Huawei nova 3 vs Huawei nova 4

The Huawei nova 3 (2018) runs on the Hisilicon Kirin 970, while the Huawei nova 4 (2018) runs on the Hisilicon Kirin 970. By overall MobileRank rating, the Huawei nova 4 leads — 36/100 vs 32/100 (a 4-point difference). Key differences: the main camera is 16 MP vs 48 MP; the Huawei nova 3 has NFC for contactless payments, the Huawei nova 4 doesn't.

The Huawei nova 4 edges out the Huawei nova 3 by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.

Profile comparison

Category scores

Huawei nova 3

Performance 34
Display 58
Camera 17
Battery 16
Portability 87
Value for money —

Huawei nova 4

Performance 34
Display 57
Camera 34
Battery 16
Portability 78
Value for money —

What makes Huawei nova 3 better?

  • Lighter: 166g vs 172g

  • Better display (58/100 vs 57/100)
  • Better portability (87/100 vs 78/100)

What makes Huawei nova 4 better?

  • Better main camera: 48MP vs 16MP

  • Better camera (34/100 vs 17/100)

Comparison verdict

Comparing the Huawei nova 3 vs the Huawei nova 4, the Huawei nova 4 scores 4 points higher (36/100 vs 32/100). In the "camera" category, the Huawei nova 4 leads (34/100 vs 17/100). In the "performance" category, both devices are on the same level — 34/100. In the "display" category, the Huawei nova 3 and the Huawei nova 4 are nearly equal (58/100 vs 57/100). In the "camera" category, the Huawei nova 4 notably outperforms the Huawei nova 3 (34/100 vs 17/100). In the "battery" category, both devices are on the same level — 16/100. In the "portability" category, the Huawei nova 3 is a bit better (87/100 vs 78/100).

Specs comparison

Specification Huawei nova 3 Huawei nova 4
Processor Hisilicon Kirin 970 Hisilicon Kirin 970
AnTuTu 470805 470805
Geekbench Single 420 420
Geekbench Multi 1617 1617
Display 6.3" IPS LCD 6.4" IPS LCD
Resolution 1080x2340 1080x2310
Refresh rate — —
Battery 3750 mAh 3750 mAh
Charging 18W 18W
Main camera 16 MP 48 MP
Front camera 24 MP 25 MP
RAM 4GB / 6GB 8GB
Storage 128GB / 8TB 128GB
OS Android 8.1 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie); EMUI 9 Android 9.0 (Pie)
NFC yes no
Dimensions 157.0×73.7×7.3 mm 157.0×75.1×7.8 mm
Weight 166 g 172 g
Launch price — —

Camera comparison

Huawei nova 3

  • Main: 16MP f/1.8
  • Front: 24MP
17
camera

Huawei nova 4

  • Main: 48MP f/1.8
  • Front: 25MP
34
camera

Display comparison

Huawei nova 3

  • 6.3" IPS LCD
  • Resolution: 1080x2340
  • Refresh rate: —
58
display

Huawei nova 4

  • 6.4" IPS LCD
  • Resolution: 1080x2310
  • Refresh rate: —
57
display

Battery and charging

Huawei nova 3

  • 3750 mAh
  • Wired: 18W
  • No wireless charging
16
battery

Huawei nova 4

  • 3750 mAh
  • Wired: 18W
  • No wireless charging
16
battery

Overall performance score

We compared Huawei nova 3 and Huawei nova 4, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Huawei nova 3 Hisilicon Kirin 970
32/100
470805 AnTuTu
Huawei nova 4 Hisilicon Kirin 970
36/100
470805 AnTuTu

Equal performance based on benchmark results.

Benchmarks

Detailed category analysis

performance

In the "performance" category, both devices are on the same level — 34/100.

display

In the "display" category, the Huawei nova 3 and the Huawei nova 4 are nearly equal (58/100 vs 57/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Huawei nova 4 notably outperforms the Huawei nova 3 (34/100 vs 17/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, both devices are on the same level — 16/100.

portability

In the "portability" category, the Huawei nova 3 is a bit better (87/100 vs 78/100).

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: the Huawei nova 3 or the Huawei nova 4?

The Huawei nova 4 edges out the Huawei nova 3 by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.

What is the rating of the Huawei nova 3 and the Huawei nova 4?

The Huawei nova 3 has a MobileRank rating of 32/100, the Huawei nova 4 — 36/100.

Which has the better camera: the Huawei nova 3 or the Huawei nova 4?

The Huawei nova 4 leads on camera score (34/100 vs 17/100).

Should you choose the Huawei nova 3 over the Huawei nova 4?

Neither model stands out enough to recommend it for a specific use case: the clearest difference is camera — better on the Huawei nova 4 (34/100 vs 17/100).