Honor Play 30 Plus vs. Xiaomi Black Shark 4: A Detailed Showdown

Looking for a budget-friendly gaming phone or a powerhouse for serious mobile gaming? The Honor Play 30 Plus and Xiaomi Black Shark 4 offer distinct approaches. This comparison dives deep into their specs and features to help you decide which one best suits your needs.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi Black Shark 4 is the clear winner for performance and charging speed, boasting a Snapdragon 870 and 120W charging. The Honor Play 30 Plus offers a more affordable entry point, but falls short in raw power and features. If gaming is your priority, the Black Shark 4 is the better choice.

PHONES
Phone Names	Honor Play 30 Plus	Xiaomi Black Shark 4

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	LTE	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - International, China
5G bands	SA/NSA	1, 3, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	CDMA2000 1x	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO

Launch
Announced	2021, December 16	2021, March 23
Status	Available. Released 2022, January 02	Available. Released 2021, March 30

Body
Build	Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame	-
Dimensions	167.6 x 77.2 x 8.6 mm (6.60 x 3.04 x 0.34 in)	163.8 x 76.4 x 9.9 mm (6.45 x 3.01 x 0.39 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	198 g (6.98 oz)	210 g (7.41 oz)
	-	Physical pop-up gaming triggers

Display
Resolution	720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~260 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)
Size	6.74 inches, 109.7 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio)	6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~85.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD, 90Hz	Super AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)
	-	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)
Chipset	Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm)	Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)
GPU	Mali-G57 MC2	Adreno 650
OS	Android 11, Magic UI 5.0	Android 11, Joy UI 12.5

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	No
Internal	128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM
	eMMC 5.1	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Dual	13 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF Auxiliary lens	-
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, HDR, panorama
Single	5 MP, f/2.2, (wide)	20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 0.8µm
Triple	-	48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro), AF
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps

Selfie camera
Features	-	HDR
Single	5 MP, f/2.2, (wide)	20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 0.8µm
Video	-	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	-	24-bit/192kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
NFC	No	Yes
Positioning	GPS, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Battery
Charging	22.5W wired	120W wired, 100% in 17 min
Type	Li-Po 5000 mAh	Li-Po 4500 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, Blue, Silver, Gold	Mirror Black, Pale Grey, Black, Blue, Silver
Models	CMA-AN00	SHARK PRS-H0, SHARK PRS-A0, SHARK KSR-A0
Price	About 150 EUR	About 930 EUR

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 96h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-27.4 LUFS (Good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 617456 (v8) GeekBench: 3448 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor Play 30 Plus

Affordable
Decent performance for casual gaming
Good battery life (96h)

Less powerful chipset
Slower charging (22.5W)
Likely inferior camera

Xiaomi Black Shark 4

Powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset
Blazing-fast 120W charging
Excellent display
Long battery life (96h)

More expensive
Gaming-focused design may not appeal to everyone

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi Black Shark 4 takes the display crown with a measured 694 nits max brightness and an impressive (nominal) infinite contrast ratio. While the Honor Play 30 Plus likely has a decent display, it lacks the brightness and contrast of the Black Shark 4, impacting the visual experience, especially in bright environments. The Black Shark 4's display is more immersive and vibrant.

Camera Comparison

While both phones offer 'Photo/Video' capabilities, the Black Shark 4 likely has a more advanced camera system due to its higher-end chipset. Expect better image processing, dynamic range, and low-light performance from the Black Shark 4. Specific camera specs are missing for both, making a definitive comparison difficult, but the Black Shark 4 is expected to perform better.

Performance

The Snapdragon 870 in the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 is significantly more powerful than the Dimensity 700 in the Honor Play 30 Plus. Expect smoother gameplay, faster app loading times, and better multitasking on the Black Shark 4. The Black Shark 4's CPU and GPU combination provides a substantial performance advantage for demanding games.

Battery Life

Both phones boast an impressive endurance rating of 96 hours. However, the Xiaomi Black Shark 4's 120W wired charging is a game-changer, allowing for a full charge in just 17 minutes. The Honor Play 30 Plus's 22.5W charging is considerably slower.

Buying Guide

The Honor Play 30 Plus is ideal for budget-conscious users who want a decent smartphone experience with some gaming capabilities. The Xiaomi Black Shark 4 is perfect for serious mobile gamers who demand high performance, fast charging, and dedicated gaming features.