Introducing the Huawei Nova 11 Pro, the highly-anticipated addition to Huawei’s esteemed lineup of selfie-centric mid-range smartphones. With an unwavering focus on catering to the dynamic preferences of the younger audience, this device boasts a perfect amalgamation of breathtaking aesthetics and cutting-edge technology. From the moment you lay eyes on its sleek contours and captivating design, you’ll be captivated by the Nova 11 Pro’s allure.
Notably, the front-facing cameras of this smartphone take center stage, promising a truly unparalleled selfie experience. Equipped with advanced imaging capabilities and innovative AI features, every shot you take with the Nova 11 Pro is bound to be Instagram-worthy. Immersed in a world where sharing life’s moments is second nature, this phone is a dream come true for social media enthusiasts and content creators alike.
As the natural successor to the acclaimed Nova 10 Pro, the Nova 11 Pro stands tall with various enhancements and refinements. While it may not bring groundbreaking hardware upgrades, Huawei has masterfully incorporated significant design changes and other improvements to elevate your smartphone encounter to new heights.
Design and Build:
One of the most noticeable updates in the Nova 11 Pro is its design. The back panel is made from faux or vegan leather, adorned with a debossed Nova logo pattern that gives it a unique and trendy appearance. The bottom of the back panel features a prominent gold Nova logo, adding to its distinctive look.
The camera bump on the rear is more refined, with a gold ring only surrounding the main camera and engraved with fine text. The plastic frame of the phone, coupled with the leather back, provides excellent grip and handling. While the Nova 11 Pro comes in various colorways, some regions will have exclusive versions with glass backs instead of leather.
Screen Specs and Features:
The Nova 11 Pro sports a curved 6.78-inch OLED display with Loon Glass protection and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. This display appears to be the same as its predecessor, offering a resolution slightly higher than standard 1080p. Color accuracy is impressive, and the device supports 10-bit color and HDR10+ video playback.
However, the brightness levels are decent but not class-leading, reaching over 500 nits with the manual slider and 700 nits with auto-brightness enabled. Users can choose between standard, high, and dynamic refresh rate modes, with dynamic mode adjusting from 120 FPS to 60 FPS when the screen is idle to save power.
Stereo Speakers and Fingerprint Reader:
The Nova 11 Pro is equipped with stereo speakers, one at the bottom and another at the top, providing balanced sound output. While the speakers are not exceptionally loud, they deliver satisfactory audio performance. The phone’s under-display fingerprint reader is optical and highly responsive, although some users might prefer it to be placed a bit higher for easier access.
Storage Options and Software:
The Nova 11 Pro comes with ample storage options, offering either 256GB or 512GB onboard storage, although it lacks expandable microSD support. The device runs on EMUI 13, Huawei’s custom software skin, which means it does not come with Google services or apps.
Instead, users will find Huawei’s replacements and alternatives through the App Gallery. While the app selection is growing, there are still some notable omissions compared to Google Play. However, with the integrated Petal Search, users can find apps outside the gallery, such as developer websites and other app repositories. Additionally, G-Box, a virtual machine, allows users to install and run Google apps smoothly.
Performance and Battery Life:
The Nova 11 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 778G 4G chipset, similar to its predecessor. While the Snapdragon 778G has been a popular choice, it lacks 5G connectivity support. The overall performance is solid and predictable, but it faces competition from newer smartphones with more powerful silicon.
The phone’s thermal management exhibits some throttling during CPU stress tests, which might affect gaming performance. On the battery front, the Nova 11 Pro features a 4,500mAh battery, similar to the previous model, providing an average endurance rating of 89 hours. However, the device makes up for this with impressive charging speed, going from zero to 73 percent in 15 minutes and fully charging in just 23 minutes.
Camera Performance:
The Nova 11 Pro’s camera setup includes a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, lacking a depth sensor. During the day, the main camera produces excellent 12.5-megapixel photos with natural-looking details, textures, and colors.
The dynamic range is impressive, and colors have a pleasant pop. The two-times zoom toggle from the main camera yields decent results with enough detail, although the white balance leans slightly towards greenish tones.
In low light conditions, photos from the main camera still perform admirably well. Huawei’s night processing technology ensures well-exposed shots with good shadow development, vivid colors, and minimal noise. The dedicated night mode enhances shadow development and sharpness but doesn’t make a significant difference overall.
- RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS FROM US:
- Universal Wireless Charger Qi-Certified 10W Fast Wireless Charging Pad,
- Braided Lightning to USB A Cable, MFi Certified iPhone Charger
- Ultra Hybrid Designed for Apple iPhone 11 Pro Case (2019)
When it comes to video recording, the Nova 11 Pro captures footage in up to 4K resolution at 30fps from all of its cameras. However, the 4K footage from the main camera is softer than expected, with narrow dynamic range and high contrast. Stabilization works well when panning smoothly, but it struggles to eliminate shakiness when walking.
The 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera produces photos with different color rendition compared to the main camera, particularly in skies. Despite its lower resolution, it manages to capture respectable dynamic range and detail. In low light conditions, the ultra-wide camera holds up quite well, even without a dedicated night mode.
Finally, the Nova 11 Pro’s dual selfie cameras include a 60-megapixel primary camera and an 8-megapixel portrait telephoto. The primary selfie camera captures excellent photos, offering impressive detail, pleasing colors, and a good dynamic range. Thanks to its autofocus capability, faces consistently appear sharp in selfies. The two-times portrait camera zoom provides good detail and natural bokeh in the background.
Conclusion:
The Huawei Nova 11 Pro is an attractive mid-range smartphone that excels in design, selfie camera capabilities, and charging speed. However, it doesn’t bring substantial improvements over its predecessor, and some aspects, such as the lack of Ingress Protection, unimpressive video recording, and an older chipset, fall behind the competition. Additionally, users should consider the absence of Google services when considering this phone, making it a less appealing choice for some potential buyers.
- More reviews:
- Samsung Galaxy A14 5G Review
- Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 Review
