Honor Magic4 Pro vs Huawei Mate 50 Pro: The Ultimate Showdown

The smartphone landscape is fiercely competitive, and two titans clash today: the Honor Magic4 Pro and the Huawei Mate 50 Pro. Both offer premium features and impressive specs, but cater to slightly different audiences. Let's dive into a comprehensive comparison to help you decide which one deserves your money.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Mate 50 Pro edges out the Magic4 Pro thanks to its superior Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, longer battery life, and arguably more refined camera system. However, the Magic4 Pro's blazing-fast 100W charging and slightly brighter display are compelling advantages.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic4 Pro Huawei Mate 50 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, 41 - China1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China-
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, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China
Launch
Announced2022, February 282022, September 06
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, April 09Available. Released 2022, September 28
Body
BuildGlass front, aluminum frame, glass back-
Dimensions163.6 x 74.7 x 9.1 mm or 9.2 mm162.1 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm (6.38 x 2.97 x 0.33 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight209 g / 215 g (7.37 oz)205 g / 209 g (7.23 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionAluminosilicate glassHuawei Kunlun Glass
Resolution1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)1212 x 2616 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~428 ppi density)
Size6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~93.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.74 inches, 111.8 cm2 (~91.3% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (peak)OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 730Adreno 730
OSAndroid 12, Magic UI 6EMUI 13 (International), HarmonyOS 3.0 (China)
Memory
Card slotNoNano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR
Single12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5", AF 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom TOF 3D (depth)50 MP, f/1.4-f/4.0, 24mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), PDAF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480fps, 720p@960fps, 720p@3840fps, HDR, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, panorama
Single12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)13 MP, f/2.4, 18mm (ultrawide) TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit audio stereo recording32-bit/384kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYesYes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a)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 3.1, OTG, Display Port 1.2
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, ultrasonic), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFace ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass
 -BDS Satellite Message (sending only)
Battery
Charging100W wired, 100% in 30 min 100W wireless, 50% in 15 min Reverse wireless 5W reverse wired66W wired 50W wireless 5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4600 mAhLi-Po 4700 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, White, Cyan, Gold, OrangeBlack, Silver, Purple, Orange
ModelsLGE-NX9, LGE-N49B, LGE-N19B, LGE-AN10, GBD-NX9DCO-AL00, DCO-LX9
Price€ 469.41 / £ 397.48About 900 EUR
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 82h Endurance rating 104h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -23.6 LUFS (Very good) -24.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 980755 (v9) GeekBench: 3512 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 979921 (v9) GeekBench: 3839 (v5.1) GFXBench: 68fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor Magic4 Pro

  • Blazing-fast 100W wired charging
  • Slightly brighter display
  • Excellent overall performance
  • Premium design

  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can throttle under sustained load
  • Battery life slightly behind the Mate 50 Pro
  • Software experience may not appeal to everyone

Huawei Mate 50 Pro

  • Superior Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 performance
  • Exceptional battery life
  • Refined camera system with XMAGE
  • Excellent build quality

  • Slower charging speeds compared to Magic4 Pro
  • 4G connectivity only
  • Huawei ecosystem limitations (Google services)

Display Comparison

Both phones boast stunning OLED displays with excellent color accuracy and infinite contrast ratios. The Magic4 Pro takes a slight lead with a marginally higher peak brightness of 957 nits compared to the Mate 50 Pro's 946 nits, though the difference is barely noticeable in real-world use. Both offer smooth 120Hz refresh rates.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the Mate 50 Pro's XMAGE imaging technology and larger sensor give it an edge in image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The Magic4 Pro's camera is still excellent, offering vibrant colors and detailed shots, but the Mate 50 Pro's overall image processing is more refined. Both record high-quality video.

Performance

The Huawei Mate 50 Pro holds a clear advantage here. While the Magic4 Pro uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the Mate 50 Pro features the upgraded Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. This translates to improved efficiency and sustained performance, especially during demanding tasks like gaming. The 8+ Gen 1 also handles heat better.

Battery Life

The Mate 50 Pro demonstrates superior battery endurance. While the Magic4 Pro boasts an impressive endurance rating of 82h, the Mate 50 Pro achieves 104h. The Mate 50 Pro also offers better real-world battery life, consistently lasting longer on a single charge. However, the Magic4 Pro's 100W wired charging is significantly faster than the Mate 50 Pro's 66W, allowing for incredibly quick top-ups.

Buying Guide

The Honor Magic4 Pro is ideal for users prioritizing incredibly fast charging and a vibrant display. The Huawei Mate 50 Pro is a better choice for those seeking top-tier performance, exceptional battery life, and a camera system known for its image quality and versatility, especially if 4G connectivity is sufficient.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Huawei Mate 50 Pro support 5G?
No, the Mate 50 Pro is a 4G-only device. This is a significant consideration for users who rely on 5G connectivity.
❓ Is the Honor Magic4 Pro's software similar to stock Android?
Honor's Magic UI is based on Android but includes a significant amount of customization and pre-installed apps. It's not a pure stock Android experience.