Despite being mid-tier handsets, the Nova and Nova Plus -- both available in silver, gray and gold -- are built from aluminum like Huawei's pricier devices. The bigger of the two isn't the sexiest of handsets. The protruding, square camera hump with beady lens looks a little dated and unrefined. Also, though there isn't an excess of bezel on either size of the display, the larger phone feels a bit unwieldy in comparison to the neat, compact five-inch Nova.

In fact, the Nova is a pretty good-looking device -- better designed, even, than Huawei's flagship P9. The two are strikingly similar, but the Nova's Nexus 6P-like design has slightly softer rounded corners and a circular fingerprint sensor that's a bit more aesthetically pleasing than the sharper, square version. It's thin, light, easy on the hands and, all things considered, feels more polished and 'premium' in spite of it sitting below the P9 in Huawei's smartphone hierarchy.

The Nova and Nova Plus will be available from early October for €399 and €429, respectively.

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