At the end of November, Huawei held a face-to-face event to launch the Huawei Nova 9 in Peru, a mid-range smartphone that stands out for having features that are typical of premium phones such as a four rear camera system, a large long-lasting battery with fast charging, etc.

Thanks to Huawei Peru we had the opportunity to test this device for several weeks and in this review, you will be able to know our experience of use, as well as the positive and negative aspects of this cell phone that is available in two colors (Starry Blue and Black) at a price of S / 2,099.

Presentation and design

As we indicated in our unboxing, the Huawei Nova 9 comes in a box with a fairly simple design. In addition to having the brand logo on the front, we see the name of the product in bright letters. It is also indicated to us that the equipment comes with App Gallery, instead of Play Store.

In addition to the smartphone (which is covered by plastic), inside the box, we find several accessories such as a 66 W supercharge charger, a transparent silicone case, a type C data cable, a key for the SIM tray, and the guide quick start.

Closely examining the phone we realize that it is quite large (160mm high, 73.7mm wide, and 7.77mm thick); however, it doesn’t feel heavy at all. On the contrary, when you have it in your hands you will notice that it is quite light (weighs 175 grams) and manageable.

A very common problem in mid-range and high-end phones is that the back is very easily dirty (fingerprint marks). Luckily, the finish of the Huawei Nova 9 prevents those nasty stains from remaining. Not only that, as it provides a very elegant look.

Screen

The phone has a 6.57-inch curved-edge OLED screen that has a FullHD + resolution (2,340 x 1,080 pixels). However, you will have to enter the settings to choose that maximum resolution, since a “smart resolution” will come by default to save battery life.

The Huawei Nova 9 supports a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, although you will also have to enter the options to select it. By default, this refresh rate will be in ‘Dynamic’, that is, it will find a balance so that it provides a good experience without affecting autonomy.

During the loan period, I put the screen of the equipment to the test with the most used streaming platforms (Netflix and Disney Plus) and was more satisfied with the tremendous image quality. Although it is best appreciated indoors, you will not have a problem viewing in open spaces or in bright sunlight.

If you use your smartphone to read, you will be delighted to know that the Huawei Nova 9 has two modes that will be very helpful (Eye rest and eBook mode), both will reduce the blue light of the screen, which will prevent your eyes from getting tired. It is worth noting that we also have a dark mode.

Security

Although the side fingerprint sensors have become fashionable today, Huawei has decided to implement this component in the lower part of the screen. Although it may take a few seconds, it can easily recognize your fingerprint, even if your hand is wet.

The equipment also has the option of facial recognition to unlock the screen that works quite well, not only in well-lit places, since it also works in dark places or with little light. We also have the classic security pattern or PIN.

For its part, the ‘smart unlock’ of the Huawei Nova 9 will automatically unlock your phone, if it is near a trusted device such as a smartwatch, smart band, a smart speaker, among others.

Performance and battery

The cell phone, which uses the EMUI 12 operating system, has a good Snapdragon 778G 4G processor, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of internal memory. Thanks to these components, the smartphone will show excellent performance, without the presence of annoying lageos, even if you use several apps in parallel.

In the trial period, we used the Huawei Nova 9 to test the most popular entertainment applications (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok), and also famous video games like Free Fire, Pokémon, Roblox and Among Us, there was never any problem.

In the case of video games, the smartphone includes a small ‘game bar’ that allows you to access various functions in a simple way, such as playing without interruptions, clearing the memory to go faster, disabling the capture with three fingers, as well as opening your WhatsApp or Facebook account and use these apps.

Huawei Nova 9: the good and the bad of the phone with 4 rear cameras and fast charging of 66W — You can optimize your favorite games without having to close the app. Photo: Juan José López Cuya / The Republic

Where you will have certain problems is in the installation of applications, since this device does not bring the Play Store or the other Google applications. Instead, we have the App Gallery store that has several titles, but not the main ones.

There are two ways to solve this problem. The first (which I recommend) is to use the Phone Clone application (developed by Huawei) to clone the apps, contacts, photos, videos, among other files that you have on another Android phone that does have Google services.

Cloning will take a long time, depending on the number of files you want to transfer. Once you have finished it, you will be able to use WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, among other apps without having to download the APKs from unreliable portals.

Another method you can use is using the GSpace application (found in the App Gallery). Once installed, it will create a virtual space where the main Google apps will run, including the Play Store. The problem is that some notifications may not reach you and you will have to log in with your Google account.

When it comes to autonomy, I must talk about its 4,300 mAh battery that can last several hours, but not a full day. Luckily there’s a 66W charger inside the box so you’ll have 100% power in about 45 minutes.

Photography

Without a doubt, the main strength of the Huawei Nova 9 is its quad rear camera that is composed of a 50 MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide angle, a 2 MP macro, a 2MP ToF sensor, and a selfie camera. 32 MP that records videos in 4K.

A few weeks ago, we made a post to see the quality of your photos. In summary, the images obtained during the photographic test (carried out in the main square of Lima) stand out for their vivid colors and because they are very sharp.

Thanks to the wide-angle you can take wide shots. Although it does not have a telephoto lens, it does allow you to photograph objects from a distance, thanks to its 10X digital zoom. It is advisable to use a tripod if what you want to capture is too far away, as this will reduce annoying photographic noise.

Among the most notable functions, we have the ‘ vlog mode ‘, which allows you to record a video using two cameras at the same time. This option is ideal for YouTubers or influencers since it offers the possibility of showing an event and your reaction at the same time.

It is worth noting that we also have a professional mode, fast camera, lens camera, macro photography, panoramic photo, motion photo, and the story creator for lovers of social networks.