Huawei Nova 2i or Xiaomi Mi Max 2?

Jay Advincula asks, “Which is better: Huawei Nova 2i or Xiaomi Mi Max 2?”

Alright! It’s time to have a battle between the top 2 contenders for reader’s most famous mid-ranged smartphone. Let’s begin!

The Huawei Nova 2i has risen up to the community’s fame ladder and is now one of the top choices for a mid-range smartphone. It has a 5.9″ IPS LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio and 2160 x 1080 resolution, a Kirin 659 chipset, 64GB internal storage, 4GB RAM, a 16MP + 2MP rear cameras with LED flash, 13MP + 2MP front cameras, and a 3,340mAh battery.

The Xiaomi Mi Max 2 is a community favorite at the mid-range level. It has a 6.44″ IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 64GB internal storage, 4GB RAM, 12MP Phase-Detection Auto-Focus (PDAF) rear camera with LED flash, 5MP wide-angle front camera, and 5,300mAh battery with Quick Charge tech.

Here are their detailed specs:

	Huawei Nova 2i	Xiaomi Mi Max 2
Display	5.9-inch 18:9 IPS LCD display @ 2160 x 1080 pixels	6.44-inch IPS LCD @ 1920 x 1080 pixels
CPU	HiSilicon Kirin 659 2.36GHz octa-core	Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core
GPU	Mali-T830	Adreno 506
Memory	– 64GB internal storage – 4GB RAM	– 64GB internal storage – 4GB RAM
Camera	– 16MP+2MP rear cameras, f/2.2 with LED Flash – 13MP+2MP front cameras	– 12MP Sony IMX386 PDAF rear camera w/ LED flash – 5MP wide-angle front camera
Battery	3,340mAh Li-Ion battery	5300mAh non-removable battery w/ Quick Charge 3.0
OS	Android 7 Nougat with Huawei EMUI 5.1	Android 7.0 Nougat w/ MIUI 8

Let us look at their benchmark scores.

	Huawei Nova 2i	Xiaomi Mi Max 2
Antutu	62,964	63,111
PC Mark	6,029 (Work 1.0), 7,492 (Storage)	5,499 (Work 1.0), 3278 (Storage)
Geekbench	920 (Single-core), 3,636 (Multi-core)	859 (Single-core), 4195 (Multi-core)
Battery Life	8 hours and 46 minutes	16 hours and 7 minutes

Here are their advantages.

Huawei Nova 2i

+ Larger aspect ratio

+ Larger screen resolution

+ Better performing CPU (Single-core processing)

+ Higher rear camera resolution

+ Higher front camera resolution

+ Dual rear and front camera setup

Xiaomi Mi Max 2

+ Larger screen size

+ Better Performing CPU (Multi-core processing)

+ Better performing GPU

+ Wide-angle front camera

+ Larger battery capacity

+ Gyroscope sensor

+ USB type-c

+ Quick Charge tech

DISPLAY

In this aspect, the Mi Max 2 has a larger screen size compared to the Nova 2i. In my personal preference, having a 6.44″ smartphone is really hard to fit in a pocket and the safest place you can put it when going outdoors is inside a bag. The latter has a 5.9″ with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a larger resolution which gives the upper hand in this comparison because it has a better viewing experience than the former. In addition to that, the Nova 2i has a slimmer-bezel design allowing for more screen real-estate which gives users a more immersed feel when watching.

CPU AND GPU

For their CPU and GPU, based on their benchmarks, the Kirin 659 proves to be better performing in terms of single-core performance, however, it lacks in multi-core process performance which the Snapdragon 625 excels at. When it comes to power efficiency, this chipset also excels with its 14nm structure as compared to the former’s 16nm one. The Nova 2i has a Mali-T830 GPU while the Mi Max 2 has the Adreno 506. To put into perspective, the Mali T830 is at par with the Adreno 505 GPU but the Adreno 506 is 25% faster than its predecessor which means that the Adreno 506 is better in terms of gaming potential.

CAMERA

For their cameras, the Nova 2i has a quad-camera setup which means that it has a dual front and rear camera for a “bokeh” effect on its photos. It also has higher camera resolution than the Mi Max 2. The latter’s camera feature advantage is its wide-angle front camera lens which can cover a larger area when taking selfies. We both have sample photos from each smartphone which you can check out here: Huawei Nova 2i, Xiaomi Mi Max 2.

BATTERY

As for their battery life, based on the battery benchmarks we took, it is clear that the Mi Max 2 lasts longer than the Nova 2i with its 5,300mAh battery. Users can perform daily tasks at ease without having problems of having to charge their smartphone immediately. In addition to that, the former also has a quick charging technology in which the latter does not have. Note that other than the battery capacity, battery life is also affected by display quality and chipsets.

OVERALL PERFORMANCE

For overall performance, the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 has the upper hand with its faster-performing CPU on multi-core processes and it has better gaming capabilities thanks to its GPU. However, if we look at the viewing experience, the Nova 2i clearly has the advantage here with its 18:9 aspect ratio, slim-bezel design, and larger screen resolution.

OTHER FEATURES

For this one, we would like to note that the Mi Max 2 has a USB Type-C port and Gyroscope sensors in which the Nova 2i does not have. This could be a game changer for some users seeking these features on a smartphone.

PRICE

The Huawei Nova 2i is priced at Php14,990 while the Xiaomi Mi Max 2 is priced at Php12,999 (see price listing here)

Both are very good smartphones and it’s a win-win situation for users who are going to choose. What are your thoughts on this comparison? Share it in the comments section down below.