Nokia 8.1 is the international version of the Nokia X7 and it was launched in the global market a few days ago. In order to establish if HMD Global realized another best-buy like its predecessor Nokia 7 Plus, it is time to compare it with its actual competitors. For this comparison, we chose Meizu 16 and Huawei Nova 3 as they are among the best alternatives in the same price range of the Nokia 8.1.
Nokia 8.1 vs Meizu 16 vs Huawei Nova 3
| Nokia 8.1 | Meizu 16 | Huawei Nova 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 154.8 x 75.8 x 8 mm, 180 grams | 150.5 x 73.2 x 7.3 mm, 152 grams | 157 x 73.7 x 7.3 mm, 166 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.18 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), 408 ppi, IPS LCD | 6 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 402 ppi, Super AMOLED | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 409 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, octa-core 2.8 GHz | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 970 octa-core 2.4 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB | 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, Android One | Android 8.1 Oreo, Flyme OS | Android 8.1 Oreo, EMUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Dual 12 + 13 MP f/1.8 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 12 + 20 MP f/1.8 + f/2.6 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 16 + 24 MP f/1.8 and f/1.8 Dual 24 + 2 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3500 mAh, Fast charging 18W | 3010 mAh, Fast charging with Quick Charge 4.0 | 3750 mAh, Fast Charging 18W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot |
Design
Huawei managed to release devices with stunning designs in the last year. One of them is Huawei Nova 3, a high-end smartphone which comes with a glossy back made of glass available in gradient colors. Its display has a big notch in the middle, but thanks to it there are very narrow bezels. On the other hand, Meizu 16 has the most original design, it has a high screen-to-body ratio even though it does not feature a notch, as well as an in-display fingerprint reader.
Display
The display of Meizu 16 is the one I like more because, besides integrating an in-display fingerprint reader, it is a Super AMOLED panel with brilliant colors and deep blacks. Nokia 8.1 and Huawei Nova 3 both come with an IPS notched panel and a Full HD+ resolution, but I would prefer Huawei Nova 3 because of its narrower bezels and its bigger size. Even though they come with wide viewing angles and a pretty high brightness, they are just average panels.
Specs & Software
The Snapdragon 845 and the Kirin 980 are currently the best chipsets available in the Android market. Sadly, Huawei Nova 3 still has the Kirin 970, while Nokia 8.1 has the upper-midrange SoC Snapdragon 710. So Meizu 16 is the most performing handset with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 which is paired with up to 8 GB of RAM in the most expensive variant. But if you go for it, you will have to say goodbye to the micro SD slot. Android One is on board of the Nokia 8.1 and it it is based on Android Pie, while Huawei Nova 3 and Meizu 16 come with EMUI and Flyme OS based on Android Oreo.
Camera
Cameras are the strongest point of Nokia handsets, and it is the same for the new Nokia 8.1. But there is a very marginal difference between the camera performances of these three handsets. I would personally prefer Meizu 16 because of its accurate autofocus and OIS which do a really nice job with photos sharpness. But Nokia 8.1 is able to provide outstanding performance as well, especially in the most disadvantageous scenarios. Huawei Nova 3 is definitely the best when it comes to selfies because of its dual front camera.
Battery
Huawei Nova 3 provides an impressive battery life with a 30-40 percent of remaining charge even after a long day of use. Nokia 8.1 can last a single day too, but Huawei Nova 3 results slightly better in many scenarios. Meizu 16 has definitely a too small battery to compete with its opponents, so it loses the battle. But on the other hand, it is able to charge very fastly thanks to its proprietary mCharge technology.
Price
Nokia 8.1 debuted in Europe with a €400 price tag, Meizu 16 costs €410 in its base variant and Huawei Nova 3 can be purchased for about €400 as well. With the actual prices, I would go for the Nokia 8.1 because of its good battery and very nice cameras. I would have chosen the Meizu 16 if it had a bigger battery.
Nokia 8.1 vs Meizu 16 vs Huawei Nova 3: PROs and CONS
Nokia 8.1
PROs
- Good battery life
- Android One
- Affordable price
- Nice camera
CONS
- Worse performance
Meizu 16
PROs
- Good performance
- Nice cameras
- In-display fingerprint reader
- Affordable
CONS
- Small battery
Huawei Nova 3
PROs
- Amazing design
- Wide display
- Big battery
- Four cameras
CONS
- Limited availability
