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| Honor Play versus Huawei Nova 3i |
However, Huawei’s sub-brand Honor is now set to launch its affordable gaming smartphone in the Philippines – the Honor Play, which is packed with high-caliber offerings. Also, the mobile manufacturer has stunned consumers as it announced the phone’s official pricing in the country.
Both tagged with the same asking price of just Php15,990, can Honor Play steal the spotlight away from the Nova 3i?
Let’s dive in, and see which device has the upper hand!
| Device | Honor Play | Huawei Nova 3i |
| Dual SIM | Yes, Hybrid | Yes, Hybrid |
| Display | 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS (2340 x 1080) capacitive touchscreen, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 409 ppi | 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS (2340 x 1080) capacitive touchscreen, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 409 ppi |
| Dimensions | 157.9mm x 74.3mm x 7.5mm | 157.6mm x 75.2mm x 7.6mm |
| Weight | 176 grams | 169 grams |
| O/S | Android 8.1 Oreo w/ EMUI 8.2 | Android 8.1 Oreo w/ EMUI 8.2 |
| Chipset | HiSilicon Kirin 970 | HiSilicon Kirin 710 |
| CPU | 64-bit 2.4GHz octa core (4x2.4GHz Cortex-A73 + 4x1.8GHz Cortex-A53) | 64-bit 2.2GHz octa core (4x2.2GHz + 4x1.7GHz) |
| GPU | Mali-G72 MP12 w/ GPU Turbo | Mali-G51 w/ GPU Turbo |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Memory | 64GB | 128GB |
| Storage Expansion | up to 256GB | up to 256GB |
| Main Camera | 16MP f/2.2 + 2MP f/2.4 w/ PDAF, LED flash, AI | 16MP f/2.2 + 2MP w/ PDAF, Master AI, and LED flash |
| Front Camera | 16MP w/ 3D Portrait Lighting | 24MP f/2.0 + 2MP w/ AF, Master AI, HDR, Pro, and screen flash |
| Radio | Yes | Yes |
| HiFi Audio | Yes, 3D Gaming Sound Effect | No |
| GPS | Yes with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS | Yes with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
| Data | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 b/g/n/ac, |
| Bluetooth | v4.2, A2DP, LE, ER, aptX HD | v4.2, A2DP, LE, EDR, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | No |
| Infrared | No | No |
| USB | Type-C | Micro, 2.0 |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Face Recognition | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 3750mAh Li-Po, non-removable | 3340mAh Li-Po, non-removable |
| Fast Charging | Yes | No |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Freebies | JBL Clip 2 Speaker worth Php3,099 | Bluetooth speaker worth Php2,990 |
| Price | Php15,990 | Php15,990 |
See Also: Huawei Nova 3i versus Samsung Galaxy J8 (2018)
Good news for consumers, as smartphone companies continue to produce flagship-like devices, the mid-range segment is now full of powerful phones that are affordable. Huawei alone becomes aggressive in feeding us up with its capable devices through its Nova smartphone line, then, Honor simply abides its brother’s trend by launching its Honor Play in the country.
The Huawei Nova 3i is designed to meet millennials’ tasks. True enough, the new Nova Star delivers all the trendy features that could satisfy its users. On the other hand, the Honor Play is aimed for gamers. It loads decent specs to elevate your mobile gaming experience, as well. It is too good that it might battle out the Nova 3i, at least on paper.
First, the Honor Play shares the same 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS panel with the Nova 3i. Both phones flaunt a notch on top of its display, resulting to 2340 x 1080 resolution and 19.5:9 screen aspect ratio.
Honor, however, dominates the game when it comes to what’s under the hood. The Honor Play carries a more powerful Kirin 970 octa-core processor, which is usually found on Huawei’s premium devices like the P20 and Mate 10. It is also packed with Mali-G72 MP12 that supports GPU Turbo tech, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. To be fair, let’s not forget that the Nova 3i loads a huge 128GB ROM and also features the brand’s GPU Turbo solution. Sadly, it is just powered by a Kirin 710 chipset.
Related: Xiaomi Mi 8 versus Huawei Nova 3; Battle of Affordable Flagship Devices
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| Huawei Nova 3i |
Jumping off to our photography department, both smartphones sport a dual-rear camera setup composed of 16-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors. But then, the Nova 3i redeemed itself as it boasts 24-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual selfie snappers compared to the Honor Play’s single 16-megapixel front shooter.
Meanwhile, in terms of stamina, the Honor Play beats the Nova 3i through its whopping 3750mAh battery that supports fast charging. In addition, it also has cool features that can upgrade your mobile experience, including its 3D Gaming Sound Effect and 4D Gaming Experience.
Both the Honor Play and Nova 3i are tagged at just Php15,990. When the Nova 3i launched in the country, Huawei gave a free Bluetooth speaker worth Php2,990. Now, Honor offers a free JBL Clip 2 speaker worth Php3,099 to consumers who will pre-order the Honor Play.
With that, we can't deny that the Honor Play comes ahead the Nova 3i on paper.
Having these things on your mind, which side are you on?
Share your thoughts with us!
Also Read: Huawei Nova 3i Review; The New Mid-Range Star!
VERDICT:
Honor Play - more powerful chipset, better multimedia features, bigger battery
Huawei Nova 3i - larger ROM, better cameras,