Introduction: A Fresh Perspective
When it comes to the mainstream smartphone market, the segment has become extremely crowded, with manufacturers constantly releasing affordable, feature-packed devices. As a consumer, it can be tough to make the right decision and choose the perfect smartphone to purchase, especially when so many options promise great value for money. From my technical perspective, having used the Huawei Nova 3i as my primary phone for the past 3 weeks, I can confidently say that it makes the choice much simpler.
The Huawei Nova 3i was officially launched at AVRY Singapore by the Chinese company, and it was announced that the device would be sold at a compelling price of 35,999 PKR from 28th July onwards. Holding the Nova 3i in my hands, I found it incredibly straightforward to navigate, making it ideal for consumers who are seeking a new smartphone in this segment. My personal experience and technical perspective show that this smartphone balances performance, style, and affordability, making it a smart purchase for anyone looking to run daily apps smoothly while enjoying a feature-packed device.
Design and Build: Premium Feel in Your Hands
The design of the Nova 3i feels different from its predecessor, yet it clearly belongs to the same family of Huawei smartphones. The premium look is enhanced by the 2.5D glass on both front and back, paired with a metal frame that has a glossy, metallic finish. The 6.3-inch display features a notch that is wider than the one on the P20 or Honor 10, and it houses the 24MP + 2MP front cameras, sensor, LED earpiece, and notifications seamlessly.
On the sides, the hybrid nano-SIM tray sits on the left, while the metallic volume and power/lock buttons are on the right. The top holds the secondary microphone, and below you’ll find the 3.5mm audio port, main microphone, loudspeaker, and micro USB port that can be replaced with USB Type-C in newer models.
At the back, the protruding dual rear cameras, LED flash, and circular fingerprint scanner sit elegantly alongside labels similar to the P20 devices. The gradient color shifting between blue and purple, named Iris Purple, gives it a striking visual identity. While the smudge-prone glass can act as a fingerprint magnet, the hands-on experience shows a decent heft, easy grip, and comfortable hold thanks to the curves and unibody design. Navigating the screen often requires two hands, but overall the Nova 3i feels solid and thoughtfully built, making it a premium choice in its segment.
Display and Multimedia: Crisp Visuals and Immersive Sound
Stunning Display
The Nova 3i comes with a 6.3-inch FullView Display 2.0 with FHD+ resolution of 2340 x 1080 and 409 ppi, giving users a sharp and detailed viewing experience. The notch design allows for a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and an 81% screen-to-body ratio, making videos and games feel more immersive. Users have the option to lower the resolution to HD+ (1560 x 720) or switch on Smart resolution to automatically save power.
You can also adjust color modes from Normal to Vivid, and tweak color temperature from Default, Warm, to Cold. Features like split screen support and the ability to hide the notch make multitasking and navigation smoother, while images and texts remain sharp and punchy across different viewing angles without noticeable color shifting.
Immersive Audio
The audio quality on the Nova 3i is solid for a mid-range phone, with the single speaker producing loud, crisp sound suitable for casual listening to music, videos, or gaming. Hands-free voice calls are clear, though the bass can feel a bit weak. Using earphones included in the package or a Bluetooth speaker can enhance the listening experience. For those with multiple Nova 3i or Honor phones, the Music party feature lets you sync music playback across devices over the same WiFi network, creating a surround sound effect that is fun, immersive, and very easy to use.
Camera: Capture Every Moment
Powerful Lens Setup
The Nova 3i comes with four cameras, an upgrade from the Nova 2i, making it more powerful and loaded with extra features. On the rear, it has a 16MP + 2MP setup, while the front houses a 24MP f/2.0 + 2MP system with secondary sensors to create bokeh effects. Whether you’re taking a casual shot or experimenting with Pro, Slow-mo, Night, Panorama, Light painting, HDR, Time-lapse, or 3D Panorama, the Nova 3i handles it all with ease. You can even scan documents with Document scan, enhance selfies with Beauty, or adjust Aperture and Portrait modes for professional-like results.
Fun AR Features
One of the standout features is the AR Lens, which adds a playful dimension to photos and videos. Similar to the iPhone X Animoji, the 3D Qmoji allows you to animate multiple characters like chameleon, pufferfish, wolf, cat, rabbit, robot, penguin, and cherry. You can record video with these animated characters or convert them into a GIF. Backgrounds can also be animated with matching sound effects, and thanks to Google ARCore, the 3D Objects feature developed with Baidu AR and Huawei lets you place augmented reality items in your environment, though currently it supports only five penguin effects.
Image and Video Quality
In terms of quality, the Nova 3i produces sharp images with accurate colors and contrast in bright conditions, though low-light shots can appear soft, smudgy, or peppered with noise. Its AI toggle, similar to Honor devices, helps enhance images by boosting saturation and HDR effects, but sometimes it can look slightly artificial. For video recording, it supports Full HD at 60fps, capturing decent details, sharpness, colors, and dynamic range, though it lacks stabilization, which can make footage prone to shake. Overall, the camera setup balances fun AR features and practical shooting capabilities for a mid-range smartphone user.
OS, UI, and Apps: Smooth and Feature-Rich
The Nova 3i runs on EMUI 8.2.0, based on Android 8.1 Oreo, giving it a clean and responsive interface similar to Honor devices. The home screens are easy to navigate, with apps neatly arranged and accessible via swiping. Toggle keys and notifications appear quickly when swiping from the top, while swiping left on the main screen opens HiBoard, providing quick access to useful features without cluttering the interface.
Huawei-branded apps like Phone Manager, Themes, AppGallery, HiCare come pre-installed, along with popular third-party apps such as Facebook, Messenger, Netflix, Camera360, Z Camera, Quik, Lazada, Booking.com, and some games. While some apps may feel unnecessary, they can be uninstalled easily. For storage, the Nova 3i offers 128GB with 103GB usable, expandable via microSD or USB OTG, although using external storage may limit dual-SIM functionality. Overall, the OS and apps provide a smooth, versatile experience for both everyday use and productivity.
Performance Insights
When it comes to Huawei Nova 3i, the mid-range chipset it uses, the Kirin 710, is an octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz with Mali-G51 GPU. For ordinary tasks like navigating the UI, launching and switching apps, and using the fingerprint scanner or face unlock, the device is fast, responsive, and comparable to the P20 series. Unlocking the device feels almost instantaneously, even when running multiple apps in the background thanks to its 4GB RAM.
Gaming and Benchmarks
For gaming, the Nova 3i is surprisingly capable. Titles like Asphalt 9, Mobile Legends, and PUBG Mobile run playable at Smooth settings with Medium Frame Rate graphics. Benchmarks and results show its performance is close to OPPO F7 and Vivo X21 UD, and it even outperformed Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, Vivo V9, and Tecno Spark 5 Pro in some tests. Overall, the Nova 3i delivers a responsive, enjoyable experience for both daily use and gaming, without major slowdowns.
Connectivity and Battery Life
The Nova 3i comes with a standard connectivity suite that includes dual 4G with VoLTE, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS, though NFC is absent. Making calls is loud and clear, and mobile performance remains fast as long as the signal in your area is strong. For navigation, apps like Grab, Google Maps, and Waze work smoothly, making it easy to travel without worrying about connection drops.
When it comes to battery, the Nova 3i packs the same 3340mAh battery as the Nova 2i, which lasts a whole day with a little left at night. In a video loop test, playing 1080p video on loop at 50% brightness and volume gave about 13 hours and 30 minutes of playback. For comparison, the Nova 2i lasted around 12 hours, while charging with the stock charger took 2 hours and 30 minutes. PCMark rated the device at 9 hours and 50 minutes, which is slightly shabby on the low side, but still enough for regular daily use.
Final Thoughts
Looking at the Nova 3i, it builds on the success of the Nova 2i with a smarter formula that mixes hardware and design improvements. The screen is noticeably larger, giving a better viewing experience, while the body feels more premium. With cameras that offer higher resolution and double storage, plus a slew of new AI features, it’s clear Huawei has aimed for a mid-range smartphone that delivers above average specs at a competitive price.
That said, there are a few downers for some users, like the lack of USB Type-C, video stabilization, and a dedicated microSD card slot. Even so, the Nova 3i remains a significant bump over its predecessor, offering better performance and a premium feel that makes it a strong choice in its category. Overall, it’s a device that balances value, functionality, and design in one package.
