HUAWEI’s nova series has always been a strong contender in the mid-range space with compelling specifications. The main draw of the series has always been its flagship class camera with a price point that makes it one of the most accessible offerings that’s worth your money on the market.
That said, the company recently announced the availability of their nova 6 series in China. It looks like the 6 isn’t making its way to Malaysia. Instead, HUAWEI is teasing a new entry: the nova 7i which will be available in Malaysia from 14 February 2020!
The new HUAWEI nova 7i looks to be coming with a HiSilicon Kirin 810 which was featured in the HONOR 9X and 9X Pro. That said, the new chipset promises power savings thanks to the 7nm fabrication process which allows the chip to have more performance while keeping the battery life. The processor is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. If 128GB isn’t enough, you’ll be able to add up to 256GB of extra memory with a nano memory card (NM card).
The display on the nova 7i is a 6.4-inch LTPS IPS LCD capable of reproducing 16 million colours. It’s a Full HD+ display with a resolution of 1080×2310 pixels. Unlike its flagship brethren, the new mid-ranger comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. HUAWEI included a large, 4,200mAh battery for all-day battery life. It also supports 40W supercharge charging which can provide 70% of battery with 30 minutes of charging.
More Cameras, More Better Pictures?
The camera setup on the smartphone is a quad camera array with a 48-megapixel main sensor. It is also capable of ultrawide and macro shots. HUAWEI hasn’t clarified if the ultrawide and macro features are due to individual sensors on the camera array. That said, the main sensor is a wide sensor with an f/1.8 aperture for better low light performance.
HUAWEI is touting the front camera’s enhanced selfie features. This is powered by a dual selfie camera setup. HUAWEI hasn’t divulged the exact sensors used in the setup. That said, the company has touted that the new setup will enable users to get “golden selfies”. In addition, it looks like the nova 7i comes with enhanced software that will allow users to get better performance on video calls and even when posting to social media such as TikTok and Instagram.
We don’t have any information on the price. However, given the previous price point of the nova 5T, we expect the nova 7i to be about MYR1,599. It is likely the smartphone may be priced higher due to the HUAWEI Y9s released last year.
If you kept up with the tech scene as of 2019, there would be one topic that is a little more outstanding that others. No, not foldable devices. Nope, not even flexible glass, or roll-able TVs like LGs. The hottest topic all year long was the dawn of 5G connectivity.
At this point, if you ask us about when you can expect 5G, we can only say this year 2020. You can bet on that though. The three major network providers in Malaysia have started testing out 5G networks as of late 2019 last year. Celcom, Maxis, and Digi have been looking into 5G implementations and have been talking about upgrading their towers for 5G connectivity roll-out. They also claim that some towers are already ready for a 5G switch. Celcom, for example have successfully tested out their 5G network in their own office tower in 2019.
Of course, there is a big problem when our network providers turns on the switch to 5G. That problem is not on their ends. Sadly, we are limited to our devices; we do not have plenty of choices when it comes to 5G ready devices. Even the Samsung Galaxy Fold that comes to Malaysia will not have 5G connectivity. The only 5G ready smartphone that was launched last year was from Vivo.
This year looks to be different though. Other than the expected 5G roll-out, you can expect more smartphones to come with 5G connectivity. One of those smartphones that is confirmed to come as a 5G ready device is the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G (codename: LIO-N29). How do we know? It just passed through SIRIM’s inspections as of January 2020.
Source: HUAWEI
Yes, the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro is not that new of a smartphone. It launched late last year 2019 in Malaysia. It packs HiSilicon’s most powerful Kirin 990 with 8GB of RAM. The Malaysian model comes with 256GB of storage too for good measure. The Huawei Mate 30 Pro continues with their super powerful quad-camera set-up as well as a large 4,500mAh battery. The device is void of any physical buttons. Instead, the beautiful Horizon display takes on the traditional volume rocker function. Of course, to power on the device, there is still a haptic button on the right side. For 2020, it will have 5G to get it up to speeds with Malaysia’s introduction of 5G.
Source: SIRIM
From the screenshot, HUAWEI’s Mate 30 Pro 5G comes with three 5G bands. The devices comes with a 700MHz, 3,500MHz, and 3,700MHz bands. Nope, not gibberish; the global band for 5G has been reported to be somewhere between 3,300MHz to 4,200MHz. There are also reports of 700MHz spectrums being used in Malaysia for certain telcos. Which also means that the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro will be perfectly ready for Malaysia’s 5G push.
We do not know when the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G version will be going into the market. We do know though that SIRIM has approved the specifications within the screenshot. That also means that we can expect the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro 5G to go on sale very soon. Price? We are guessing about MYR 4,499. Do not take our word for it though, we could be wrong.
HUAWEI is now more than just a smartphone brand. While they are known for their very compelling and innovative smartphones like their latest HUAWEI Mate 30 series, or the foldable Mate X; they make more than smartphones. In fact, they have made plans to launch smart home products in other markets as of 2020.
Still, the Malaysian market knows the Chinese company not just through their smartphones. We know them through their notebook PC offerings too. We tested the MateBook 13 and we really liked it, to be fair. So not only do they make compelling smartphones, they make compelling PC products too; albeit the odd display ratio.
Source: HUAWEI
Still, they do know how to make great portable productivity devices. The latest to come to the Malaysian market is the new HUAWEI MateBook D15, an MYR 2,499 notebook PC for the working person. Well, you could be a student and enjoy the MateBook D 15 too, we do not discriminate.
It will be available from 18th January 2020 onward at a starting price mentioned above. At MYR 2,499 also you can get a HUAWEI P30 smartphone, just saying. Still, it is an ultra-thin, ultra-light notebook PC that you are looking at here; MYR 2,499 is actually very reasonable.
For MYR 2,499 you are looking at an ultra-thin and light Windows 10 notebook PC that charges via a 65W USB Type-C charger. Of course, you can use that charger on a smartphone too, your HUAWEI smartphone, let us say. The MateBook D 15 also packs 16GB in RAM paired to 256GB of SSD and up to 1TB of HDD, plenty more than enough to work with if you ask me.
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Source: HUAWEI
Getting everything within the petite body of the HUAWEI MateBook D 15 running nicely on the 15-inch display is a Ryzen 5 3500U CPU paired to an integrated RADEON Vega 8 GPU. In plenty of tests, this combination is still great to run games like DOTA 2 or League of Legends when the mood hits you.
You see all these Windows 10 goodness through a 15.6-inch Full HD 1080p display. The thing is though, if you own a HUAWEI smartphone, the MateBook D 15 becomes more than just a notebook PC, it becomes your multi-platform workhorse. You can thank HUAWEI’s One Tap Share feature that we loved so much in the HUAWEI MateBook 13 we tested with the HUAWEI P30 Pro.
Source: HUAWEI
The HUAWEI MateBook D 15 will be available 18th January 2020 onward. You can get your hands on one via HUAWEI official concept stores or any retail partners across the nation. There is only one colour option though, Mystic Silver, at this point. As mentioned, price starts from MYR 2,499.
You know that CPU in your HUAWEI smartphones that you are so used to? Yes, the HUAWEI branded processing chip that has been a staple in HUAWEI’s flagships and other smartphones. Yes, HiSilicon, as the title named. No, they are still HUAWEI’s subsidiary.
From 2020 onward though you might not just see HUAWEI devices fitting in chips from their in-house chip maker. They are starting to sell their chip technologies and processing chips to other manufacturers, expanding their business opportunities.
It does make a lot of sense this move of opening themselves up to the bigger market. HiSilicon makes some of the world’s cleverest and powerful processing chips to be put in a smartphone. The HiSilicon Kirin 990 for example, is proven to be one of the most powerful System on a Chip (SoC) to be found on a smartphone. So it is not like they make subpar products, they do make some compelling stuff. It is just that we have never seen anyone other than HUAWEI using the chips due to HUAWEI’s agreement with their subsidiary.
These years where Shanghai HiSilicon operates exclusively for HUAWEI too sees the Chinese telecommunication giant benefit from the clever chip designs of the chip manufacturer. The Kirin SoC series is partly responsible for HUAWEI’s successful P series and Mate series line-ups thanks to the clever dedicated Neural Processing Unit (mostly known as an AI chip) integration, first in the world in the HiSilicon Kirin 970.
The expansion does not just cover smartphone SoC sales though. The expansion also extends to Shenzhen HiSilicon expanding their manufacturing scope to more than just smartphone chips. They will be responsible for making processing chips for things like smart TVs, set-top boxes, and other smart home electronics that needs a processing chip.
The new year is around the corner and, we’re pretty confident, you’re
looking for something new, we’re pretty sure you’ll want to look into this.
With the turn of the decade happening, it would make the most sense to gear
yourself for a more connected, unified and Smart Life. HUAWEI is allowing you
to do just that without breaking your bank with offers for devices starting
from MYR8.97 a day. These offers include their flagship devices such as the
Mate30 series and the HUAWEI Matebook.
Perfect Combination of Connectivity and Productivity for
MYR32.53 day
If you’re looking for top
of the line performance, you can’t go better than HUAWEI’s latest flagship
Mate30 Pro which comes with their latest HiSilicon Kirin 990 processor with 8GB
of RAM and up to 256GB of internal memory. HUAWEI’s Matebook 13 complements the
powerful smartphone with it’s Intel Core i7 processor and sleek looks. It
doesn’t just end there, the Matebook 13 also has the OneHop feature which
allows you to seamlessly transfer files between your Mate30 Pro and the
Matebook 13. Stay connected in your home or office with HUAWEI’s Q2 Pro router.
It’s not all about the
connectivity and power with this bundle though, it’s also about looking good on
the go. Stay stylish with the HUAWEI x Gentle Monster smart glasses which
brings functional fashion to a whole new level. You’ll also be able to get in the
best shape of your life with the HUAWEI Watch GT2. It’ll allow you keep track
of your active lifestyle with the many sensors. Of course, you’ll need music
while working out. That’s where you’ll be able to use the new HUAWEI FreeBuds 3
like a boss. You get all of these for MYR32.53/day!
A Smarter Approach to Studying for MYR19.39 a day
If you’re a student taking
that next step, HUAWEI isn’t leaving you behind. They’ve got a bundle that sets
you back only MYR19.39 a day. You’ll be able to get a new laptop for your new
chapter. The new Matebook 13 with Intel’s i5 processor should be able to handle
your workload for university or even high school. The HUAWEI nova 5T will
refresh your smartphone with one which is capable of amazing pictures but, most
importantly, it’ll take you through the day without issue.
That’s not all, you’ll be
able to keep better track of your time with the HUAWEI Watch GT2. The
smartwatch will be able to connect seamlessly with the nova 5T and send you
reminders of any appointments you have on your schedule! You’ll be able to tune
out the world with the intelligent noise cancelling feature of the FreeBuds 3
while you work. Stay focused and increase your productivity.
Get Jet Setting with a winning combo for only MYR22.13 a
day
Those of us who are constantly traveling need something lightweight yet powerful. HUAWEI’s travel essentials allows you to stay productive on the go with the MediaPad M6 10.8-inch and it’s keyboard cover. The lightweight tablet allows you work on-the-go with HUAWEI’s powerful HiSilicon Kirin 980 processor and 4GB of RAM. If you need to work with precision, the tablet has support for HUAWEI’s MPen stylus.
Traveling isn’t just about being productive on-the-go. You also have to deal with crowded spaces and long hours in commute. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 3 allows you to tune out the noise with its intelligent noise cancelling. Thanks to its lightweight design, the FreeBuds 3 also allows you to wear them for long hours without discomfort. If you do get tired of the FreeBuds 3, you can look stylish, be productive and even answer calls on the HUAWEI x Gentle Monster smart glasses. Of course, to bring everything together and to capture every moment in amazing quality, you’ll be using the HUAWEI Mate30 Pro. All of these devices will be able to communicate seamlessly with one another to enhance your productivity and also give you a seamless, hassle free experience.
Get Fit the Smart Way for only MYR8.97 a day
Of course, with the new
year comes new year’s resolutions to get in better shape and have a healthier
life. There’s no better way to do that than to get some technological help from
a few gadgets which will give you important data that will help you on the way!
The HUAWEI Watch GT2 will
be able to let you know how you are doing when it comes to remaining active on
a daily basis. Keep track of your steps and active hours to make sure you’re
not slouching around. It can even keep track of your workouts so you’ll be able
to optimise and get more out of them. You’ll also be able to keep track of your
sleep cause all of us know rest and recovery are as important! Keep track of
your body fat percentage with the HUAWEI Body scale. It goes without saying
that the body scale will allow you to keep track of your weight as well.
Stay focused while working
out with the noise cancelling on the HUAWEI FreeBuds 3. The smart Bluetooth
optimisation algorithm will make sure you have the best audio quality during
your workout even if you end up there when it’s packed with people. You’ll need
a smartphone to keep track of all the data and to play your favourite tunes.
That’s where the very capable nova 5T comes in! All of this for only MYR8.97 a
day.
With all these bundles, there’s little excuse when it comes to kicking off the year in a Smart way with HUAWEI’s Smart Life. The bundles are catered for any thing you’re looking for. In fact, there were so many that we had to choose the best ones to get you started. To find out more about the bundles and to get your own, visit huaweitogether2020.3ex.com.my.
*DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertorial by HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES SDN BHD. It does not reflect the opinions or views of the techENT editorial board or writers.*
