Honor Magic3 Pro+ vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing peak performance and blazing-fast charging, the Honor Magic3 Pro+ is the clear winner. However, the Google Pixel 6 Pro’s superior image processing and unique software features make it the better choice for photography enthusiasts and those deeply invested in the Google ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic3 Pro+ | Google Pixel 6 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 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 - GLUOG, G8VOU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G8VOU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GLUOG | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 12 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 19 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, ceramic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (6.41 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 236 g (8.32 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 11, Magic UI 5 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 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) | - |
| Single | - | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 66W wireless 5W reverse wireless 5W reverse wired | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4600 mAh | Li-Ion 5003 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Ceramic Black, Ceramic White | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | ELZ-AN20 | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 1070 EUR | € 199.99 / $ 204.99 / £ 275.00 / ₹ 29,699 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 84h |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 585485 (v8), 719815 (v9) GeekBench: 2831 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39 fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor Magic3 Pro+
- Blazing-fast 66W wired and wireless charging
- Powerful Snapdragon 888+ processor for demanding tasks
- Potential for higher sustained performance due to Qualcomm’s thermal management
- Software support may be less consistent than Google’s Pixel line
- Camera performance relies more on hardware than computational photography
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Exceptional camera performance powered by Google Tensor’s AI
- Clean Android experience with guaranteed software updates
- Unique software features like Magic Eraser and Live Translate
- Slower 23W charging speeds
- Google Tensor may exhibit thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 846 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the Honor Magic3 Pro+'s peak brightness isn't specified, its OLED panel likely offers comparable vibrancy. Both feature infinite (nominal) contrast ratios typical of OLED technology. The Pixel 6 Pro’s larger display size (6.71 inches vs. Honor’s 6.72 inches) is a minor difference. The lack of refresh rate information for the Honor makes direct comparison difficult, but the Pixel 6 Pro’s adaptive refresh rate contributes to smoother scrolling and animations.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro’s strength lies in its computational photography, leveraging the Tensor chip’s AI capabilities. While specific sensor details for the Honor Magic3 Pro+ are missing, the Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing consistently delivers excellent dynamic range and accurate colors. The Pixel 6 Pro’s focus on software algorithms allows it to excel in low-light conditions. The Honor’s camera system likely prioritizes hardware capabilities, but without detailed specifications, it’s difficult to assess its performance relative to the Pixel 6 Pro’s computational prowess. Ignoring the typical 2MP macro lens found on many phones, the main sensor and processing pipeline are the key differentiators here.
Performance
Both phones utilize an octa-core CPU configuration with Cortex-X1 prime cores, but differ significantly in their system-on-chip (SoC). The Honor Magic3 Pro+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm), known for its strong CPU and GPU performance. The Google Pixel 6 Pro, however, features Google’s in-house Tensor chip (5nm). While the Tensor’s Cortex-X1 cores clock slightly higher (2.80 GHz vs 2.99 GHz), the Snapdragon 888+ benefits from Qualcomm’s Adreno 660 GPU, potentially offering a performance edge in graphically intensive tasks. The Pixel 6 Pro’s Tensor chip excels in AI and machine learning tasks, powering features like Magic Eraser and Live Translate. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the specific speed isn't provided, impacting overall system responsiveness.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 84 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite differing charging capabilities. The Honor Magic3 Pro+ significantly outpaces the Pixel 6 Pro in charging speed, offering 66W wired and wireless charging, capable of a 50% charge in under 30 minutes (Pixel 6 Pro). The Pixel 6 Pro’s 23W wired and wireless charging is considerably slower. The Honor also offers 5W reverse wireless and wired charging, a feature present on the Pixel 6 Pro, allowing it to top up accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic3 Pro+ if you need uncompromising performance for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing, and if you value the convenience of incredibly fast 66W wired *and* wireless charging. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prefer a more refined camera experience with Google’s computational photography prowess, and if you prioritize a clean Android experience with guaranteed software updates and exclusive features.