Huawei nova 12 SE review
The Huawei Nova 12 SE is a mid-range smartphone that promises to deliver a seamless media consumption experience. With its bright screen, decent CPU, and long battery life, this phone is perfect for Netflix binge-watchers and social media enthusiasts. However, it falls short in the camera department, with underwhelming video quality and disappointing selfie capture. Priced at €350, it's hard to justify its premium tag when compared to other devices in its price bracket. Can this device redeem itself with its strong Ultra-wide and night mode capabilities? Read on to find out.
Build Quality and Design
The Huawei Nova 12 SE's build quality and design are a mixed bag, with some aspects impressing more than others. From the outside, the phone looks sleek and premium, with a solid B glass back that feels sturdy in the hand. The device's dimensions are compact, making it easy to hold and pocket. However, the camera bump on the rear is slightly pronounced, which may bother some users who prefer a seamless design. The display is another highlight, boasting impressive brightness levels and vibrant colors. The screen is also large enough for comfortable viewing, but not so big that it becomes unwieldy. Unfortunately, the phone's build quality can be inconsistent in certain areas. The power button and fingerprint scanner, located on the same side as the SIM card slot, feel a bit cheap and flimsy. Additionally, the phone's weight distribution is off, making it feel slightly unbalanced when held vertically. In terms of design, the Nova 12 SE's color options are limited, with only a few choices available. While the device looks great in certain colors, others may not appeal to all users. Overall, while the Huawei Nova 12 SE's build quality and design have their strengths, they also have some notable weaknesses. The phone feels solid enough, but there are areas where it could be improved. If you're particular about build quality or want a more premium feel in your smartphone, you may want to look elsewhere. The price of the device is also an issue, as mentioned later in this review. At around €350, it's overpriced compared to similar offerings from other manufacturers, making its premium feel hard to justify.
Battery Life
The Huawei Nova 12 SE boasts a solid battery life, making it an ideal choice for media consumption on-the-go. The phone's battery is capable of lasting throughout the day with moderate use, and it can even stretch to two days if you're not too demanding. In terms of specific usage, I found that the Nova 12 SE's battery lasted around 6-7 hours with heavy gaming, social media scrolling, and music streaming. However, with more conservative use - such as browsing, messaging, and casual gaming - the battery life extended to a whole day or even two days. One of the standout features of the Nova 12 SE is its power-saving capabilities. The phone's battery management system does an excellent job of detecting when you're not using it and putting the battery into a deep sleep mode to conserve charge. Overall, the Huawei Nova 12 SE's battery life is one of its strongest selling points. It's perfect for those who want a reliable phone that can last all day without needing to be charged. If you're a content consumer who primarily uses your phone for media consumption and messaging, this phone will likely meet your needs. However, if you're a heavy user or someone who needs their phone to last through extended periods of use, you might find the Nova 12 SE's battery life falls short. Nevertheless, it remains an excellent choice for those seeking a budget-friendly option with great battery life.
Display
The Huawei Nova 12 SE boasts a vibrant display that's perfect for media consumption. The screen is bright, with vivid colors and good viewing angles. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the ultra-wide camera capture, which produced excellent results in terms of color accuracy. However, my experience with the selfie capture was underwhelming. While the close-ups were decent, the overall image quality left something to be desired. The lack of a solid B Bokeh effect and 4K capture may be a concern for some users. In terms of display technology, the Nova 12 SE uses an OLED panel that's crisp and clear. I didn't notice any lag or issues with responsiveness during my testing. However, it's worth noting that the screen is not IP-certified, which might be a drawback for some users who value durability. Overall, the display on the Huawei Nova 12 SE is more than sufficient for casual use, such as watching Netflix or browsing social media. The bright screen and good color accuracy make it perfect for everyday consumption. However, if you're a content creator or require more advanced camera features, you might want to consider other options. * Vibrant display with good color accuracy * Bright screen suitable for everyday use * Excellent ultra-wide camera capture * Underwhelming selfie capture experience * Lack of solid B Bokeh effect and 4K capture * Not IP-certified, which might be a concern for some users
Camera
The camera on the Huawei Nova 12 SE is a mixed bag, with some impressive features and others that fall short. On the plus side, the phone's night mode captures are solid, producing well-lit images even in low-light conditions. The ultra-wide-angle camera also delivers good results, capturing a wider field of view than most phones on the market. Additionally, the close-up shots taken with the primary camera are excellent, showcasing good detail and color accuracy. However, there are some areas where the Nova 12 SE's camera falls short. The selfie camera, while decent, doesn't quite live up to expectations, particularly in terms of bokeh effect and skin tone rendering. Moreover, the Boke (background blur) effect on selfies is not as effective as it should be. Video recording also has its limitations. While the phone can record video at 1080p resolution, it's not a feature that stands out in today's market where many phones offer 4K or even higher resolutions. Furthermore, color accuracy and dynamic range could be improved. In terms of price, I believe the Nova 12 SE is priced too high for its camera capabilities. At €350, this phone should be competing with more established brands like Samsung and Google, but in reality, it's priced closer to mid-range models like the Galaxy A25 or Redmi Note 13. For content creators who rely heavily on their smartphone cameras, I would recommend looking elsewhere. However, for casual users who primarily consume media on their phone (watching YouTube, TikTok, Netflix), this camera setup might be sufficient. Ultimately, while the Nova 12 SE's camera has its strengths and weaknesses, it feels like a missed opportunity to deliver a truly exceptional smartphone camera experience at a price that would make it more competitive in today's market.
Price and Value
The Huawei Nova 12 SE is an intriguing device that checks most of the right boxes for a budget-friendly smartphone. However, its price point has left me questioning its value proposition. Priced at €350, the Nova 12 SE finds itself in direct competition with the Samsung Galaxy A35 and A55. While it may have some advantages over these devices, such as a solid battery life and decent close-up camera capabilities, I believe it's slightly overpriced for what you get. The phone's performance is satisfactory, but not outstanding. The CPU, although fast, feels a bit dated compared to other recent releases in the same price range. Furthermore, the lack of IP certification, microSD support, and 5G connectivity are notable omissions that might deter some potential buyers. In terms of camera capabilities, while the Nova 12 SE excels in low-light conditions and ultra-wide shots, its selfie game is a bit underwhelming. The videos it produces also suffer from poor color representation. Given these trade-offs, I think the Nova 12 SE would be better served at a price point closer to €200. At this level, it could compete more effectively with the Redmi Note 13 and other budget-friendly offerings that pack similar features into a smaller package. Ultimately, whether or not you should buy the Huawei Nova 12 SE depends on your specific needs. If you're simply looking for a reliable phone for content consumption (think Netflix, YouTube, TikTok), it might be worth considering. However, if you require more from your device – particularly in terms of camera capabilities and performance – there are likely better options available at this price point.
Performance
The Huawei Nova 12 SE is a mid-range smartphone that boasts impressive performance credentials. However, whether or not this device meets your expectations depends largely on your specific needs and usage habits. One of the standout features of the Nova 12 SE is its battery life. It provides an excellent close to two-day lifespan with moderate use, making it perfect for those who need a phone that can keep up with their busy lives. Additionally, the device's processor, while slightly outdated compared to newer models, still delivers smooth and lag-free performance in most scenarios. However, the CPU's age shows when performing demanding tasks or running resource-intensive applications. Multitasking, gaming, and video editing are not its forte, and users may experience occasional slowdowns or drops in frame rate. The device's RAM, on the other hand, is a more modern spec that helps to alleviate some of these performance concerns. The phone handles everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and streaming with ease, but it's not designed for heavy-duty use cases like content creation or gaming. In terms of value, the Nova 12 SE competes directly with mid-range offerings from other manufacturers, such as the Samsung Galaxy A35 and a55 series. Considering its price point, the device offers decent performance, making it suitable for casual users who primarily consume media rather than create it. If you're looking for a reliable phone that can handle everyday tasks without breaking the bank, the Nova 12 SE is worth considering. However, if you require more processing power or specific features like 5G connectivity, you may want to explore other options in this price range.