Honor 30 Pro vs. Google Pixel 5a 5G: A Detailed Comparison of Mid-Range 5G Contenders
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Google Pixel 5a 5G emerges as the stronger recommendation. While the Honor 30 Pro boasts faster 40W charging and a theoretically more powerful chipset, the Pixel 5a 5G’s optimized software, excellent camera, and comparable battery life offer a more refined and user-friendly experience at a potentially lower price point.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor 30 Pro | Google Pixel 5a 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 5, 12, 25, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, April 15. Released 2020, April 21 | 2021, August 17 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, aluminum back |
| Dimensions | 160.3 x 73.6 x 8.4 mm (6.31 x 2.90 x 0.33 in) | 156.2 x 73.2 x 8.8 mm (6.15 x 2.88 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 186 g (6.56 oz) | 183 g (6.46 oz) |
| IP54, dust and water resistant | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~392 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.57 inches, 106.0 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.34 inches, 97.0 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED | OLED, HDR |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Kirin 990 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP16 | Adreno 620 |
| OS | Android 10, Magic UI 3, no Google Play Services | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm |
| Features | Laser AF, LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 40 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/1.7", PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (Periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 18mm (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@1920fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 32 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K, 1080p; gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 40W wired 5W reverse wired | 18W wired, PD2.0 |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4680 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Titanium silver, Emerald Green, Midnight Black, Icelandic Frost, Neon purple | Mostly Black |
| Models | EBG-AN00 | G1F8F, G4S1M |
| Price | About 670 EUR | $ 189.00 / C$ 249.99 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 122h |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 291303 (v8) GeekBench: 1337 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor 30 Pro
- Faster 40W wired charging
- Potentially higher peak CPU performance
- 5W reverse wired charging
- Potential thermal throttling issues
- Software support concerns (Huawei/Honor)
- Uncertainty regarding long-term updates
Google Pixel 5a 5G
- Clean Android experience with guaranteed updates
- Excellent camera performance with Google’s software
- Efficient Snapdragon 765G processor
- Slower 18W charging
- Less raw processing power compared to Kirin 990 5G
- No expandable storage
Display Comparison
The Pixel 5a 5G’s display achieves a measured peak brightness of 861 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the Honor 30 Pro’s display specifications are not provided, Honor typically utilizes OLED panels. The Pixel 5a 5G’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED technology, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The lack of high refresh rate on either device is notable, focusing instead on power efficiency. The Pixel 5a’s brightness advantage is a key differentiator for outdoor usability.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 5a 5G is renowned for its computational photography capabilities, leveraging Google’s image processing algorithms. While specific sensor details for the Honor 30 Pro are unavailable, the Pixel 5a 5G’s focus on software optimization delivers consistently excellent results, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Pixel’s image processing excels in dynamic range and detail preservation. The Honor 30 Pro may offer more versatility with potentially more camera lenses, but the Pixel 5a 5G’s single focus on image quality is a significant advantage.
Performance
The Honor 30 Pro’s Kirin 990 5G (7nm+) utilizes a more complex CPU core configuration – a combination of Cortex-A76 and A55 cores – aiming for higher peak performance. However, the Snapdragon 765G (7nm) in the Pixel 5a 5G, with its Kryo architecture, offers a more balanced approach. While the Kirin 990 5G theoretically has an edge in multi-core tasks, the Snapdragon 765G’s optimized power efficiency and Adreno 620 GPU provide a smoother gaming experience. The Kirin 990 5G’s thermal management has been a concern in some reviews, potentially leading to throttling under sustained load, a problem less likely with the Snapdragon 765G.
Battery Life
Both the Honor 30 Pro and Pixel 5a 5G achieve an endurance rating of 122 hours, indicating comparable overall battery life. However, the charging speeds differ significantly. The Honor 30 Pro’s 40W wired charging is substantially faster than the Pixel 5a 5G’s 18W charging with PD2.0. This means the Honor 30 Pro can replenish its battery much quicker, a crucial benefit for users who frequently need to top up their device. The Pixel 5a 5G’s slower charging is offset by its efficient power management and comparable endurance.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor 30 Pro if you absolutely require the fastest possible charging speeds and prioritize raw processing power for demanding tasks, even at the potential cost of software support. Buy the Google Pixel 5a 5G if you value a clean Android experience, exceptional camera performance, and long-term software updates, making it ideal for everyday users and photography enthusiasts.