Honor Magic3 vs OnePlus 9 Pro: Which Snapdragon 888 Flagship Reigns Supreme?

The Honor Magic3 and OnePlus 9 Pro represent a fascinating intersection of flagship ambition. Both devices launched with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, but diverge significantly in their approach to battery technology, charging speeds, and overall user experience. This comparison dissects these differences to determine which phone delivers the most compelling package.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing rapid charging and a more versatile wireless charging experience, the OnePlus 9 Pro emerges as the winner. Its 65W wired and 50W wireless charging capabilities, coupled with comparable battery endurance, offer a significant convenience advantage over the Honor Magic3’s 66W wired and 5W reverse wired setup.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic3 OnePlus 9 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) / 1800 / 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, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN
Launch
Announced2021, August 122021, March 23
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, August 20Available. Released 2021, March 30
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or vegan leather back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions162.8 x 74.9 x 8.99 mm (Glass) / 9.5 mm (Vegan Leather)163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight203 g (Glass) / 202 g (Vegan Leather) (7.16 oz)197 g (6.95 oz)
 IP54, dust and water resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density)1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density)
Size6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55Octa-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 14, OxygenOS 14
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad-48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome)
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm
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-EIS8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide)16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 -24-bit/192kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a)
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, DLNA
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging66W wired 5W reverse wired65W wired, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4600 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsGolden Hour (Vegan Leather), Blue Hour (Vegan Leather), Black, WhiteMorning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black
ModelsELZ-AN00LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127
PriceAbout 670 EUR€ 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 86h
Camera- Photo / Video
Loudspeaker- -24.1 LUFS (Very good)

Honor Magic3

  • Potentially lower price point
  • 66W wired charging is competitive
  • Snapdragon 888 provides flagship performance

  • Limited wireless charging capabilities (5W reverse wired)
  • Missing battery capacity and camera specifications
  • Uncertain thermal management performance

OnePlus 9 Pro

  • Faster 65W wired and 50W wireless charging
  • 86-hour endurance rating
  • Hasselblad-tuned camera system

  • Can be more expensive than the Honor Magic3
  • Snapdragon 888 can still experience throttling
  • OxygenOS software may not appeal to all users

Display Comparison

While both phones utilize high-refresh-rate displays, the OnePlus 9 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 859 nits, suggesting a more visible experience in direct sunlight. The Honor Magic3’s display specifications are not provided, making a direct comparison difficult. However, OnePlus’s display is known for its color accuracy and LTPO technology, dynamically adjusting the refresh rate to conserve battery life. This is a key advantage for users who consume a lot of video content or game frequently.

Camera Comparison

Both devices feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information for the Honor Magic3 is missing. The OnePlus 9 Pro, developed in partnership with Hasselblad, focuses on natural color reproduction and image processing. While both phones offer photo and video capabilities, the OnePlus 9 Pro’s larger main sensor (typically 48MP or 50MP) and optical image stabilization (OIS) provide an advantage in low-light photography and video stabilization. The absence of details regarding the Honor Magic3’s camera system makes a comprehensive comparison challenging, but the OnePlus 9 Pro’s Hasselblad partnership is a significant differentiator.

Performance

Both the Honor Magic3 and OnePlus 9 Pro are powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset, featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55). This means raw processing power will be nearly identical. However, thermal management is crucial with the Snapdragon 888, and OnePlus’s cooling solutions are generally regarded as more effective, potentially leading to less throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. The lack of RAM specifications for the Honor Magic3 makes a direct comparison impossible, but the OnePlus 9 Pro typically ships with LPDDR5 RAM, contributing to faster data access speeds.

Battery Life

The OnePlus 9 Pro has an endurance rating of 86 hours, indicating solid battery life. The Honor Magic3’s battery capacity is not specified, making a direct comparison difficult. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro’s charging capabilities are a clear advantage: 65W wired charging delivers a full charge in 29 minutes, while 50W wireless charging reaches 100% in 43 minutes. The Honor Magic3 offers 66W wired charging, comparable in speed, but its 5W reverse wired charging is significantly slower and less versatile than the OnePlus 9 Pro’s 5W reverse wireless charging.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor Magic3 if you prioritize a potentially lower price point (depending on current market conditions) and are comfortable with a more limited wireless charging ecosystem. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you value faster and more flexible charging options – both wired and wireless – and appreciate a more established software experience with a strong community following.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 888 in either phone tend to overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 888 is known to generate heat under sustained load. While both phones feature cooling systems, the OnePlus 9 Pro generally benefits from a more robust thermal solution, potentially leading to less throttling and more consistent performance during extended gaming.
❓ How does the 5W reverse charging on the Honor Magic3 compare to the 5W reverse wireless charging on the OnePlus 9 Pro in terms of usability?
The OnePlus 9 Pro’s reverse *wireless* charging is significantly more convenient. Wired reverse charging on the Honor Magic3 requires a cable connection, while the OnePlus 9 Pro allows you to simply place a compatible device on the back of the phone to initiate charging.
❓ Is the camera partnership with Hasselblad on the OnePlus 9 Pro a significant advantage in real-world photo quality?
Yes, the Hasselblad partnership focuses on color calibration and image processing, resulting in more natural and accurate colors, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While both phones are capable, the OnePlus 9 Pro’s camera system generally delivers more consistent and pleasing results.