Honor Magic3 vs Huawei P50 Pro: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?

The Honor Magic3 and Huawei P50 Pro represent a fascinating crossroads. The Magic3, leveraging Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888, emerged as Honor's first independent flagship post-Huawei. The P50 Pro, while still bearing the Huawei name, faces limitations due to ongoing restrictions, offering both Kirin 9000 and Snapdragon 888 4G variants. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device delivers the best overall experience.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Honor Magic3 offers a more compelling package. Its Snapdragon 888 chipset provides consistently faster performance and 5G connectivity, crucial for demanding tasks and future-proofing. While the P50 Pro boasts excellent camera capabilities and wireless charging, the Magic3’s superior processing power and broader network compatibility give it the edge.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic3 Huawei P50 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 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, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA-
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
Launch
Announced2021, August 122021, July 29
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, August 20Available. Released 2021, August 12
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or vegan leather back, aluminum frameGlass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions162.8 x 74.9 x 8.99 mm (Glass) / 9.5 mm (Vegan Leather)158.8 x 72.8 x 8.5 mm (6.25 x 2.87 x 0.33 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight203 g (Glass) / 202 g (Vegan Leather) (7.16 oz)195 g (6.88 oz)
 IP54, dust and water resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Resolution1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)1228 x 2700 pixels (~450 ppi density)
Size6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.6 inches, 105.4 cm2 (~91.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55Octa-core (1x3.13 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.54 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x2.05 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)Kirin 9000 (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 4G (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Mali-G78 MP24Adreno 660
OSAndroid 11, Magic UI 5HarmonyOS 2.0 (China), EMUI 14.2 (Europe), no Google Play Services
Memory
Card slotNoNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica optics, dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad-50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom, 7x lossless zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), AF 40 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (B/W), AF
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)13 MP, f/2.4, (wide), AF
Triple50 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)-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@960fps; gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRPanorama, HDR
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)13 MP, f/2.4, (wide), AF
Video1080p@30fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a+B2b), GALILEO (E1+E5a+E5b), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery
Charging66W wired 5W reverse wired66W wired 50W wireless Reverse wireless charging
TypeLi-Po 4600 mAhLi-Po 4360 mAh
Misc
ColorsGolden Hour (Vegan Leather), Blue Hour (Vegan Leather), Black, WhiteGolden Black, Cocoa Gold, Pearl White, Charm Pink
ModelsELZ-AN00JAD-AL50, JAD-LX9, JAD-AL00
PriceAbout 670 EUR$ 196.62 / £ 329.00 / € 473.13
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 76h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 793876 (v8), 786215 (v9) GeekBench: 3145 (v5.1) GFXBench: 44fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor Magic3

  • Faster processor with Snapdragon 888
  • 5G connectivity for future-proofing
  • Potentially better power efficiency

  • No wireless charging
  • Display specs are less detailed

Huawei P50 Pro

  • Excellent camera system with strong image processing
  • 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
  • High peak display brightness

  • Potential for 4G-only connectivity (Snapdragon variant)
  • Kirin 9000 may be less efficient than Snapdragon 888

Display Comparison

Both phones feature excellent displays, but the Huawei P50 Pro edges out the Magic3 with a measured peak brightness of 754 nits. While the Magic3’s display specs aren’t provided, the P50 Pro’s high brightness ensures excellent visibility outdoors. Both boast an 'infinite' contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. The absence of refresh rate information for the Magic3 is a notable omission, while the P50 Pro’s display is optimized for color accuracy, making it ideal for content consumption.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are marketed as camera powerhouses, but details are limited. The P50 Pro’s strength lies in its sophisticated image processing and potentially larger sensor size (not specified). Both offer photo and video capabilities, but without specific sensor details or image samples, a definitive comparison is difficult. The P50 Pro’s reputation for color science and dynamic range is well-established, but the Magic3’s Snapdragon ISP could offer competitive performance. The absence of details regarding OIS and lens apertures hinders a thorough assessment.

Performance

The performance battle is nuanced. The Honor Magic3’s Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) features a Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.84GHz, paired with three Cortex-A78 cores and four Cortex-A55 cores. The Huawei P50 Pro offers two CPU configurations: the Kirin 9000 (5nm) with a Cortex-A77 prime core at 3.13GHz, and a Snapdragon 888 4G (5nm) variant. While the Kirin 9000’s higher clock speed on the prime core *suggests* a theoretical advantage, the Snapdragon 888’s more modern architecture and superior GPU generally translate to better real-world performance, especially in gaming. Crucially, the Snapdragon 888 in the Magic3 provides 5G connectivity, a significant advantage over the 4G-limited Snapdragon 888 variant of the P50 Pro.

Battery Life

Both devices support 66W wired charging, promising rapid replenishment. The P50 Pro adds 50W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, offering greater versatility. Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 76 hours, suggesting comparable battery life. However, the Snapdragon 888 in the Magic3 is generally more power-efficient than the Kirin 9000, potentially offsetting any capacity differences (not specified for either device). The P50 Pro’s wireless charging is a significant convenience feature absent in the Magic3.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor Magic3 if you prioritize raw performance, 5G connectivity, and a smoother overall user experience. It’s ideal for gamers, power users, and those who need a phone that can handle anything they throw at it. Buy the Huawei P50 Pro if camera quality is your absolute top priority and you don’t mind the limitations of a potentially 4G-only connection (depending on the variant) and Huawei’s software ecosystem. It’s a strong choice for photography enthusiasts who value image detail and color science.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 888 in the Honor Magic3 suffer from overheating during prolonged gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 888 is known to generate heat, Honor implemented a robust cooling system in the Magic3. Reports suggest that throttling is well-managed, allowing for sustained gaming performance without significant frame drops. However, extended, demanding sessions will still result in some heat buildup.
❓ What are the implications of choosing the Snapdragon 888 4G variant of the Huawei P50 Pro?
Selecting the Snapdragon 888 4G version of the P50 Pro means you'll be limited to 4G LTE connectivity. This is a significant drawback for users who rely on 5G networks for fast data speeds and low latency, especially in areas with good 5G coverage. It also impacts future-proofing the device.
❓ How does Huawei's camera processing differ from Honor's in these devices?
Huawei traditionally emphasizes vibrant colors and strong contrast in its image processing, often resulting in visually appealing photos. Honor, now independent, aims for a more natural and balanced look, though the Magic3 still benefits from the legacy of Huawei's camera expertise. The difference is subtle but noticeable to photography enthusiasts.
❓ Is the lack of detailed display specifications for the Honor Magic3 a cause for concern?
The absence of specifics like refresh rate and panel type is a valid concern. However, given Honor's flagship positioning, it's reasonable to assume the Magic3 features a high-quality OLED display with a smooth refresh rate, likely 90Hz or 120Hz. The lack of official confirmation prevents a precise comparison with the P50 Pro's display.