absent. Huawei reckons the debut of EMUI 14 — the phone’s OS — will be enough to counter that.
Huawei’s clearly blown most of the budget getting those camera specs up to 2024’s standards. We’ve already mentioned the 108MP main sensor found on both devices, but that’s where the similarities end. The Nova 12i is the simpler of the two, donning a 2MP depth sensor and 8MP front-facer. The 12 SE features a 32MP selfie cam, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro sensor.
Keep your eye out for a full review from Stuff.