Explore the Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G, featuring a 6.72″ OLED 120Hz display, Kirin 985 5G chipset, quad-camera system, and 66W fast charging. Discover its features, performance, and more in this review.
Introduction
The Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G, released in January 2021, is an advanced mid-range smartphone that combines flagship features with Huawei’s signature design and performance. With a 6.72-inch OLED display, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a powerful Kirin 985 5G chipset, the Nova 8 Pro 5G is built to handle everything from media consumption to gaming with ease. Its quad-camera system further adds to its appeal, making it a great choice for photography enthusiasts who want top-tier performance without breaking the bank.
In this review, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G’s design, performance, camera quality, battery life, and more.
Design and Build Quality
The Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G features a sleek and modern design with a glass front and back and an aluminum frame, providing a premium look and feel. At 163.3 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm and weighing 184g, the phone is slim, lightweight, and easy to hold. It’s available in a variety of striking colors, including Black, Blue, Green, and White, catering to users who appreciate aesthetics as much as functionality.
The 91.7% screen-to-body ratio ensures an immersive experience with minimal bezels, making it perfect for media consumption and gaming. However, the phone lacks IP rating, meaning it isn’t officially water or dust-resistant, which could be a drawback for some users.
Display
The 6.72-inch OLED display is one of the standout features of the Nova 8 Pro 5G. With a resolution of 1236 x 2676 pixels and a pixel density of 439 ppi, the screen offers sharp and vibrant visuals, perfect for streaming videos, gaming, and browsing. The 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and animations, while HDR10 support provides deeper contrasts and better color reproduction.
This display is ideal for those who prioritize visual quality, offering an immersive experience for gaming, videos, and general use.
Performance
At the heart of the Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G is the Kirin 985 5G chipset, built on a 7nm process. The octa-core CPU includes 1×2.58 GHz Cortex-A76, 3×2.40 GHz Cortex-A76, and 4×1.84 GHz Cortex-A55, ensuring efficient performance across a wide range of tasks. The Mali-G77 (8-core) GPU handles gaming and graphics-intensive tasks with ease, making the device a great choice for gamers and power users.
The Nova 8 Pro 5G comes with 8GB of RAM and offers storage options of 128GB and 256GB. However, there’s no option for expandable storage, so users will need to choose their storage option wisely. The device runs on EMUI 11 based on Android 10, but like other recent Huawei devices, it lacks Google Play Services. Instead, users rely on Huawei’s AppGallery and other third-party stores for apps.
Camera
The quad-camera system on the Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G is versatile and capable, with the following sensors:
- 64 MP main camera (f/1.8, 26mm, PDAF): Captures high-quality photos with rich detail and vibrant colors. The large sensor and fast aperture make it suitable for low-light photography.
- 8 MP ultrawide camera (f/2.4, 120˚, 17mm): Provides a wider field of view for landscape and group shots.
- 2 MP depth sensor (f/2.4): Enhances portrait shots with better depth of field and more accurate bokeh effects.
- 2 MP macro lens (f/2.4): Allows for close-up shots of small subjects, capturing fine details.
The camera system supports 4K video recording, 1080p@30/60fps, and gyro-EIS for stabilized video. The phone also supports 960fps slow-motion video recording, giving users creative control over their videos.
On the front, the phone boasts a dual selfie camera setup:
- 32 MP ultrawide camera (f/2.4, 100˚): Perfect for wide-angle selfies and group shots.
- 16 MP wide camera (f/2.0): Ensures sharp and detailed selfies with HDR support.
Both front cameras are capable of 1080p video recording at 30fps, making the Nova 8 Pro 5G ideal for vlogging and video calls.
Battery and Charging
The 4000mAh battery on the Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G offers decent endurance for a full day of use, depending on how intensively the phone is used. While the battery size might be smaller than some competitors, the phone compensates with 66W fast wired charging, which allows the battery to charge up to 60% in just 15 minutes and 100% in 35 minutes. This fast-charging capability ensures minimal downtime for users who are always on the go.
Additionally, the phone supports 5W reverse wired charging, which allows users to charge smaller accessories like earbuds from their phone.
Connectivity and Other Features
The Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G offers robust connectivity options, including 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and USB Type-C 2.0. The phone supports NFC for contactless payments and fast pairing with other devices. For navigation, it includes GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, and NavIC, ensuring precise and reliable location tracking.
The phone also features an under-display optical fingerprint sensor, as well as an accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, and compass.
Price and Availability
The Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G is priced at around 600 EUR, positioning it in the upper mid-range category. Considering its flagship-like features—such as the 120Hz OLED display, powerful camera setup, and 66W fast charging—the phone offers good value for users who don’t require Google Play Services and are comfortable with Huawei’s AppGallery ecosystem.
Specifications Table
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Network | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Dimensions | 163.3 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 184 g |
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Display | 6.72 inches OLED, 1236 x 2676 pixels, 120Hz, HDR10 |
| OS | Android 10, EMUI 11 (No Google Play Services) |
| Chipset | Kirin 985 5G (7 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×2.58 GHz Cortex-A76, 3×2.40 GHz Cortex-A76, 4×1.84 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 (8-core) |
| Internal Storage | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | Quad: 64 MP (wide), 8 MP (ultrawide), 2 MP (depth), 2 MP (macro) |
| Selfie Camera | Dual: 32 MP (ultrawide), 16 MP (wide) |
| Battery | 4000 mAh, 66W wired fast charging, 5W reverse charging |
| Colors | Black, Blue, Green, White |
| Price | About 600 EUR |
Conclusion
The Huawei Nova 8 Pro 5G offers a compelling combination of high-end features, a sleek design, and an impressive camera system, all packed into a relatively affordable mid-range device. The 6.72-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, along with the Kirin 985 5G chipset, delivers excellent performance for everyday tasks, gaming, and media consumption. The 64MP quad-camera system ensures versatility in photography, while the 66W fast charging is a standout feature for users who need minimal downtime.
Despite the lack of Google Play Services, the Nova 8 Pro 5G provides a well-rounded package for those who are comfortable using Huawei’s AppGallery and alternative app stores.
Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
