Mid-end phones improved a lot in 2018. Now they feature a way better design, great performance, and even better cameras if we compare them with the ones released in the first half of the year. This is a comparison between Vivo V9 Pro, Huawei Nova 3i and Honor 8X, all devices recently released with very exciting specs at a very good price, unlike the most powerful flagships.
Vivo V9 Pro vs Huawei Nova 3i vs Huawei Honor 8X
| Vivo V9 Pro | Huawei Nova 3i | Huawei Honor 8X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 154.8 x 75 x 7.9 mm, 150 grams | 157.6 x 75.2 x 7.6 mm, 169 grams | 160.4 x 76.6 x 7.8 mm, 175 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), 400 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, IPS LCD | 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 396 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM , 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 8.1 Oreo, Funtouch OS | Android 8.1 Oreo, EMUI | Android 8.1 Oreo, EMUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS |
| CAMERA | Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 12 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 16 + 2 MP f/2.2 Dual 24 MP + 2 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 20 + 2 MP f/1.8 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3260 mAh | 3340 mAh, Fast Charging 5V / 2A | 3750 mAh, Fast Charging 5V / 2A |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
I personally like the design of Huawei Nova 3i very much, and I like it because it is available in a very impressive gradient hue: Iris Purple which goes from blue on the upper part to purple in the lower one. And the device even comes with a stunning reflective glass on the back. But if you do not like this color, then Huawei Honor 8X has a better design thanks to its higher screen-to-body ratio. Vivo V9 Pro is beautiful, but I do not like it as much as its opponents from Huawei.
Display
The most interesting display belongs to Huawei Honor 8X as it has a huge 6.5-inch diagonal. So, it is very comfortable to read or watch videos with this handsets, and that is why I would pick it. Viewing quality is not so different between these devices, so I am not going to make a choice by basing on viewing quality. Indeed, all of them have IPS panels and a Full HD+ resolution.
Specs & Software
Vivo V9 Pro is the device with the highest performance, thanks to its more powerful SoC. We are talking about the Snapdragon 660 by Qualcomm, which has a more powerful GPU than Kirin 710 and a max frequency of 2.2 GHz. Further, this device alongside the Huawei Honor 8X sports a dedicated micro SD slot. While it has the best hardware, we like more the software found on Huawei phones. Vivo V9 Pro comes with Funtouch OS installed, while Nova 3i and Honor 8X have the EMUI. But overall, I would still pick Vivo V9 Pro.
Camera
Which of these devices should you choose from this trio? It mainly depends on which cameras you are interested in. If you care more about rear cameras, then go for the Honor 8X as it features a higher resolution as well as a brighter aperture which provide more detailed shots, especially in low-light conditions. But if you care about selfies the most, then you should choose Huawei Nova 3i as it has a great dual front camera with 24 and 2 MP resolutions and with f/2.0 aperture, as well as a very advanced AI beauty mode.
Battery
Huawei Honor 8X is the handset with the biggest battery. Its lithium unit has a way bigger capacity than the opponents and it is able to last a lot more. But note that, on the other hand, it also has bigger dimensions, so if you want a device which fits in your pocket it may not be the best choice for you.
Price
Even though their specs are similar, these handsets come with different prices. Vivo V9 Pro costs about $347 or €300, Huawei Nova 3i costs about $405 or €350 and Huawei Honor 8X has an average price of $254/€220. With the actual prices, Huawei Honor 8X has the best value for money and it wins the comparison.
Vivo V9 Pro vs Huawei Nova 3i vs Honor 8X: PROs and CONS
Vivo V9 Pro
PROs
- Wide display
- Good hardware
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Nice selfie camera
CONS
- Not so exciting rear camera
Huawei Nova 3i
PROs
- Wonderful design
- Four cameras
- Good performance
- Wide display
CONS
- Higher price
Huawei Honor 8X
PROs
- Bigger display
- High screen-to-body ratio
- Big battery
- Affordable price
- micro SD dedicated slot
CONS
- Dimensions
