Huawei nova 9 SE 5G vs Honor Play4 Pro: A Clash of Mid-Range Titans

The mid-range smartphone market is fiercely competitive, and the Huawei nova 9 SE 5G and Honor Play4 Pro are two contenders vying for your attention. Both offer compelling features at accessible price points, but which one truly delivers the best overall experience? Let's dive into a detailed comparison.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Honor Play4 Pro edges out the nova 9 SE 5G thanks to its superior chipset and camera capabilities, despite slower charging. The nova 9 SE 5G boasts incredibly fast 66W charging, making it a strong contender for those prioritizing quick power-ups.

PHONES
Phone Names	Huawei nova 9 SE 5G	Honor Play4 Pro

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	LTE	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41
5G bands	SA/NSA	1, 3, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	CDMA2000 1x	CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA

Launch
Announced	2022, April 20	2020, June 03. Released 2020, June 10
Status	Available. Released 2022, April 23	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	164.6 x 75.6 x 7.9 mm (6.48 x 2.98 x 0.31 in)	162.7 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.35 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	191 g (6.74 oz)	213 g (7.51 oz)

Display
Resolution	1080 x 2388 pixels (~387 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)
Size	6.78 inches, 111.4 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio)	6.57 inches, 104.2 cm2 (~84.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD, 120Hz	IPS LCD

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver)	Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.09 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.86 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) - unconfirmed	Kirin 990 (7 nm)
GPU	Adreno 619	Mali-G76 MP16
OS	Android 11, EMUI 12, no Google Play Services	Android 10, Magic UI 3.1, no Google Play Services

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	128GB 8GB RAM

Main Camera
Dual	-	40 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/1.7", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	Laser AF, LED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad	108 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 112˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	-
Single	16 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide)	-
Video	1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps, 1080p@960fps, OIS, gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Dual	-	32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm 8 MP, (ultrawide)
Features	-	Panorama
Single	16 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide)	-
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE	5.1, A2DP, LE
NFC	Unspecified	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS	GPS, BDS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, compass	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	Virtual proximity sensing	-

Battery
Charging	66W wired, 100% in 35 min	40W wired, 70% in 30 min Reverse wired
Type	Li-Po 4000 mAh	Li-Po 4200 mAh

Misc
Colors	Midnight Black, Pearl White, Crystal Blue	Black, Blue, Light Blue
Models	-	OXP-AN00
Price	About 370 EUR	About 360 EUR

Huawei nova 9 SE 5G

Incredibly fast 66W charging
5G connectivity
Stylish design
Good OLED display

Less powerful chipset
Camera performance not top-tier
Unconfirmed chipset details

Honor Play4 Pro

Powerful Kirin 990 chipset
Superior camera performance
Good OLED display
Reverse wired charging

Slower charging speed
Design may be less modern
Availability may be limited

Display Comparison

Both phones feature OLED displays, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks. The Honor Play4 Pro likely has slightly better color accuracy due to its higher-end chipset, but the nova 9 SE 5G's display is still excellent. Resolution and size are likely comparable, around 6.5 inches with FHD+ resolution.

Camera Comparison

The Honor Play4 Pro's Kirin 990 chipset typically enables better image processing and overall camera performance. While both phones likely have multiple lenses (main, ultrawide, macro), the Honor's image quality, especially in low light, is expected to be superior. The nova 9 SE 5G's camera is decent, but not a standout.

Performance

Here's where the Honor Play4 Pro takes a significant lead. The Kirin 990 chipset is considerably more powerful than the Snapdragon 695 5G. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the Honor Play4 Pro. The nova 9 SE 5G is adequate for everyday tasks but may struggle with demanding games.

Battery Life

The nova 9 SE 5G wins this round hands down. Its 66W charging is incredibly fast, allowing for a full charge in around 35 minutes. The Honor Play4 Pro's 40W charging is slower, taking around 30 minutes to reach 70%. Battery capacity is likely similar, around 4000-4500 mAh on both devices.

Buying Guide

The Huawei nova 9 SE 5G is ideal for users who prioritize fast charging and 5G connectivity. The Honor Play4 Pro is a better choice for those seeking stronger performance and a more capable camera system, even if it means sacrificing some charging speed.