Huawei Nova 4 Review: A Punch-Hole Powerhouse

Huawei Nova 4 Review: A Punch-Hole Powerhouse

The Huawei Nova 4 arrives with a modern punch-hole display and a solid performance profile, positioning itself against flagship killers like the OnePlus 6T. While it delivers strong overall performance and innovative features, it struggles to outperform its main competitor on certain fronts.

Design and Display

The Nova 4 adopts a glass body with gradient coloring in Aurora Blue and Red shades. Its standout feature is the punch-hole display, which places the 25MP selfie camera in a small hole at the top left of the screen, offering a cleaner look compared to traditional notches. Although the display still retains a thick bottom bezel, the punch-hole design is a refreshing change that most users adapt to quickly.

The phone features a 6.41-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD panel that delivers bright, vivid colors and smooth touch responsiveness. While the OnePlus 6T boasts an AMOLED display, the Nova 4’s IPS screen holds its own with excellent readability and color accuracy.

Performance

Powered by the octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 970 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, the Nova 4 handles everyday tasks and gaming with ease. It manages to run demanding titles like PUBG at high settings, though it doesn’t quite match the fluid performance of the Snapdragon 845 in the OnePlus 6T.

Benchmark scores place the Nova 4 at:

• AnTuTu V7: 196,513
• GeekBench 4 Single-Core: 1,765
• GeekBench 4 Multi-Core: 6,385
• 3D Mark Sling Shot Extreme (OpenGL ES 3.1): 1,229

Camera Capabilities

The Nova 4 features a triple rear camera setup including a 20MP primary lens, a 16MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. The wide-angle lens proves particularly useful for capturing expansive scenes and tight spaces.

In daylight conditions, the Nova 4 produces detailed images with natural colors, though it sometimes overexposes scenes. Low-light performance is inconsistent; while it can manage well-lit evenings, pitch-dark environments yield noisy, muddy images. The OnePlus 6T generally delivers better night-time detail and exposure balance.

The 25MP selfie camera excels in color accuracy, outperforming the OnePlus 6T, which sometimes produces unnatural color shifts. However, video recording quality on the Nova 4 is disappointing, with shaky footage and dull colors at 4K/30fps.

Software and Features

Running Android 9 Pie with Huawei’s EMUI 9.0.1, the Nova 4 offers smooth navigation and useful features like Private Space for separating personal and professional data. However, the interface is hampered by pre-installed bloatware that cannot be removed, a drawback when compared to the cleaner OxygenOS on OnePlus devices.

Security features include fast fingerprint and face unlock. The phone also features a mono speaker that produces clear audio, though it is quieter than the OnePlus 6T, and includes an IR blaster for controlling TVs.

Battery Life

The 3750mAh battery provides solid endurance, delivering around 5.5 to 6 hours of screen-on time with heavy use. While adequate, it falls short of the OnePlus 6T in charging speed, as Huawei’s 18W charger is slower than OnePlus’s proprietary fast charging solution.

Verdict

Priced at NPR 64,900, the Huawei Nova 4 offers a compelling package with its punch-hole display, versatile camera system, and reliable performance. However, the OnePlus 6T edges it out with superior night-time photography, faster charging, and a cleaner software experience. For users prioritizing a wide-angle lens and a better selfie camera while accepting minor trade-offs, the Nova 4 remains a worthwhile option.