It’s very unusual for one person to be carrying three phones at a time. So to put some semblance of structure in this three-way comparison among the Huawei Nova 5T, the OPPO Reno, and the Samsung Galaxy A70, we’re going to be a little more straightforward with this piece.

You can expect most of our comparisons from here on out to be looked at from these five categories: General performance, media consumption, UI and design, gaming, and everyone’s favorite — cameras.

Let’s jump right in!

Everyday performance: Reliable all throughout 

When we say everyday performance, this could mean anything from keeping up with your friends on Facebook, stalking your crush on Instagram, answering emails, and replying to chats. You know, the usual.

All three smartphones do a fantastic job at what we like to call “the basics.” As they should, given all three are midrangers with the Nova 5T even carrying the Kirin 980 — a flagship-level processor that is also equipped on the Huawei P30 Pro.

In case you’re wondering, the OPPO Reno carries a Snapdragon 710 SoC while the Galaxy A70 is rocking the Snapdragon 675. One key difference we don’t see here is the size of the chips. The Kirin 980 measures 7nm while the Snapdragon 710 and 675 come in at 10nm and 11nm respectively.

The differences are minute, but taking up a smaller space goes a long way in adding more components to each phone, which in turn helps with overall performance.

Media consumption: Size and weight matters

How many times have you told yourself, “just one more episode,” before dozing off with your phone unceremoniously landing on your face?

This happens to the best of us. And you wouldn’t want that happening while using the OPPO Reno. It’s easily the heftiest of the three which makes holding the phone in your hand while getting through 40-50 minute episodes of your favorite shows extra tiring.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy A70 is the longest of the bunch. This also adds some imbalance while you’re holding the phone for an extended period.

The Nova 5T probably has the most balanced attributes in terms of size and weight, making it easier to hold the phone. And with its surprisingly light weight despite being made out of metal, it won’t hurt as much if you drop it on yourself.

The OPPO Reno and the Galaxy A70 both use AMOLED displays while the Nova 5T opts for an IPS LCD screen. At first we thought the Reno and A70 would be far and away better viewing experiences but the difference is almost negligible.

UI and Design: All can be… cleaner

We’re not really solid fans of any of the UIs. If you’ve been using Samsung recently, then you’re probably already used to ONEUI as it’s essentially a cleaner and faster version of TouchWiz. ONE UI is snappy and has less bloat. It’s a welcome change but one that still requires plenty of refinement.

We think ColorOS does look cleaner than ONEUI but something about it just doesn’t feel as snappy. The next iteration of the UI should focus on speed if it hopes to feel as premium as the way OPPO is trying to make the external design of the Reno.

EMUI is fast and probably offer more customization than ONE UI and ColorOS. Its implementation of the swipe gesture for fullscreen is already Android 10-esque and it’s easier to switch the look of the icons should you wish to do so. And since we’ve already gotten a glimpse of how clean EMUI 10 will look, it’s easy to give it an edge over the other two UIs.

Design-wise it will all come down to preference. The A70 is the most-plane looking, the OPPO Reno looks sleek, and the Nova 5T — with its 3D holographic design — is loud and flashy. Of course, if none of the looks appeal to you, there’s always the option of slapping case on the phone.

Gaming: Size matters part 2

These are the dimensions for each phone: Nova 5T (154.3 x 74 x 7.8 mm), OPPO Reno (156.6 x 74.3 x 9 mm), Galaxy A70 (164.3 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm). Why is this relevant? The length of the A70 lends itself nicely to games that are played in landscape mode.

If you have big hands, it just makes it easier to hold the phone as you move around and adjust your aim or press button. The differences may not look like a lot on paper, but it’s these little things that make it or break it for some people.

The Reno and A70 also have their own implementations of a Game Assistant. This helps concentrate the processor’s power and RAM to gaming while you’re playing. It also adds a nifty feature of blocking notifications so you can focus on your game. This wasn’t readily present on the Nova 5T.

Performance-wise, it was the Novat 5T that automatically had most settings on high graphics, thanks largely to GPU Turbo 3.0 working in tandem with 8GB of RAM. While the Reno and A70 can handle it, going down to medium might provide a better experience. There’s no need for that on the Nova 5T. Factor in the Nova 5T’s 128GB of internal storage, and you’ve got a phone that can store all of your favorite games.

Cameras: The more the merrier

What we’re going to do here is drop a few samples in this order: Nova 5T, OPPO Reno, and A70. Carefully scrutinize each one to see the output you like the most.

Food

Portrait

Selfie

Normal, Zoom, Wide

Nova 5T

OPPO Reno

Galaxy A70

You’re probably wondering why there’s no wide for the Reno and no zoom for the A70. That’s because they simply don’t have those lenses. This is the inherent advantage of the Nova 5T. Its triple camera setup is versatile giving you different perspectives all in one phone.

Final thoughts

The differences are minute and looks-wise it will come down to preference. But when it comes down to it, the Nova 5T just has more to offer overall. If you feel like you need a wide angle lens, go with the A70. If you zoom is your thing, then it’s the Reno for you.

However, wouldn’t it be nice to have all those options? That’s what the Nova 5T gives you, on top of a flagship-level performance in a sturdy metal body with a fully customizable UI.

But here’s the kicker. The Nova 5T offers all of that at the base price of PhP 18,990. Meanwhile, the OPPO Reno and the Galaxy A70 will have you spending north of PhP 22,000. So, if you’re looking for overall value among the three, it’s clear the Nova 5T should be your pick.

SEE ALSO: Huawei Nova 5T vs Samsung Galaxy A50s: Midrange heavy hitters

This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch and Huawei Philippines.