Upper mid-range smartphones are slowly becoming more popular than flagships, thanks to their great cameras and a new category of chipsets by Qualcomm and other SoC manufacturers which are high-end but not flagship-level. Huawei Nova 3i and Xiaomi Mi A2 are the latest devices in this category and they promise to provide a premium experience to most of the users without having to spend much. So, let’s compare Huawei Nova 3i vs Xiaomi Mi A2 to see which is the one that deserves your attention.
Huawei Nova 3i vs Xiaomi Mi A2
| Huawei Nova 3i | Xiaomi Mi A2 | |
|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 157.6 x 75.2 x 7.6 mm, 169 grams | 158.7 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm, 166 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, IPS LCD | 5,99 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, 18:9 ratio, LTPS IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, octa-core 2.2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB, micro SD slot | 4 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 8.1 Oreo, EMUI 8.2 | Android 8.1 Oreo, Android One |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Dual 16 and 2 MP f/2.2 Dual 24 and 2 MP front camera |
Dual 12 and 20 MP, f/1.8 20 MP f/2.2 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3340 mAh | 3000 mAh |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Huawei Nova 3i vs Xiaomi Mi A2: Design
Phones are not only about hardware and performance, but they are getting more beautiful every day. Huawei Nova 3i is definitely one of the most beautiful smartphones in its segment and it is way more attractive than the Xiaomi Mi A2. It has a flagship-like design with a glass back and an aluminum frame, and even a very high screen-to-body ratio. It is also available in gradient hues! Xiaomi Mi A2 has a classic full metal unibody design that isn’t very attractive if you are looking for a stylish phone. So, between these two Huawei Nova 3i is the better looking device.
Display
If you choose the Huawei Nova 3i you will also get a big phablet-like display but with a notch. It has more pixels but it is also bigger, so the level of detail will not change that much. On the other hand, Xiaomi Mi A2 has a smaller display but a very good viewing quality and comes without a notch. Anyways, the difference between these panels is not very noticeable, and on midrange devices, displays are all the same, more or less. Let’s consider it a draw, just choose by basing on your personal size preferences.
Huawei Nova 3i vs Xiaomi Mi A2: Specs & Software
One of the most important advantages of the Xiaomi Mi A2 is surely the hardware and software department. It has a very solid chipset, the Snapdragon 660 by Qualcomm paired with up to 6 GB of RAM. Further, it has Android One, a stock version of the operating system which is lighter than custom user interfaces and providing better performance. So this phone is definitely the winner when it comes to speed and multi-tasking. However, its opponent is still very competitive with its new Kirin 710 chipset. But personally, we would go with the Mi A2.
Huawei Nova 3i vs Xiaomi Mi A2: Camera
Besides performing better, Xiaomi Mi A2 has also a better dual camera setup on its backside. With 20 and 12 MP resolutions as well as a f/1.8 aperture, Xiaomi Mi A2 is one of the best midrange devices in terms of camera quality, at least on the paper. Further, it has a powerful 20 MP front camera. Huawei Nova 3i is surely inferior with its 16 + 2 MP dual camera, but we believe it will be able to shoot better selfies thanks to its dual front camera with 24 and 2 MP resolutions. In a few words, Xiaomi Mi A2 has a better rear camera and Huawei Nova 3i has a better selfie camera.
Battery
Huawei Nova 3i has a bigger battery with a 3340 mAh, but the capacity is not everything to evaluate the potential battery life of a phone. We will let you know more when we personally review this phone because given that Qualcomm SoCs are often optimized very well (and given the presence of the stock Android One), Xiaomi Mi A2 may feature a similar battery life even though its battery is smaller. Also, note that Mi A2 has Quick Charge 3.0 which charges the battery faster. You can actually check out our Honor Play review from here!
Huawei Nova 3i vs Xiaomi Mi A2: Price
You can currently purchase the Huawei Nova 3i for about €350/$406, while Xiaomi Mi A2 starts from €249/$291. I pick Xiaomi Mi A2 as the winner of the comparison because of its awesome camera and a high value for money.
Huawei Nova 3i vs Xiaomi Mi A2: PROs and CONS
Huawei Nova 3i
PROs
- Bigger display
- Better design
- Bigger battery
- Dual selfie camera
CONS
- Costlier
Xiaomi Mi A2
PROs
- Android One
- Better performance
- Amazing rear camera
- More affordable
CONS
- Unimpressive design
