A new star is set to explode into the local smartphone scene. Huawei Philippines today launched a James Reid-endorsed Nova handset that is going to be available this September 14.

Armed with a total of five cameras, the Huawei Nova 5T goes on the offensive with a price tag of only P18,990 (around $363).

SEE ALSO: Huawei Nova 5T review: Shines like a supernova

It’s a welcome surprise, especially since the device is powered by Kirin 980, the same chip that’s inside the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro. Consider also that the Huawei Nova 3 Kirin 970 phone, the Nova 5T’s 2018 counterpart, was released this time last year for P25,990 ($496).

This is a developing story. Do come back because we’ll share with you the exact release date and preorder details, including the freebies, in a few.

Huawei Philippines will start taking preorders for the Nova 5T September 6. You have until September 13 to make a down payment of P1,000 ($19) to get two free Bluetooth speakers and a one-year subscription to iFlix.

Preorder details

The ‘T’ in ‘5T’

What does the “T” in the model name stand for? According to the technology giant, it means “talented.” It signifies talent for design, photography, and entertainment.

It’s not just a claim, mind you. It seems that every detail of the Huawei Nova 5T is well-thought-out. The punch-hole selfie camera on the upper-left side of the screen is small at 4.5mm, so it won’t get in the way of whatever you’re doing on the device. Holding it with one hand is possible. And did we say it’s a looker? It is. The holographic-light effect on the back — better seen on the Crush Blue and Midsummer Purple color variants — is simply gorgeous.

As with other Nova series models, the Nova 5T goes big on photography as well. But while the Nova 3 lineup is equipped with four cameras — two in front and two on the back — this one has five, as we mentioned earlier. A 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 is paired with ultra-wide-angle, macro, and depth sensors. The front camera, on the other hand, is 32 megapixels.

READ ALSO: A look at Huawei’s refreshed Nova branding and Huawei Nova 3i review: Brilliant in almost every way

As for entertainment? Because the Nova 5T uses Huawei’s most premium chip — that is, until Kirin 990 comes along — performance, even when gaming, is top-notch. The Kirin 980 SoC is mated to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. And when you need to juice up the smartphone quickly for more entertainment on the go, the 3,750mAh battery can get from 0% to 50% in around 30 minutes.

Design, photography, and entertainment. The Nova 5T has just made a case for itself to be the flagship phone for the young ‘uns.

Huawei Nova 5T specs

• 6.26-inch IPS LCD display, 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
• 7nm octa-core Kirin 980 processor
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB storage
• Quad: 48MP, f/1.8 main camera (Sony IMX586); 16MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide camera; 2MP, f/2.4 macro sensor; 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
• 32-megapixel, f/2.0 front camera
• Fingerprint reader (side-mounted)
• 3,750mAh battery with 22.5-watt fast wired charging
• EMUI 9.1 based on Android 9.0 Pie (upgradable to EMUI 10-based Android 10)
• Colors: Crush Blue, Midsummer Purple, Black

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