POCO finally came back to the game with the launch of the POCO X2. But how does it fare against other midrange handsets?
The Huawei Nova 5T is currently one of the hottest midrange phones in the Philippines. With great hardware and distinct design, it easily became popular when it launched back in September last year.
On the other hand, the POCO X2 is one of the most anticipated smartphones this 2020 because it’s the company’s comeback device. As expected, it features premium features but with a friendly price tag.
Should you wait for the POCO X2 or should you just buy the Nova 5T right now? Check out our Huawei Nova 5T versus POCO X2 specifications and features comparison to help you decide.
| POCO X2 | Huawei Nova 5T | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 10 MIUI 11 | Android 9 Pie EMUI 9.1 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby (Hybrid) | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution Corning Gorilla Glass 5 HDR 10 120Hz refresh rate | 6.26-inch FHD+ IPS 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution ~412ppi NTSC 96% |
| Processor | 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G octa-core processor | 2.6GHz Kirin 980 octa-core |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB | 8GB |
| GPU | Adreno 618 GPU | Mali-G76 MP10 GPU Turbo 3.0 |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB (expandable) | 128GB non-expandable |
| Front camera | 20-megapixel 2-megapixel punch-hole front cameras | 32-megapixel f/2.0 |
| Rear Camera | 64-megapixel (f/1.9) 8-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.2) 2-megapixel (macro) 2-megapixel (depth sensor) rear cameras, PDAF, dual-tone flash | 48-megapixel (Sony IMX 586, f/1.8) 16-megapixel (ultra wide) 2-megapixel (macro) 2-megapixel (depth sensor) PDAF LED flash |
| Audio | Super Linear Speaker Golden Ears audio experts | Single loudspeaker No headphone jack |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, VoLTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 dual-band GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BDS, A-GPS Headphone jack USB Type-C | 4G LTE, VoLTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth 5.0 Dual-band GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, QZSS NFC USB Type-C |
| Dimensions | 165.3 x 76.6 x 8.79mm | 154.25 x 73.97 x 7.87mm |
| Weight | 208g | 174g |
| Colors | Phoenix Red Atlantis Blue Matrix Purple | Midsummer Purple Crush Blue Black |
| Battery | 4,500mAh 27W charger | 3,750mAh 22.5W Huawei SuperCharge |
| Price | 6GB/64GB: Rs 15,999 (~Php11,500) 6GB/128GB: Rs 16,999 (~Php12,200) 8GB/256GB: Rs 19,999 (~Php14,300) | Php18,990 |
Let’s discuss their hardware specs one by one to see how they stack up against each other.
The POCO X2 features a larger 6.67-inch Full HD+ IPS display compared to the Huawei Nova 5T’s 6.26-inch screen with the same resolution. This means that the pixel density of the latter is higher at 412, while the former only has 394. But in terms of sharpness, they are more or less the same.
Probably the biggest difference between the two is the POCO X2’s premium 120Hz refresh rate screen compared to the standard 60Hz for the Huawei Nova 5T. For protection, the X2 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 5 whereas the 5T’s glass is unspecified.
As usual, both phones come with Dual SIM capability but the X2 has the option to add a microSD card for extra storage. However, it will be limited to only one (1) network as the card utilizes one of the two Hybrid slots available.
When it comes to performance, there’s no doubt that the Huawei Nova 5T is the better handset as it uses a flagship-caliber HiSilicon Kirin 980 — the same processor used on high-end devices from the Huawei P30 and Mate 20 series. It’s also equipped with Mali-G76 MP10 and has GPU Turbo 2.0 support.
But the POCO X2’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G is no slouch either. It can handle almost all apps and games with ease, especially because it’s a processor specifically tailored for gaming together with the help of its Adreno 618 GPU.
For RAM, Huawei Nova 5T only comes with a single 8GB variant while the POCO X2 has 6GB and 8GB options. Storage is a different story as the X2 has 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB models and the 5T only has a lone 128GB variant.
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Both phones come with pretty capable selfie cameras, although the Nova 5T’s 32-megapixel sensor is much bigger than the 20-megapixel lens of the X2. At the back, they both have a quad-camera setup that’s composed of supporting ultra-wide, macro, and depth sensors. A 64-megapixel camera is the primary shooter on the X2 while the 5T has a lower 48-megapixel sensor.
Since these two devices belong in the midrange category, none of them have an in-display fingerprint scanner. Instead, both units have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor which is actually more convenient to use than a scanner hidden underneath the screen.
In terms of audio, the POCO X2 is a step ahead as it uses super linear speakers with Qualcomm Aqstic WCD937x codecs tuned by experts. In contrast, the Huawei Nova 5T has a single bottom-firing speaker which outputs audio with low volume.
All connectivity are identical to each other. They both have dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS, USB Type-C, and more.
As expected, the POCO X2 is thicker and heavier than the Nova 5T because it packs a much bigger 4,500mAh battery versus 3,750mAh. Fast charging is slightly faster as well as it’s rated at 27W compared to the latter’s 22.5W Huawei SuperCharge technology.
Finally, we have arrived at the most important aspect of them all — price. Although specs and features play an important role in selecting a smartphone, price is often the most influential factor in the decision making.
The Huawei Nova 5T has been available in the Philippines for several months already and it proved to be another blockbuster hit for the biggest Chinese smartphone manufacturer. On the contrary, the POCO X2 will only be available in India beginning the 14th of February. Although based on POCO’s track record, the X2 is expected to fly off the shelves once it comes out.
For Php17,990, the Nova 5T is definitely a great deal as it features 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage along with its powerful Kirin 980 chipset. At the same time, the same can be said for the X2, as the base model’s price starts at just ~Php11,500. Meanwhile, its most premium 8GB RAM and 256GB storage version costs ~Php14,300 when directly converted to Philippine peso, before taxes are factored in.
Now that you’ve seen these two devices go head-to-head, it’s time to answer the question: POCO X2 or Huawei Nova 5T?