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MagyarHuawei Nova 11 Pro Smartphone Review: Neat phone that charges as fast as an arrow
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86.4 % | 07/2023 | Huawei Nova 11 Pro SD 778G 4G, Adreno 642L | 188 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.78" | 2652x1200 | |
| 86 % | 12/2022 | Huawei Nova 10 Pro SD 778G 4G, Adreno 642L | 191 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.78" | 2652x1200 | |
| 86.4 % | 01/2023 | Xiaomi 12T Dimensity 8100, Mali-G610 MP6 | 202 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2712x1220 | |
| 86.8 % | 07/2023 | Motorola Edge 40 Dimensity 8020, Mali-G77 MP9 | 171 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.55" | 2400x1080 | |
| 88.5 % | 11/2022 | Google Pixel 7 Tensor G2, Mali-G710 MP7 | 197 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.30" | 2400x1080 |
Case and features: Embossed leatherette
The Huawei Nova 11 Pro immediately surprises at first glance. The slim casing with the glass pulled over the edges and the large camera module at the back are definitely eye-catchers. In addition, the back is made of imitation leather in black or bright green with embossed Nova logos.
The phone feels very comfortable, fits securely and ergonomically in the hand, and there are no noticeable material transitions. The screen is protected by Kunlun Glass, which Huawei says is one of the most shatter- and scratch-resistant display glasses on the market. Drop tests on the internet and our own experience show that the screen glass usually survives drops without problems.
The phone currently costs €699 in Huawei's web store, and you get 256 GB of mass storage and 8 GB of RAM — which means that the Nova 11 Pro offers the usual features for the money.
Unfortunately, the USB-C port can only transfer data at USB 2.0 speed. Display output to an external monitor is only possible wirelessly at most. NFC is on board, as well as two SIM slots. However, there is no microSD reader for expanding the storage.
Communication, software, and operation: Old problems linger
In terms of WLAN connectivity, the Nova 11 Pro uses the WiFi-6 standard, which is still quite common in top-end phones. Data transfers are a bit erratic in our test with the reference Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 router. We see several significant drops in terms of transfer rates, which also occur from time to time in several repetitions of the test.
5G is not available in the Nova 11 Pro, which is very unusual in this price range for a 2023 device. However, this is due to Huawei not getting 5G modems from the US as the company is subject to trade restrictions. Thus, you will have to make do with 4G LITE.
Nevertheless, you still get support for a wide frequency range that lets you use the phone for mobile internet on most international roaming trips without problems. The signal quality is also very good during our test.
Limitations are also noticed in the software: Google apps do not run on the Huawei Nova 11 Pro by default, and you can only activate them with tricks. This works quite smoothly in our tests. However, there are minor annoyances like ads before the app starts, together with the uncertainty of entrusting one's data to an unknown third party that provides a virtual environment besides Huawei and Google.
The phone comes with Huawei's EMUI 13, which is officially based on HarmonyOS. The fact that the basis for HarmonyOS is still the open-source part of Android is evident from the fact that you can easily download Android apps from the Internet and install them on the phone.
There are also already numerous apps that have been specially adapted for Huawei phones and can be found in the App Gallery. Many ad apps are visible on the phone, but only as a download link for now, so you can easily ignore or delete them. The security updates are from March 2023 at the time of testing and are thus older.
The phone can be operated very smoothly thanks to its 120 Hz screen. The fingerprint sensor is located behind the screen and unlocks the phone very reliably and precisely; it could only be placed a bit higher. Unlocking via facial recognition is also possible, but this is done via a comparatively insecure 2D image.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Huawei Nova 10 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 12T | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
| Huawei Nova 11 Pro | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
| Xiaomi 12T | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Huawei Nova 10 Pro | |
| Huawei Nova 11 Pro | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
Cameras: Great system with good sharpness
The main camera has a 50 MP sensor, but it does not have optical image stabilization (OIS). Usually, only a quarter of the resolution is used to achieve a higher light sensitivity. We like the resulting photos very much. The level of detail is high, and the color reproduction is also very good thanks to the special sensor. The image sharpness is also convincing.
Even in low light and high contrasts, the photos show good brightness and are quite sharp. In the lab, the photos have a high sharpness even at the picture's edge. The test chart remains well recognizable even at a brightness of 1 lux but many details are lost here.
Videos can be recorded in 4K with a maximum of 30 fps. The resulting movies show good colors with fast and reliable autofocus and a good brightness adjustment.
Thus, the camera system can definitely compete with high-end devices but there are some limitations as well. The optical image stabilizer is missing in hectic situations, 8K videos are not possible, and the lack of optical zoom in a periscope camera makes image composition a bit difficult.
Speaking of optical zoom, the front-facing camera has it! Yes, you read that right, the 60 MP lens in the front can at least bring objects a bit closer with its 2x zoom. There is also an 8 MP portrait camera for close-ups, which means there are cameras on the front. These are located in a pill-shaped punch-hole in the upper part of the screen and take really good selfies. Our test picture shows many details and passable composition even in somewhat darker areas.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Hauptkamera BlumeHauptkamera UmgebungHauptkamera LowLightHauptkamera Weitwinkel
Display: OLED not quite as bright
An OLED screen is part of package, and the Huawei Nova 11 Pro even convinces with its slightly higher 2,652 x 1,200 resolution compared to the competition. Thanks to permanently enabled DC dimming, the screen only shows the refresh rate of 120 Hz in our tests but no PWM flickering beyond that.
The brightness is slightly below the competition but is still suitable for outdoor use with values up to 719 cd/m². We see a minimally noticeable bluish cast in the grayscale, but the screen generally reproduces colors quite accurately.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 729 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.39 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.271
| Huawei Nova 11 Pro OLED, 2652x1200, 6.78 | Huawei Nova 10 Pro OLED, 2652x1200, 6.78 | Xiaomi 12T AMOLED, 2712x1220, 6.67 | Motorola Edge 40 OLED, 2400x1080, 6.55 | Google Pixel 7 OLED, 2400x1080, 6.30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | 111% | -3% | 6% | -76% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 1.1 ? | 1.08 ? 2% | 1.2 ? -9% | 1.14 ? -4% | 4.61 ? -319% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 0.9 ? | 1.02 ? -13% | 0.89 ? 1% | 0.89 ? 1% | 1.89 ? -110% |
| PWM Frequency | 120.1 | 532 343% | 120 0% | 144 20% | 360 200% |
| Screen | 22% | 26% | 13% | 27% | |
| Brightness middle | 729 | 798 9% | 915 26% | 1023 40% | 936 28% |
| Brightness | 719 | 802 12% | 914 27% | 1042 45% | 947 32% |
| Brightness Distribution | 92 | 97 5% | 98 7% | 90 -2% | 95 3% |
| Black Level * | |||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.39 | 1.1 21% | 1.1 21% | 1.6 -15% | 1.3 6% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 4.74 | 2.7 43% | 2.7 43% | 4.3 9% | 2.7 43% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.8 | 1.7 39% | 2 29% | 2.8 -0% | 1.4 50% |
| Gamma | 2.271 97% | 2.25 98% | 2.24 98% | 2.27 97% | 2.25 98% |
| CCT | 6738 96% | 6374 102% | 6457 101% | 6457 101% | 6664 98% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 67% /
51% | 12% /
16% | 10% /
10% | -25% /
-7% |
* ... smaller is better
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 0.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 1 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 1.1 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 2 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 120.1 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 120.1 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 120.1 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Measurement series with fixed zoom level and different brightness settings
Performance, emissions, and battery life: Snapdragon 778G is starting to show its age
The Nova 11 Pro's choice of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 4G Soc is certainly one born out of necessity, since Huawei does not get an SoC with 5G capabilities from the US. The processor also lags a bit in terms of performance, even though it is sufficient for smooth everyday use in most cases. The graphics performance, in particular, is too low for this price range.
The UFS 3.1 onboard storage is quite competitive, but the memory controller cannot fully utilize the full power.
The phone can get very warm under prolonged and very high load. We measured a maximum temperature of 52.3 °C under stress. However, this is only in limited scenarios and the temperatures should be much lower in everyday use.
The processor does not seem to have any problems with the high temperatures either. It still delivers the same performance in the 3DMark stress test even after many runs.
The speaker on the lower edge is supported by the phone's earpiece, so slight stereo effects are also possible. The speakers do not sound too loud overall and have a problem with precision in songs, so songs often tend to degenerate into a sound mush at high volumes and individual instruments can hardly be identified anymore.
The audio output is clean via USB and Bluetooth. The aptX codecs are not available, but the other important standards such as SBC, AAC, and LDAC are supported.
Unfortunately, the Huawei Nova 11 Pro achieves only mediocre results with its 4500 mAh battery in our standard Wi-Fi browsing test at 150 nits. 11:29 hours are easily enough for a work or school day, but you won't be able to avoid charging the phone every evening during normal use.
The 100 W charging technology that Huawei integrates, and the matching charger are great. It easily provides enough power for several hours of use after just 10 minutes of charging.
| Huawei Nova 11 Pro | Huawei Nova 10 Pro | Xiaomi 12T | Motorola Edge 40 | Google Pixel 7 | Average 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -2% | 74% | 40% | 3% | 35% | 21% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 1009.1 | 1013.91 0% | 1834.32 82% | 1876.88 86% | 1280.81 27% | 1760 ? 74% | 1508 ? 49% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 809 | 846.82 5% | 1768.39 119% | 1587.93 96% | 879.39 9% | 1134 ? 40% | 1118 ? 38% |
| Random Read 4KB | 229.8 | 218.19 -5% | 342.8 49% | 235.66 3% | 210.47 -8% | 281 ? 22% | 247 ? 7% |
| Random Write 4KB | 303 | 280.18 -8% | 437.07 44% | 229.44 -24% | 253.92 -16% | 311 ? 3% | 272 ? -10% |
Temperature
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 49.4 °C / 121 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 52.3 °C / 126 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.9 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Huawei Nova 11 Pro | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
| Wild Life Unlimited Stress Test Stability | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
Loudspeaker
Huawei Nova 11 Pro audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 49% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 68% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Google Pixel 7 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 11% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 33% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery life
| Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing | |
| Xiaomi 12T | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (424 - 2844, n=229, last 2 years) | |
| Google Pixel 7 | |
| Huawei Nova 11 Pro | |
| Huawei Nova 10 Pro | |
Pros
Cons
Verdict: High-priced mobile with hardware deficits
Whether the sanctions are justified or not, from a technical point of view, it is definitely a loss that Huawei is not allowed to sell its phone with 5G and Google services in the Western world. The Huawei Nova 11 Pro definitely has some unique selling points with its unusual look, super-fast charging technology, great cameras, and an OLED screen with high-frequency DC dimming.
However, the SoC is too slow for the price range, the battery life is okay but cannot keep up with current devices, and Wi-Fi throughput is a bit shaky in terms of data rates.
If you like the look, you might want to wait a bit until the phone's price drops for the Huawei Nova 11 Pro to be worth it — of course, while being aware of the restrictions you have to contend with.
The Huawei Nova 11 Pro looks very stylish, charges in a few minutes, and the cameras offer great picture quality. However, you have to do without 5G and Google services due to sanctions.
A good alternative could be the devices from Honor, which have taken over Huawei's legacy in the West so to speak, having adopted many of the manufacturer's technologies. For example, the Honor Magic4 Pro offers even better zoom features and 5G. It is already available on the internet at low prices, for example at amazon.de.
The Motorola Edge 40 is another viable option that is snappy and can convince with pure Android 13 and 5G.
Price and availability
At the time of testing, the Huawei Nova 11 Pro in black and green color options is only available directly from the manufacturer in Central Europe for €699.
Huawei Nova 11 Pro
-
07/18/2023 v7
Florian Schmitt
Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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