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Huawei Nova 5T Smartphone Review – Honor Clone With Improvements

A clever move. Honor smartphones originally were profitable sprouts of some Huawei models that were not much older. At least, this was the case before the subsidiary began to strengthen its own identity and move ahead, as for example when it was first to introduce a the 48-MP camera in the Honor V20. But the Nova 5T from Huawei is really an Honor 20. In this way, Huawei can still use the Google services, since the Honor 20 was introduced to the market before the deadline in the USA.
Nova 5T

The logo looks different and is in a different place, but otherwise, the looks are almost identical, including the arrangement of the camera and fingerprint scanner. The Kirin 980, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage for data, neither of which can be expanded: it is also identical here, and 3DMark even lists the Nova as Honor 20 in one benchmark. However, there are still some small differences, and Huawei has made some improvements particularly in the mobile communications. Of course, the Honor 20 will also accompany us in the Huawei test, as are three other possible alternatives: the Google Pixel 3a, the Samsung Galaxy A80, and the Mi 9 from Xiaomi.

By the way, there was never a "Nova 4," since the number 4 has a negative connotation for the Chinese - we already know this from the OnePlus.

Huawei Nova 5T (Nova Series)
Processor
HiSilicon Kirin 980 8 x - 2.6 GHz, Cortex-A76/-A55
Graphics adapter
Memory
6 GB 
Display
6.26 inch 19.5:9, 2340 x 1080 pixel 412 PPI, 10-point multi-touch, LTPS, glossy: yes
Storage
128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash, 128 GB 
, 115 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 Infrared, Audio Connections: USB-C, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: acceleration sensor, compass, hall sensor, proximity sensor, gyroscope, USB-C
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM: B2/B3/B5/B8, UMTS: B1/B2/B4/B5/B6/B8/B19, LTE FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28, LTE TD: B38/B40/B41, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.87 x 154.25 x 73.97 ( = 0.31 x 6.07 x 2.91 in)
Battery
3750 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 10
Camera
Primary Camera: 48 MPix (f/1.8, 28 mm, 1/2", 0.8 µm) + 16 MPix (13 mm wide angle, f/2.2, 1/3.1") + 2 MPix (f/2.4, 27 mm) + 2 MPix (f/2.4), LED with color temperature, Camera2 API: limited
Secondary Camera: 32 MPix (f/2.0, 0.8µm)
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, headset, charger, USB-C cable, Type-C-to-3.5-mm headphone adapter, SIM tool, quick-start instruction, warranty card, TP protective film, EMUI 10, 24 Months Warranty, SAR head: 0.84 W/kg, fanless
Weight
174 g ( = 6.14 oz / 0.38 pounds), Power Supply: 97 g ( = 3.42 oz / 0.21 pounds)
Price
429 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Comparison Devices

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
84.2 %
12/2019
Huawei Nova 5T
Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10
174 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.26"2340x1080
89.4 %
08/2019
Honor 20
Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10
174 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.26"2340x1080
80.2 %
07/2019
Google Pixel 3a
SD 670, Adreno 616
147 g64 GB eMMC Flash5.60"2220x1080
87.2 %
07/2019
Samsung Galaxy A80
SD 730, Adreno 618
220 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.70"2400x1080
86.2 %
03/2019
Xiaomi Mi 9
SD 855, Adreno 640
173 g64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.39"2340x1080

Case – The Nova 5T looks good with a lot of glass

The pretty Nova is smooth, with a case of shimmering glass that also makes the back look elegant. The camera sticks out considerably from the case, making the smartphone wobble when you try to operate it while it is lying on a table. The front camera is unobtrusive, only needing a small round inset in the display. 

The fingerprint scanner sits on the side of the frame. We have seen this before in Chinese tablets. In the Huawei smartphone, this is unusual, but can be operated comfortably. The sensor can be pressed and also serves as the standby key. An infrared sensor on top, a mono speaker, and a USB-C port at the bottom of the case complete the visible equipment.

Nova5T
Nova5T
Nova5T
Nova5T
Nova5T
Nova5T

Size Comparison

165.2 mm / 6.5 inch 76.5 mm / 3.01 inch 9.3 mm / 0.3661 inch 220 g0.485 lbs157.5 mm / 6.2 inch 74.67 mm / 2.94 inch 7.61 mm / 0.2996 inch 173 g0.3814 lbs154.25 mm / 6.07 inch 73.97 mm / 2.91 inch 7.87 mm / 0.3098 inch 174 g0.3836 lbs154.25 mm / 6.07 inch 73.97 mm / 2.91 inch 7.87 mm / 0.3098 inch 174 g0.3836 lbs151.3 mm / 5.96 inch 70.1 mm / 2.76 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 147 g0.3241 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Equipment – A fast SoC and a lot of RAM

The equipment inside is also impressive: With the Kirin 980, Huawei uses a high-quality SoC from its own brand, HiSilicon, which gets 6 GB of RAM to run. While the storage is not expandable, it is sufficiently large with 128 GB. The USB-C port still uses the 2.0 standard and is thus unable to support the faster transfer rates. There is a USB-C headset for audio listening, and an adapter for standard headsets that use a 3.5-mm plug is also included.

Software – A Huawei that still has Google Services

Our test unit was still delivered with Android 9. However, Android 10 is available for the Nova 5T and was installed together with the corresponding EMUI 10 user interface and the Android security patch from October 6. In addition to the Google services we have already mentioned, several bloatware apps are also installed, but you can uninstall them. 

Launcher
Launcher
Navigation
Navigation options
Apps
Complete list of apps

Communication and GPS – Improvements compared to the Honor 20

It is surprising when Huawei does not score in the network communication area. Not only are routers one of the business segments of the company, but this is also where its roots are. Using our Linksys EA8500 reference router, the Nova 5T and Honor 20 only reach less than 350 Mbps, even in the download. The similar drop for both devices at the beginning of the transfer also stands out. 

In the mobile communication, the Nova 5T improves on a shortfall of the Honor 20, which only supported two bands respectively in the GSM and UMTS network. The Huawei also scores with a high coverage in the LTE net.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Google Pixel 3a
Adreno 616, SD 670, 64 GB eMMC Flash
541 (422min - 570max) MBit/s +72%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Adreno 640, SD 855, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
534 (430min - 578max) MBit/s +70%
Huawei Nova 5T
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
315 (226min - 345max) MBit/s
Honor 20
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
294 (235min - 335max) MBit/s -7%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Adreno 618, SD 730, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
282 (249min - 327max) MBit/s -10%
iperf3 receive AX12
Xiaomi Mi 9
Adreno 640, SD 855, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
678 (549min - 725max) MBit/s +114%
Google Pixel 3a
Adreno 616, SD 670, 64 GB eMMC Flash
637 (275min - 679max) MBit/s +101%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Adreno 618, SD 730, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
428 (360min - 501max) MBit/s +35%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +19%
Huawei Nova 5T
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
317 (30min - 340max) MBit/s
Honor 20
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
302 (80min - 331max) MBit/s -5%
0306090120150180210240270300330360390420450480Tooltip
Huawei Nova 5T HiSilicon Kirin 980, ARM Mali-G76 MP10; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø316 (30-340)
Honor 20 HiSilicon Kirin 980, ARM Mali-G76 MP10; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø302 (80-331)
Samsung Galaxy A80 Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Qualcomm Adreno 618; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø427 (360-501)
Huawei Nova 5T HiSilicon Kirin 980, ARM Mali-G76 MP10; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø315 (226-345)
Honor 20 HiSilicon Kirin 980, ARM Mali-G76 MP10; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø294 (235-335)
Samsung Galaxy A80 Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Qualcomm Adreno 618; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø282 (249-327)
GPS Test
GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test
GPS Test indoors

The GPS receiver works fast and is able to quickly find a sufficient amount of signals already indoors. The locating is already fairly accurate in here, so that when you go outside, there is only an improvement in the signal strength. The "GPS Test" app recognizes signals from the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou satellite systems.

During a bike tour, where we also take the Edge 500 professional navigation device from Garmin, the recording of the route is almost exemplary in the Huawei. Even in places where the professional device runs into some trouble, such as when it cuts off the corner of a house in a residential area, the smartphone remains on track.

Overview
Nova 5T Overview
Pond
Nova 5T pond
Residential area
Nova 5T residential area
Overview
Edge 500 overview
Pond
Edge 500 pond
Residential area
Edge 500 residential area

Phone Functions and Voice Quality

Huawei uses its own phone interface with additional features such as quick-dial and voice control. The quality of the voice transfer is good in both directions. In addition, the Nova 5T supports VoLTE and VoWIFI, which had not been possible with at least our test unit of the Honor 20

Cameras – The Nova 5T comes in behind Samsung and Google

Image processing
Portrait mode as image processing afterwards
Portrait
Completed selfie portrait

The camera makes a strong impression on paper: Under bad light conditions, the f/1.8 aperture of the AI-supported 48-MP main camera is supposed to let in as much light as possible. It is accompanied by a 2-MP sensor for portraits and close-ups, and an additional sensor for the Bokeh effect. A lens on top with a short focal distance allows you to take wide-angle shots. With 32 MP, the selfie camera also has a high resolution, and having an aperture of f/2.0 also makes it relatively light sensitive for a front camera. However, the portrait function is reduced to a filter with a selected image section that is calculated afterwards into the picture. 

We compare the camera with a professional camera and the Google Pixel 4 and iPhone7 11 Pro smartphones. The pictures from those are sharper in all three scenes, but the detail enlargements are also noisy in the dark. Huawei reduces the image noise to the detriment of the sharpness. This is advantageous for recordings with little light, but in the portrait of the teddy bear, it leads to washed out spots in the fur. In the city picture, the reflections on the car roofs also turn out worse than those from the Apple and Google phones.

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.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

The Nova 5T reproduces the colors of the ColorChecker Passport image slightly lighter, but without any color tint worth mentioning. Under controlled light conditions, we also evaluate the sharpness and detail levels. In the center of the test image, all the details are reproduced sharply. However, towards the side and bottom edges, the contrast and sharpness decrease noticeably.

ColorChecker
8.2 ∆E
5.5 ∆E
8.3 ∆E
12.2 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
3.8 ∆E
5 ∆E
4.3 ∆E
5.2 ∆E
3.4 ∆E
4.9 ∆E
3.8 ∆E
6.7 ∆E
4.7 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
4.7 ∆E
4.9 ∆E
4.4 ∆E
1.9 ∆E
1.9 ∆E
1.4 ∆E
3.6 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Huawei Nova 5T: 4.76 ∆E min: 1.37 - max: 12.16 ∆E
ColorChecker
29.1 ∆E
54.3 ∆E
39.8 ∆E
34.8 ∆E
45.6 ∆E
61.5 ∆E
52.9 ∆E
34.8 ∆E
43.2 ∆E
28.7 ∆E
64.5 ∆E
63.5 ∆E
29.4 ∆E
47.7 ∆E
36.6 ∆E
75.1 ∆E
43.7 ∆E
42 ∆E
90.9 ∆E
70.6 ∆E
52 ∆E
36.9 ∆E
23.8 ∆E
13.3 ∆E
ColorChecker Huawei Nova 5T: 46.45 ∆E min: 13.35 - max: 90.93 ∆E
Test image
Test image
Test image
Detail

Accessories and Warranty

In addition to the charger, USB-C cable, SIM tool, and technical documents, there are also a headset and an additional adapter for a headset with a standard 3.5-mm audio plug.

The warranty period is 24 months. 

Input Devices and Operation

The Nova can be unlocked by bio-metric methods using the face or fingerprints. Both methods respond exceptionally fast in the test. SwiftKey is installed as the standard keyboard. This is a keyboard app that is older than Google's GBoard and has been proven for many years. However, SwiftKey is unable to produce the mini stickers that you can create from a selfie with Google since 2018 and also on the iPhone. If you need those, you have to install GBoard. 

Keyboard
Keyboard - landscape
Keyboard
Keyboard - portrait

Display – Differences compared to the Honor

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

Thanks to Widevine Level 1 certification, content from Amazon, Netflix, and so forth is also displayed in high resolution on the 19.5:9 screen. The ITPS display offers a good average brightness, but not in all areas of the screen. The brightness distribution of the Honor 20 presented itself significantly more even. On the other hand, the contrast, which results from good brightness and a low black value, is better in the Nova 5T

496
cd/m²
484
cd/m²
466
cd/m²
516
cd/m²
524
cd/m²
507
cd/m²
542
cd/m²
532
cd/m²
521
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 542 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 509.8 cd/m² Minimum: 1.08 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 524 cd/m²
Contrast: 1344:1 (Black: 0.39 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 9.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.34
Huawei Nova 5T
LTPS, 2340x1080, 6.26
Honor 20
IPS, 2340x1080, 6.26
Google Pixel 3a
P-OLED, 2220x1080, 5.60
Samsung Galaxy A80
AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.70
Xiaomi Mi 9
AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.39
Screen
22%
14%
24%
49%
Brightness middle
524
481
-8%
403
-23%
478
-9%
593
13%
Brightness
510
481
-6%
411
-19%
486
-5%
587
15%
Brightness Distribution
86
95
10%
96
12%
96
12%
94
9%
Black Level *
0.39
0.55
-41%
Contrast
1344
875
-35%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.6
1.1
83%
5.1
23%
2.97
55%
0.9
86%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
12.2
2.1
83%
11
10%
10.18
17%
2
84%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
9.1
1.3
86%
2
78%
2.5
73%
1.5
84%
Gamma
2.34 94%
2.12 104%
2.22 99%
2.031 108%
2.27 97%
CCT
8987 72%
6442 101%
6589 99%
6533 99%
6548 99%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The high color temperature of just barely below 9000 K indicates a cool color reproduction. This is also confirmed by the Delta-E value of 6.6, measured by the spectral photometer and the CalMAN software. Only if the value remains below 5, the color tint is hardly noticeable.

Color Space
CalMAN Color Space (target space: sRGB)
Mixed Colors
CalMAN Mixed Colors (target space: sRGB)
Saturation
CalMAN Saturation (target space: sRGB)
Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale (target space: sRGB)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
24.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9.2 ms rise
↘ 15.6 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 52 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
48 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 26 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 80 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

While the display is reflective in the sun, it should still be easily readable thanks to its good brightness. But since there was no sun during our testing period, we were unable to verify this. 

Reflections
Display reflections

Even when looking at the Huawei smartphone from the sides, the display reproduces the contents without a noticeable color veil.

Viewing angle
Stability of the viewing angles

Performance – Very good, but not top values

In the higher mid-range, Huawei often uses its hi-end SoCs from the previous year. In 2018, the Kirin 980 with dual-NPU gave wings to the Mate 20 and it also ran in the P30 from spring of 2019. Qualcomm's mid-range SoC in the Galaxy A80 and the Pixel 3a is unable to keep up with it. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 855 in Xiaomi's Mi 9 does not leave the lead to the HiSilicon Soc uncontested. Particularly in the graphical benchmarks, the Mali-G76 comes up short against the Adreno 640 several times.

The benchmark comparison between the Nova 5T and Honor 20 shows the effect of activating the performance mode. Both use the same SoC and 6 GB of RAM. While in the test, the Honor 20 performance was not measured in the performance mode, that of the Nova 5T on the other hand, was using performance mode. 

Geekbench 5.0
5.0 Single-Core (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
707 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
750 Points +6%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (685 - 707, n=4)
696 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (703 - 1668, n=12, last 2 years)
963 Points +36%
5.0 Multi-Core (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2549 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
2852 Points +12%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2347 - 2549, n=4)
2474 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1908 - 4353, n=12, last 2 years)
3139 Points +23%
OpenCL Score 5.0 (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3360 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
2241 Points -33%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (3133 - 3494, n=4)
3362 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (498 - 9123, n=7, last 2 years)
3975 Points +18%
Vulkan Score 5.0 (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2203 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
1849 Points -16%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (1941 - 2245, n=4)
2148 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (261 - 7988, n=6, last 2 years)
3373 Points +53%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3297 Points
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
1624 Points
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2436 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3523 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (3207 - 3378, n=9)
3303 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
9813 Points
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
5164 Points
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
6826 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
10999 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (9547 - 10024, n=9)
9838 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
5677 Points
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
6475 Points
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
7881 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7482 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (5677 - 9870, n=9)
7355 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
10209 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
9825 Points -4%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
9458 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
8626 Points -16%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
10985 Points +8%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (9728 - 13531, n=10)
11164 Points +9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +48%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
8279 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
7945 Points -4%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
7387 Points -11%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
7177 Points -13%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
9035 Points +9%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (7567 - 9326, n=10)
8433 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +31%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
40895 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
35999 Points -12%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
29229 Points -29%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
37475 Points -8%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
62225 Points +52%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (34035 - 57073, n=10)
43799 Points +7%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
51362 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
43622 Points -15%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
35401 Points -31%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
51091 Points -1%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
106534 Points +107%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (42128 - 67956, n=10)
53280 Points +4%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
23870 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
22337 Points -6%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
18523 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
19389 Points -19%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
25339 Points +6%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (19993 - 37164, n=10)
27047 Points +13%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
5638 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3347 Points -41%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2477 Points -56%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3415 Points -39%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7166 Points +27%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2567 - 5638, n=10)
4152 Points -26%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points -37%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
6111 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3292 Points -46%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2419 Points -60%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3478 Points -43%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
9963 Points +63%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2347 - 6111, n=10)
4277 Points -30%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points -36%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4436 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3557 Points -20%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2708 Points -39%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3211 Points -28%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3614 Points -19%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (3548 - 4436, n=10)
3942 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points -32%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
5990 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3222 Points -46%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2582 Points -57%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3479 Points -42%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7449 Points +24%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2525 - 5990, n=10)
4247 Points -29%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +51%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
6350 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3459 Points -46%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2533 Points -60%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3635 Points -43%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
10291 Points +62%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2536 - 6350, n=10)
4495 Points -29%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +148%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4997 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2598 Points -48%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2771 Points -45%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3025 Points -39%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3788 Points -24%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2421 - 4997, n=10)
3580 Points -28%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points -13%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4835 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4062 Points -16%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
1651 Points -66%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2405 Points -50%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
5509 Points +14%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2276 - 4835, n=10)
3929 Points -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points -44%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4937 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4184 Points -15%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
1482 Points -70%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2244 Points -55%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
6355 Points +29%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2082 - 4937, n=10)
3960 Points -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points -46%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4509 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3685 Points -18%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2728 Points -39%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3215 Points -29%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3758 Points -17%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (3380 - 4509, n=10)
3889 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points -31%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
5102 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2928 Points -43%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
1772 Points -65%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2568 Points -50%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
5913 Points +16%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2611 - 5102, n=10)
3823 Points -25%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +28%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
5157 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3062 Points -41%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
1611 Points -69%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2438 Points -53%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
7076 Points +37%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2747 - 5157, n=10)
3997 Points -22%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +81%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4917 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2540 Points -48%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2763 Points -44%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3160 Points -36%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3754 Points -24%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2227 - 4917, n=10)
3461 Points -30%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points -15%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4434 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2203 Points -50%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2262 Points -49%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
4914 Points +11%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2203 - 4434, n=5)
3464 Points -22%
Average of class Smartphone
  (365 - 6439, n=96, last 2 years)
2611 Points -41%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4853 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2232 Points -54%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2160 Points -55%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
5723 Points +18%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2232 - 4853, n=5)
3738 Points -23%
Average of class Smartphone
  (298 - 8601, n=96, last 2 years)
2775 Points -43%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (Vulkan) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
3406 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
2106 Points -38%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
2708 Points -20%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
3288 Points -3%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (2106 - 3406, n=5)
2793 Points -18%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1667 - 3525, n=96, last 2 years)
2671 Points -22%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
60 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
56 fps -7%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
52 fps -13%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
59 fps -2%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
60 fps 0%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (55 - 62, n=10)
58.7 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +39%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
137 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
69 fps -50%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
58 fps -58%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
84 fps -39%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
167 fps +22%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (68 - 138, n=10)
109.5 fps -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +77%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
59 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
57 fps -3%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
27 fps -54%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
36 fps -39%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
60 fps +2%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (37 - 60, n=10)
54.8 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +21%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
88 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
41 fps -53%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
29 fps -67%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
42 fps -52%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
100 fps +14%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (40 - 91, n=10)
70 fps -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +57%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
48 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
24 fps -50%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
19 fps -60%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
26 fps -46%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
58 fps +21%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (24 - 54, n=10)
43.4 fps -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.7 - 158, n=178, last 2 years)
60.2 fps +25%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
56 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
25 fps -55%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
20 fps -64%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
30 fps -46%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
69 fps +23%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (25 - 56, n=10)
45.2 fps -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (6.2 - 279, n=178, last 2 years)
97 fps +73%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
28 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
15 fps -46%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
10 fps -64%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
15 fps -46%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
38 fps +36%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (15 - 30, n=10)
24 fps -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5 - 117, n=178, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +53%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
32 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
17 fps -47%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
11 fps -66%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
17 fps -47%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
42 fps +31%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (17 - 33, n=10)
28.8 fps -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.9 - 166, n=178, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +83%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
33 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
31 fps -6%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
11 fps -67%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
16 fps -52%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
37 fps +12%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (18 - 33, n=9)
29.8 fps -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +31%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
37 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
32 fps -14%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
12 fps -68%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
18 fps -51%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
41 fps +11%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (30 - 37, n=9)
33.2 fps -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +70%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
21 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
21 fps 0%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
7 fps -67%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
10 fps -52%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
24 fps +14%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (19 - 21, n=9)
20.3 fps -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +53%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
14 fps
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
14 fps 0%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
4.4 fps -69%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
6.8 fps -51%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
16 fps +14%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (13 - 14, n=9)
13.7 fps -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +79%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
322616 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
285950 Points -11%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
153450 Points -52%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
202586 Points -37%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
374820 Points +16%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (268359 - 322616, n=10)
295586 Points -8%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
250054 Points
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
126241 Points
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
159151 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
257246 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (245662 - 254229, n=9)
250407 Points
AnTuTu v8 - Total Score (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
410820 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
440822 Points +7%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (410820 - 417287, n=2)
414054 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
101336 Points -75%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4689 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
4390 Points -6%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2811 Points -40%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3129 Points -33%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
4595 Points -2%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (4014 - 4746, n=10)
4446 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +22%
System (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
8456 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
7639 Points -10%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
5480 Points -35%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
6484 Points -23%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
8441 Points 0%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (7597 - 8604, n=10)
8146 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +14%
Memory (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
5116 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
5683 Points +11%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
3288 Points -36%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3435 Points -33%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
4031 Points -21%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (5116 - 6283, n=10)
5580 Points +9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +22%
Graphics (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
7640 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
6681 Points -13%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
2818 Points -63%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
3855 Points -50%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
9270 Points +21%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (4963 - 7758, n=10)
6484 Points -15%
Average of class Smartphone
  (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +82%
Web (sort by value)
Huawei Nova 5T
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
1462 Points
Honor 20
HiSilicon Kirin 980, Mali-G76 MP10, 6144
1281 Points -12%
Google Pixel 3a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, Adreno 616, 4096
1229 Points -16%
Samsung Galaxy A80
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618, 8192
1117 Points -24%
Xiaomi Mi 9
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Adreno 640, 6144
1378 Points -6%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
  (1239 - 1462, n=10)
1343 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +2%

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 wins in all three browser benchmarks. However, the Nova 5T also does a good job here, and also shows itself to be fast in practice.

Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=167, last 2 years)
104 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73)
57.2 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (48.4 - 60.9, n=6)
53.1 Points
Honor 20 (Chrome 75)
49.16 Points
Samsung Galaxy A80 (Chrome 75)
40.02 Points
Google Pixel 3a
33.56 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
110.5 Points +1%
Huawei Nova 5T (Chrome 74)
109.9 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (93.2 - 109.9, n=9)
102.4 Points -7%
Honor 20 (Chrome 75)
97.6 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 104.3, n=2, last 2 years)
85.2 Points -22%
Samsung Galaxy A80 (Chrome 75)
77.4 Points -30%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=151, last 2 years)
104.7 runs/min
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
65.7 runs/min
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (58.3 - 67.8, n=6)
61.7 runs/min
Honor 20 (Chrome 75)
58.3 runs/min
Samsung Galaxy A80 (Chome 75)
38.9 runs/min
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Average of class Smartphone (37 - 304, n=118, last 2 years)
130.7 Points +5%
Huawei Nova 5T (Chrome 74)
124 Points
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
108 Points -13%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (86 - 124, n=10)
105.1 Points -15%
Honor 20 (Chrome 75)
86 Points -31%
Samsung Galaxy A80 (Chrome 75)
77 Points -38%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +49%
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
24534 Points +10%
Huawei Nova 5T (Chrome 74)
22379 Points
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (20618 - 23285, n=10)
21733 Points -3%
Honor 20 (Chrome 75)
21358 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy A80 (Chrome 75)
16358 Points -27%
Google Pixel 3a
10844 Points -52%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Google Pixel 3a
3589 ms * -74%
Honor 20 (Chrome 75)
3098 ms * -50%
Samsung Galaxy A80 (Chrome 75)
3027 ms * -47%
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980 (1948 - 3098, n=10)
2176 ms * -6%
Huawei Nova 5T (Chrome 74)
2059 ms *
Xiaomi Mi 9 (Chrome 73.0.3683.75)
1873 ms * +9%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +19%

* ... smaller is better

In none of the smartphones in the test, the storage can be expanded. Considering this in connection with the available image sizes of the highly resolving camera, less than the actual 128 GB would be insufficient, but this amount is okay. While the ranking when reading from or writing to the storage turns out a mixed bag, overall the Nova 5T delivered good access rates in the class comparison. 

Huawei Nova 5THonor 20Google Pixel 3aSamsung Galaxy A80Xiaomi Mi 9Average 128 GB UFS 2.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-8%
-37%
-38%
13%
-0%
154%
Sequential Read 256KB
904
829
-8%
302
-67%
502
-44%
666
-26%
763 ?(427 - 1011, n=112)
-16%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
62%
Sequential Write 256KB
186.4
196.4
5%
253.9
36%
190.4
2%
388.3
108%
295 ?(13.6 - 719, n=112)
58%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
478%
Random Read 4KB
146.2
156.7
7%
63.6
-56%
117.5
-20%
149.4
2%
152.4 ?(92.6 - 239, n=112)
4%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
66%
Random Write 4KB
247.1
157
-36%
99.9
-60%
21.6
-91%
165.3
-33%
130.6 ?(18.2 - 290, n=112)
-47%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
8%

Games – The Huawei has GPU Turbo on board

The Kirin 980 masters current games without any trouble, particularly since Huawei's GPU Turbo is also included after the update to EMUI 10 in Version 4.0, in order to increase the performance of the Mali-G76 MP10, which is high anyway. In practice, the new "Lumia Saga" 3D MMORPG ran smoothly.

In the physics-based "OVIVO" game, a small ball is advanced to the next level very accurately by tilting and tapping of the touch screen. This also worked reliably and promptly. In the beginning, there were some small stutters we could not explain, but this did not happen again during the game.

Lumia Saga
Lumia Saga
OVIVO
OVIVO

Emissions – No heat problem even under load

Temperature

You don't need to worry about too much heat development in the Nova 5T. Even under load, the surface does not become excessively warm. The maximum temperature we measured was 35 °C (95 °F). 

Max. Load
 32.5 °C
91 F
33.1 °C
92 F
34.5 °C
94 F
 
 33.7 °C
93 F
32.7 °C
91 F
35 °C
95 F
 
 33.9 °C
93 F
33.8 °C
93 F
33.2 °C
92 F
 
Maximum: 35 °C = 95 F
Average: 33.6 °C = 92 F
29.8 °C
86 F
30.7 °C
87 F
33.7 °C
93 F
30.4 °C
87 F
31.8 °C
89 F
34.4 °C
94 F
29.6 °C
85 F
31 °C
88 F
34 °C
93 F
Maximum: 34.4 °C = 94 F
Average: 31.7 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  26.9 °C = 80 F | Room Temperature 21.7 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.6 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35 °C / 95 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 34.4 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.9 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speaker

Pink Noise
Pink Noise characteristics

In practice, the speaker of the Huawei Nova offers a solid impression. While the Honor 20 has stereo speakers, it otherwise produces similar results in the lab. In the higher frequencies, both tend towards a reproduction that is too bright. In this test field, the Pixel 3a and Mi 9 produce the best sound. Like the Nova 5T, the latter has only a single speaker, but the Pixel 3a has two speakers. 

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2029.831.22525.224.93121.625.74024.725.85029.632.16322.521.68025.120.210020.125.112519.927.716020.844.320017.646.225017.651.931517.457.540016.158.750013.96163014.565.980016.166.8100014.567.5125014.470160013.667.5200013.970.6250014.572.9315014.470.5400014.872500014.768.7630014.867800014.962.91000015.158.9125001550.51600015.135.8SPL26.981.1N0.948.2median 14.9median 62.9Delta1.69.736.732.237.133.328.129.927.624.337.538.122.925.323.827.321.324.519.130.218.444.417.946.117.752.417.959.214.658.715.95915.263.716.264.91469.51570.114.76814.470.314.672.814.271.314.770.314.669.914.967.215.163.615.158.414.851.115.136.927.2810.947.9median 15.1median 63.61.410.942.237.231.230.127.229.123.726.43135.722.725.722.823.824.427.220.93720.349.419.151.516.453.91656.217.658.915.262.914.668.515.468.914.872.515.271.915.670.514.87114.670.914.370.414.669.814.763.115.366.915.372.514.973.315.369.315.661.527.382.20.954.3median 15.3median 68.51.27.9hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHuawei Nova 5THonor 20Google Pixel 3a
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Huawei Nova 5T audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 44% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 49% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 63% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 31% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Honor 20 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 40% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 53% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 60% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Google Pixel 3a audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 23% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life – The Nova 5T lasts for a long time

Power Consumption

In the class comparison, smartphones with the Kirin 980 have a higher power consumption than other phones. Both of our Kirin models in our test field reflect this, using even more power during idle operation than the Qualcomm competitors. At least they remain slightly below the internal average, but they pale particularly in the comparison to the Pixel 3a.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.01 / 0.18 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.87 / 2.34 / 2.4 Watt
Load midlight 4.56 / 6.97 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Huawei Nova 5T
3750 mAh
Honor 20
3750 mAh
Google Pixel 3a
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A80
3700 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 9
3300 mAh
Average HiSilicon Kirin 980
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
1%
35%
22%
20%
1%
5%
Idle Minimum *
0.87
0.88
-1%
0.61
30%
0.6
31%
0.67
23%
0.802 ?(0.6 - 0.97, n=10)
8%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-3%
Idle Average *
2.34
2.27
3%
1.56
33%
1.2
49%
1.26
46%
2.07 ?(0.9 - 2.6, n=10)
12%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
38%
Idle Maximum *
2.4
2.34
2%
1.6
33%
1.4
42%
1.29
46%
2.38 ?(1.83 - 2.77, n=10)
1%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
32%
Load Average *
4.56
4.81
-5%
2.67
41%
5
-10%
3.71
19%
4.87 ?(3.74 - 6.3, n=10)
-7%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-22%
Load Maximum *
6.97
6.63
5%
4.33
38%
7.1
-2%
9.3
-33%
7.46 ?(6.15 - 9.85, n=10)
-7%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-18%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

In the end, what counts is how long they last – and that is longer for the Nova 5T than for the rest of the smartphones in our test field, even though the battery capacity of the Honor 20 and the Galaxy A80 is similar or only minimally smaller. The Huawei smartphone is able to remain online for almost 13 hours in our controlled web surfing test. 

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
12h 56min
Huawei Nova 5T
3750 mAh
Honor 20
3750 mAh
Google Pixel 3a
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A80
3700 mAh
Xiaomi Mi 9
3300 mAh
Battery Runtime
-16%
-21%
-8%
-30%
WiFi v1.3
776
654
-16%
612
-21%
713
-8%
546
-30%
Reader / Idle
1262
1796
1650
H.264
606
902
1008
Load
208
200
194

Pros

+ fast SoC
+ large storage
+ camera with wide-angle and macro lens
+ good navigation capabilities
+ good battery life

Cons

- storage cannot be expanded
- USB connection only supports 2.0 standard
- mono speaker

Verdict

Testing the Huawei Nova 5T. Test unit provided by notebooksbilliger.de
Testing the Huawei Nova 5T. Test unit provided by notebooksbilliger.de

The Huawei Nova 5T is a powerful smartphone with a lot of storage and a very elegant case. The fact that the camera is surpassed by the current elite of the cameras can be tolerated, considering the suggested retail price of 429 Euros (~$478). Also, wide-angle images and macro photography are additional features, that allow the Nova 5T to score.  

Everything is right in the Huawei Nova 5T: the hardware, the looks, and the price. 

With the exception of the recently added Midsummer Purple color variant, the street price of the Nova 5T has already dropped below 400 Euros (~$446), but it is still above that of the Honor 20 (about 330 Euros, ~$368). Those who want to save by getting the Honor 20 will have to make do without the improvements in the mobile communication that our Huawei review found, so the advantages should be considered carefully.

Huawei Nova 5T - 12/16/2019 v7
Inge Schwabe

Chassis
86%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
98%
Connectivity
47 / 70 → 68%
Weight
90%
Battery
90%
Display
83%
Games Performance
48 / 64 → 75%
Application Performance
76 / 86 → 88%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
73 / 90 → 82%
Camera
63%
Average
78%
84%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Huawei Nova 5T Smartphone Review – Honor Clone With Improvements
Inge Schwabe, 2019-12-17 (Update: 2019-12-18)