Huawei Nova 9 vs Honor 70: A Clash of Mid-Range Titans
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Honor 70 edges out the Nova 9 thanks to its brighter display, slightly faster processor (Snapdragon 778G+), and marginally better battery endurance. While both offer excellent value, the Honor 70 provides a more compelling overall package, especially for those prioritizing 5G connectivity.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Huawei nova 9 | Honor 70 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China | 1, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 23 | 2022, May 30 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 30 | Available. Released 2022, June 02 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 160 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm (6.30 x 2.90 x 0.31 in) | 161.4 x 73.3 x 7.9 mm (6.35 x 2.89 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 175 g (6.17 oz) | 178 g (6.28 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~392 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.57 inches, 106.0 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10 | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 670) | Octa-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 4G (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM7325-AE Snapdragon 778G+ 5G (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Adreno 642L |
| OS | HarmonyOS 2.0 (China), EMUI 12 (Europe), no Google Play Services | Android 12, Magic UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide) |
| Triple | - | 54 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.49", PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), AF Auxiliary lens |
| Video | 4K, 1080p, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, 720p@240fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS, GLONASS, 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/a/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired, 60% in 18 min, 100% in 38 min Reverse wired | 66W wired, 60% in 20 min 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4300 mAh | Li-Po 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Starry Blue, Black, Green, Violet | Midnight Black, Emerald Green, Icelandic Frost, Crystal Silver |
| Models | NAM-AL00, NAM-LX9 | FNE-AN00, FNE-NX9 |
| Price | About 120 EUR | £ 201.00 / € 189.90 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 96h | Endurance rating 100h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.3 LUFS (Good) | -29.4 LUFS (Average) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 469798 (v9) GeekBench: 2973 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Huawei nova 9
- Incredibly fast 66W charging
- Sleek and stylish design
- Excellent OLED display
- Good overall performance
- Slightly dimmer display than Honor 70
- No 5G connectivity
- Performance slightly behind Honor 70
Honor 70
- Brighter display (790 nits)
- Slightly faster processor (Snapdragon 778G+)
- 5G connectivity
- Excellent battery life
- Charging slightly slower than Nova 9
- Reverse wired charging is 5W (vs 60% in 18 min)
Display Comparison
Both phones feature OLED displays with vibrant colors and deep blacks. However, the Honor 70 boasts a significantly brighter peak brightness of 790 nits compared to the Nova 9's 608 nits. This makes the Honor 70 noticeably easier to view outdoors in direct sunlight. Both have excellent contrast ratios, reported as 'infinite' (nominal), indicating near-perfect contrast.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature versatile camera setups, but the specifics of their sensors and software processing differ. Both offer excellent photo and video capabilities, but detailed camera comparisons would require extensive testing. Initial impressions suggest the Honor 70 might have a slight edge in low-light photography due to potential software optimizations.
Performance
The Honor 70 utilizes the Snapdragon 778G+ 5G, a slightly overclocked version of the Nova 9's Snapdragon 778G 4G. While both are capable chips, the 778G+ offers a small performance boost, particularly in graphics-intensive tasks and 5G connectivity. Day-to-day performance on both devices should be smooth, but the Honor 70 has a slight edge.
Battery Life
Both phones offer impressive battery life, with endurance ratings of 100h and 96h respectively. The Honor 70 has a slight advantage in this area. Both support 66W fast charging, allowing for rapid top-ups. The Honor 70 charges slightly slower (20 min to 60%) compared to the Nova 9 (18 min to 60%).
Buying Guide
The Huawei Nova 9 is a great choice for users who prioritize a sleek design and incredibly fast charging. The Honor 70 is ideal for those seeking a brighter screen, a more powerful processor, and 5G capabilities, making it a better option for future-proofing and smoother multitasking.