Over the last few days, I had the opportunity to test the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro, a smartphone recently launched by the well-known Chinese company. Although, in recent years, it has suffered from the restrictions imposed on it, HUAWEI still manages to create and market many quality devices. Among others, the nova 11 Pro is presented as a smartphone with a luxurious design and excellent cameras. But is this phone the right choice for you? Read this review to find out what the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro has to offer and how it performs in everyday use:

HUAWEI nova 11 Pro: Who is it good for?

HUAWEI nova 11 Pro may be a suitable choice for:

• People who want a stylish smartphone
• Photography enthusiasts
• Users who are already invested in the HUAWEI ecosystem
• Technically inclined people who don’t need Android Auto

Pros and cons

Here’s what I like about the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro:

• Beautiful, elegant, and designed to appeal particularly to the female audience
• The OLED display has vivid colors, excellent brightness, and high refresh rate
• Unlike its predecessors, it comes with durable Kunlun Glass
• Easier access to some Google apps (Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube, etc.)
• Capable of running games smoothly at medium to high settings
• Great cameras in any environment
• Extremely fast charging at 100 watts

Unfortunately, there are quite a few drawbacks to consider:

• Google Mobile Services and Android Auto are missing
• No water or dust resistance
• Incompatible with 5G networks
• Hardware-wise, not a significant improvement over previous models

Verdict

The HUAWEI nova 11 Pro is a mid-range smartphone with a premium design and a camera system capable of competing with flagship devices. What impressed me about it were its cameras and the quality of the photos, its extremely fast charging, attractive design, and beautiful, high-quality screen. Unfortunately, the smartphone uses the same chipset as its predecessors (nova 10 Pro and nova 9 Pro), launched two years ago, and is not compatible with 5G networks either. Although AppGallery has improved a lot lately, and it is now possible to install many Google apps, some Google services (like Google Mobile Services, Android Auto, etc.) are still missing. I recommend the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro both to people already invested in the HUAWEI ecosystem and to those who appreciate this phone’s design and features but are not affected by its weaknesses. If you’re interested, its release price is a bit steep, but I’m sure it will drop soon, and you’ll be able to get a great deal.

Unboxing the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

HUAWEI is promoting the nova 11 Pro as a mid-range Android smartphone, but the box it arrives in immediately gives it the feel of a premium device. The package you get looks good and is made of solid, quality cardboard. The design of the box is minimalist, with the top featuring just a few details: the nova logo, the phone’s name, and a message inviting you to explore the AppGallery (HUAWEI’s app store). The bottom of the box is completely devoid of information, but on one side, you do find a sticker with IMEI numbers and the phone’s key technical specifications.

The box for HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

Inside the box, the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro is placed on a cardboard stand, which protects it from the shocks inherent in courier transport. In addition to the phone, you also find a very fast charger (100 watts), a USB-A to Type-C cable, a clear silicone cover, a SIM ejection tool, and a set of documents (quick start guide, warranty). It’s also worth mentioning that the smartphone has a protective film already applied on the screen.

Unboxing the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

I enjoyed unpacking the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro smartphone. At first glance, it looks good, and the contents of its package are generous. First and foremost, I appreciate that the box includes a very fast charger.

Design and build quality

Measuring 164.3 mm (6.47 inches) in height, 74.4 mm (2.93 inches) in width and 7.9 mm (0.31 inches) in thickness, the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro is almost the same size as its predecessor, the nova 10 Pro (0.1 mm longer and 0.1 mm wider). In terms of weight, the smartphone weighs around 188 grams or 6.63 oz (3 grams or 0.10 oz less than the nova 10 Pro). We’re talking about a relatively light, thin phone with a large (6.78-inch) screen.

The HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

The HUAWEI nova 11 Pro has two color versions: Black or Green. The model we tested is the one in black, a non-color that fits perfectly in any situation. The green version is, I think, an inspired choice for the younger generation.

HUAWEI nova 11 Pro is available in Black or Green

The back of the smartphone is covered in artificial (or vegan, as HUAWEI says) leather, with a pattern that repeats the nova logo. The phone feels nice to the touch and doesn’t slip out of your hand easily. At the bottom, on the back, you can see the HUAWEI name and nova logo printed in gold, and at the top, you find the main camera system.

The back of the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

Similar to the previous nova 10 Pro, the cameras are positioned inside interesting-looking rings. The main camera is located in a central ring with a golden edge. Around it, we find another elliptic ring: the ultrawide camera is at the top, and under it, what appears to be the laser focus sensor. There is also an LED flash placed on the side of the camera.

The main cameras on the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

The front of the smartphone is almost completely covered by the screen. Its left and right edges are slightly curved, while the top and bottom edges are almost straight. Around the screen, there’s just a very small black, unlit area left - just a few millimeters.

The screen of the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

The only thing that stands out on the screen, apart from itself obviously :), is a rectangular cutout with rounded edges in the top left corner, where you can find the two selfie cameras of the smartphone.

The front cameras on the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

The power button and volume control are on the right edge of the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro. Although they’re very slim, they protrude slightly from the body of the phone, which makes them easy to identify and press. In addition, the power button is also marked with a thin red line.

The power and volume control buttons are on the right

On the top edge of the phone, you find the secondary microphone and the ear speaker. The latter has two outlets: the main one is a thin slit between the screen and the phone’s bezel, while the secondary one consists of three holes on the edge of the smartphone (used when listening to music or watching videos).

The top of the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

The left edge of the phone is clean, and there are no buttons or elements located here.

The left edge of the phone is blank

On the bottom edge of the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro, you find, in order from left to right, the SIM card slot, the main microphone, the USB-C port, and the holes for the second speaker.

The bottom edge includes the USB port, a microphone, a speaker, and the SIM card slot

An unfortunate detail that may be important for potential users is that the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro doesn’t have any certification for dust or water protection.

The HUAWEI nova 11 Pro is an interesting-looking smartphone with a solid build. Its artificial leather back and camera system look sharp and will likely appeal to many younger users, especially the female demographic.

Hardware specifications

Considering the chipset used, I can say that the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro is a mid-range smartphone. We’re talking about a Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 4G built on a 6-nanometer manufacturing technology, equipped with an eight-core processor. Four of them can reach a maximum speed of 2.4 GHz, while the other four can operate at a maximum frequency of 1.8 GHz. The GPU is an Adreno 642L unit. Unfortunately, this chipset is already two years old (announced in May 2021), and due to HUAWEI’s restrictions, it can’t use 5G networks. Furthermore, the previous HUAWEI nova 10 Pro and nova 9 Pro models used exactly the same chipset, so we don’t get any kind of upgrade in this respect.

HUAWEI nova 11 Pro: About phone

The HUAWEI nova 11 Pro is equipped with 8 GB of RAM and, depending on the version you choose, 256 or 128 GB of internal storage. The smartphone doesn’t have a microSD card slot, so you won’t be able to expand its storage. The model we tested was equipped with 256 GB of internal memory. It’s also worth mentioning that this smartphone is available in single SIM and dual SIM versions, supporting two nano-SIM cards that can work simultaneously in dual stand-by mode.

HUAWEI nova 11 Pro: Single SIM or Dual SIM

The HUAWEI nova 11 Pro’s display is based on a 6.78-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 1200 x 2652 pixels and a pixel density of 429 pixels per inch (ppi). The maximum refresh rate is also a high - 120 Hz, and the screen also supports HDR10. Its protection is provided by a layer of tempered glass called Kunlun Glass, created by HUAWEI.

OLED display, 120 Hz refresh rate, Kunlun Glass

The camera systems on the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro come with a pretty impressive set of specs that promise high-quality photos and video. On the back, the smartphone includes two cameras:

• A 50-megapixel wide (primary) camera with an f/1.9 aperture, PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus), and Laser AF (Laser Auto Focus)
• An 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with an aperture of f/2.2, a 112˚ angle, and autofocus

On the front, on the screen, there are two more cameras:

• An 8-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture and autofocus, designed for portraits
• A second (ultrawide) camera with a 60-megapixel sensor, an f/2.4 aperture, and autofocus

The smartphone can record video at 4K resolution and 30 frames per second with both the (rear) primary and (front) selfie cameras. It also supports gyro-EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization) and HDR, as well as 1080p video recording at 60 fps (for the primary cameras; the selfie cameras are limited to 30 fps).

The camera system on the back of the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro

The smartphone supports Wi-Fi 6 (Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, dual-band) and 4G LTE networks, Bluetooth 5.2, and GPS. Unfortunately, as mentioned a bit earlier, the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro can’t connect to 5G networks because HUAWEI isn’t allowed to use 5G technology on its mobile devices.

The Nova 11 Pro includes support for NFC (Near Field Communication) and is equipped with a fingerprint reader (optical, under the screen), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a compass, an optical spectrum sensor, and a virtual proximity sensor. The charging and data transfer port on the smartphone is a USB 2.0 Type-C. The phone doesn’t include a 3.5mm audio jack, so you need Bluetooth headphones for it.

HUAWEI nova 11 Pro’s battery life is provided by a 4500 mAh, non-removable Li-Po battery that supports ultra-fast charging (wireless charging is not available). Using the included 100-watt charger, the smartphone can (theoretically) charge up its battery to 60% in just 10 minutes and to 100% in 20 minutes. More on this at the end of the next chapter of this review.

For all the hardware specifications, visit the smartphone’s webpage: HUAWEI nova 11 Pro Specifications.

After reviewing HUAWEI nova 11 Pro’s technical specifications, I can say that it seems to be a mid-range smartphone with a bunch of interesting features. On the one hand, the chipset is the same as the one used on the HUAWEI nova 10 Pro, which is pretty old. In addition, the phone is not compatible with 5G mobile networks. On the other hand, the battery, as well as the display, have been improved over the previous version, and the cameras promise to deliver a high-quality photo and video experience.

If you want to learn more about the user experience provided by the HUAWEI nova 11 Pro, its software, and its benchmark results, read the next page of this review.