After reviewing the HUAWEI Matepad 12X last month, I requested for a review unit of the HUAWEI nova 13. The last time I reviewed a nova phone was the nova 8, which I highly recommended back then. For this review, we received the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro, the highest phone model in the series. Would I also recommend this newest phone from HUAWEI like their Matepad 12 X tablet? Find out by reading our HUAWEI nova 13 Pro review.
Table of Contents
HUAWEI nova 13 Pro Specs
| OS: | EMUI 14.2 |
|---|---|
| Processor: | 2.19Hz Kirin 8000 Octa-Core Processor; Mali-G610 GPU |
| Display: | 6.76-inch 2776×1224 120Hz LTPO OLED |
| Wi-Fi: | 4G, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, IR, GPS GLONASS |
| Memory: | 12GB+512GB |
| Connectors: | USB Type-C |
| Cameras: | Rear Camera: 50MP (f/1.4-4.0) Main Wide, 12MP (f/2.4) Telephoto, 8 MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide Front Camera: 60MP (f/2.4) Ultra-Wide Camera; 8 MP, f/2.2 Telephoto |
| SIM Card Slots: | 2x Nano-SIM Cards |
| Battery: | 5,000 mAh with 100W HUAWEI Super Charge |
| Price: | Php 32,999 |
The Unboxing
The HUAWEI nova 13 Pro’s packaging is similar to the brand’s other products – a premium white box with the name of the device at the center and App Gallery logo at the bottom. Since it is part of the nova series, it also has a nova logo on top of the box.
Inside the box are the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro, phone case, Type-C USB Cable, 100w USB Charger Head and a SIM Card ejector.
The Looks and Feel
What I like about the nova series is its slim, sexy body, which the new HUAWEI nova 13 Pro possess. It is not as thin as its previous versions, but at 7.82mm it is still considered slim.
The volume rocker and power button are on the right side of the phone.
At the bottom are the SIM card slot, mic, Type-C USB port, and speaker grille. The other speaker grille is found on top of the phone.
The back panel of the nova 13 Pro is one of the most unique I’ve ever seen in a smartphone. Its plaid texture design “moves” under different angles of light. This feature makes the phone more interesting and a topic for conversation. The frosted glass prevents any smudges, keeping the phone attractive for others to see. Our review unit has the Loden Green colorway but it is also available in white and black.
I loved holding the nova 13 Pro, thanks to its curved edge and frosted glass back panel. I am not sure though if the glass is sturdy enough. So far, no signs of hairline cracks after it accidentally fell off from my table a few times.
The Display and Sound
The display of the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro is a 6.76-inch 1224×2776 LTPO OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. The thin bezels around the phone lets the screen maximize its size to provide users with enjoyable bingeing of streaming videos or playing mobile games. It also provides crisp images that can be comparable to a flagship phone.
The nova 13 Pro is equipped with stereo speakers at top and bottom of the phone. Speakers are loud and clear, however I do not suggest to turn it up to max because it could slightly distort the sound.
The Performance
HUAWEI hasn’t been vocal about their choice of processors for their phones and tablets in recent years. Fortunately, by using some of our benchmarking apps, we were able to find out what they have under the nova 13 Pro’s hood. We are not saying this is 100X accurate, but I think the apps might got it right. The processor is a 2.19 GHz Kirin 8000 Octa-Core processor supported by Mali-G610 GPU.
I checked our past articles and we may have not reviewed any device with this kind of processor. Our fellow colleagues in the tech media mentioned that the Kirin 8000 chipset was used in mid-range smartphone. Here are our benchmark scores of the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro:
We used the nova 13 Pro as a main phone for weeks by installing the common apps we use for work and leisure. It worked flawlessly when doing video calls, voice calls, emails and social media. Smooth as butter. Multi-tasking wasn’t a problem at all thanks to its 12GB of memory. HUAWEI is generous with its storage by including 512GB inside the phone.
The nova 13 Pro is capable for mobile gaming. I played Honor of Kings with FPS on Max, Resolution on Ultra, and Overall Graphic Quality to 4. I played several rounds and all of my ranked matches were smooth and didn’t encounter any hiccups. Another game I played is Call of Duty Mobile with Graphic Quality set to Very High, and Frame Rate to Max. Like Honor of Kings, I’ve never encountered any problems playing the game for days. The nova 13 Pro didn’t feel hot after playing more than an hour of games.
Running the show on the nova 13 Pro is the EMUI 14.2. As expected, it is filled with bloatware which I don’t think anybody is interested to use. Google apps can be installed through the HUAWEI AppGallery while other apps that rely on google can also be installed and used by downloading GBox.
AI is the current buzzword in the technology industry which smartphone and laptop brands have started to adopt. Unfortunately for HUAWEI, it lacks AI features like erasing parts of a picture or animating an existing picture.
Another caveat I have with the nova 13 Pro is the lack of 5G. I understand it has something to do with the US restrictions made a few years ago but it still sucks that this type of mobile connectivity is absent especially for its premium pricing.
The Cameras
There are three cameras in the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro: a 50 Megapixel Main Camera, 12 Megapixel Telephoto Camera, 8 Megapixel Ultra-Wide and Macro. The selfie cameras on the front are composed of a 60 Megapixel ultra-wide camera and an 8 Megapixel Portrait camera.
On low-lit environments, the main camera produces warm colored images while in natural light setting. Sharpness is great and t gives justice to its natural looks. Images taken under low-light conditions images appear to have increased contrast – HDR at night are good.
Images taken with the ultra-wide camera shows good details and decent color vibrance. Portrait Mode produces natural colors but sometimes includes the person on the back, which results to him being included in the focus of the main subject
I also tried the telephoto zoom of the nova 13 Pro. Based on my photos, I could say that 5x zoom can still produce good pictures. 10x Zoom is still decent but sharpness has decreased.
On to the Selfie camera, color temperature of the images were on the warm side. My selfies looked natural and my face on the photos looked sharp.
Here are some samples of the photos taken with the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro:
The Battery
Like any other smartphone reviews I’ve made, I don’t think I have any bad comments to share about the battery life of the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro. It comes with a 5,000 mAh battery capacity that can last up to at least a day. With my usage, I am able to use the nova 13 Pro until noon of the next day.
The nova 13 Pro can support 100W HUAWEI Super Charge included in the package. With the Super Charge, charging from 0 to 100% can be achieved in less than an hour.
DR’s CONCLUSION
In all honesty, I am quite disappointed with the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro. I reckon other phones under this price range offer better value by having 5G connectivity, IP protection ratings, and less or even no bloatwares.
Having said that, I also think the nova 13 Pro still has a market: fashionistas who need a stylish phone or social media junkies who need a camera that would make them trending in the scene. I just wish its SRP of P32,990 is priced lower to make it more justifiable to purchase.
Purchase the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro at the HUAWEI Store: https://consumer.huawei.com/ph/offer/category/smartphones/nova13-buy/?productId=18063916970067
