Recently, we got to try out the HUAWEI nova 15 Max, a phone that promises to be the new device to beat when it comes to battery life.
This new HUAWEI phone was first revealed at a launch event in Bangkok. Just a month after that launch, the new nova smartphone has finally landed in the Philippines, and it’s a new device that we were keen on checking out. After all, it packs a massive 8,500mAh battery.
Over the past year or so, we’ve seen brands release phones with much larger batteries than before. Previously, 5,000mAh batteries were the standard, but now, it’s common to see phones with 6,000 to 7,000mAh batteries. For its latest phone, HUAWEI is going even bigger, with its nova 15 Max featuring a massive 8,500mAh battery. With this, the phone promises to last for two days or more on a single charge.
As such, we wanted to test this massive battery out. Of course, battery life isn’t everything, so we wanted to see how well the phone works as a daily driver.
Geek-sthetic
In terms of design, the HUAWEI nova 15 Max looks quite elegant, especially in its Blush Gold colorway. The phone is also available in the equally striking Lake Cyan, while Golden Black has a subtler look, but with a bit of pop as the camera module’s ring is in gold.
Even though the phone has a massive battery, the nova 15 Max is far from unwieldy. Sure, it’s not the slimmest phone out there, but it’s still slim enough to easily fit in a small bag or pocket. It also doesn’t feel particularly heavy, with the flat edges helping it feel grippier.
What’s also nice about the phone, when it comes to design, is that looks aren’t just the priority. This phone should also be able to withstand accidental drops, courtesy of its SGS 5-star Drop Resistance certification. We actually (accidentally) dropped the phone without a case, and it did not get any damage or even scratches. Of course, we still recommend using the included clear case, just for extra peace of mind.
Along with drop resistance, the phone should also have no bending issues, as it’s rated to withstand up to 100kg of pressure. We didn’t test this out fully, but from handling the phone, we have no concerns about potential bending problems for everyday use.
It’s also worth noting that the phone has an IP65 dust and water resistance rating. While this rating isn’t as high as other phones in the mid-range segment, the nova 15 Max should still offer decent protection against dust and rain. Just be careful not to submerge this phone fully in water.
Moving to the front, you can see the nova 15 Max’s large 6.84-inch OLED screen. This display has a 120Hz refresh rate, 4,000 nits of peak brightness, and 1272 x 2756 resolution. When it comes to everyday use, the phone’s fast refresh rate makes it feel silky smooth for scrolling through and between apps. It also gets bright enough that outdoor use shouldn’t be an issue.
Another thing we like about the display is the slim bezels, which give it a much more premium look, especially considering that this phone is priced at just around PHP 20k.
Binge-Watching Factor
Aside from being good for everyday use, the nova 15 Max’s screen is also promising for binge-watching, given that it’s an OLED panel with a pretty high resolution. We tested this out, and after watching movies and anime series on it, we can confirm that it’s a great as a binge-watch partner. Thanks to the OLED panel, you get vibrant colors and deep blacks, which is especially great for anime, given how colorful they tend to be. Brightness is also good, as you can get a good viewing experience even when outdoors (just try not to watch under direct sunlight).
For audio, the nova 15 Max packs a stereo speaker setup, which HUAWEI promises can reach up to 85dB, which is higher than the typical mid-range phone. In our experience, the nova 15 Max’s speakers are indeed a step above the typical mid-ranger in terms of volume. Quality is also pretty good, as the audio doesn’t become too tinny or hollow-sounding when at max volume. As we always say though, for the best binge-watching or music-listening experience, headphones are still highly recommended. You’ll need a wireless pair for this phone though, as it does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Gaming Performance
HUAWEI’s latest nova series entry is powered by a Kirin 8000 chipset paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. As it’s not billed as a gaming phone, we were curious to see if it can still work for today’s popular games. Thankfully, it had no issues with multiplayer esports titles.
For instance, it was able to run Honor of Kings at the High Resolution setting. Meanwhile, PUBG Mobile ran at the HD Graphics settings and on the higher framerate option. As such, you can expect this phone to run pretty much every popular MOBA or FPS.
Now, if you want to play more demanding games, you may want to temper your expectations a bit. You should still be able to run some open-world games, though you’ll need to use the Low or Medium graphics settings for these titles.
On the flip side, if you like gaming for long hours, the nova 15 Max won’t disappoint, as it didn’t get noticeably hot when we were testing games on it. Plus, the massive battery means you can game all day without the need to whip out your power bank or look for a power outlet.
Geek Photoshoot Capabilities
The nova 15 Max has an interesting camera setup, as it features a 50MP main shooter paired with an auxiliary lens. At the front is an 8MP selfie camera. This is an interesting choice of cameras, as many mid-rangers these days pack a dedicated ultrawide camera.
Even though this phone has only one proper rear shooter, it makes up for this when it comes to quality, as the photos taken with the 50MP shooter are quite good, especially for portraits.
For starters, images taken in daylight are great, as they have good colors and plenty of detail. Even shots taken indoors are sharp and clear, provided you have ample lighting for your shot.
At night, image quality is also pretty good, especially when you use the dedicated Night Mode. As you can see in the images above, low-light photos still have bright colors and a good level of detail. While Night Mode shots are a bit on the vibrant side color-wise, the results are good overall.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the phone’s main camera is its portrait photography capabilities. As you can see in the samples above, portraits have surprisingly good background blur, complete with a variety of bokeh effects to choose from. We recommend experimenting here, as we found that some bokeh effects look more natural than others. Still, you can’t really go wrong with most options.
As for the 8MP selfie camera, even though it’s not the most impressive front shooter on paper, the selfies that it takes are pretty good. Selfies still have a good amount of detail, especially when you take them with plenty of light. At night, selfie quality does take a dip, but you should still get decent results. Note that, for selfies, we prefer turning down the beauty filters, as they can be quite strong.
Everyday Reliability
As a daily driver, the nova 15 Max is a great pick, as it is fast and responsive, not to mention powerful enough to run today’s popular apps with no issues. It also has some nifty additions like the X button, which is an extra button on the left side that you can use as a shortcut to launch specific apps or a folder with your favorite apps.
Speaking of apps, as this is a HUAWEI phone, you’ll need to download them on AppGallery. Many popular apps in the PH are already available natively on the AppGallery. For Google apps, we found that downloading them is a fairly straightforward process, enough that most users should not have many issues.
Finally, let’s talk battery life. One of the tests we did was to play a video on loop for 12 hours, with the phone set to 50% brightness and settings while connected to Wi-Fi. After 12 hours of continuous playing, the phone still had over 70% remaining. Given this result, the nova 15 Max should easily last for two days of regular use, or perhaps even more. And if you use your phone heavily, it will still be a challenge to fully drain this phone in one day.
If you do need to charge, the phone supports 40W fast charging, which means you can get to 100% without waiting too long.
Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict
After testing the new HUAWEI nova 15 Max, we can say that this phone is indeed a worthy option for buyers who want a phone with an incredibly long battery life, as its 8,500mAh battery translates to two (or even up to 3) days of use on a single charge. This is complemented by good performance, a nice display, and great design. The camera setup is also not bad at all for photography, and AppGallery has become much easier to use for app installs (though the lack of Google natively may still take some time to get used to for some users).
While the mid-range segment is quite competitive, the nova 15 Max is definitely a compelling choice at its price of PHP 20,888. It’s also an even better deal at its PHP 19,888 limited-time promo price.
HUAWEI nova 15 Max Specs:
- 6.84-inch OLED (1272 x 2756 resolution) display with a 120Hz refresh rate
- Kirin 8000 processor
- 8GB RAM
- 256GB storage
- Rear cameras: 50MP f/1.9 main + Auxilliary lens
- Front camera: 8MP
- Wi-FI, LTE, Dual SIM
- Side-Mounted Fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C port
- IP65 dust and water resistance
- 8,500mAh battery with 40W fast charging and 5W reverse wireless charging
- EMUI 14.2
- Color options: Blush Gold, Lake Cyan, Golden Black
- Price: PHP 20,888