HUAWEI nova 9 SE – More Than Just a 108MP Camera Smartphone

HUAWEI nova 9 SE – More Than Just a 108MP Camera Smartphone

After two weeks of tinkering with the HUAWEI nova 9 SE, I have come to realize what a great deal it actually is. First off, it is the. most affordable 108MP camera smartphone there is on the market. I’m getting ahead of myself, so I’ll start with the design.

Smartphones nowadays are looking for ways to differentiate themselves from one another in the design aspect because we all know they all look the same way. So they came up with different colourways and materials. The HUAWEI nova 9 SE has both, a head-turning colour-shifting design made from 3D glass that’s inspired by star trails, and lightweight material. Although I love to keep it as it is. I still fear breaking the glass or ruining the design with fingerprint smudges so I opt to use the transparent case that comes with it.

The HUAWEI nova 9 SE comes with a large 6.78-inch IPS display but is quite lighter than phones of its size. Side by side with my trusted HUAWEI P30, it is equally beautiful.

What’s noticeable though is the huge camera at the back that houses the 108MP main camera and three other sensors with different functions – 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera, 2MP f/2.4 depth camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 macro camera with an LED flash.

The main camera produces great results. I love the colour vibrance it produces it makes the image stand out and look natural. The macro lens also leaves no details as well as you can see in the cat’s paws (note the image is resized for the web).

The 16MP selfie camera produces the same vibrance and colour but lacks in terms of brightness. The HUAWEI nova 9 SE also passes as a vlogging camera with its dual camera lens recording feature. It uses both the selfie and the main camera to record.

Overall, the camera is suitable for your day-to-day use. It’ll pass as your main camera whenever needed. The digital camera is rarely used nowadays, usually, it’s just the photographer. 

HUAWEI nova 9 SE’s display comes with a 2388 x 1080 resolution that produces sharp images and makes colours pop. Punch holes aren’t new anymore but the large display does make a difference because it’s hardly noticeable when you play videos or a game. You’ll also notice (or not), that there are bezels still. The screen to body ratio is just so small that you’ll hardly notice it, the thick bezels are placed at the bottom.

There is no headphone jack so you have to settle for your trusted TWS or a Bluetooth earphone/headset. The speakers at the bottom are loud enough to dance to your favourite BTS music.

HUAWEI nova 9 SE comes with the latest EMUI 12. The lack of Google services is a bit of a risk, especially for those who rely on it. The OS itself is fast and responsive, it has not slowed down or lagged in my two weeks of torturing it. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 octa-core processor, Adreno 610 GPU, and 8GB RAM does the job well and it also helps that it has its own cooling system to dissipate heat when running heavy apps and games.

Most of the apps I use are already available via AppGallery. I do, however, miss some of the apps that are readily available via Playstore, but there are a lot of ways to go around it. I hope that the US and HUAWEI make amends soon because it is a bit of a letdown for those who rely on it.

Powering the phone is a large 4,000mAh battery and a 66W fast charging thru USB-C. It takes around 45-mins to an hour for a full 100% battery and it’s me over a day of use since I’m always connected to WiFi and I only use data for 2-3 hours.

The HUAWEI nova 9 SE has what it takes to lead the mid-range category. For only PHP 13,999, you get a total of four cameras with 108MP as its main shooter, a large display, a 128GB storage, a 66W fast charging, an octa-core process with 8GB RAM, and a cooling system.

Will I recommend the HUAWEI nova 9 SE? Definitely. If you’re a camera enthusiast, you’ll love its 108MP shooter and its ton of camera features. You also get to enjoy your photos on a large screen. You’ll love creating content with it.

Here’s the rest of the specs

  • 6.78-inch (1080 x 2388) IPS display, 387ppi
  • 90Hz refresh rate
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G SoC
  • Adreno 610 GPU
  • 8GB RAM and 128GB, 256 storage (expandable via microSD card)
  • Quad rear cameras:
    • 108MP F1.9 (wide)
    • 8MP F2.2 (ultrawide)
    • 2MP F2.4 (macro)
    • 2MP F2.4 (depth)
  • 16MP F2.2 front camera
  • Dual-SIM (nano)
  • Fingerprint scanner (side)
  • EMUI 12 (Android 11)
  • USB Type-C
  • 4,000mAh battery w/ 66W fast charging
  • Midnight Black, Pearl White, Crystal Blue

HUAWEI nova 9 SE comes at PHP 13,999 for the 8GB+128GB model.