Preamble:
Many years later, all Chinese will still remember the classic moments of Huawei mobile phones in 2023, those exciting scenes, led by the Huawei Mate 60 series, and also passed on by the Huawei nova 12 series. Their significance to "Chinese mobile phones" and even "Chinese spirit" is related to the industry, the nation, and every Chinese who has struggled endlessly. When the gears of fate begin to turn subtly, many things become wonderful.
A sentence "the light boat has passed over the ten thousand mountains", how much emotion, how sad, how much not angry, how much excited, the world is saying that water pierces stones, only water knows that the way of heaven is late. As the series of works that can best represent Huawei's profound attainments in the field of mobile phones and the heritage of the times, the release of Huawei Mate 60 series is another heavy blow for Huawei since Hongmeng 4.0, its existence is not only "an annual flagship" presentation, but also Huawei's persistence in faith and indomitable spirit in recent years, and it is a symbolic work with a milestone spirit of progress. And at the end of 2023, the debut of the "staunch fashion wingman" nova 12 series will give this spirit a more substantial "aggressiveness".
Obviously, whether it was or will be, Huawei's nova series products have a different kind of market tactical value and brand breadth value. But more importantly, the nova 12 series, like the Mate 60 series, has a "unique historical mission" that is particularly important. It can also be understood in this way: for 2023, for 2024, for the young throbbing, for the exquisite belonging, no matter what the reason, Huawei needs the nova 12 series to consolidate.
In this article, we focus on the Huawei nova 12 Ultra, which is the top configuration of the series models, and we can get a glimpse of the nova 12 series. At the same time, with the title of this fashionable, elegant, cutting-edge and free work, rich connotation, we will talk about the classic product creation method of "how to finalize and how to open" at the end of the year and the beginning of the year. Of course, because this is Huawei, "there are some things that are not difficult to look at, but they cannot be copied".
The Huawei nova 12 Ultra in front of you adopts an integrated plain leather embossing design, Display Turbo dynamic display enhancement technology, second-generation Kunlun glass, physical variable aperture lens, Hongmeng 4.0 self-developed system and a series of leading technologies, the attractiveness of the overall configuration is attributed to the parameters, and not only the parameters. From the perspective of pure "product power", Huawei's creation of nova 12 Ultra is all-round. Let's talk.
As for the basic characteristics of the nova 12 series models, we have already done a detailed new product report before, and the standard version of the nova 12 adopts a façade style on the side of the fuselage, which is very different from the side curved surface style of the nova 12 Ultra and Pro versions. In addition, there is a nova 12 vitality version this time, the appearance and style are the same as nova 12, equipped with Snapdragon 778G 4G processor, and the starting price of 2499 yuan further lowers the threshold for entry.
The main differences between nova 12 Pro and nova 12 Ultra are briefly summarized here in the data sheet:
- The screen of the Ultra version is protected by the second generation of Kunlun Glass, which is exclusive to the nova 12 series;
- The Ultra version is equipped with the Kirin 9000S processor platform, which is indeed higher than the Pro version of the Kirin 8000;
- The Ultra version is available in a 1TB storage configuration, while the Pro version is available in a more youthful white and pink colorway.
- Both the Ultra version and the Pro version support two-way Beidou satellite messages, and the image configuration is the same as the screen configuration, which makes the Pro version more reasonable.
- The Ultra and Pro versions have the same body size, but the Ultra version is lighter;
The beauty of fashion artistic conception color, led by No. 12 color
Huawei's models have always had their own distinctive aesthetic language in terms of exterior design, which we have emphasized more than once, not to mention that it is facing its stylish flagship models. Moreover, the nova is Huawei's best at "experimenting" with colors, and it is even a pioneer in "testing color aesthetics" for the P series and Mate series. Therefore, the change of the new No. 12 color is also a transmission with extended meaning, which is very meaningful to the nova 12 series itself.
Specifically, the nova 12 series integrates the vitality and confidence of young people into the design, bringing a new No. 12 color - eye-catching blue, which is hot and vibrant, avant-garde fashion. No. 12 color is paired with plain leather, eye-catching and confident. The eye-catching blue combined with the glass back panel reflects the blue-toned brilliance and is stylish and dazzling. In addition, the nova 12 series also comes in four colors: Soot Gray, Obsidian Gold Black, Sakura White, and Sakura Pink. The newly upgraded Star Ring design draws inspiration from luxury jewellery and uses precision metalworking technology to make it even more dazzling. The delicate plain leather perfectly wraps the lens module, which is natural and exquisite. In particular, the nova 12 Ultra uses a larger star beacon to present a more eye-catching posture, like a young man announcing to the world: excellent "blue" can't be stopped.
The above is the official introduction, and from the actual experience, it is indeed true. In the case of the nova 12 Ultra, for example, the back cover of the fuselage features an integrated plain leather embossed design with the iconic nova embossed elements, echoing the metal nova lettering on the star ring and the silver nova lettering under the back panel. The integrated plain leather process wraps the plain leather of the back plate to the metal frame of the lens module, so that the rear lens module and the back panel of the fuselage are integrated into one, bringing an integrated visual experience.
The design of the rear camera module of the nova 12 Ultra has been upgraded to the "Super Star Ring", which is larger and more eye-catching than the rear lens module of the previous generation, and the lens module presents a classic symmetrical shape, and the Super Star Ring is surrounded by a simple and slender ring wheel, just like a planet running in a star orbit. The silver laser lettering in the jewelry design style is engraved on the periphery of the main camera, and the drilling and cutting process cuts out the brilliant C corner, which is a familiar sense of luxury quality, which young people like very much.
Subjectively, the overall grip of the nova 12 Ultra is quite comfortable, and the integrated plain leather design also brings a smooth touch feel. We suggest that the Ultra version of the No. 12 color and smoke cloud gray should not be used with a shell, on the one hand, the color is good enough to show itself well, on the other hand, the feel is good enough to make us love it, and the plain leather material is not stained with fingerprints, which is much better than many glass machines. The sturdiness of the fuselage, Huawei is confident, and we are confident.
In terms of consistent and holistic aesthetic concept, the nova 12 series is the same as its predecessor nova 11 series in terms of visual heritage, highlighting the beauty of technology and the future. In the past few years, no matter what ups and downs have been experienced, the quality of Huawei nova series mobile phones has been continuously recognized and has become a young and fashionable trend icon, and the nova brand equity has also been continuously precipitated. The belief remains the same, which is precisely an expression of a youthful attitude. In fact, there is another small detail: Huawei has not "jumped definition" for the naming of the nova product line for so many years, and follows the progressive naming from generation to generation, which should also represent Huawei's perception of young attitude in a small way - down-to-earth and gradual.
Image is a young sign that nova continues to surpass itself
It's like "fighting monsters and leveling up", the higher the rank, the more difficult the road to upgrade. Huawei's flagship models have a long history of pursuing image shooting performance, but because of this, every time the P series and Mate series are reborn, there are particularly high expectations on the imaging side. And this kind of expectation, in the nova of young people, also has its own insistence.
You must know that Huawei has always had its own opinions on the lifestyle of "Generation Z young people", and has always paid attention to their excitement and changes. These young people have redefined their lifestyles through social networking and consumption, and the development of online social networking and technology has brought about a new era of social networking.
Since everyone has become one of the creators of multiculturalism in the new social era with their own creativity, the elements of life that mobile phones need to carry will inevitably derive a variety of interpretations. The nova model is a "channel" or a "platform" for Huawei to interpret these interpretations, and since the nova 12 series is "debuting in the finale in 2023 and opening for 2024", it must live up to the expectations of young people - imaging ability is the core criterion for judging whether it is successful.
Huawei said that this time, the nova 12 Ultra and nova 12 Pro have given a new definition to the variable aperture, so that there is a suitable aperture choice for every scene. Variable aperture, all-round out of the circle. When shooting portraits, it can intelligently switch to the "portrait circle" of F1.4, bringing excellent optical bokeh and precise segmentation effects, with three-dimensional protrusion of the person and natural background blur. When shooting cute pets and capturing natural scenery, you can intelligently switch to the F2.0 "cute pet circle/landscape circle", the pet hair is delicate and shiny, and the natural scenery is moderate. When taking a group photo with more than three people, use the F4.0 "group photo circle", everyone is in the C position, and the distance and distance are clear. When recording the stars, the F4.0 aperture becomes the "star circle", and the stars are sharp and clear, shining brightly.
The nova 12 Ultra in our hands is indeed like this: the rear 50 million physical variable aperture lens + 8 million ultra wide-angle macro lens dual camera combination, the main camera supports F1.4 ultra-large aperture, RYYB super sensitive color filter array, which can take enough brilliant photos. In particular, with the use of variable aperture, F1.4 can shoot ultra-shallow depth-of-field photos with optical natural portrait bokeh effect, F2.0 is more suitable for shooting landscapes or pets, which balances various parameters well, and F4.0 is suitable for taking group photos or starry photos.
With the blessing of the physical variable aperture, nova 12 Ultra can more flexibly respond to the needs of diverse night scenes, and achieve clearer night scene imaging results.
All in all, the nova 12 Ultra has a very high shooting rate, because the 50-megapixel outsole is not the same as the number of pixels, but the combination of the outsole sensor and variable aperture to record high-quality details in all lighting conditions.
Selfie, the beauty of self-confidence "can't live in the blue"
All along, taking a selfie is never a trivial matter, but a story about "me". Nova believes that in this era, everyone can discover the most beautiful version of themselves: mobile phones should become a companion for young people to record their lives and share their feelings, so that more people can easily operate and unleash their creativity and talent to the fullest.
nova 12 Ultra and nova 12 Pro's front-facing image configuration is the same, with its front-facing binocular stereo vision image system bringing 0.7X-5X full-zoom capability, and equipped with the unique XD Portrait Huawei da Vinci portrait engine, focusing on the four portrait characteristics of "shape, quality, light, and color", and various selfie scenes can not only be captured clearly, but also beautifully. In terms of "shape", the skin is firm, the face shape is smooth, the "quality" level is clear and soft, the skin texture is delicate, the "light" level restores the light and shade, three-dimensional and transparent, and the "color" level keeps the skin tone clear, moist and bright, showing the beauty of nova portraits.
In terms of the beautification algorithm of the front-facing image, the nova 12 series pioneered three portrait beautification themes: native, texture, and finish. The original theme retains the real details of the portrait, and what you shoot is what you get. The texture theme is moderately tuned based on reality, which is easy to grasp the aesthetics, and the atmosphere cannot be stopped. In fact, on the previous generation nova 11 series, Huawei brought a variable aperture and the first XD Portrait portrait engine, this time nova 12 Ultra is from the shape, quality, light, color of the four major portrait characteristics, the portrait is optimized, to achieve skin firming, delicate skin texture, three-dimensional transparency, moist and bright effect.
Impressively, it is the theme of finishing, which is fully beautified for portraits, showing the beauty of temperament, and the aura is fully open.
In addition, as the latest HarmonyOS light flagship of nova starman, HUAWEI nova 12 series has a more powerful front and rear image system and richer image creativity, which inspires creativity. Whether it is a Vlog enthusiast or an ordinary user, it is easy to get started, and the shooting is exquisite, interesting, and the editing is more convenient.
Performance experience is both pragmatic and powerful
The performance platform prepared by Huawei for the nova 12 series is still a "far ahead" chip, and both the "9000" and "8000" have the expected strong performance and comprehensive capabilities that are in line with Huawei's overall ecological application positioning. 12GB RAM configuration, considering the excellent mobilization ability and background management ability of the HarmonyOS system (especially in the future"Harmony Galaxy Edition"), the smooth experience can completely suppress the 16GB or even larger RAM configuration of the Android platform.
The new generation of nova game engine also brings a pretty good smooth gaming experience to the nova 12 series. We tested the frame rate of the game with the performance mode turned on, the screen refresh rate set to Smart, and the screen resolution set to Smart, and the frame rate curves of several mainstream games were almost straight and satisfying.
The nova 12 series also has a series of advanced technologies such as AI Scheduling 4.0, Touch Turbo 4.0, GPU Turbo 4.0, etc., and the nova 12 Ultra is also equipped with a super heat dissipation architecture, using low flow resistance, high-performance VC and ultra-high thermal conductivity graphene design to improve heat dissipation performance.
In addition to strong performance, nova 12 series also brings HarmonyOS smart communication, which can ensure high-quality signal quality and low network latency in both cellular and Wi-Fi states. In addition, the nova 12 series is equipped with a low-frequency wide-coverage antenna empowered by Huawei's exclusive patent, which has stronger signal transmission and reception capabilities, meeting the signal requirements of complex scenarios such as elevators, subways, and high-speed railways.
The public is more concerned about the fact that in the absence of terrestrial network signals, nova 12 Ultra and nova 12 Pro have Beidou satellite messages and support two-way information communication. It can be said that with the blessing of intelligent communication and two-way Beidou satellite messaging, the high-end models of the nova 12 series have the communication capability of all scenarios, which can bring us an excellent network experience while also making us feel full.
In addition, the nova 12 series is equipped with a 4600mAh battery and a 100W smart fast charging Turbo, which can be charged to 60% in 10 minutes, making it easy to get rid of power anxiety.
The balance between screen and adaptation is pragmatic
When it comes to the screen, the design aesthetics, in the era of full-screen models, it is impossible to ignore the existence of the screen, which has been the case for more than ten years. Indeed, the screen is both the face and the lining for contemporary mobile phones. Whether it's fast gaming, smooth streaming, or colorful photos and videos, you need a high-quality screen to present them. In the past, Huawei said that "there is a dream in the heart, and there is light in the eyes". In our pupils, thousands of objects come to life, and to record them, we need a high-quality screen.
The nova 12 Ultra (including the Pro version) is equipped with a four-sided slightly curved straight screen for the first time in the nova model, which balances the rounded feel and precise control. It supports 1-120Hz dynamic adaptive refresh to improve fluency and effectively reduce power consumption, full-screen AOD makes it easier to reach information and express personality more easily, 2160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming can reduce screen flicker, and AI HDR image high-dynamic display brings bright and dark display effects and rich colors.
The standard version of the nova 12 features a 6.7-inch 120Hz straight screen, which is in line with its own façade body design style. The overall quality of the screen is still good.
In terms of control, the screens of several models in the nova 12 series support up to 300Hz screen touch sampling rate, combined with Super Touch technology, even if users make multi-finger extreme click operations, they can get a fast response. This benefit is reflected in the fact that when playing games, especially mobile games with trendy rhythm music, piano rhythm, etc., you can get a fast response speed. At the same time, thanks to the addition of the touch super-resolution function, the resolution of the touch processing image is effectively improved, and the accuracy of the coordinate position of touch recognition is greatly improved.
At the same time, nova 12 Ultra also adds a full-screen AOD display function, which allows you to directly read the date, time, battery and various important information without unlocking, and supports the real-time service status of the application, making it more efficient and convenient to use. Yes, the protection of the second generation of Kunlun Glass also belongs to the nova 12 Ultra.
In terms of optical fingerprints, the nova 12 series is still a short-throw optical module that we are familiar with, which is a little regrettable.
Wisdom re-evolves, the new charm of HarmonyOS 4.0
As we all know, the Mate 60 series is the first model to officially carry the HarmonyOS 4 system, and the nova 12 series will naturally be equipped with this system. We've already covered HarmonyOS 4 in a special article, so I'll just talk about it here.
For example, the nova 12 series debuted the intelligent magic cutout function, which supports layer combination, and the heart-warming materials can be cut at hand, making the secondary creation more exciting. In the gallery, press and hold with two fingers to open the smart screen, and then press and hold the subject to be cut out with one finger, and the cutout can be completed, and then you can put it into the super transfer station for sharing or secondary creation.
The new HarmonyOS Smart Gallery supports gallery semantic search, and users can accurately search for relevant photos in the gallery by entering daily colloquial descriptive sentences, which is smarter and understands you better. In addition, nova 12 Ultra supports air control and smart payment functions, which is efficient and convenient. In short, with the addition of Smart Magic Cutout, HarmonyOS 4 has been further enriched with features, and it is expected to cover more products in the future. In terms of information security, HarmonyOS has always been an important competitiveness, so I won't go into more detail here.
EF Review:
Looking back at the past few generations of Huawei nova products, from the Nova 3 series in July 2018 to the Nova 11 series in April 2023, we have never felt so deeply in so many years that a "stylish model" can carry such a clear and proud mission, even though it still seems calm and confident.
Huawei's nova 12 series, represented by nova 12 Ultra, does have the same market shock as the Mate 60 series, and the chemistry created by its high expectations and high expectations determines its true role value of "shouldering the mission, being the finale and the opening". This value trumps product parameters and technical characteristics.
Indeed, the generations that the nova series has gone through to this day are all distinctive existences, and they are very characteristic of the times and consumption guidance (for its target group). But for some well-known reasons, the nova 12 series at the end of 2023 will be expected to be more demanded and hoped by the public. Or, from a purely commercial point of view, Huawei also hopes that the positioning coverage and "fashion combat effectiveness" of the new generation of nova can be presented more ideally than before. The spring rhapsody to be played in the nova 12 series is full of interesting meaning in itself.
It can also be said that since the beginning of the Mate 60 series, since the nova 12 series has been inherited, we will wait to see the "P70 series" debuted in the near future, and a more mature and more powerful Huawei that is "complete" is really back.
Putting aside all kinds of emotional factors, the experience and configuration, especially the overall performance of the system, for old users of nova products and even users of P series models before the P50 series, the nova 12 series is worth changing. Of course, it is necessary to make a decisive choice for nova 12 Ultra, which can fully satisfy all the thoughts of old nova series and P series users about "fashion Huawei" and "image Huawei". In addition, Huawei still will not participate in the so-called price war, its pricing strategy has always had its reasons, and the world has a reason to seek after it.