Honor Magic3 vs Google Pixel 6 Pro: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing camera versatility and software experience, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is the better choice. Its Tensor chip excels in image processing, and the clean Android experience is a significant draw. However, gamers and power users may find the Honor Magic3’s Snapdragon 888 and 66W charging more appealing.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic3 | 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 |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 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, August 20 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or vegan leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 74.9 x 8.99 mm (Glass) / 9.5 mm (Vegan Leather) | 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 | 203 g (Glass) / 202 g (Vegan Leather) (7.16 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| IP54, dust and water resistant | 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 (1x2.84 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 | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 64 MP, f/1.8, (monochrome) 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide) | 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) | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | 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), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired 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 | Golden Hour (Vegan Leather), Blue Hour (Vegan Leather), Black, White | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | ELZ-AN00 | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 670 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
- Faster 66W wired charging
- Potentially higher raw gaming performance with Snapdragon 888
- More traditional Android experience
- Less advanced camera software features
- No wireless charging
- Limited information on display specifications
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Superior computational photography with Google Tensor
- Brighter display with infinite contrast ratio
- Guaranteed software updates and clean Android experience
- Slower 23W wired charging
- Potentially lower raw gaming performance
- Tensor chip may throttle under sustained load
Display Comparison
The Google Pixel 6 Pro boasts a brighter display, reaching 846 nits measured, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Honor Magic3. While the Magic3’s panel technology isn’t detailed, the Pixel 6 Pro’s infinite contrast ratio suggests a superior viewing experience, particularly with HDR content. The Pixel 6 Pro’s larger display size also contributes to a more immersive experience, though this comes at the cost of potentially reduced one-handed usability. The lack of refresh rate information for the Magic3 is a notable omission, potentially giving the Pixel 6 Pro an edge if it features a higher, adaptive refresh rate.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro’s camera system is heavily reliant on Google’s computational photography prowess powered by the Tensor chip. While specific sensor details are missing for the Magic3, the Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing excels in dynamic range and low-light performance. The Tensor chip’s dedicated image processing unit allows for features like Magic Eraser and Motion Mode, unavailable on the Magic3. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Magic3 makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Pixel 6 Pro’s software optimizations likely provide a more consistent and user-friendly experience. The Magic3's camera system is likely to focus on hardware capabilities, while the Pixel 6 Pro leans heavily into software.
Performance
Both phones utilize an octa-core CPU configuration with Cortex-X1 prime cores, but differ significantly in their chipsets. The Honor Magic3’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm) is a proven performer, while the Google Pixel 6 Pro features Google’s in-house Tensor chip (5nm). The Tensor chip prioritizes AI and machine learning tasks, resulting in faster image processing and improved voice recognition. However, the Snapdragon 888 generally holds an advantage in raw CPU and GPU power, making the Magic3 more suitable for demanding games. The Pixel 6 Pro’s CPU has slightly lower clocked A76 cores (2.25 GHz vs 2.42 GHz on the Magic3), potentially impacting multi-core performance. Both utilize Cortex-A55 efficiency cores clocked at 1.80 GHz.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 84 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite differing charging capabilities. The Honor Magic3’s 66W wired charging is significantly faster than the Pixel 6 Pro’s 23W wired charging, allowing for a full charge in under an hour. The Pixel 6 Pro compensates with 23W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Magic3. While the Pixel 6 Pro’s slower wired charging is a drawback, its wireless charging options offer added convenience. The similar endurance ratings suggest that the Magic3’s faster charging is used to replenish the battery more quickly, rather than extending overall runtime.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic3 if you need uncompromising gaming performance, exceptionally fast charging speeds, and a more traditional Android experience. It’s ideal for users who frequently push their phone’s limits. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prioritize computational photography, a smooth and intuitive software experience with guaranteed updates, and a more balanced overall package. It’s perfect for users who value convenience and camera quality above all else.