Punch hole displays may become the future of borderless phones. In order to get rid of bezels and notches, Huawei and Samsung decided to opt for a hole in-display which only contains the front camera. The new solution debuted with Huawei Nova 4 and Samsung Galaxy A8s, while yesterday Huawei’s sub-brand released another device with a punch hole display: the Honor V20 (View 20). That is why now we got all the perfect candidates for a specs comparison between punch hole displays.
Huawei Honor V20 vs Huawei Nova 4 vs Samsung Galaxy A8s
| Huawei Honor V20 | Huawei Nova 4 | Samsung Galaxy A8s | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 156.9 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm, 180 g | 157 x 75.1 x 7.8 mm, 172 g | 158.4 x 74.9 x 7.4 mm, 173 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2310p (Full HD+), IPS LCD | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2310p (Full HD+), IPS LCD | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 402 ppi, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz | Huawei HiSilicon Kirin 970, octa-core 2.4 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, EMUI | Android 9 Pie, EMUI | Android 9 Pie, Samsung UI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Dual 48 MP + TOF 3D Camera, f/1.8 25 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 48 + 16 + 2 MP, f/1.8 and f/2.2 and f/2.4 25 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 24 + 10 + 5 MP f/1.7 and f/2.2 24 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4000 mAh, fast charging 22.5W | 3750 mAh, fast charging 18W | 3400 mAh, Fast Charging |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot, in-display camera | Hybrid Dual SIM slot, in-display camera | Hybrid Dual SIM slot, in-display camera |
Design
Besides having one of the highest screen-to-body ratio and a tri-borderless design without a notch, Honor V20 has one of the most impressive back covers ever seen. Indeed, not only it comes in gradient colors, but it also has a V on its rear panel changing its color and position depending on the viewing angle from which you look at it. If you want a soberer design, then you should go for the Huawei Nova 4 which comes with a beautiful look and gradient colors without that light effect, while Samsung Galaxy A8s is the thinnest one but also the tallest one due to its slightly thicker bezels.
Display
If you want the best display quality, you should not choose any of these handsets. They come with typical midrange displays: IPS panels with a Full HD+ resolution just like most of the devices with price tags above $200. The only amazing thing of these displays are their incredibly narrow bezels and, as said above, the display hole housing the front camera which allows them to sport a tri-borderless design without a notch, a slider and so on. Even Samsung Galaxy A8s has an IPS panel, despite the whole Galaxy A series being equipped with AMOLED displays.
Hardware/Software
Huawei Honor V20 has the most powerful processor, so also the best performance. We are talking about the new Kirin 980 that is the same found on the Huawei Mate 20 series, made with a 7 nm production process. Together with the Kirin 980, you can also get up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of internal storage with a micro SD slot separated from the dual SIM slot, so you can use both at the same time. Honor V20 still comes with a high-end processor, but it is the older and less impressive Kirin 970 which is inferior to the Snapdragon 845. At last, Samsung Galaxy A8s has just an upper-midrange SoC: the Snapdragon 710. Android Pie is pre-installed in each case.
Camera
At least on the paper, the most amazing camera department belongs to Huawei Nova 4. It is the first phone to sport the new 48 MP Sony sensor with the highest resolution ever seen in the smartphones market. A sensor offering no loss of detail even while zooming, paired with a secondary 16 MP sensor and a third 2 MP depth sensor. Honor V20 has a 48 MP camera too, but it is a dual camera setup and it only includes a TOF 3D camera besides the main sensor. While on the paper Huawei Nova 4 seems the most impressive camera phone, we will have to try each of these devices to give a final verdict on their cameras.
Battery
Huawei Nova 4 is a bit thicker than its rivals, but it has the biggest battery and it is able to last more on a single charge. With 4000 mAh, you should be able to cover a full day of battery life even in intensive scenarios. Further, it comes with a faster-charging technology. Huawei Nova 4 takes the second place with a smaller battery than Honor V20 but much bigger than Galaxy A8s’ 3400 mAh unit.
Price
The listing price of Huawei Honor V20 is about €460/$526, Huawei Nova 4 costs about €480/$548 and Samsung Galaxy A8s carries a €393/$450 price tag. These prices are referred to the Chinese market as these devices are still not in the global market. I like more the Honor V20 because of its higher performance, magnetic design, and bigger battery, so I would personally choose it.
Huawei Honor V20 vs Huawei Nova 4 vs Samsung Galaxy A8s: PRO and CONS
Huawei Nova 4
PROS
- More variants
- Big battery
- Good price
- Amazing cameras
CONS
- Worse connectivity
Huawei Honor V20
PROS
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Unique design
- Outstanding hardware
- Bigger battery
CONS
- Nothing particular
Samsung Galaxy A8s
PROS
- FM radio
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Sleek design
CONS
- Less attractive look
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