➤Huawei Nova 9 test: an ultra-powerful photophone under 500 euros, enough to compensate for the absence of Google? 🕹

Huawei Nova 9 test: an ultra-powerful photophone under 500 euros, enough to compensate for the absence of Google?

Still in a tense situation with the United States which prevents it from accessing Google services for its Android smartphones , Huawei is not discouraged and continues its adventure with its in-house ecosystem. The Chinese manufacturer even returns this fall with a new flagship: the Huawei Nova 9. Let's see what this is worth. smartphone less than 500 euros , designed to appeal to young people.

499 € Read the conclusion Huawei Nova 9

120Hz OLED screen quality
In-game performance
Excellent photo quality
Good autonomy
Pleasant and light in the hand
Ultra-fast charging

No microSD
No 5G
Still incomplete and frustrating Android experience
Streaming services limited to 480p

Summary

Huawei Nova 9 tech. Sheet
In the box of Huawei Nova 9
Design worked to appeal to “young people”
Near-perfect 120Hz OLED display
Performance: very solid on its supports!
Interface: good progress, but there is still work to be done
Audio: choose good headphones!
AI-powered camera, for the better
Autonomy: full charge in 38 minutes
Price and availability
Huawei Nova 9: The opinion of Itopdroid

Huawei Nova 9 tech. Sheet

Technical specifications

Android operating system Android operating system version 11 Android EMUI 12 overlay

Displays and Signage

Screen size 6,57in Screen type OLED Screen definition 1080 x 2340 Refresh rate 120Hz Pixel density 392 DPI

Internal screen display

HDR display Yes

Memo

Internal memory 128 GB Expandable storage No

Performance

Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 4G processor Engraving fineness 6nm Number of cores CPU Octa-core CPU frequency 2,4GHz GPU Adreno 642L RAM 8 GB

Battery

Battery capacity 4300 mAh Removable battery No Wireless charging No Fast charging Yes Fast charging power 66W

Camera

Number of cameras (front & rear) 4 + 1 Definition of rear sensor (s) 50 Mpx, 8 Mpx, 2 Mpx, 2 Mpx Definition of front sensor (s) 32 Mpx Video recording 4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 60fps, 720p @ 60fps Digital camera stabilizer Rear flash LED Front flash No Rear photo lens aperture f / 1.9, f / 2.2, f / 2.4, f / 2.4 Front photo lens aperture f / 2.0

Network

Nano-SIM compatible SIM card (s) Dual SIM compatible Yes 5G compatible No VoLTE compatible Yes

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 NFC Yes GPS Yes

Equipment

Connector type USB Type-C Biometric fingerprint reader Yes Face recognition sensor 2D facial recognition Gyroscope Yes Ambient light sensor Yes Jack socket No Number of speakers 1

Physical Characteristics

Height 160mm Width 73,7mm Thickness 7,77mm Weight 175g

In the box of Huawei Nova 9

In addition to the new flagship of the Chinese brand, the box of the Huawei Nova 9 contains:

A 66 W fast charging block;
A USB-C to USB-C charging cable;
A transparent silicone protective shell;
A key to eject the SIM card + quick start guide.

Huawei Nova 9 test: an ultra-powerful photophone under 500 euros, enough to compensate for the absence of Google? © Christelle Perret for Itopdroid

Design worked to appeal to “young people”

The Huawei Nova 9 is a mid-range smartphone designed to coexist with the two high-end series of the Chinese brand: the Mate, like the Huawei Mate 40 Pro, and the P, like the Huawei P40 Pro. It was specifically designed to appeal to “young people”, with a particular focus on photography and video, and maximum autonomy. Because young people don't have time! Little fun fact: the “nova” logo represents two people side by side. One way for the brand to show its openness and inclusiveness.

Going back to the design of the Nova 9, it should be noted that we tested the Starry Blue version, which is a pastel blue-gray, semi-matte. It has a double-coated finish that reflects the light very nicely, and is also very pleasant to the touch. Indeed, the back of the device is very lightly engraved, so that it is not perfectly smooth. However, it is absolutely not embarrassing on a daily basis. On the contrary, without a protective shell, it prevents it from slipping in the hand. As a bonus: fingerprints hardly mark.

Obviously, it is impossible not to mention the Star Orbit Ring which sublimates the photo module with four sensors on the back of the device. We will of course come back to this in more detail in the part devoted to photography, but in terms of design, it is visually a success. In daily practice, it's the same! The photo module protrudes very slightly from the smartphone (much less than that of the Motorola edge 20). And it's wide and flat enough for the smartphone to sit flat on its back.

Overall, its dimensions give it an excellent grip. Thus, the Huawei Nova 9 measures 16 centimeters in height and 7,37 centimeters in width. Extremely thin and light, it is only 7,77 millimeters thick and weighs only 175 grams. The diagonal of its screen with rounded edges is 6,57 inches, which in our opinion is an ideal compromise between display surface and practicality of use, even for small hands. Let's stay briefly on this screen to discuss the selfie sensor and the fingerprint reader.

The first is, as is currently the fashion, housed in a discreet punch at the very top of the screen. Visually, it's actually nicer than the pill seen previously on the Mate 40 Pro and P40 Pro models. As for the fingerprint sensor, it is located under the screen, at the very bottom as on the Mate 30 Pro. A detail that will not bother small hands, big thumbs will have to contort a little. Let's move quickly to the metal frame which has two buttons on its side edge: the power on and the volume slider.

Near-perfect 120Hz OLED display

As a reminder, the 6,57-inch screen of the Huawei Nova 9 is curved. It is a body type that requires a little practice to get started, but which proves to be very pleasant over time. For its flagship, the Chinese manufacturer has chosen an OLED panel on which is displayed an FHD + resolution, i.e. 2340 x 1080 pixels, HDR10 compatible. Or almost. The resolution of a screen is measured according to a standard rectangle, but the Huawei Nova 9 also has rounded corners, so the effective pixels are slightly lower. But let's not quibble.

Note that the resolution is dynamic by default, to save energy. The device therefore adjusts the display, depending on the content being played, between a high resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels) and a low resolution (720 x 1560 pixels). Obviously, it is possible to force the setting on one or the other, according to your preferences. As well as offering 1,07 billion colors, visible even in bright sunlight, it also offers a refresh rate of 120Hz. Again, the refresh rate defaults to dynamic.

This setting ensures a balance between visual rendering and battery consumption. Just as imperceptible as the adjustment of the resolution, it is devilishly effective! But again, it is possible to force the setting of this frequency to “high” to take advantage of a continuous refresh rate of 120 Hz, or else to “standard” to limit the update frequency to 60 Hz and so preserve the autonomy of the smartphone. Rather well calibrated in terms of color temperature, the display can however be personalized.

As with all Android devices, the Huawei Nova 9 allows you to choose between two display modes: “normal” colors, which applies the colors best suited to the type of content displayed, and “vivid” colors, which therefore applies a range. wider colors for a more saturated rendering. In either case, it is very successful. Natural colors are vivid enough that the overall rendering isn't bland, and the vivid color mode doesn't go too far in color saturation.

The only criticism that could be made concerns the color temperature. In fact, the “normal colors” setting tends the whole thing very slightly towards yellow, while the "bright colors" setting tends the whole thing slightly towards blue. But just below this first setting is the color temperature wheel. It is possible to select one of the three pre-existing settings: “default” supposedly balanced, “hot” and “cold”. But just use the color wheel to customize the display.

Performance: very solid on its supports!

The Huawei Nova 9 is powered by a mid-range SoC, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 4G, octo-core. Four Cortex-A78s are clocked at 2,42 GHz and four Cortex-A55s are clocked at 1,8 GHz. The whole thing is supported by 8 GB of RAM, while the graphics are rendered by an Adreno 642L chip. Roughly the same recipe as for the Motorola edge 20 whose power in 3D games had impressed us… except that here, it's even better! All the benchmarks say so, and we were indeed able to verify it.

In day-to-day navigation between apps, it's fast and smooth. We didn't suffer from any latency, and this Huawei Nova 9 is simply a pleasure to use - once its morphology is integrated into our habits. But it is on the side of the most greedy 3D video games that we have been able to measure all its power. As usual, head to Genshin Impact, miHoYo's action-RPG. As on the Motorola edge 20, the graphics quality is set to low by default, for a smooth level of performance.

Fluid, but ugly. And we knew the Huawei Nova 9's SoC could do better. So, we pushed it to medium graphics quality, while still staying at 30fps. The smartphone warmed up a bit, but nothing to worry about. So, we tried to pass the game in “high” graphics quality. Of course, the game's interface screams in red and bold that it's too high, that the smartphone won't follow. Always the same error!

The fluidity was there, whether it was for the movements of our character or simply the changes in the angle of the camera. With the Huawei Nova 9, there is no need to compromise between the fluidity of the game and the quality of the graphics: you can have it all. And the smartphone has finally not heated much, but all the same more than leaving the game "ugly"!

Interface: good progress, but there is still work to be done

It should be remembered: Huawei cannot integrate Google Mobile Services into its products since the Chinese manufacturer was placed on the United States' blacklist. There is no Google Play Store to download your favorite applications on the Huawei Nova 9. Neither Google Maps to organize your trips, nor the Google search bar. Anyway, you get the idea. The smartphone still runs Android 11, and in Europe, it is pimped by the EMUI 12 overlay.

Navigate the Huawei Nova 9 interface

The smartphone offers a known gesture for users accustomed to Android. We can still make some complaints about the interface of the Huawei Nova 9, which wants to do too much. On the latest versions of Android, it is possible to “go back” in your navigation by simply swiping from the right edge of the screen towards the center. This gesture is also available on the Huawei Nova 9. But the Chinese manufacturer applies a second almost identical gesture which disrupts the navigation a little.

Thus, by swiping from the right edge of the screen towards the center, and by keeping the pressure on the screen, a list of shortcuts appears. We're not saying it's a bad idea, but the timing is so short to differentiate the two gestures that sometimes we want to “go back” and finally we open this shortcut bar. And vice versa. Then, you should know that the gesture (very old) of the swipe from the top of the screen to access its list of notifications has also been revised, surprisingly!

Indeed, the top of the screen has been split in two. Swiping from the left part allows you to access its list of notifications: messages, applications, emails, etc. While performing a swipe from the right part opens the control panel of the smartphone. This screen, which could be described as a “remote control”, allows you to control the music being played (on the smartphone or elsewhere), to access the quick settings (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ringtone, GPS, etc.) but also , and above all, to control connected devices.

Because yes, to go up the slope, Huawei is banking on its own ecosystem, which the Chinese manufacturer wants to build around the needs of its users. This involves partnerships, such as the one with the Spanish payment service Lydia, which allows you to exchange money between individuals, but also to pay contactlessly with your mobile, in a secure manner.

Palliative solutions for the absence of Google services

As mentioned above, Google services are not part of the game. So Huawei has created its own ecosystem of applications, and continues to develop. When we think of Google, we often think of the internet search bar on the home screen first. Obviously, it is not available here. Instead, Huawei offers to use its own search engine, Petal Search.

The latter executes internet queries, but in parallel searches for applications, products (shopping), images, or even news, related to the terms of the search launched. But Huawei's search engine also accepts queries without typing. Indeed, it is possible to dictate its search, or to go through a photo. As you can see below, we photographed a cup of coffee, to see where Petal Search would take us. And… what a trip!

Let it be said, Google regulars will regret the relevance of the American search engine, because the results of Petal Search are a bit light and often missing the mark. Except when it comes to finding apps. There, Huawei's tool does a great job of unearthing the best APK available! But we will come back to this in more detail later.

For classic queries, it is also possible to open the internet browser or the Qwant application to go to the google.com page, and carry out searches. It's a shame to have to go through this, but we must admit that for the moment, Petal Search is not very effective. Conversely, we were very pleasantly surprised by Petal Maps, the replacement for Google Maps.

On the left, Petal Maps; On the right, Google Maps © Christelle Perret for Itopdroid

Huawei is not inventing anything for this last application and takes most of what you can have in the Google application: explore the surroundings and find a route. Even the Petal Maps logo resembles, in shape and colors, that of Google Maps. Still, it works very well, so ultimately it doesn't matter that it's very similar. We meet there, and that's it already!

We're not going to go through all Google apps, but get to what you really want to know. Are all your favorite applications available on the Huawei Nova 9 and / or how do I install them?

How to install applications on the Huawei Nova 9?

The answer is not quickly answered. First of all, Google applications (Gmail, Google Drive, etc.) are not available for download through the AppGallery. But some are still accessible through Petal Search, such as Gmail and Google Drive storage space. And it is possible to install Google Maps via an APK.

And overall, when you do not find what you are looking for in the AppGallery, as was the case with the installation of Genshin Impact, all you have to do is turn to Petal Search, which systematically specifies the source of the file in its list of results. (AppGallery or other). Huawei's search engine therefore makes it possible to find the APK of the application online. But don't worry, installation is just as easy as via the store.

On the left, the AppGallery; Right, Petal Search © Huawei Nova 9

In two clicks, you can start downloading the application and then installing it. For updates, the AppGallery centralizes everything, even for APKs. However, the Huawei store does not update these automatically. It is therefore necessary to regularly check if updates are available and to carry out the installation manually (just click on "Obtain", then "Download", and finally "Install").

It's really very simple, and Huawei has gone to great lengths to make this action as accessible as possible. However, we must recognize that it is quite restrictive. Especially when using a lot of apps installed via APKs. So we come to the question: are my favorite apps available in the AppGallery?

Are my favorite apps in the AppGallery?

On the social media side, TikTok and Snapchat are there. But you will have to go through an APK to get Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Music lovers, you will find Deezer in the AppGallery, but not Spotify ... Lovers of movies and series, you will also have to go through an APK to get Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or even Disney +.

As a reminder, APK files are identical to classic Android applications, and you will find the same features there. They were simply not developed to integrate the Huawei store and allow direct installation. Sometimes, this still poses some problems, probably coming from incompatibilities with EMUI 12. Thus, we encountered three problems.

Download APKs, yes but ...

First, with Netflix. Indeed, the maximum playback resolution is limited to the SD format, ie 480p. Even with a standard subscription supposed to deliver Full HD resolution. That stings the eyes! This is because Huawei does not have the sufficient license from Netflix (and other streaming services) to deliver better than the SD format. Big disappointment, we won't hide it from you.

Second, with Instagram and Genshin Impact, we encountered a little annoyance that we haven't seen in a long time on an Android smartphone. Thus, leaving Instagram (while a video is being played) or Genshin Impact, by simply doing "previous" allows you to reach the home page of the smartphone, but does not mute the sound. It is then necessary to force the closing to cut the audio!

Finally, I regretted to find that I did not receive any notifications from my Discord servers, ever. Even private messages. However, notifications from Instagram or Twitter were reaching me well, and they were also installations via an APK ...

Audio: choose good headphones!

The Huawei Nova 9 has a single speaker located on its lower edge. We cannot repeat it enough: it is not a very optimal placement since the slot can very easily be blocked. However, it delivers a powerful sound ... even a little too much, because it saturates quite strongly as soon as you exceed 60% of volume. In short, this is not the best argument of this smartphone, and it is enough to watch YouTube videos or listen to a Podcast.

There is also no way to improve the audio rendering of the speaker. The Huawei Histen settings are only available when a headset (wired or wireless) is connected to the smartphone. The proposed settings are fairly basic, with four playback modes: “automatic” to adjust the sound effects according to the content, “3D audio” to offer immersive, “natural” and “standard” listening which opens up access to the equalizer and bass boost.

Note that the Huawei Nova 9 does not have a 3,5 mm jack, but only a USB-C port. On the Bluetooth side (5.2), it supports the BLE, SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs.

AI-powered camera, for the better

As we said above, Huawei has mainly focused on photos and videos in order to create a smartphone that could appeal to “young people”. The Nova 9 therefore embeds four sensors in its rear module:

a 50 MP wide-angle (f / 1.9) with RYYB technology which can accommodate 40% more light compared to standard RGGB technology;
an 8 MP ultra wide-angle (f / 2.2), doped with AI to correct the natural distortion of this type of shot;
a Macro camera (f / 2.4) to capture objects at 4 centimeters;
a depth sensor (f / 2.4) to obtain a bokeh effect.

The selfie camera on the front is no less good with its 32 MP (f / 2.0) sensor which allows you to shoot videos in 4K. It should be noted that the Huawei store includes the Petal Clip application, which allows videos to be edited directly from its module, “like a professional”.

L'application photo

Android users will not be lost with the Huawei Nova 9 photo app, as the two are so similar. And that's not bad! The first element offered is therefore the photo, with access to wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle, then to 2x and 10x digital zoom. On the left, the capture parameters (image format, activation of the composition grid, horizontal level, timer, etc.), then the available filters and the activation or not of flash and AI. The last icon on the left is AI Lens which allows you to identify objects or translate text in real time.

Among the other capture modes available immediately, we find the “Portrait” and “Night shot” mode on the left, then “Video” and “Vlog” on the right, before “Plus” which opens access to the “Panoramic” modes, “Dynamic Image”, “Time-Lapse”, “Pro”, etc. It is also here that it will be necessary to look for the “Super Macro” mode.

Big angle

We are not going to beat around the bush: it is a success. The wide-angle sensor offers superb shots thanks to a very good understanding of the scenes. The color rendering is natural, the brightness and the contrast are well balanced. As for the level of detail, it is simply very good. We can regret a slightly exaggerated saturation on some shots, but even in the latter case, the rendering is quite spectacular.

Unfortunately, the Huawei Nova 9 does not ship a telephoto lens. It therefore simply offers a digital zoom available by default in 2x and 10x. If the first is more or less convincing, it is difficult to find a real interest in the second which obviously offers a very pixelated cliché. Let's say it has the merit of existing.

On the left, the 2x zoom; On the right, the 10x zoom © Christelle Perret for Itopdroid

Ultra wide angle

Once again, let's not make the suspense last: it's a big yes. We are not going to lie to you, at this stage, we are rather won over by this photo module. As a reminder, the Huawei Nova 9 is a smartphone at 499 euros. And its ultra-wide-angle sensor really does wonders. First of all, we can immediately note that the Chinese manufacturer was not lying when he spoke of correcting the distortion of the image by an artificial intelligence. The result is quite convincing, even if a certain stretch remains visible.

Overall, we note the same qualities as for the shots offered by the wide-angle sensor. The colors are natural and the level of detail is convincing. In broad daylight, in the fog or in the evening, the luminosity of the whole remains good, just like the contrasts. In short, we don't really have any complaints.

Super Macro

This sensor is the one that we have the least convinced among all the sensors offered on the Huawei Nova 9. Because it is a bit restrictive: the optimal distance to obtain a good quality shot is four centimeters between the sensor and the intended object. No more no less. It should therefore be reserved for small objects, since it does not allow you to take a lot of distance. Note that the bokeh effect added to the shots taken via Super Macro mode is particularly well balanced, with impressive precision clipping of the subject.

On the left, Super Macro 15 centimeters from the subject; Right, Super Macro at 4 centimeters © Christelle Perret for Itopdroid

Night photos

On the Huawei Nova 9, the “night shot” mode is only available on the wide-angle sensor. Unfortunately, the ultra wide-angle doesn't do it after dark, just like the Super Macro. We must therefore turn to the 50 MP sensor which does an impressive job. In standard mode, it captures a very large amount of light, at the cost of reduced sharpness and added noise, fortunately quite limited.

So, let's go to “night shot” mode. One thing is certain: it completely transforms the rendering of the photo, for the better. It is not a question here of making the image as bright as possible, but of doing justice to the composition. The artificial intelligence at work takes the party to improve the composition to allow the captured objects to stand out better in this nocturnal atmosphere. And this without adding noise or filtering yellow to the image.

The result is simply stunning.

Portraits and selfies

Obviously, taking photos in Portraits mode is also a success. Both via the wide-angle sensor on the back of the smartphone and via the front sensor. For the latter, there will be no bokeh effect, unless you select one of the different “effects” available in order to modify the elements in the background.

For Portraits made with the wide-angle sensor, it is quite another thing, since the latter is supported in the task by the depth sensor. And what teamwork! The clipping is excellent. The color reproduction is perfect. The blur is well balanced. The shot is of such good quality that it allows you to notice all the flaws of this figurine, invisible to the naked eye.

Video

The Huawei Nova 9 allows you to shoot in 4K at 30 images per second, whatever the focal length: ultra wide-angle, wide-angle and even in x2 zoom (digital, as a reminder). The same goes with the 32 MP front sensor. In both configurations, it is also possible to shoot ultra-slow motion videos at 720 @ 240fps.

And an artificial intelligence is at work to manage the stabilization of the video when the user is in motion. We have known better for this last point, but it must be recognized that the post-processing effectively attenuates the tremors, without making them completely disappear.

Autonomy: full charge in 38 minutes

After the photo and the video, Huawei has placed particular emphasis on the autonomy of the Nova 9 in an attempt to conquer the youth. Under the hood, there is therefore a 4300 mAh battery, which is impressive for a smartphone of such finesse. But we have to admit that Huawei has always been very good at this. On the software side, everything is also implemented to ensure the greatest possible autonomy.

As we specified above, the display resolution and the screen refresh rate, which are two very power-hungry elements, are by default set to “dynamic” mode, in order to conserve battery power. And the system does not hesitate to notify the user when it considers that an application is consuming too many background resources, as was the case with Twitter and Instagram during our test.
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In our test, the smartphone easily lasted two days without recharging. Never less than a full day. And we must admit that the charge is so fast that we pay little attention to it. Indeed, it only takes 38 minutes for a full charge, thanks to the 66 W charging unit. And to avoid as much as possible the deleterious effects of a too fast charge, Huawei has integrated some charging parameters by default.

First of all, the “Intelligent charge” which allows you to restrict recharging once the battery has passed 80%. Then the “Intelligent Battery Manager” which cuts off charging a little before reaching full charge. Obviously, this somewhat reduces the autonomy of a charge, but allows the battery to be preserved over time. This is also an important point for the Chinese manufacturer, who wants you to keep your smartphones longer.

Thus, Huawei offers 6 months of warranty extension on all of its smartphones and even offers a package at 39 euros to replace your battery, regardless of your model of Huawei smartphone.

Price and availability

The Huawei Nova 9 has been available since November 2, 2021 at a price of 499 euros. Two colors are available in Spain: Starry Blue and Black. Only one configuration is available: 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage space. As a reminder, this model is not compatible with the 5G network, which is surprising for a smartphone in 2021. Especially if you want to keep it long enough to take advantage of the guarantees offered by the Chinese manufacturer ...

Huawei Nova 9: The opinion of Itopdroid

What an impressive comeback from Huawei with this Nova 9. If it is designed for young people, there is no doubt that it will actually appeal to all age categories. The neat design superbly highlights its 120 HZ OLED screen. Its performance is impressive, especially in the most demanding 3D games, and its autonomy is quite satisfactory. Finally, we only find two annoying flaws: the absence of 5G, and the few hiccups in its interface (which will certainly continue to improve).

Huawei Nova 9

The Huawei Nova 9 is a hell of a slap in the face! Incredibly beautiful and powerful, it also has an impressive battery life coupled with ultra-fast charging. The photo part is almost flawless. It only needs a few efforts at the interface level to conquer the market. Those who are not afraid of change will surely love it.

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