There a blurry line between midrange and flagship smartphones right now. Some midrange devices are starting to have really powerful hardware, which inevitably increases their price tag.
One example of that is the new Huawei Nova 3. This device packs flagship-caliber hardware that it has the potential of stealing the spotlight from the Mate 10 and P20 series — Huawei’s current high-end offerings.
But flagship-like features come at a price. Despite its midrange status, the Nova 3 has a retail price that’s identical to some flagship smartphones today.
One notable competition is the Xiaomi Mi 8. As you all know, this is currently one of the best smartphones from Xiaomi. Just like the Nova 3, it comes with top-end specs to lure in people from the premium smartphone market. The only difference is, the Mi 8 is actually considered as a flagship device.
But do these classifications really matter? Is the Mi 8 actually better than the Nova 3? Or will this premium midrange smartphone put this flagship device to shame? Let’s all figure that out in our Huawei Nova 3 versus Xiaomi Mi 8 specifications and features comparison.
Huawei Nova 3 | Xiaomi Mi 8 | |
---|---|---|
Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo EMUI 8.2 | Android 8.0 Oreo MIUI 10 |
SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby Hybrid | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
Display | 6.3-inch Full HD+ IPS 2340 × 1080 pixel resolution ~409ppi 19:9 aspect ratio | 6.21-inch Full HD+ AMOLED 2280 × 1080 pixel resolution ~401ppi 19:9 aspect ratio DCI-P3 color gamut |
Processor | 2.4GHz HiSilicon Kirin 970 octa-core | 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core |
RAM | 6GB | 6GB |
GPU | Mali-G72 MP12 | Adreno 630 |
Storage | 128GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB | 64GB/128GB non-expandable |
Front camera | 24-megapixel + 2-megapixel f/2.0 | 20-megapixel f/2.0 |
Rear Camera | 24-megapixel (monochrome) + 16-megapixel (RGB) f/1.8 PDAF AI scene detection LED flash | 12-megapixel (f/1.8) + 12-megapixel (f/2.4) Dual Pixel PDAF OIS 2x optical zoom AI scene detection LED flash |
Security | Fingerprint scanner Infrared Face Unlock | Fingerprint scanner Infrared Face Unlock |
Others | 3D Qmoji | 86.68% screen-to-body ratio Always On display |
Audio | Single loudspeaker Headphone jack | Single loudspeaker No headphone jack |
Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 ac, hotspot Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP GPS, A-GPS, BDS, GLONASS USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 ac, hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP Dual-frequency GPS, QZSS, GALILEO, GLONASS NFC FM Radio USB Type-C |
Dimensions | 157 x 73.7 x 7.3mm | 154.9 x 74.8 x 7.6mm |
Weight | 166g | 175g |
Color | Purple Blue Black Gold | Gold Black White Blue |
Battery | 3,750mAh non-removable Fast charging | 3,400mAh non-removable Quick Charge 4.0+ |
Price | Php25,990 | 6GB/64GB: Php25,990 6GB/128GB: Php27,990 |
The Huawei Nova 3 does have a decent set of specs and features as it is. However, the Xiaomi Mi 8’s absurdly competitive pricing was able to easily outshine it.
Both devices use some of the most powerful processors in the industry today. However, there’s more to a smartphone than just its performance, and that’s where the Mi 8 excels over the Nova 3.
Xiaomi’s offering uses an AMOLED display with a large DCI-P3 color gamut coverage, which is obviously better than the IPS screen found on the Nova 3.
And since it uses an AMOLED panel, it offers better color vibrancy with deep contrasts. It also allows the Mi 8 to have an Always-on display feature, which isn’t really possible without too much battery drain on the Nova.
The 24-megapixel + 16-megapixel rear cameras on the Huawei Nova 3 might sound more appealing than the dual 12-megapixel sensors found on the competition. However, the Mi 8 has 2x optical zoom and optical image stabilization, which the former clearly lacks.
Related: Vivo X21 vs Xiaomi Mi 8: Specs Comparison
This might sound unexciting, but the Xiaomi Mi 8 is the first device to have a dual-frequency GPS. It also has NFC and FM radio built-in — some of the omitted features on the Huawei Nova 3.
It’s a relatively close fight, though, as Huawei’s premium midrange smartphone managed to steal the win in some rounds of this specs battle. For one, it runs on a newer version of Android, has a higher storage configuration on the base model, better selfie camera and AI features, and a slightly bigger battery.
But at the end of the day, Xiaomi Mi 8’s superior display, rear cameras, connectivity features, and flagship status ultimately makes it the winner in today’s comparison.
The Xiaomi Mi 8’s price starts at Php25,990 for the 6GB/64GB model, exactly the same price as the Huawei Nova 3 6GB/128GB. You can also get the Mi 8 on a 128GB configuration, but you have to pay extra as it costs Php27,990.
Xiaomi for the win!