Honor Magic4 Ultimate vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Android
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing ultimate performance and incredibly fast charging, the Honor Magic4 Ultimate is the clear winner. However, the Google Pixel 6 Pro delivers a more polished software experience and excels in computational photography, making it ideal for those valuing camera versatility and AI-powered features.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic4 Ultimate | 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 | 2022, March 17 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 22 | 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 | 163.6 x 74.7 x 11.4 mm (6.44 x 2.94 x 0.45 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 | 242 g (8.54 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1312 x 2848 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.81 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~93.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 12, Magic UI 6 | 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 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.12", 1.4µm, PDAF 64 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.7µm 64 MP, f/3.5, 90mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.5", PDAF TOF 3D (depth) | - |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 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, HDR10, 10-bit video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 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 |
| 24-bit audio stereo recording | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | 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, ultrasonic), Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 100W wired, 100% in 30 min 50W 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 | LGE-AN20 | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 1150 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 Magic4 Ultimate
- Incredibly fast 100W wired charging
- Potentially superior CPU performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- Likely faster RAM (LPDDR5X)
- Camera details are currently limited
- Honor’s software experience may not appeal to all users
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Exceptional computational photography and image processing
- Clean and refined Android software experience
- Google’s exclusive software features (Magic Eraser, Live Translate)
- Significantly slower charging speed (23W)
- Tensor chip may not match Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in raw CPU power
Display Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 846 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the Honor Magic4 Ultimate’s peak brightness isn’t specified, its marketing emphasizes color accuracy. Both feature infinite (nominal) contrast ratios, typical of OLED panels. The Pixel 6 Pro’s larger display size (6.71 inches vs. likely 6.7 inches on the Honor) offers a more immersive viewing experience. The Honor’s display technology is not specified, but a flagship at this price point would likely include LTPO for adaptive refresh rates, potentially offering better power efficiency than a fixed refresh rate panel.
Camera Comparison
While detailed camera specs for the Honor Magic4 Ultimate are missing, its 'Ultimate' branding suggests a focus on high-resolution sensors and advanced optics. The Pixel 6 Pro’s camera system, powered by Google’s computational photography expertise, excels in dynamic range and low-light performance. The Tensor chip’s image signal processor (ISP) is optimized for tasks like HDR+ and Super Res Zoom. The Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing style leans towards realistic colors, while Honor typically employs more vibrant, saturated tones. Without specific sensor details for the Honor, it’s difficult to definitively assess its camera capabilities, but the Pixel 6 Pro’s software advantage is significant.
Performance
The Honor Magic4 Ultimate’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) is built on a smaller node than the Google Tensor (5nm), theoretically offering better power efficiency and thermal headroom. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s CPU configuration – 1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510 – provides a performance edge in multi-core tasks compared to the Pixel 6 Pro’s 2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1, 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55. However, the Google Tensor’s strength lies in its dedicated AI processing unit, enabling features like faster image processing and improved voice recognition. The Honor’s LPDDR5X RAM is likely faster than the Pixel 6 Pro’s LPDDR5, further enhancing performance.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 84 hours, suggesting comparable overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the Honor). However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The Honor Magic4 Ultimate’s 100W wired charging can fully charge the battery in just 30 minutes, a significant advantage over the Pixel 6 Pro’s 23W charging, which also takes 30 minutes to reach 50%. The Honor also offers 50W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless/wired charging, while the Pixel 6 Pro provides 23W wireless and reverse wireless charging. The Honor’s faster charging is a major convenience factor for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic4 Ultimate if you need uncompromising processing power for demanding games and applications, and if minimizing charging downtime is critical. Its 100W charging is a game-changer. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prefer a seamless software experience, prioritize exceptional camera image processing, and value Google’s exclusive features like Magic Eraser and Live Translate.