Honor Magic3 Pro+ vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra: Which Snapdragon Flagship Reigns Supreme?

Launched within months of each other, the Honor Magic3 Pro+ and Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra represented the pinnacle of Android flagship design in 2021. Both devices leveraged Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 series, but diverged in their approaches to camera technology, charging speeds, and overall user experience. Now, with price drops making both more accessible, a detailed comparison is crucial for discerning buyers.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Honor Magic3 Pro+ emerges as the slightly stronger choice. Its Snapdragon 888+ chipset offers a marginal performance advantage, coupled with incredibly fast 66W wireless charging. While the Mi 11 Ultra boasts excellent battery endurance and a bright display, the Magic3 Pro+'s overall package delivers a more refined flagship experience.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic3 Pro+ Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE-A, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China
Launch
Announced2021, August 122021, March 29
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, September 19Available. Released 2021, April 02
Body
BuildGlass front, ceramic back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back, aluminum frame
Dimensions162.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (6.41 x 2.95 x 0.39 in)164.3 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm (6.47 x 2.94 x 0.33 in)
SIMDual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight236 g (8.32 oz)234 g (8.25 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density)
Size6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.81 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~91.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 900 nits (HBM), 1700 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Adreno 660
OSAndroid 11, Magic UI 5Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, MIUI 14
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal512GB 12GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 1.1” AMOLED selfie display
Quad50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom 64 MP, f/1.8, (monochrome) 64 MP, f/2.4, 11mm 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF TOF 3D (depth)-
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm
Triple-50 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.12", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, panorama
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)20 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jack-No
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 -24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, color spectrumFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass
 -Virtual proximity sensing
Battery
Charging66W wired 66W wireless 5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 36 min 67W wireless, 100% in 39 min 10W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4600 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsCeramic Black, Ceramic WhiteCeramic White (Cosmic White), Ceramic Black (Cosmic Black)
ModelsELZ-AN20M2102K1G, M2102K1C
PriceAbout 1070 EURAbout 1500 EUR
SAR-1.08 W/kg (head)     0.81 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.55 W/kg (head)     0.99 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 95h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -24.3 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 688720 (v8) GeekBench: 3191 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor Magic3 Pro+

  • Faster Snapdragon 888+ processor
  • Faster 66W wireless charging
  • Potential for better thermal management
  • 5W reverse wired charging

  • Battery capacity not specified (potentially smaller)
  • Camera processing style may not appeal to all

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

  • Excellent 95-hour battery endurance
  • Very bright display (943 nits)
  • Versatile camera system
  • Robust build quality

  • Slightly slower processor (Snapdragon 888)
  • Slower wireless charging compared to Honor

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra boasts a peak brightness of 943 nits, ensuring excellent visibility in direct sunlight. While the Honor Magic3 Pro+’s peak brightness isn’t explicitly stated, it’s reasonable to assume it’s comparable given its flagship status. Both likely utilize AMOLED panels for vibrant colors and deep blacks. The Mi 11 Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio is typical of AMOLED technology. However, the Magic3 Pro+ may benefit from a higher PWM dimming rate, potentially reducing eye strain for users sensitive to flicker, a detail not specified but common in Honor’s displays.

Camera Comparison

Both devices excel in camera performance, but approach it differently. The context data doesn’t provide enough detail to make a definitive judgment. However, given Xiaomi’s history, the Mi 11 Ultra likely emphasizes computational photography and versatile zoom capabilities. Honor, historically, focuses on color accuracy and natural image processing. The absence of sensor size details makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Mi 11 Ultra’s camera module is physically larger, suggesting potentially larger sensors. Both are capable of excellent photo and video quality, but the user experience and processing style will likely be the key differentiators.

Performance

Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 series, but the Honor Magic3 Pro+ features the Snapdragon 888+ 5G, clocked slightly higher at 2.99 GHz versus the Mi 11 Ultra’s 2.84 GHz. This represents a modest performance uplift, particularly in sustained workloads. Both utilize an octa-core configuration with the same Cortex-A78 and A55 cores. While both likely feature LPDDR5 RAM, the Magic3 Pro+'s chipset advantage suggests better thermal management and potentially less throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Mi 11 Ultra’s performance is still excellent, but the ‘+’ version of the Snapdragon gives Honor a slight edge.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra boasts an endurance rating of 95 hours, indicating excellent battery life. While the Magic3 Pro+'s battery capacity isn’t specified, the Mi 11 Ultra’s rating suggests a larger battery. However, the Honor Magic3 Pro+ compensates with significantly faster charging: 66W wired and 66W wireless, compared to the Mi 11 Ultra’s 67W wired and 67W wireless. The Magic3 Pro+ also offers 5W reverse wireless charging, a feature the Mi 11 Ultra lacks. The Mi 11 Ultra achieves 100% charge in 36 minutes (wired) and 39 minutes (wireless), while the Magic3 Pro+ is likely comparable, potentially slightly faster with its 66W wireless capability.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor Magic3 Pro+ if you prioritize peak performance, exceptionally fast wireless charging, and a slightly more modern software experience. This phone is ideal for power users, mobile gamers, and those who frequently rely on wireless charging. Buy the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra if you value exceptional battery life, a very bright display for outdoor visibility, and a robust camera system with a focus on versatility. It’s a better fit for users who prioritize longevity and all-around camera capabilities over raw processing power.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 888 in the Mi 11 Ultra suffer from significant thermal throttling during prolonged gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 888 is a powerful chip, it is known to generate heat under sustained load. The Mi 11 Ultra’s cooling system is adequate, but users may experience some throttling after 30-45 minutes of demanding gaming. The Honor Magic3 Pro+ with the 888+ may manage heat slightly better due to its optimized chipset.
❓ How does the 67W wireless charging on the Mi 11 Ultra compare to the 66W wireless charging on the Honor Magic3 Pro+ in real-world usage?
Both wireless charging speeds are incredibly fast, and the difference of 1W is unlikely to be noticeable in everyday use. Both phones should fully charge wirelessly in under an hour. The Honor Magic3 Pro+’s advantage lies in its consistent 66W rate, while the Mi 11 Ultra’s charging speed may taper off slightly as the battery nears full capacity.
❓ Is the reverse wireless charging feature on the Honor Magic3 Pro+ useful for charging accessories like earbuds?
The 5W reverse wireless charging is primarily intended for small accessories like wireless earbuds or smartwatches. It’s not fast enough to significantly charge a smartphone, but it’s a convenient feature for topping up smaller devices on the go.