Huawei is one of the brands that is at the forefront of the ever-evolving smartphone market with its innovative design and technology. The Huawei Nova 12 SE, the newest addition to their notable series, aims to blend affordability, performance, and aesthetics. This review will delve into the Nova 12 SE’s design, performance, camera features, and battery life. Discover what distinguishes the Huawei Nova 12 SE in the fiercely competitive smartphone arena, whether you’re a technology aficionado or simply in the market for a new device.

Specifications:

Dimensions	162.39 x 75.74 x 7.39mm (H x W x D)
Weight	186g
Screen Size	6.67in
Display Type	OLED, up to 90 Hz refresh rate, 270 Hz touch sampling rate
Resolution	FHD+ 2400 × 1080 pixels
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 680 CPU Octa-core, 4 × Cortex-A73@2.4 GHz + 4 × Cortex-A53@1.9 GHz GPU Adreno™ 610
Operating System	EMUI 14
Memory	256 GB ROM
Rear Camera	108 MP High-Resolution Camera (f/1.9 aperture) 8 MP Ultra Wide Angle Camera (f/2.2 aperture) 2 MP Macro Camera (f/2.4 aperture)
Front Camera	32 MP Selfie Camera (f/2.45 aperture)
Battery	4500 mAh
Charging	66 W HUAWEI SuperCharge Turbo 2.0
Network	Model 1 BNE-LX1 (Dual SIM) Primary SIM Card 4G TDD LTE: Bands 34/38/39/40/41 4G FDD LTE: Bands 1/3/5/7/8/20/28 3G WCDMA: Bands 1/2/5/8 2G GSM: Bands 2/3/5/8 (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) Secondary SIM Card 4G TDD LTE: Bands 34/38/39/40/41 4G FDD LTE: Bands 1/3/5/7/8/20/28 3G WCDMA: Bands 1/2/5/8 2G GSM: Bands 2/3/5/8 (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
Connectivity	WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/a Bluetooth BT5.0, Support BLE, SBC, AAC USB USB Type-C, USB 2.0 Earjack Type-C earjack
Sensors	Gravity Sensor Fingerprint Sensor Gyroscope Compass Ambient Light Sensor

Closer Look

The packaging comes in white box with is model name which is very typical for mobile phones like this.

The box contains the Huawei Nova 12 SE Mobile Phone, an instruction card for app downloads, a user’s manual, a warranty card, a SIM card pin, a white USB Type-C to Type-A cable, an adapter, and a jelly case.

Looking closely the Nova 12 SE is a very slim mobile phone and has a matte finish on the back.

It has two camera rings that has a glossy chrome outline that separates it from the back panel of the phone.

On the side, near the camera, you’ll find the phone’s input/output controls. These include the volume buttons and, finally, the power button which doubles as a fingerprint scanner.

At the bottom, you’ll find the speaker grill, the USB-C Port, the microphone and the nano-sim tray.

The Nova 12 SE uses EMUI 14 but still stuck at Android 12 and comes with tons of bloatware.

User Experience

The Huawei Nova 12 SE is an exceptionally light and slim mobile phone, which felt unusual to me since I regularly use the heavier Samsung S21+ as my daily device. Initially, it felt odd to carry it around, especially during my trip to Taiwan.

I utilized the phone as my mobile hotspot and Spotify player throughout the journey. Despite prolonged use, the battery depletion was minimal, consuming only 15-20% after 8-10 hours of usage.

While the clarity is acceptable and the colors are pleasing, and the camera does not have difficulty focusing on subjects, the phone’s electronic image stabilization contributes to more stable shots. Nonetheless, the exposure tends to fluctuate significantly with considerable movement in the frame.

Although the video quality may not be exceptional, it suffices for those who need a phone for vlogging. Despite its mid-range price, it is limited to capturing video at 1080p 30fps. While this may be adequate for some, for me, it falls short.

Benchmarks

As you can see in the results you will notice that in other benchmarks it is not saying its Huawei Nova 12 SE instead it’s a Nova 10 SE.

Conclusion

The Huawei Nova 12 SE may seem like a new device based on its specifications. However, it utilizes an older chipset, with the addition of new features for the camera.

Benchmark results reveal the performance, and the app identifies the device as the Huawei Nova 10 SE, which was released nearly two years ago. A typical customer may not notice this unless they consult reviews of the phone.

While it may be a decent phone with useful features, at this price range, there are various mobile devices available that offer better performance, newer chipsets, and 5G connectivity.

Additionally, if you frequently use Google apps, this phone may not be suitable for you. It lacks the Google Play Store and instead relies on its own app store. While it’s possible to download APKs from other websites, using Google apps is not straightforward and requires additional apps to function properly.

The Huawei Nova 12 SE presents itself as a competent mobile device, yet it falls short in delivering the performance expected of a contemporary mid-range phone, particularly in terms of camera capabilities in low-light conditions and video capture beyond 30fps or 1080p. However, its fast-charging feature is impressive, achieving a full charge from 0% to 100% in just 30 minutes. Despite this, there may be superior alternatives available.

You can buy the Huawei Nova 12 SE for around the price of 15,999 pesos.